27th May–Tuesday–Newlyn to Falmouth

We had a good sleep and got up to say goodbye to Gordon and Louise on Camira, who were staying another day and then heading to France.  We hope our paths cross again in the future, as we enjoyed their company and shared the similar life experiences which we had all taken to meet on our journeys south.

Beautiful day for a sail.  We left Newlyn at 10.00am and set course to view St Michael’s mount on the other side of Mount’s Bay.

We then progressed towards Lizard Point dodging anchored ships and many, many lobster pots.  Once again the tide was with us from Lizard Point onwards and we sailed into Falmouth harbour arriving at 17.30pm.

As there was a large regatta in progress there was no room for us at the Town Quay visitors pontoons so we progressed up the river to the large Falmouth marina, where we re-fuelled and tied up.  The Marina has very good facilities, chandlery and excellent showers.

28th May – Wednesday

In preparation for our departure to France Mick checked the engine and changed both the engine and gearbox oils and filter.  On running the engine after this service we could hear a small clunk as the boat was put into gear coming from the prop shaft.  Mick thought the shaft anodes may have come loose but could not understand how.  So we deployed for the first time our USB underwater bullet camera (£10 from Ebay) taped to the end of the telescopic deck brush handle, taped to the end of the boat hook.  We could then whilst perched on the pontoon, one holding the laptop and one holding the pole, manipulate the camera to get a view of the underside of the boat.  Keyhole surgery must require much more finess.  Once we had verified on the laptop screen what was up and what was down, we found the prop shaft and saw that the anode was still in place.  We worked our way down the prop shaft and could see wrapped round the propeller a mass of fibrous material.  The boat is fitted with a rope cutter, which cuts through any rope that would stop the propeller going round, but does not remove debris.

There are now 2 options.  1. Ring the marina and have the boat craned out (approx £200) or 2. Put on the diving gear and jump in.  We decided to sleep on it.

29th May – Thursday

As £200 represents one months pasties and we are both qualified divers, a quick dip to investigate seemed the best option.  Mick donned his dry suit and mask and armed with his new Sailing Knife (a great leaving present – thanks) he entered the water

and returned 50 seconds later clutching a clump of fishing rope and netting.

He spent the next 10 minutes scrubbing blue antifoul off the dry suit and was hosed down.  This was much easier in a calm marina than in a rolling boat at sea.  We were lucky to have found this before we set off on an overnight trip to France.

Became tourists for the rest of the day.  Falmouth is also worth a visit.

26th May–Monday - Padstow to Newlyn

We wanted to leave early in the morning at first light, so the lock opens 2 hours before and after high tide we had to time it so that we left at 4:40am on Bank Holiday Monday the 26th May.

Leaving just after high water gave a following tide for the first 6 hours of the trip and the correct timing to round Lands End in order to gain a fair tide to Newlyn.

When we arrived in Padstow there was a heavy mist 1 mile out, and therefore the outward passage was much more scenic, as we could see the rocky and dramatic coastline, with its off lying rocks and islands.

By lunchtime we were passing St Ives bay and by one o’clock the Longships Lighthouse at Lands End.  There are 2 routes around the Longships rocks the inner and the outer which we took.

Slightly choppy sea in the morning, but we rounded the Runnel Stone within 10 minutes of our estimated ETA.

We arrived in Newlyn Fish Harbour at 17.30.  The harbourmaster was pleasant enough and told us where the facilities were, but we could not find them.  They turned out the be the fishermen’s toilets, so the £18 mooring fee was literally just for rafting to another boat.  Newlyn is not advertised as a Marina for yacht but proved a very welcome stopping point.

We walked to Penzance which was lovely and then collapsed back into the boat with a bag of chips for chip butties.  Long Day.

Penzance and Newlyn run into each other and whilst passing Penzance on the way in it was obvious from the crowd and the noise that there was an event taking place.  The locals were trying for a World Record of having the most Pirates in the same place at once.  There were bands, stalls and much jollity, including pirates of all ages and baby buggy pirate ships.  Unfortunately the record was not broken having been found to be 77 pirates short of the 14,000 required for the record. 

We had no desire to stay in the fish dock and so pressed on to Falmouth.  The boat got very dirty from soot specs from the fishing boats.

Padstow Cont..

21st to 25th May

Stayed in Padstow waiting for weather and tides.  Much time was spent deliberating the timing between Pasties, Ice Creams and Fish and Chips. Time was also passed cleaning, making bears, starting the work-shirt quilt, washing, shopping (large Tesco at the top of the hill), route-planning, reading, talking to the holidaymakers who occupy the benches around the harbour-wall, chatting to other boaters, walking and generally having a nice time.  We would both highly recommend Padstow as a place to visit.  Cheap mooring and friendly staff in excellent facilities.

15th May–Thursday – Lazy day – then Milford Haven to Padstow overnight.

 

Drinks on Fleur with Camira’s Gordon and Louise, congratulating ourselves for a safe passage and swapping tips.  Walk around town, meal at ‘Martha’s Vineyard’ on the harbour.

Very teary this morning, just relief and tiredness I think, also apprehensive prior to todays overnight trip.

To Tesco for Big Shop.  Bought ourselves jogging type, warm pants to wear under of waterproofs.

Milford Haven Marina is very well equipped, with lots of lovely little shops and cafes.  There is also a separate powder room in the showers for drying hair with a good hotel type dryer and 4 plug sockets and an area for general beautifying.  These thoughtful extra facilities really make a stay more pleasant. 

I expressed my opinion that overnight trips just make you tired.  Setting off at 22.00 seemed ridiculous to me, but I was wrong.  We had to set off at this time to catch the correct tide to take us out of Milford Haven safely and get us to Padstow when the tide is high enough for us to sail over the Sandbar.

The lock opened specially to allow ourselves and Camira out at 22.30.  We left the lock at approx. 23.30 due to the huge amount of water which needs to be shifted to operate the lock.

After travelling out of the channel we did not see Camira until Padstow.  Tonight was a MUCH calmer affair.  I took the 01.00 to 03.45 watch and Michael did the 04.00 to 06.45, I did 07.00 to 09.00 until I had to wake him as a mist had descended and visibility was only half a mile.  I then slept from 09.30 to 11.30, and Mick had an afternoon nap from 15.00 till 16.00.

During the night I was well wrapped up from the cold, I also had a hot water bottle (great idea from Camira, and thanks to Ella we had one on board).  The engine heats the water so there is a constant supply.  I had made sandwiches but as it is night time you do not tend to want to eat much.  We had the flask and made the occasional brew.

The full moon was high and reflecting on the glassy calm black sea.  During my first watch I thought I could see dolphins but it was too dark to really see.  I kept myself amused with more cheerful versions of Jerusalem, more French counting as I had looked up the numbers and several episodes of ‘Coffee Break French’ on my IPhone (thanks James), merrily chatting to myself in French following the lessons.  Although it was still lonely and felt like a long time, it was heaven compared to the previous trip.

During Mick’s watch the Dolphins really came upon us.  He said when I woke that they had been with him for 40 minutes.  During the day we saw a dozen or more pods of 6 or 7 dolphins, who seem to come and play with the boat, ducking and diving around and about

. 

The still days are always the best for Dolphin watching and this one was truly delightful. 

There was more mist in the afternoon which is weird when the sun in shining.

We arrived outside Padstow at approx. 16.00 and had to go around in circles for an hour and a half until it was safe to enter the channel.  When we finally approached with several other boats we had to negotiate the Sandbar off Rock which is the area across the estuary from Padstow.

There are some enormous houses along the other side of the channel.  The tide was running at 4 knots and while waiting for the lock gates to open we were travelling at 5 knots but only making one over the ground.

We entered the harbour at 17.30.  It is enclosed and surrounded by shops and cafes, very pretty.  It is also surrounded by bench seats which were filled to capacity for the entertaining spectacle of watching us all moor our boats.  We have not moored against a wall in Fleur before so finding the correct way to tie the ropes through the ‘U’ shaped cleats was a challenge.  We deployed every fender we own and the new fender  board, which prevents the boat from rubbing against the marina wall ladders.  The tide moves the boats up and down the harbour wall so you have to make the ropes long enough to accommodate the tide, but short enough to hold the boats secure.  We then had Camira and another boat rafted to us, and their ropes were tied to us and the harbour wall.

Many ice-creams, chips and pasties were consumed by our audience, in the warm sunshine.

Fish and Chips tonight from ‘Chips Ahoy’ (thanks Dave and Catherine for recommendation).

17th May – Saturday - Padstow

Lazy day, AM made a bear for Camira, walk around town, Salmon Spaghetti for tea.

18th May – Sunday – Padstow - Frank Sinatra Busker

At about 12.00 I heard singing.  I thought it was being carried over from a lunch time act at a local restaurant.  But no, there was a suited gentleman, with full backing track and microphone singing on the harbour-side, 50 feet in front of the boat.  It would have been rude to do anything other than stop everything, sit on the top of the boat and listen to him.  What a treat.

The Pasty a day diet is in full swing.  Mick mended another boat.  Lovely walk on the beach and coast path.  Hard to believe we are in England in Mid May.  Sausage and Mash.

19th May – Monday – Padstow

Bike Ride to Wadebridge.

At the Beaulieu boat jumble a couple of years ago Mick negotiated a very good price on two folding bikes with carrying cases.  They are kept down the side of the big bed.  The ‘Camel Trail’ is a bike/walking trail between Padstow, Wadebridge and Bodmin.  The track is a disused railway line so pretty level, consisting mainly of gravel with some tarmac.  It crosses several inlets on the river which at low water look like mud flats.  There were many types of wading birds (which Julian would love).  Our cycling has been mainly in the north were there are hills, so you pedal up a hill and then get a nice ride down the other side.  Not here.  Here you have to pedal all the time.  Mick’s bike had an annoying squeek, both ways.  It took us about an hour each way with the inevitable pasty stop at Wadebridge.  There are more shops at Wadebridge but it is not as pretty.

20th May – Tuesday – Padstow

Writing blog. 

13th-14th May–Tues/Wed - Arklow to Milford Haven

 

There will be 2 versions of this section.  One sailors technical version and one emotional wreck version.

14th May - Arklow to Milford Haven MJB

This passage goes right across St Georges Channel between Ireland and The UK mainland. The Atlantic Ocean rushes into and out of this relatively small gap with quite some vigour so the currents (especially at spring tides) are strong although predictable.

Between Arklow and Milford Haven is a group of rocks and islands called the Smalls and an island named Grassholm.  You can go either, west of the Smalls or east of Grassholm, between it and the island of Skomer.  The current flows very quickly here in either a northerly or southerly direction and is so strong that if we attempted this part of the passage at the wrong time we could end up going backwards.

The purpose of the introduction is to try and describe the need for a good passage plan, which is a plan that takes all known issues into account, the weather, tide, boat, crew, destination and alternatives, in case any issues occur. Key to the passage was arriving at Grassholm at the right time for the tide to assist us, in order to arrive at Milford Haven at first light.

We left at 13:30 into a fine afternoon with a weather forecast of N N/W 3 or 4.  We contacted Milford Haven Coastguard with details of our plan and intended route, which they log.  In order to meet our schedule we needed to maintain an average speed of 5 knots over the ground, so we used both the engine and mainsail.  As the sea had been churned up in the previous few days it was swelly and gives a rolling motion to our boat as it has quite a flat bottom.  We had waypoints programmed into the chart-plotter (boat GPS) which directed us to various points towards our destination.  We also had ETAs for each leg to ensure we hit the tides at the correct time.  Regular plots of our position on the chart and a visual indication of our track allows corrections and modifications to our course.

A schedule of hourly checks now begins:-

Check the engine cooling system

Check the alternator charging system

Check the navigation lights

Check the bilges for water

Plot our position on the chart

and every three hours check the weather forecast.

One of, if not the worst, conditions when sailing is fatigue or tiredness.  If you are too tired you cannot think straight and you make mistakes.  When sailing for over 5 or 6 hours you need to have a watch system in order to rest and recover.  Ann-Marie understands this and on this trip needed to take overall control for three 2 hour watches (two of them in darkness) in order to let me sleep.

During the second of her watches Ann-Marie started to feel sick and found it difficult to sleep in the cabin, she came up on deck and rested there. She was very cold so blankets were used and she finally managed to nod off.  Ann-Marie stood all 3 watches allowing me to get some sleep which allowed me to be fresh for the final legs of the journey and the navigation through the port of Milford haven.

BIG LESSON

Because we set off in good weather Ann-Marie did not take any seasickness pills nor put on extra clothing under her sailing attire.

The other requirement for sailing any length of time is nourishment, food and warm drinks.  We have a flask to make warm drinks easily available when on solo watch and a fresh cup of tea is prepared when a new watch starts.  Food on this trip was going to be hot chilli, but Ann-Marie didn’t fancy it and so backup pre-made sandwiches were consumed along with Crisps, Mars Bars, Ginger biscuits, and lots of humbugs.  Any one who knows me understands that keeping nourished has never been one of my problems.

We arrived off Grassholme with the tide and rushed through at 9.8 knots just as planned and arrived at the approaches to Milford Haven just before dawn.  The navigation into the port is straightforward and controlled by the port over the radio.  Once permission to enter was obtained we proceeded up the West channel and arrived at the marina at just after 5.00am.

We contacted the coastguard by radio to inform him of our safe arrival, filled in the logbook, backed up the computers, checked the engine oil water and belts, ate the remaining sandwiches, and went to bed.

14th May – Wed - Arklow to Milford Haven  - AMP

In preparation I had made a Pressure Cooker Chilli and had cooled it and put it into Tupperware to be used for 2 meals during the crossing.  How Naive!

We set off at 13.30 for the overnight trip to Milford Haven.  I have only made a few overnight trips before and was not massively keen on them.  All started well as the weather was Mediterranean and the first 7 hours passed pleasantly enough, we had corned beef and Branston tea cakes (first mistake).  The sea was swelly due to the recent unsettled weather and the coarse we were taking and the state of the tide, so the boat had been rolling for quite a few hours but it was endurable.  Mick had been for a sleep and insisted I go for one too as we were going through the night and I would need to stand watch while he slept and vice versa.  You sleep in the centre cabin during a trip as the bed is too near to the engine and you would never sleep, also you can keep and eye on the instruments and be available if assistance is required.

I had been downstairs for maybe half and hour when I became incredibly nauseous.  I have not been physically seasick for 14 years and was quite determined to control it.  Sometimes it is uncontrollable.  An irresistible urge to go to the loo, then I surfaced on deck after much deep breathing.  I was then sick into the washing up bowl, very neatly apparently, strange compliment.  I then stayed on deck for the following 8 hours.  Trips to the loo are difficult as we wear so many layers of clothes but have to be made.

I stood watch alone during this time twice.  Approximately 21.30 till 23.00 and again 01.00 to 03.00.  The auto-helm was steering so I was basically a lookout, checking the coarse regularly.  Fortunately it was not raining and I could stand in the cockpit and sit there too.  You have to be tied on to the boat for safety at night, at first I thought it was like a dog lead, but soon grew to love the secure feeling it provided.  The harness is secured to a solid item in the cockpit and a thick strap with carabineers is secured to your life jacket and the boat.

I felt so very sick during these periods and tried to distract myself firstly by counting to 100 in French, but kept getting stuck at 60.  Then I tried singing.  The only songs I know all way through are Jerusalem (thanks W.I.), Yesterday and Edelweiss.  I was stood looking out over the spray hood, in the pitch dark, while the boat rolled from side to side, singing Jerusalem with tears streaming down my face.  It is an emotional song for me but after the 10th rendition I got a grip.  Many versions of the other songs and more French got me through, along with renditions of ‘Albert and the Lion’.

After being sick I was incredible cold and Mick got me a blanket.  Low point of the night came when my blanket slipped off and landed in the still slightly sickie Washing Up bowl.  I managed to rescue it quickly and Mick rinsed and wrung it.

The moon was full, which would normally help.  It only served to make me realise how much the boat was pitching from side to side as it dipped and rose 45 degrees in the sky.  Obviously it was not dipping we were rolling.  The sea looked like angry black oil tossing us around.  This was worst during the passage between two islands when the tide was with us and we were making almost 10 knots over the ground (normally we do 5).  Although we were going quickly we were also rolling quickly.

During Micks watch I somehow managed to fall asleep curled up in the corner of the cockpit.  During the night we took the seasick pills and these did help for the last few hours.

Milford Haven is a huge Gas and Oil port.  Navigation lights at night are Red and Green for Port and Starboard, which means the boat passes with the red buoys to the left and the green to the right when entering the harbour (vice versa when leaving).  At night it is virtually impossible to tell the difference in distance of one buoy compared to another.  They are marked on charts which indicate the occulting (flashing) times.  So 2f10 means the buoy will flash twice every ten seconds.  Approaching Milford Haven was a little like a 70s disco.  I did not have a clue.  Mick however was on full brain power and steered us slowly and safely through the mass of lights.  Milford Haven was quite exciting as there are massive tankers on either side of the estuary being loaded and unloaded.  It is amazing that all this activity occurs just so that we can make a brew and go to Tesco in our cars.  (Big thanks to these people).

There were many others lights during the night watches too.  Some from the islands, some from fishing boats and some from the shore.  There were 2 sets of 6 bright red lights which we saw for at least a third of the whole journey.  At first I thought they were fishing boats, but they never got any closer.  They turned out to be huge lights, 3 on each tower/chimney on an oil refinery at Milford Haven.  We eventually passed them at 4.30am.  Shame they are not marked on the navigation maps.  We arrived through the large lock which leads to the marina at first light. 

While this sounds dramatic, at no time did I feel in danger and realise these crossings have to be made.  I also fully realise I had to stand my watch and did not complain.  The weather was forecast WNW 3 or 4 (no more than 15 knots of wind) so we could not have chosen a ‘calmer’ or safer time to do this either.  You may think ‘Why did I not go and find warmer clothes or more blankets?  The problem was the thought of going down into the cabin was so acute I could not make myself go and for the same reason i did not ask Mick to either.

No Chilli was consumed.

We ate our Ham sandwiches on arrival for breakfast.  Mick was buzzing from the challenge so not immediately sleepy.  We slept from 6.00amd till 12.00 noon.  A bit like jetlag you need to get up so that you can sleep the following night.  We had Chilli for lunch and then again for Dinner the next day.

Lessons learned.

No Corned Beef Sandwiches for a while.

Keep yourselves warm.  Pre-prepare warm things which are stored close to hand.  Hot water bottle.

Think of some type of entertainment to pass the time.

Do not try to sleep downstairs when it is too rough.

Sickness goes quite quickly once under control.  Must take Seasickness pills earlier even when the sea is calm.

AM to herself – must pay more attention to the route prior to trip.

AM - Full understanding that watches have to be stood no matter how you are feeling.

Fleur on G pontoon.

12th May - Monday – Howth to Arklow.

 

Sunny and Showers

We were in sight of Yacht Camira and its a nice feeling after not sailing for 10 days.

Arklow is approached down a large Harbour Wall and a river channel which leads to the town bridge.

The marina itself is very small with little turning space and fortunately we were advised to go on the Pontoons along the River Bank.  This gave us a nice view of the town and the bridge.

However, being on the river side there was very little security, a gang plank lead to the shore and although there was a gate, it had no lock at all.  Later that evening I said to Michael ‘There’s someone on the boat’ after a little tutting he stuck his head through the hatch and immediately said loudly, ‘What do you think you are doing?’ to the young man who was stood on the front of the boat having his picture taken by his friend who was stood on the shore.  I was quite shocked people could be so rude, he was standing on my house!!  After one of Mick’s hardest stares he left quickly.

Arklow Marina was disappointing in that there was no signage to the Marina Office, which we thought was a ram-shackled old cottage/store.  Once inside, what a surprise, some of the nicest and cleanest showers and toilets we have seen so far.  30 Euro per night was steep for the facilities provided.

Arklow has a modern shopping centre and Aldi, so we stocked up in preparation for the crossing to Milford Haven.

Howth continued

 

3rd May – Saturday

Town Walk – Bought cod from Wrights, Ratatouille and Spuds.  Met Camira Gordon and Louise in Yacht Club.

4th May – Sunday

Coastal Walk on the Fingal Trail from Howth centre to the summit.  It was a windy day and the wind made the walk quite tricky in parts, especially when passing people.  Great views over the cliffs which are thickly laiden with sea birds.  On the way back into town we stopped at the ‘Top Pub’ to have a drink and use the Wi-Fi.  The locals were watching Hurling on TV and ‘hurling’ every shade of abuse at the screen, very entertaining, and not for easily offended.  Sea Bass for Tea.

5th May – Monday

Lazy Day and Walk.

6th May – Tuesday

Cleaning and mending during the day for our visitors.  Laura and Damian arrived at 6.00pm and came to the boat for a drink, then we went to the Yacht club and on to the Restaurant.  ‘Aqua’ is situated on the end of the quayside and has floor to ceiling windows overlooking the sea.  It feels like being on a cruise ship as the weather, sea and boats pass by.  Great food, if a little pricey.  Lovely evening had by all.

7th May – Wednesday

Walk on Harbour wall.  Pressure Cooker Spag Bol, no explosion. Drinks on Camira with Gordon and Louise.

8th May – Thursday

Into Dublin on the Dart today to have a look around and meet Laura and Damian for Dinner.  We went to the National Museum (free) which has a world class Viking exhibition.  There is a huge amount of Viking Gold and Treasures on display.  Really gives you an understanding of their level of sophistication. We thought we would pass an hour and spent three hours there.  The building itself is worth seeing, it was purpose built and reflects Victorian engineering and design.

Then to meet Laura in her flat, which was lovely, with over-the-city views of the hills.  Then to Toscana for tea.  She gave us loads of Videos for our trip, which will be very useful, when TV stops completely.

It was lovely to see them and is the last time we will meet face to face for a while, so even more special.

9th May - Friday

Walk on the Harbour wall.  Tuna Chilli Pasta.

10th May – Saturday

Mega Mixed Fish Pie, well, deconstructed pie, Potatoes, Carrots, White Sauce and Fish.

In search of Eurovision, as we have no TV in Howth.  First pub OK but all football, as it was raining we were about to go back to the boat and listen on the Radio.  Found TV at the Abbey Tavern, spent 2 and a half hours watching in amazement. The locals again helped the evening along and we all left slightly bewildered.

11th May – Sunday

Walked to Sutton and found a ‘Supervalu’ supermarket, which would give Tesco a run for its money.  AM – Cut out 246 work shirt squares for the quilt, I won’t need them all but need a choice.  Chicken Curry.

We really enjoyed Howth, especially its Fish shops, but it’s time to move on.  The weather has improved and the Wind has died down. 

Ardglass to Howth (Nr Dublin)

Friday - 2nd May 2014

Another early start to travel the 56 miles from Ardglass to Howth, which is 10 miles north of Dublin.

We set off from Ardglass at 06.45am, at low water and had to reverse out of the marina, as there was no room to turn and arrived at Howth at 17.00.  We were some way behind the other boat who had taken the inside track nearer to shore.

We performed an impromptu ‘Man over Board’ drill as due to the heavy swell and my poor knot tying we lost the ball fender from the front of the boat.  I turned the boat around and Michael managed to scoop up the fender with the boat hook on the first pass.  He now feels slightly more confident that I could rescue him. 

The sea was very bouncy after the previous days heavy wind and rain and the journey was cold and uncomfortable.  I steered for the first 2 and a half hours to prevent myself being sick.  This works well as the concentration overtakes the seasickness.  Fortunately we had prepared sandwiches and a flask prior to setting off so neither of us had to spend too much time below.

The weather improved in the afternoon and we had a great sail in bright sunshine.

 

We saw 5 dolphins and 2 seals today.

Howth is a real sailors destination, like Cowes with Guinness. 

The marina run by Howth Yacht Club is a hive of activity, with excellent food and drink facilities.  There is a vast array of foodie venues in town which we are looking forward to trying over the next week as we make this our base whilst visiting Michael’s daughter Laura and her boyfriend Damian.

Fish and Chips first night and went Fish shopping on the 3rd (Sat)

Bangor to Ardglass

Wed – 30th April 2014

Again tides dictated that we leave Bangor at 06.45am.  The journey involves transit through the Donaghadee Sound, between the Mainland and the Copeland Islands.  The tides can reach 4 knots so choosing the correct time is vital.  We streamed through the sound with a speed over the ground of between 7 and 8 knots and were soon back into the Irish Sea.  There were patches of dense fog with half mile visibility and the fog horn was used along with the AIS navigation system to identify other vessels before we saw them appear in the mist.

We arrived at Ardglass at 13.45pm, negotiated the narrow entrance, and stopped at the first vacant birth.

As the images show high tide and low tide vividly reveal the challenge of keeping to the channel. 

We stayed for 2 nights as the weather blew up and ate on board both nights, but had a warm welcome at the Ardglass Golf Club (the worlds oldest club building) for drinks and Free WiFi.

We met another boat who have a similar plan to ourselves, so we may meet again en-route.

Highlight – 2 seals playing in the harbour. 

Troon to Bangor – Away at Last

Monday 28th April 2014

Due to the tides across the North Channel of the Irish Sea and our desire to make the crossing in daylight we had a 5.30am start from Troon Harbour.

Annette and Julian were once again outstanding in their support of ourselves and our trip and got up to wave us off.  Final hugs and kisses were exchanged.  Julian had made flags, which they waved with great gusto as we passed them standing on the end of the jetty in the scant dawn light.

We cannot thank them enough.

We have made this crossing before and knew what to expect.  Half way between Troon and Bangor is a large Island called Ailsa Craig and normally we can see it for most of the journey either in front or behind us.  Today visibility was not great and we only saw it for a few miles.

 

  It was cold but fuelled by tea, coffee and Flapjack we arrived in Bangor at 18.00 hrs.  We re-fuelled the boat on arrival.

We stayed for 2 nights, as we were both tried from the sail and the previous weeks activities.

 

We had a look around the free museum at the Castle, which was worth a visit, and stocked up on food.

Highlight – Little Wings, for Pizza.  We had been on a previous trip and it did not disappoint.

Social Whirl and Final Departure

23rd April – Wed

Chinese Meal at The Ocean Palace with some of our work colleagues.

24th April – Thurs

My last Craft ‘n’ Chat meeting was a delightful mix of Chat and lovely food, as to my surprise everyone had brought food and wine.  I was presented with a Tapestry kit to make a beautiful seascape with a lighthouse and 2 Teddy Bears.  One wearing wet weather gear and a life jacket, which I think was me and another wearing a Captains hat and life jacket which is Michael.  I cried, some other people cried and there were lots of smiles and good wishes.

The group has been a highlight of the past few years and we have really got to know each other.  We share our projects and ideas and the best thing is, someone always know the answer, no matter what the question is.  I call it giggle therapy.  Long may it continue.

25th April – Fri – Last Day at Work

During the week we had both had lovely gifts and messages of Good Luck and Bon Voyage, and Friday continued to surprise us.  Michael has been at work for nearly 38 years so is an integral part of the business.  I have been there for nearly 22 years and our 60 year contribution was mentioned in the speeches.  Michael was given a book called ‘What Do You Know’ which is one of his many favourite phrases as he walks around the building.  I was given a ‘Build-a-Bear’ which was lovely enough however it held a secret.  The system the company sells makes a BingBong sound which Michael made on a synthesizer many years ago.  When the bears paw is pressed he too makes a BingBong sound, much to the appreciation of ourselves and the many people who had gathered to hear our final goodbyes.  His ‘Birth Certificate’ states him as BingBond bear.  Very clever and very thoughtful, more tears.

We have both watched apprentices and people come into the business over the years as teenagers and grow into adults with families of their own and it is these people which make life special.  Work is just work without a bond with the people we work with.

26th April – Sat – Meal with friends and family

Family members and friends gathered for our last Indian (actually Bangladeshi) meal at our favourite Dil Raj restaurant.  We then adjourned to the New Inn for final drinks.

We have been overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness shown to us over the last few days and cannot thank people enough.  You will all be missed.

27th April – Sun – Travel to Troon

Annette and Julian – Mick’s sister and Brother-in-law (and my friends) had kindly offered to take us on our last journey to Troon in their Campervan, then they would continue on a Scottish break of their own.  I had envisaged sitting on our bags and wishing we had not brought to much stuff, but our 4 bags easily fit in the T5 van and we had a lovely couch style seat to sit on.  We had great views out of the large windows and an elevated view over the fields.  It was perfect.  We were stoked up half way with Julian and Annette’s Flapjack, at a wooded picnic site, and were there in no time.

 

We unloaded the final stuff into the boat and met up for a lovely meal at Scott’s to round off the week’s activities.