Single-handed from Fleetwood to Kinsale and back

Sabine is a marine ply 18’ 6” Seagull which was built in 1960. I have owned her for 16 years, during which time I have sailed her more than 10,000 miles, mostly single-handed. I have modified the cockpit to make it self-draining, made the locker lids watertight and also raised the coamings. There is enough buoyancy in the form of 25l and 50l plastic containers in the forepeak and under the bunks and cockpit sole to keep her afloat in the event of holing or swamping. My engine is an 8hp Mariner o/b.

For my May 1996 cruise I decided to have a change from my usual trip to Scotland as I have cruised Scottish waters for the last 14 years and I was feeling the need for a new challenge. I therefore decided to make a trip to Ireland.

I was able to borrow most of the charts that I needed and ended up with a folio covering Lough Foyle to Old Head of Kinsale. To help with navigation, particularly in poor visibility, I purchased a hand held GPS with a mounting bracket and power cable to run off 12 volts. My launching problems were solved when fellow TSA members invited me to launch at Glasson SC where they have a good slipway and a safe car park.

Wednesday 1st May

I left home at 1800 and trailed Sabine to Glasson arriving just after 1900. A bitter cold NE wind was blowing at F4-5. I made myself known to the club cruising commodore who was expecting me. After a warm up in the club house I went out into the cold and started rigging Sabine, then later went for a couple of pints before going on board for the night.

Thursday 2nd May Glasson to Knott End, Fleetwood. HW 1117/2338, LW 1807 F/cast NE4-5.

Up early after a very disturbed night with the wind roaring in the rigging and Sabine shuddering in the gusts. Fitted the rudder, rigged my home-made wind vane and finished loading my gear on board.

Launched at 1130. The strong wind was blowing across the slipway and it was one of the few times that I have needed a hand to launch. Sabine was soon swinging to a bow rope from the end of the jetty whilst I parked my car and trailer.

Being eager to have my first sail of the year I was soon back on board and had the mainsail up with a good reef rolled in. By 1215 I had cast off and set sail down the channel on my first trip out of Glasson. The stiff breeze gave me 6-7 knots and with the ebb running the buoys came up quickly. I was soon at the River Lune Buoy and it was decision time. The wind was NE4-5 which would give me a fast passage to the Isle of Man, but I hadn’t got my sea legs. I didn’t fancy crossing the Langness Race in a strong wind in the dark and I didn’t yet know the capabilities of my GPS.

I decided to put into Knott End, spend a leisurely afternoon getting things shipshape and leave at midnight on the ebb. I was soon at the River Wyre Buoy and plugging against the ebb and by 1400 I was tied to a buoy off Knott End. At 1800 the wind was still howling in the rigging when I went to bed for a few hours. I woke at 2300 with the wind still there and called the Coast Guard for the latest inshore waters forecast. It was NE5-6, occ 7 in Manx waters. I went back to bed.

Miles for the day — 10. Engine 10 minutes.

Friday 3rd May Knott End. HW 1156, LW 1848 F/cast N-NE3-4, occ5, to N3-4-3.

A bright cool morning wind NE3-4. Inflated the dinghy and went ashore when the tide had slackened. I had a good walk along the river bank. Back on board the wind had eased to 2-3 and at 1330 I heard the yachts of the Glasson ‘fleet’ who were heading for Ramsey. They were out by Lightning Knoll and were finding patchy winds.

I spent a leisurely afternoon and turned in for a few hours. I did not get much sleep. The ‘Buffalo’ was loading at the Fleetwood pier and the clanking of tractors disturbed me.

Up at 2245. F/cast N3 to NW3-2.

Saturday 4th May Knott End to Castletown IoM.

By midnight I was motoring out of the Fleetwood channel against the last of the flood. It was a clear night, a full moon and hardly any wind so the buoys were easy to identify. Once past the Wyre Buoy I found a little wind which gave me 3-4 knots. At 0150 I was past the Lune Deep Buoy and on course for Langness Point. The wind fell light so I started the engine and switched on the Autohelm. The horizon was full of lights and at dawn I passed the northernmost gas rig. By 1600 there was enough breeze to motorsail and I made good progress till 1800 when the flood made itself felt and it took 5½ hours and put 32 miles on the log to cover the last 20 miles. I tied up in Castletown harbour at 1330, had a brew and took my empty petrol can to the garage for 20l.

Miles for the day — 68.6. Engine 13 hours.

Sunday 5th May Castletown to Ardglass, NI. LW 0705/2010, HW 1319. F/cast Var2-3 to NE3-4.

Up at 0800 to a bright sunny morning. Motored out at 1045 and found the wind was WNW F1-2. I had to motorsail to make much progress keeping close inshore to take advantage of any back eddies. By 1245 I was going through Calf Sound to find that the wind had gone SW2-3 and the best course I could make was 280° true. A look at the chart showed me that Ardglass would be my best landfall, so with the wind vane in charge I dug out the pilot books to learn what I could about my first Irish harbour.

Good progress until 1730 when I ran into a heavy shower. After it had passed the wind fell light. At 1940 I decided to put the engine on. Approaching Ardglass the sky was overcast and the night fell quickly. My GPS said that I was on course but the chart showed a sectored light and the pilot book warned against confusing Ardglass with Killough, one mile to the south.

This made me worry about my navigation and I approached the coast with extreme caution. Eventually the outer breakwater loomed up and as I passed the end I saw that it was full with fishing vessels so I headed for the inner breakwater. I must have strayed off course for I suddenly found myself in the green sector of the light. A quick turn to port and I was back in the white sector. I was soon behind the wall and alongside a flight of steps, greatly relieved to have made a safe landfall; my first night passage into a strange harbour. An elderly local man came to the steps and took my ropes, then advised me to go into the inner harbour known locally as ‘God’s Pocket’. I went ashore and he showed me where I could tie up. There was just enough water to creep in and by 2230 I was tied alongside a small fishing vessel.

Miles for the day — 44.8. Engine 3 hours 35 minutes.

Monday 6th May Ardglass — Carlingford Lough. LW 0828/2048, HW 1401. F/cast Var3 to NE3-4.

Disturbed by the sound of heavy machinery but buried my head in my sleeping bag and dozed for a couple of hours. The morning dull and drizzly. When I went ashore after breakfast the source of the noise became evident. Two Hy-macs were smashing up a fishing vessel on the beach and tractors were carting the timber to a site further inland where it was being burnt. Another decommissioned fishing vessel biting the dust...

A walk round the harbour and I found a marina being built. It looked like a bomb site and I was surprised to learn in August that it was up and running.

Motored out at 1100 as soon as I floated and headed south for Kilkeel. The wind very light and I alternately sailed and motorsailed and at 1815 motored into Kilkeel harbour which was even more ‘clinical’ than Kemp described it. I was not much impressed by the piling walls and the lack of ladders. What vessels there were were rafted up leaving miles of empty wall. I tied up to a maintenance ladder hanging from a coaster whilst I made a quick meal and studied the charts and sailing directions for going into Carlingford Lough.

At 1915 I motored out and set course for the Hellyhunter Buoy, arriving at 2015 to find the ebb was still running strongly. As it was calm I anchored in 7 metres to wait for the tide to turn. By 2045 the tide had slackened and I motored up the buoyed channel, soon feeling the lift of the incoming tide. I thought about anchoring behind Greensore Point but it was an ugly looking place so motored on into the gathering dusk. It was pitch black by the time I reached No 18 Buoy which is the turning point for the Marina. Turning south on rounding the buoy it was some time before I spotted the rather feeble light on the marina breakwater. It was a bit eerie negotiating the entrance as the breakwater was constructed by sinking old ships end to end. Inside, the pontoons were lit up but deserted and I motored in to tie up at 2215.

Miles for the day — 32. Engine 5 hours.

Tuesday 7th May Carlingford to Howth. LW 0911, HW 1448. F/cast E-SE2-3 to NE3-4.

Disturbed in the night by halyards stalling on ‘tin’ masts. Up at 0650 to find a stiff NW wind blowing down the lough, and by 0710 I was motoring up towards No 18 Buoy, setting the sails as I went. Once round the buoy I put the Autohelm on and made my breakfast. The wind eased as I approached Greensore Point and died away completely as I got into the channel. I drifted along with the tide with the thought that I could go back in on the flood if there was no wind outside. However it came back in again from ENE3 and by 0900 I was past No 4 Buoy and on course for Rockbill, making 5-6 knots. The wind gradually veered to SE and I made good progress all the way to Howth, where I tied up in the marina at 1850. I had been able to make a meal whilst underway, so after having a wash and shave I walked part way up the Hill of Howth before retiring to the yacht club for my first pint of Irish Guinness.

Miles for the day — 44.3. Engine 35 minutes.

Wednesday 8th May Howth to Wicklow. LW 0958, HW 1540. F/cast NE 3-4 poss 5 later.

A clear cool morning with little wind. Spent the morning changing pounds to punts, filling up with petrol and walking to the top of the Hill of Howth where there are spectacular views across Dublin Bay, to the mountains in the west and round to Rockbill in the north. I motored out of the marina at 1230 and set sails on course for the Nose of Howth. The wind was light and the tide foul so I stayed on engine till I was round the Nose and the Bailey where I found more wind and was able to switch off. By 1550 I was off the Muglins and the tide had turned, but it fell light again and I motorsailed for a while till it picked up again. It was blowing NE 4 when I sailed into Wicklow harbour at 1900 and picked up a mooring.

A lot of swell was coming into the harbour, so after stowing sail I motored into the river and tied up against a local yacht. Later I walked through the town and sampled some more Guinness and some Irish beer.

Miles for the day — 23. Engine 2 hours.

Thursday 9th May Wicklow to Rosslare. LW 1051, HW 1639, LW 2317. F/cast NE 2-3-5/6.

A cool dull morning with a light east wind. I was out of the harbour and sailing by 0700. I cleared Wicklow Head with one tack, into a very confused sea, but after rounding the head it settled down. The wind gradually backed and strengthened and by 1200 it was blowing F5. I was running goose-winged with the wind just on the port quarter and a home designed preventer holding the boom out to starboard. The genny kept filling and emptying with a crack as Sabine rolled so I furled it. Shortly afterwards as I was approaching the North Blackwater Buoy, all hell let loose, the tiller went slack, the main backwinded and Sabine went over on her beam ends. I scrambled for the preventer cleat as she began to weathercock and she soon came up again. I then realised how strong the wind had become, nearer F6 than F5 so I put 6 rolls in the main before getting under way again. Even so Sabine was still surfing the waves.

Thinking about what happened, I’m certain that Sabine had tripped over one of the many whelk pot buoys. Being 25l black plastic drums they were not easy to see in the prevailing conditions.

After a wild sail I shot into Rosslare harbour, a busy commercial port, to find there was not much shelter from the north-east and the best I could do was to tie up against an old tug just inside the breakwater. The swell kept rolling in and setting the boat bouncing and as I don’t like leaving Sabine in such conditions I didn’t set foot ashore.

Miles for the day — 52.7. Engine 30 minutes.

Friday 10th May Rosslare to Dunmore East (Waterford River). HW 0507, LW 1312.

Up before 0600 after a very disturbed night. I didn’t wait for a weather forecast and was nearly ready to sail when two ferries came in within a few minutes of each other. Once the swell from them had died down I cast off and motored round the harbour whilst I got the fenders in and the sails up. Then “Once more unto the breach”, I headed into the waves. It was still blowing F4 as I took a long tack north into a short steep sea before turning east to clear the Carmine and Splaugh Buoys, however I misjudged the strength of the tide and soon found myself being swept onto the Carmine, so I started the engine and motorsailed as close to the wind as I could. It was a bit wet but I just managed to round Splaugh without having to tack.

I had intended to take an inshore passage round Carnsore Point but all I could see was broken water so I headed for Tuskar Rock and consulted the chart and plotted a course from the south end of the shoals to the Barrels Buoy. This was where my GPS started to prove its worth. With the buoy over the horizon I was able to alter course as soon as it gave me my bearing and by 0930 was heading for the Saltee Sound. The wind was still blowing a good F4 and I couldn’t keep the genny full so I furled it with no loss of speed. The Autohelm could keep a reasonable course so I went below to make a coffee, and to mop up the drop of water that had squirted in under the hatch garage. I made a fast passage through Saltee Sound to Hook Head and was tied up in Dunmore East by 1400.

Had a walk round the village and topped up with petrol and water. In the evening I enjoyed a couple of pints of Guinness before going back on board for an early night.

Miles for the day — 34.6. Engine 40 minutes.

Saturday 11th May Dunmore East to Helvick (Dungarvon Bay). LW 1400, HW 1905. F/cast NE 3/4, var.

Awakened at 0500 by fishing vessels going out, then at 0600 when the yacht I was lying against wanted to get out to catch the tide round Camsore Point on passage to Pwhelli. It was cold clear and apparently calm. What a difference to the blustery winds of the last two days. I shopped for fresh food as soon as the shops opened and at 1000 I cast off in sunny conditions and found a light NE breeze outside. This soon dropped so I motored round Great Newton Head into Tramore Bay, then crept into Back Strand, a tidal lagoon in the NE corner of the bay where I had lunch in the sunshine. Thought about having the rest of the day off but I noticed the masthead hawk swinging so motored out of the lagoon for a ‘looksee’. Found a light SE breeze and headed for Dungarvon. Sailed till 1730 then with six miles to go and a foul tide I put the engine on. I headed into Helvick harbour and asked a fisherman permission to tie alongside one of the fishing vessels which I did at 1930. Went for a walk and found that a large mackerel had ‘jumped’ into the cockpit. Changed into shore-going gear and went to the pub, a nice quiet friendly place, even on a Saturday night, and the possessor of the only payphone for miles.

Miles for the day — 26.5. Engine 3 hours.

Sunday 12th May Helvick to Ballycotton. Local HW 1420 F/cast var. 3 to S 4/5.

Bright clear and calm, motored out at 0845 into a flat calm and set course for Mine Head which I rounded at 1110 to find a light SSW breeze. I crept past Ram Head and across Youghal Bay, into Ballycotton Bay, arriving at Ballycotton at 1730 to find most of the wall taken up by large trawlers. I managed to find a gap with a ladder and wriggled in, watched by a small crowd which soon dispersed when I took my lines ashore without any drama. Went for a walk, then sampled more Guinness in the evening.

Miles for the day — 32.2. Engine 2 hours 40 minutes.

Monday 13th May Ballycotton to Kinsale. Local LW 1007, HW 1553. F/cast SE 4/5, 6 later.

A dull morning and not as cold. Surprised at not being more disturbed by early fishing vessels. I motored out of the harbour at 0815 then sailed hard on the wind to clear Ballycotton Island. Once round I found a fresh SSE F4/5. Reefed and cracked on past Smith’s Rock and Pollack Rock then freed off for the Bulman Buoy and by 1400 was tied up in Kinsale marina. There was a sign saying that showers were available in the club house so I was reasonably happy to part with the fee of £8 for a night on the pontoon. Went for a stroll round the town which claims to be Ireland’s premier resort. An attractive place with narrow winding streets and colourful facades.

In the evening went to the yacht club for a shower and found it was closed. Too early in the season to be open every night. I could easily have anchored in the bay for free.

Miles for the day — 29. Engine 20 minutes.

Kinsale was the limit of my charts as well as my time as I had to think of the passage home. I had sailed every day since Fleetwood but would almost certainly have to sit out some bad weather on the return. The weathermen were already talking about a change in the offing.

Tuesday 14th May Kinsale to Crosshaven (Cork Estuary). LW 1106, HW 1646. F/cast ENE 2‑5.

Bright and sunny and the light NE wind meant a beat up the coast. Motored out at 0815 but past the Bulman Buoy the wind was up to F3-4 but bang on the nose. However I enjoyed the brisk beat along the coast in bright sunshine and was into the Cork estuary and tied alongside the jetty at Crosshaven by 1530. After a brew I went to the shops and then left to anchor in the river opposite the Royal Cork Yacht Club and marina. A very ‘upmarket’ looking place but I have been told that the members are a friendly crowd. However I was feeling a bit jaded so had an early night.

Miles on the log for the day — 28. Engine 20 minutes.

Wednesday 15th May Crosshaven to Youghal. LW 1156, HW 1733. F/cast NE 2/3.

Another fine morning. Up anchor at 0815 and motored out. The wind NE 1/2 meant a slow beat along the coast till I had to resort to motorsailing to get anywhere. The plan of Youghal showed three small harbours, two of which appeared to be silted up. The other was full with small boats tied bows on and ropes strung across the harbour like knitting. There were plenty of moorings in the river so I picked one up. The clouds built up as I cooked my meal and by the time I had washed up it was raining and blowing NE 3/4, so no trip ashore.

Miles on the log for the day — 34.2. Engine 1 hour 40 minutes.

Thursday 16th May Youghal to Ballynagaul (Dungarvon). LW 1239, HW 1813. F/cast NE 4/5 occ. 6

Dull and damp after a very poor night of rolling at anchor. Cast off at 0740, glad to be away. The wind was E 3-4 gradually increasing to 4-5 then died away as I tacked along the coast through some heavy showers. Arrived off Helvick harbour at 1700 in a flat calm. The harbour was well filled with fishing vessels and also smoke from a fire on shore which was being stoked by a man who was breaking up a decommissioned fishing vessel with a sledge hammer. I headed for Ballynagaul, a drying harbour about a mile further into the bay.

On the way I narrowly missed running into an unattended salmon net which was stretch across the bay. If there had been any lop I would have run into it and the owners were watching my progress from the harbour wall! My request for a berth was granted and I was told to tie up alongside one of the Irish punts — open clinker built boats about the length of Sabine and with more beam.

Later I visited another pub where I was invited to a wake — was later than intended when I finally got back on board.

Miles on the log for the day — 33.4. Engine 30 minutes.

Friday 17th May Ballynagaul to Dunmore East. HW 1702, LW 1347. F/cast NNE 4-5.

Out of the harbour before 1800 into a NNE 4-5. Reefed down and doing long and short tacks till I rounded Great Newton Head, where the wind was whistling straight out of Waterford River, so I motorsailed the last few miles into Dunmore East — my first repeat harbour since leaving Glasson Sailing Club. I tied up at 1835. After my meal I stocked up with fresh food from a late night shop and added a bag of ice from the bottom of an ice plant chute. The yacht club was not open so I went to one of the village pubs for a couple of welcome pints.

Miles on the log for the day — 36.9. Engine 1 hour 10 minutes. I had logged 133 miles to cover the 88.7 miles logged on the outward passage.

Saturday 18th May Dunmore East to Wexford. HW 1240, LW 1920. F/cast N4/5 cyc 5-7.

Slack water at Camsore Point should be about 1200 and as the weather was on the change I needed to get round. Out of Dunmore East by 0545 into a light NE breeze and motored towards Hook Head. By 0625 the wind was NNE 2/3 and I was sailing fast, another half hour and it was F4-5 and I had reefed. Shot through Saltee Sound doing 8 knots over the ground and by 1030 I was past the Barrels Buoy with the Splaugh directly to windward. I set up clearing lines on the GPS and motorsailed at 5-6 knots and making good headway over the ground till 1130 when I was still 3 miles from the Splaugh Buoy. My speed slowed and it became obvious that the tide had turned. By 1200 it was running at 2-3 knots and strengthening and it took one and a half hours of hard wet motoring before I was finally past the Splaugh and Carmine Buoys and out of the worst of the tide. Before the tide turned the seas would have been less and the current not against me, but my estimates from the tidal stream atlas had been wrong. Ah well, I’ll know next time.

After clearing Carmine I plotted a course for Wexford, a harbour that is notoriously difficult to enter, arriving off the fairway very close to LW. Fortunately the wind had eased to F2-3 and after casting about a bit and scraping the bottom with the keel up, I managed to find my way over the bar and past two buoys, then nothing. I felt my way across the bay, finally arriving at Wexford at 1615, where I was directed to a mooring by someone working on a yacht. He later came alongside and invited me to visit the club in the evening.

After a meal and a good clean up I inflated the dinghy for the second time of the cruise and rowed with the tide, under the road bridge upriver to the yacht-cum-sports club where I was made welcome by the members present. They were very interested in my travels and there was a lot of banter between two rivals and about how far each dared to go with their yachts. Later in the evening the wind was blowing up so they strapped my dinghy to a car’s roof and transported me to the breakwater where I only had a short row back to Sabine.

Miles for the day — 48.7. Engine 4 hours.

Sunday 19th May Wexford. HW 1016, LW 1654. F/cast N-NE 4-6, N-NW 6-8.

Wet and windy, definitely not a day for sailing. I spent the morning giving the cabin a good clean out. The wind was gusting up to F7. I was picked up at 1530 by the club boatman and taken to the club where I stayed till 1800 and taken back on board before he finished for the day. I learnt the reason for the lack of buoys; they were all at the club being painted before being laid for the summer and they were a month late for the job.

Monday 20th May Wexford

Another day on the mooring, the weather remaining unsettled and the wind going round to the west during the day with regular gusts of F6+. Stayed on board and caught up with some reading.

Tuesday 21st May Wexford to Arklow. HW 1128. F/cast SW-W 5/6-7, E-N-SW-S 5

Woke at 1615, there was very little wind. The weather situation was complex and it was difficult to know what to do. I dithered about a bit and then decided to poke my nose outside, knowing that I could always go back if I didn’t like it. Motored out across the bay to the first of the two local buoys but couldn’t spot the second. Then a trawler came out and I followed him. Once past the bar buoy the wind was SW 2-3 and I could lay a course goose-winged for the North Blackwater Buoy.

At 1230 after leaving the buoy about 5 miles astern I saw a big black cloud racing up astern and reefed quickly before the squall hit. After it passed the wind fell light and I started the engine till the next one hit. This was the pattern till I shot into Arklow harbour with a squall up my stern and tied alongside a fishing vessel in the inner harbour at 1530. At 1750 the forecast was SW4/5 - S7-9.

Went for a walk through the town in the evening and had a couple of pints at one of the pubs, then back on board to wait for the weather.

Miles for the day — 33.2. Engine 1 hour 45 minutes.

Wednesday 22nd May Arklow.

The wind arrived at 0255 with a roar and it blew in heavy wet gusts for the rest of the night.

Went to the bank for more punts and then did some shopping and stocked up with petrol. Explored the town and found the yacht club on the far bank of the river. They have a visitors’ mooring and a berth alongside the jetty. In the evening several yachts went racing round the buoys, and later on I cast off my warps and went across to the jetty.

I went into the club for a couple of pints when the yachts came back in, and it was the early hours of the morning when I got back on board.

Thursday 23rd May Arklow to Malahide. LW 1001, HW 1544. F/cast SW 4/5 - W 3/4.

A bright cool morning with little apparent wind and at 1705 I cast off and motored out on course for Wicklow Head. I set sails and motorsailed till 0845 when I found enough wind to push Sabine along under goose-winged sails. By 0945 I was round Wicklow Head and on a beam reach for the Nose of Howth. At 1415 I was round the Nose and on course for Malahide Inlet and at 1530 I was off the entrance and motored in. Unlike Wexford I had no trouble finding the channel as there was a dredger at work and it was well buoyed. The wind dropped and I moored off the yacht club in a sharp shower which turned to persistent rain and continued all the evening. I could have gone into the marina but there appeared little activity so I stayed put and had an early night.

Miles for the day — 40.5. Engine 1 hour 30 minutes.

Friday 24th May Malahide to Carlingford. LW 1043, HW 1632. F/cast S-SW 3-4-3.

A fairly early start needed to catch the tide into Carlingford Lough. A cool morning with light high cirrus. I cast off at 0700 and motored out. No wind so stayed on the engine till 0810 when the wind picked up from the west 3-4. It then fell light and variable at 1125. At 1500 I was approaching the Hellyhunter Buoy in rising wind. I rolled reefs in both sails, rapidly followed by second reefs, then in the channel with the wind screaming out of the lough I started the engine, furled the genny and put some more rolls in the main. There was spray and solid water everywhere as I butted into the wind against tide. Past Greensore Point it eased a bit but the lough ahead was black and it was heading for me. I furled the rest of the main just before it hit. It was like being under water in a river and all I could do was keep bows on to it and wait for it to pass. Fortunately it only lasted about 15 minutes and then passed away leaving clear skies and light wind and I was able to plot a course into Carlingford harbour where I tied up alongside the wall at 1630.

Carlingford proved to be one of the most pleasant towns that I visited. An ancient place with two ruined castles, plenty of pubs and provision shops. Money was no problem; punts or pounds being equally acceptable and I was able to change my remaining punts to pounds before rolling back on board at bedtime.

Miles for the day — 44. Engine 2 hours 40 minutes.

Saturday 25th May Carlingford to Port St Mary (IoM). LW 1135, HW 1728. F/cast SW var3/4.

A fine morning with a light breeze as I motored out of harbour at 0700 and set sails, but it soon faded and I was back on engine. After a while it came back again and then faded. This was the pattern for the day as I progressed to the Isle of Man; with an occasional shower thrown in. I rounded Chicken Rock at 1700 with the last of the flood and tied up alongside at Port St Mary at 1800, finding myself alongside a couple from Conway whom I had met about ten years ago when sailing on the Clyde.

Miles for the day — 56.9. Engine 5 hours 30 minutes.

Sunday 26th May Port St Mary to Castletown. LW 1241, HW 1834. F/cast S-SE 2/3, W 4/5,6.

Misty mild and damp, soon followed by persistent rain which continued till mid afternoon when a light SE breeze broke up the cloud.

Needing to fill up with petrol and there being none at Port St Mary, I cast off at 1615 and motored out of harbour into a big ugly swell and Sabine rocked and rolled across into Castletown Bay and harbour. The wind dropped and the clouds gathered to give a showery evening.

Miles for the day — 4. Engine 1 hour.

Monday 27th May Castletown.

A bright sunny morning, pleasantly warm. Filled up with petrol and then spent some of the afternoon watching the practice laps for the Classic Motorcycle races which are held on the Castletown circuit.

After my evening meal I motored out of the harbour to anchor in the bay. Went to bed till 2330.

Tuesday 28th May Castletown to Glasson SC. LW 0217, HW 0807. NW 3/4, var, SW 4/5-6. At midnight I motored out of the bay on course for the Lune Deep Buoy. Very little wind so motorsailed with the Autohelm in charge and me relaxing in the cabin and popping my head up for a look round every 10 minutes or so. By 0300 the wind was SE F2 and I was making 3½ knots under sail with the windvane in charge. By 0530 the wind was up to F4 and I reefed both sails and noted that my course was taking me slightly north of the buoy. At 0730 persistent rain set in and by 1030 the wind had strengthened and by 1100 it was blowing a good F5 and gusting to the top end of F6. I was well-reefed but the windvane couldn’t keep a good course in the gusts so I reluctantly took over the tiller. It was pouring with rain with breaking seas and visibility varied between a couple of hundred yards and ½ mile. At noon I put the windvane back on while I went below to make lunch and found the cooker top wet and as I waited for the kettle to boil, more water squirted in as waves broke over the coachroof.

It was in these conditions that the GPS came into its own. Even without it it was obvious that I was being pushed north and I would normally have had to stay on my course till I reached 10 metres depth. Then I would turn SE and sailed on soundings till I reached the Lune Deep. With the GPS continually uprating my position in relation to the Lune Deep Buoy, this was unnecessary.

By 1330 the wind had veered slightly and the buoy was on a bearing directly to windward. Changing the waypoint to the Lightning Knoll Buoy I found that I was only 1½ miles away so I tacked but by 1400 I realised that it was going to take at least 2 hours to beat past the Lune Deep Buoy; conditions were pretty foul and after 14 hours I was tiring. So I tacked again, rolled up the genny and started the engine. Motoring close to the wind I found that I could get into the Lune Deep a couple of miles east of the buoy and at 1450 the echo sounder showed that I was in deep water and I was able to switch off the engine and lay a course for the River Lune Buoy. By this time the wind had eased a bit and visibility was improving. I arrived at the buoy at 1615, less than 1½ hours after LW and not knowing how much depth there would be in the channel I furled the sails and wound up the keel before heading east. However I soon found myself in shallow water so I anchored in 1 metre, had a large whisky and made myself a meal while waiting for the tide. Meanwhile the weather and visibility improved and at 1730 I hauled the up anchor and soon found the channel. The wind and tide had pushed me a little bit north. I motored the last 6 miles to Glasson Sailing Club where I tied Sabine on a bow rope to the end of the jetty where she swung with the wind and tide. I went ashore for a chat with the club members who were around and to wait for the tide to rise a bit before getting the car and trailer. Later whilst I was rigging my block and tackle, a heavy swell started to break on the slipway and I saw the stem of a largish vessel disappearing rapidly into the adjacent tidal lock. The swell surged Sabine forward where she ducked the pulpit under a tyre on the corner of the jetty and flattened it to below the level of the deck. I was a bit miffed, to say the least, as it was an unfortunate end to a good trip. However I pulled out, cleaned up a bit and went into the club for a few pints of good English bitter before returning on board and crashing out for the night.

Miles for the day — 71. Engine 5 hours.

Wednesday 29th May

A fine morning, took my time derigging, had some lunch and was home by mid afternoon. Total miles for the trip — 829. Engine 45 hours 35 minutes.

After unloading and cleaning Sabine out, I stripped the pulpit, found some galvanised tubing in my hoard of bits and pieces and rebuilt it. Then from the same hoard I found some lengths of draught proofing brush, which with some adjustment, made a snug fit between the sides of the hatch and its garage and will prevent any further problems with water ingress.

Conclusion: It was an ambitious and challenging trip which I thoroughly enjoyed, but it does leave me with a problem. What to do for an encore?