A quiz night at the club. Sadly, my knowledge of 1970's sit coms let me down, and we came second. Louise went off to work and I wandered along the pontoon in the bright moonlight, slipping occasionally on the frosty planks and eyeing the icy water either side. Tigger was waiting on a freezing cold Ishtar.
Managed to sleep, and woke around 08:00. Eberspacher struggled with the freezing air and had only managed to get the boat a few degrees above freezing after half an hour. Outside was even worse:
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Frosty morning"]
[/caption][caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Brrr"]
[/caption]The fog bothered me. The Inshore waters forecast said fog patches in the Bristol channel and very poor visibility at times. I was not frightened of hitting anything, it was just the whole point of going out was to have a lovely sail along the coast of South Glamorgan in bright winter sunshine. I didn't see much point in going out in January if visbility was 200 metres.
By the time Louise arrived at 10:00, it had cleared, and we set off for the 10:30 lock. I started breaking the sheets and haliards out of the ice.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Frozen sheets"]
[/caption]I took Ishtar into the lock - the first time since the engine change. The power was quite a shock, as was the pronounced prop walk. Still, I didn't hit anything and Louise handled the lines.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="In the lock"]
[/caption]We shared the lock with 'Deios', a lovely wooden motor cruiser. We'd seen her at Llangwm a couple of years ago, and again at Lundy. Originally from Troon on the West Coast of Scotland, her owner explained the work he was doing in maintenance. Teak, Oak and Larch. She headed off for Flatholm and Steepholm as we left the locks.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Deios"]
[/caption]Our friend Allan had gone off at 07:00, in his Westerly 33, Chausey at the start of the ebb. It was now mid flow, and I wanted to see what the new engine could do against the tide. Even at 3000 revs, I could make 2 knots against the tide at the Ranie buoy, where it runs striongly. Happy, Louise retired to bed and I hoisted the sails, although the signs were not good for an exciting sail.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="No wind"]
[/caption]It was flat calm. The sails hung limply. No problem, I thought, it will pick up in an hour or so. It didn't.
I could have started the engine, but it was so peaceful. Louise was sleeping, I was drifting Westawrds at 3.5 knots with the spring tide, and enjoying every minute of it.
As we passed Barry, the Pilot went out to meet a Cargo vessel heading West from Bristol. Presumably to pick up the pilot after navigating the upper reaches of the Channel. A reminder of the old days, when the Bristol Channel Pilots raced Westwards in their sleek cutters, to get the best trade.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Pilot boat approaching cargo vessel"]
[/caption]I rang Allan aboard Chausey. He was just passing Ilfracombe, and the tide had turned. I still had over an hour of ebb left, which illustrates the effect of the Bristol Channel tide, for those who know how to use it. Allan asked me to time the turning of the tide and position. I agreed.
We'd almost reached Aberthaw when Louise surfaced. Tigger too. A cup of tea and she was ready to sail back. Well, we only sailed for a few minutes before switching the engine on. The sun was dipping and so was the temperature.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Heading home"]
[/caption][caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Looking West"]
[/caption]We flew back with the flooding tide and were soon rounding the Ranie bouy and looking at the setting sun behind Sully Island
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Sully Island (right)"]
[/caption]The high pressure (1036mb) had pushed down the tide and the lock master advised we wait an extra half hour before locking in. As we crossed the bay after the lock, the sky was magnificent
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Cardiff Bay"]
[/caption]We were soon approaching our mooring at the club, cold and tired, but very happy.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Setting sun"]
[/caption]When you make the effort, and get out on a day that starts with you wondering what you are doing in the frost, you get such a great feeling being out on the water, and start wondering why you haven't been out for weeks.
A lovely day.
