So frustrating......

It always seems to be the same at this time of year. The British summer takes so long to get started, then before you know it, the blackberries are out, we're into August, the days are getting shorter again and Autumn seemingly can't wait to charge in with a 'right then, that's your lot for this year'.

Add to this a few depressions, bringing wind and rain, and when you do, finally get a chance to get out of the boat, the social side of your life seems to throw its own hat into the ring to stop even that.

We were away for three days this weekend, and sailed for a grand total of around 40 minutes. Work that out...........

So, anyway. As part of some future plans, we had both, some years back, tried kayaking. It was something I'd enjoyed but Louise less so. After a brief paddle on the Neath canal a week or so back, however, she decided she wanted to give it another try, and bought a cheap plastic boat from the Freeads. So we had to try that out.

Friday was spent paddling about in the salt marshes, near Dale, in the pouring rain. Tigger seemed to enjoy it, bounding around, swimming out to us and back ashore again. Louise even tried her hand at some white water stuff, well, sort of, as the ebbing tide rushed over some stepping stones used to cross the marsh:

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Kayak"][/caption]

One consolation. As we loaded the kayaks back onto the top of the car, I thought I saw a small dinghy fall over on the beach. As I rushed to its rescue, I bumped into its owner

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="Martin"][/caption]

 

We got chatting and he turned out to be a very interesting gentleman indeed. Hailing from the South Coast, he'd towed his little craft up and sailed it from Dale every day. He also cycled, all over Pembrokeshire, and has done so for many years it seems. He told me one story of heading along the coast towards Tenby and becoming becalmed, managing to get ashore and sleep in the boat overnight until there was enough wind to get him back - a real character. We spoke of many things, including wildlife and archeology, before it was time for us to leave. I hope we bump into him again - I won't forget him. His name was Martin, too!

So, out to Ishtar. A bit of maintenence on the mooring, and then a quick sail before I'd drop the anchor and listen to the Wales v England rugby game on the radio. I'd then planned a longer run, out towards St Govan's head. I didn't mind if we got back after dark - I was itching to get out on the boat.

Even those plans were scuppered. The mooring took far longer than I'd anticipated to change a chain and rope tail. I did enjoy the rugby at least. Just after the final whistle, which saw Wales win 19-9, I upped the main and sailed off the mooring.

And bumped into some friends from Cardiff, John and Margot, a couple of musicians, on their aptly named sloop, Alegria.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Alegria"][/caption]

A quick chat on the VHF and it turned out that they, and a few other friends, were down for the night and heading to Dale yacht club for a meal and a few drinks and would we join them. Ah well, we could sail tomorrow.......

I did go out for a short sail, only as far as West Angle bay and back, but even then I had to run the engine on the way back - one of the battery contacts on our solar panel had become disconnected, and the auxilliary batteries were down.

Having said all that, we had a great time over a few beers later, and I truly can't remember what I was explaining to Dave (Caswyn) in this picture.....

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Dale yacht club"][/caption]

 

I think I remember getting back to Ishtar, and vaguely recall grumbling  from my bunk to Louise to please fish more quietly  - she had no luck with the bass, either way.

Sunday morning. Overcast, but with all the signs of brightening up. Westerly wind, force 4. Perfect for sailing. John and Margot on Alegria, and Viv and Richard aboard Rhiannon had left just after 07:00, to catch slack water in Jack Sound. The way my head felt, I was glad we'd not decided to join them. I make a point, on diving trips, not to have a drink if the diving looks to be good. I've never been able to drink, although I do love a beer. I was in no fit state to go for a sail, and really didn't fancy it either, so, with just 40 minutes with the sails up all weekend, we headed home.

Surely there must be some fun to be had before Autumn comes in properly?

I'm shaking

After a few nice weekends sailing, real life has been getting in the way over the last few weeks, and, indeed, this weekend was going to be a short one due to other commitments. Still, we'd get a quick sail in.

When we'd fitted the new engine to Ishtar last winter, I'd run in new heavy duty electrical cables from the starter battery to the engine. Last time out, we noticed that the blocks of plyboard I'd stuck to the engine room roof with a sikaflex clone to hold up these wires had dropped, leaving the battery cables hanging down close to the engine.

The first job was to rehang the wires, which Louise did expertly, me being unable to work due to an arm injury. Maintenence over, we decided that a quick sail up the Haven to Milford would be nice.

When we started sailing three years ago, we agreed that I'd do the bulk of the learning, figuring that it would be better to have one person with a larger amount of experience than both of us with a small amount. This has meant that I am probably more able to sail Ishtar than is Louise, although she is undoubtedly better at handling the boat under power.

As Louise now attempts to 'catch up', experience-wise, we find that the best way to simulate the true learning experience is if I stay well clear, preferably down below, and offer no help or guidance at all. Louise enjoys this, and often tells me to 'shut up' and let her do it herself at such times.

So, she set the Genoa, Tigger and I were confined to the cable tier and Ishtar with her 'single handed' female crew slowly crept up the haven, her sail caressed by a very light Westerly and her hull by the clear warm Pembrokeshire waters.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Single handed"][/caption]

 The single handed simulation performed well - Louise was suitably stressed, listening to the movement of ferries Pilots, tugs and tankers on VHF channel 12, avoiding vessels at berth, and the vagaries of the light winds around these huge hulks. By the time we reached the Milford shelf, she realised we were at low tide. She called the pierhead and, out of courtesy, asked if we could tie alongside the Mackerel Stage to provision.

'Provision' being the best verb I can think of to describe a dash to Tesco for Tiramisu - Louise had forgotten to bring a dessert, a fact which nearly resulted in the first ever single handed mutiny.

Then came the only slight mistake of the day. A slight navigational error on the way in to the Mackerel stage resulted in us running aground. This was no earth shattering collision though, no splinters of wood, no great grinding of fibreglass against rock. In fact, I didn't feel a thing, and if it were not for Louise saying 'We're not moving any more' I would have missed the event entirely.

We were quickly off and moving again and Louise set us against the Mackerel stage perfectly, and tied us off. It was only then that she admitted 'I'm shaking'. To me, this showed the effectiveness of our simulated single handed passage - Louise really felt the pressure of doing the whole thing on her own, and this, hopefully will stand her in good stead should I become incapacitated or fall overboard and she has to do it for real.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="I'm shaking"][/caption]

 

The tiramisu run was successful, and the cake itself very much enjoyed later, as was the King Prawn Jalferezi and Mushroom korma with chapattis. Louise sailed us back to Dale, beating all the way with full main and genoa and tied us up on the mooring, again, all 'solo'.

We left early the following morning, but it was a very successful exercise.