Sunday 1st of January 2017
I decided not to renew the annual contract in Trebeurden due to the high cost and poor rate for Euros lately.
It is also expensive to travel there and 900 mile round trip to drive.
North Fambridge on the river Crouch is almost half the price and much easier to get to - there is also a station and cheap rail travel with a senior rail card.
Also - I haven't learned much French and not speaking the language is getting to be a pain,
So - we are on the way back !!
I checked the weather regularly and there seamed to be a window of a few days last week so when Fiona drove home to Cornwall on Wednesday, having had Christmas with us, I hitched a lift.
James very kindly drove me to Plymouth ferry terminal with my sack barrow and three holdalls.
I booked a cabin and slept really well - we docked in Roscoff on time and I took a taxi to Trebeurden marina - 140 Euros !
I quickly set Blazer up for the trip in warm sunshine - planned the first leg to Guernsey and set off the moment that the gate opened - 3 pm
Part of setting up was to be sure that the engine cooling system was clear of blockage and to test run the engine to prove all is OK - so I was shocked to find the temperature gauge right at the top straight away !!!
I used my infra red temperature tester to check the engine and it seemed fine so I pressed on.
It soon got dark - no moon - very dark - we passed the seven Isles then I set a course for Guernsey a total of 70 miles !
The wind picked up from nothing to 5 knots so I set the Genoa to help a bit.
Then the High temperature alarm started sounding - I tested again - Still OK - but I had to do something.
I left Blazer on autopilot and sail - switched off the engine and stripped the engine covers off and dismantled the cooling system - no problem found - so I fitted a brand new pump impellor - took out the thermostat and clamped the bypass hose to force all the cold sea water through the engine.
We were doing OK with the genoa and tide helping a bit - 2 knots in the right direction.
I restarted the engine and the alarm went off again !!
I retested the engine temperature - cold !!
It must be an electrical fault - I took the wire off the temperature sensor and the other alarm stopped sounding ?
It was then that I noticed the lights flickering just a tiny bit - I must have a bad connection somewhere but this was not the place to look for it !!
We pressed on - and on - I kept busy checking the two plotters - they both agreed and I kept adjusting the autopilot to stay bang on course.
It was strange not seeing anything outside the cockpit - lit up by the glow of the plotters - even with night setting switched on. The wake from our bow making a regular noise -rippling.
Then at about 2 am there was a big SPLASH !!
Then another - I couldn't see what it was but it kept doing it - then I heard it - a Dolphin breathing !!
They were on both sides - probably attracted by the stern light.
They stayed about 5 minutes then it all went quiet again - I never saw one - just the splashes - a bit scary!!
At 4am I lined up with the Little Rusell channel - crept up to St Peter Port - called control and he gave directions to get into Victoria marina - I was moored up by 5am - tired out !! 14 hours !!!
I crashed out and slept until 1pm - a lovely sunny and hot day - amazing.
I walked into town bought an almanac for next year - then planned the next leg to Alderney via the notorious Alderney race - the strongest tidal current in the Northern hemisphere especially at spring tides like today !!
We left as soon as there was enough water over the sill and it got dark straight away - the North going current built up slowly then faster and faster - we were doing 10 knots over the ground at one point.
Then I spotted an AIS target on the plotter - half a mile away doing 37 knots !! - I hope they have seen me!
I do have an electronic radar enhancer to make Blazer stand out on their radar - but they have to be looking.
They hurtled past about half a mile away and shot off into the dark night - amazing.
It must have been the fast cat from Cherbourg to Poole - Quite scary !!
I plodded on past Alderney then turned West towards Bray Harbour - our speed dropped from 10 knots to ZERO !!
I put the engine to full power - nothing - then we started moving slowly - BACKWARDS !!!!
I turned a bit towards North and we started to move forward slowly and then our speed built up bit by bit.
I had turned too soon - into the full force of the race - as we moved further from the corner we picked up more speed and I was able to reduce engine power - WOW !!
It was very lumpy as we moved towards Bray Harbour - I had to hand steer - then I lined up with the leading lights for the run into the harbour - they guide you in - clear of the submerged breakwater on your right and rocks on your left !! - we quickly got to smooth water inside - then I had to find one of the 90 mooring bouys in the pitch dark !! - I found no. 45 grabbed the strop first go walked it forward and dropped it onto the cleat - Another WOW !!
Straight to bed - crashed out again - woke at 3 am - felt OK - got a weather report on my phone - good - so we got ready - made a big flask of boiling water - checked the engine - dropped the mooring strop and set off for Yarmouth Isle of Wight - 70 miles away.
I used the leading lights and both plotters to follow the tight line out tidied up a bit - looked around in the pitch black and saw it - a green light with a white light in front of it - off to our left - quickly worked out that it was a big ship going across our path soon - I was trying to decide what action to take when I saw rapid flashes from the bridge - it is not in the book but it means get out of our way NOW.
I grabbed the helm hard over and turned round back into the approach channel for 5 minutes then I spun round back onto our proper course he had gone !!
Just a feint stern light in the distance - that was close !
We settled down to normal and the current built up pushing us towards the shipping lane - no fog again - so lucky - no moon - clear night - I could see the lights of Alderney for hours.
I had hoped that it would start to get light as we approached the shipping lanes but no - we were making fast progress.
My radar is defunct and my AIS is working but does not pick up distant targets - not easy - I peered into the night and saw a glow in the distance and decided to run parrallel to the lane - just outside.
The glow turned out to be a group of 4 ships that were soon passing us - good move !
After them I turned back to cross and the sky started to lighten up a bit - it made a massive difference.
I negociated 5 big ships - no problem then nothing for about 2 hours when we got into the west bound lane - again no bother - the ships were well spaced out easy in the sunshine - lovely.
The tide pushed us along right up about 15 miles off the needles - no wind so I set course to do the Needles channel.
It took forever to get there against the tide and it was just getting dark as I started to hand steer on high power through the very lumpy water and tight pilotage of the channel - hard work - but much better than last time in 30 knots of wind - massive swell !!
We were soon in calm water for the run up to Yarmouth - we turned in and found the marina full of mega yachts - here for a big firework display at midnight - NEW YEARS EVE !!
I was invited onto the 50 foot yacht next door - got cleaned up - walked into town - bought very - very nice bottle of champagne - had a bite to eat on Blazer - fell asleep - missed it all !!!
The weather is too windy for the next few days so I'm stuck here - no bother - I will catch up with my sleep and find that bad connection - its a great place to get stuck - the town is right here - next to the harbour.
No post for a few days until we reach Eastbourne.
The plan - Chichester - Eastbourne - Ramsgate - North Fambridge - with a stop in the River Roach on anchor - if I get to the river in the dark.
I am about half way on the 300 mile trip - doing really well.
Mike.
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