A few days in Spain

Thursday 1st November

Peaceful, easy day. A relaxed morning. Coffee and porridge after rising at a very civilised 08:30. Louise and Susie took some clothes to the launderette. I quickly checked Wiki for things to do and see in La Coruna. The Torres de Hercules, a Roman lighthouse caught my eye.

I went up to see the marina manager, an amiable chap I have dubbed Manuel. I wanted to learn a bit of Spanish. I asked him for a map, which he supplied. There then followed 10 minutes of me trying to ask him what the Spanish word for map was. Eventually he got it and replied 'mapa' in a monotone voice. Deflated at such a meagre return for so much effort, I left.

Around 14:00, John, Susie, Ross, Louise and myself jumped into a taxi, paid 5 euros and took a trip to the lighthouse.

I loved it. Julius Caeser visited the area in AD 31 and it was amazing to think that Roman galleys may have sailed the same waters we sailed over yesterday. Just inside, you could see the ancient footings, including 2000 year old concrete.

The tower itself was refaced with granite in 1788, but inside, all the stonework was Roman. Ross, Louise and I climbed to the top and stared out over the now raging sea. A thoroughly enjoyable visit. The five of us then walked back to the boat via a supermarket. Louise and I had fresh crusty bread, allioli (Spanish garlic mayonnaise), roasted peppers in olive oil and fresh tomatoes. A lovely afternoon.

Darsena de la marina is fine. 32 euros a night for a 12m boat. Clean toilets and nice showers, friendly staff, a bar with reasonable prices and less than 5 minutes to walk to the centre of town.

Friday 2nd November.
Oceana arrived during the night; our second meeting. She towered above us. Her hordes filed off, wandered around for a bit and then filed back on again. Not my idea of travel at all. The folk aboard had just 6 hours ashore in total, hardly enough to get more than a tiny taste of the place.

Louise, Ross and myself took a walk around town later, and had fresh bread, olives etc. for lunch.

Then we readied the boat for a possible early departure tomorrow, checking the engine, filling water and so on. Cascais is a possible next stop, approximately 320 nm, just over 2 days away.

One thing that struck me more than anything about La Corunna was the feel of the place. Even at 10pm on a Friday night, whole families filled the squares, eating, drinking, the kids playing in the streets. No gangs of drunken youths and no threatening feeling that one might encounter in any British town on a Friday night. It was really happy, laid back, just nice.

More radio

It took us a while to get our heads around the full complexity of communications available on a yacht. So many frequencies. So many services. So many courses.

We currently use a marine VHF set. We have a ships license, and did our operators license many years ago, as part of our dive courses. VHF is fine for short distance communications, around 30 miles or so.

Using our short wave receiver, we were also able to receive transmissions from further afield, as detailed earlier

 http://ishtaryacht.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/receiving-weather-information-using.html

but we wanted to go further. We looked at the Long Range Certificate for marine use, and will probably do this next year (it costs around £300 each, and is a four day course plus the exam). Many, many sailors, though, use the amateurs radio bands, also known as HAM radio. There are a great many people out there who specialise in communicating long distance via amateur radio, and many 'cruisers nets' in various parts of the world who discuss weather, routing and other information in their part of the world.

We looked at the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) website and, through them, contacted Jerry, at Pencoed Amateur Radio club.

http://www.rsgb.org/clubsandtraining/

http://www.mw0prg.co.uk

They were very friendly, and, through them we found out the following information.

There are three levels to the RSGB exams in the UK. Foundation, Intermediate and Full. Pencoed club were prepared to help us to train for each of the exams, and, if we passed, we'd get a certificate to present to Offcom to gain our amateur radio license.

To use an Amateur Radio on board a yacht, in tidal waters in the UK, one needs to gain a full license. Louise and I talked about it and decided that we'd like to do it. We bagan studying for the foundation license immediately. Each week we would attend the club, have a lecture (with a fine gentleman caled Don) about frequencies, antennas, transceivers and so on, and do some sample questions for the exam. After about 6 weeks, we both turned up at the club, were shown into a prepared room with a clock, the exam papers from the RSGB were removed from sealed envelopes and we worked our way through 26 multiple choice exam questions, with the pass mark at 19 questions answered correctly.

We both passed first time. Although delighted, the Foundation level is quite easy. Indeed, someone at the club was telling me that the youngest person to pass it was aged 5! we started the Intermediate level straight away afterwards - Don tells us it should be around 12 weeks or so before we are ready for the exam.

The intermediate level course is far more in depth. As well as the theory of different types of radio, Single side band, FM, morse code, antenna theory and so on, we have to study basic electronics and, even, build simple receivers and transmitters using resistors, inductors, capacitors, diodes and so on.

All going well, we should be ready for the Intermediate examination in a few weeks. After that, we expect to spend the winter preparing for the Full license examination. With a bit of luck and a following wind, we will be able to use an amateur radio set aboard Ishtar, and talk to people all over the world, by the time we start sailing next season.

We're currently looking at buying our first HF (High Frequency) transceiver, which, although we won't be able to install aboard Ishtar until we have our full license, we will be able to use at home, getting used to all th efrequencies, settings and calling people over long distances.

Montreal rock revisited

Musing on the name Montreal rock, and the fact that two nearby buoys, the Dakotian and Behar buoys were named after shipwrecks, I wondered whether the rock took its name from a ship that sank after hitting it. I found little information on the brief search I did, but I contacted a friend, the author Tom Bennett, who has written many books on Shipwrecks in Wales, and also the excellent

Sea Guide to Pembrokeshire

Tom pointed out that, during the early development of Milford Haven, it was proposed that the port may be used on the London-Montreal steamer service. Indeed, in the late 1920s and 1930s, a steamer called the Calgaric, of the White star line, was stationed at Milford in a sea ready state, and later used on the London to Montreal route. Tom postulates that maybe the liner anchored near the rock, which took its name when local people referred to the 'Montreal Steamer'.

It could be accurate, or there could be another reason entirely for the enigmatic Montreal Rock. Amazing what can come to light when one looks at a buoy and starts to ask questions though........

What's that yellow thing

up in the sky? Sun, you say. Well, I never.

We had some time free, Thursday to Monday, as it happened, and, it looked like the yellow thing might be around for a lot of that time. Louise got home from work at 10:30hrs, and we were loading the dinghy and locking the car at Dale by 12:30. Sunny and warm, with light winds.

Louise wants to enter Ishtar for some races this winter, with an all female crew from the yacht club. I think it's a great idea. Without us men barking orders all the time, it will give her (them) a chance to sail on their own terms, make their own mistakes and learn their own best methods.

With this in mind I barked orders at Louise to sail the boat around various buoys in the Haven, as if it were a race. Louise quickly got the hang of it, and we were soon off sailing downwind, passing Monk Haven on the way.

Monk Haven is a tiny cove just NorthEast of Dale. The beach has a wall at it's back, set with rings for fishing boats to tie up to. The valley behind was part of the Trewarren estate and there is a walled garden and fish ponds, in a dilapidated state, but beautiful, nevertheless.

We sailed further along, past the Behar buoy opposite the entrance to the Haven, and marking a second world war shipwreck

Behar buoy with divers on the wreck

Enjoying the sailing, now, I ordered Louise to take us around the next bouy, the Montreal rock buoy, marking the rock of that name, in the entrance to Sandy Haven.

Montreal rock buoy with Sandy Haven caravan site behind.

From there, we headed South, towards Angle bay, and then across to Watwick bay. We crossed the shipping channels quickly, and avoided getting too close to a big tanker leaving. Not as close as some, anyway.

Louise sailed us back Northwards and into Dale, putting Ishtar on the morning as the afternoon sun dipped in the West. We'd just put the kettle on when our friend Huw, and his son Matthew paddled out in their inflatable kayak. They asked us to join them in the Griffin for a pint.



We agreed to go ashore later. Louise cooked up a curry (King prawn Jalferezi with onion bhajias) and we set off for the pub. There we met up with Dave, who was staying on hus boat, Caswyn. Just after dark, about 10pm, our friend Paschall turned up, on his junk rigged kingfisher, 'Sui'. Paschall had just sailed down from Oxwich, and was hoping to get across to his native Ireland the following day. More important tasks were attended to first, however, in the shape of three pints of Guinness. It had been a hot day at sea for Paschall.

We took the dinghy back out to Ishtar at about 23:00 and slept soundly.

After a bit of a gap

....not having been to the boat for 5 or 6 weeks after I fell in the garden and tore ankle ligaments,

we finally got back to Ishtar and moved her from a mooring at Llangwm down river 15 miles to our own mooring at Dale.

Louise wanted to do this trip through the busy port of Milford Haven single handed, so I took Tigger in the car and went for a few walks, while she did just that.

Over to Louise.....
The first thing I had to sort out when I got onto Ishtar was a small tree trunk that had attached itself to the mooring.  Unfortunately the current was too strong due to the 7.3m tide and I had to leave it.

I got myself ready and cast off.  I had put the main sail up and had put the anchor out on deck with 10m of chain already cleated off just in case I had an emergency and had to stop somewhere in a hurry.  Off I went in the beautiful sunshine..... for about 20 seconds until I heard the sound of the grease hose to the stern gland rip off and hit the prop shaft.  A quick about turn, I put Ishtar back onto the mooring. 

2 hours later, up to my elbows in grease I had managed to sort the problem out and I set off again.  By now I had missed the tide and was going to be punching the incoming tide for the next few hours.

It was nerve racking doing my longest single handed motor sail and with our recent diesel problems neither of us has any confidence in our engine.  Its very unfortunate really because the engine has always performed well, all the breakdowns have been fuel related.  I was listening carefully all the time to the pitch of the engine and kept my eye on the speed, nervously watching for any hint of trouble. 

Martin had advised me to run the engine at about 2500 revs and I was doing about 3-3.5 knots.  It was all going fine until I got to Lawrenny when the speed suddenly dropped to 2.5 knots.  I expected the engine to slowly die and I had a scary moment thinking I would have to try to sail against the tide in light winds. 

Luckily it was just the effect of the current and within half a mile my speed had picked back up.
Martin was waiting at Neyland with Tigger, looking out for me. I don't know who was the most nervous, me on the boat or him watching, knowing that if anything went wrong he couldn't do anything.

I actually felt a bit more relieved once I got past the Cleddau Bridge and was into the haven as the wind picked up a little and I had a bit more room to sail if I had engine trouble.
At various points along the route I found myself thinking "what if I broke down now?".
Once I passed Neyland the wind picked up a little and I let out the genoa, I managed to pick up my speed to about 4.5 - 5 knots.  The sky looked thunderous over Milford Haven but so far I had been lucky with the weather and it stayed dry. 

Martin rang again to ask to be picked up on the pontoon at Dale.  By now I really was looking forward to getting to Dale but I still wanted to do it all myself.  I tacked towards Angle which meant I was on a good tacking angle to get to Dale.  At the visitors pontoon I decided to drop the sails and head for our mooring.  Martin had put a new riser chain on our mooring with some new tails and they were very easy to pick up.  Once on our mooring I put the anchor away, thankfully not needed, tidied the boat up a bit and put the fenders and lines ready. 

My trip was almost over as I headed off to the pontoon.  With only one other boat on the pontoon and very little wind in the shelter of the bay it was easy and straightforward to tie up on the pontoon.  Ishtar was back home, I had made it, ok a little greasy but quite pleased with myself.  The pint of cider that was quickly consumed was very welcome and I think Martin was proud and relieved to see both boat and skipper safe and sound. 

Louise.

Doing your first solo trip is always quite nerve wracking. Doing your first trip through an extremely busy port with the tide against you, an engine you have doubts about and having to sort out mechanical issues before you leave is no mean feat. I was so proud of Louise when I saw Ishtar tied up at Dale pontoon.

Tigger was less impressed. He ran down along the pontoon jumped aboard and started sniffing around for food. We opened a bottle of wine and enjoyed the sunset.

Martin

A short weekend

Which turned out to be shorter than we'd anticipated.

Left the house at 07:00 Saturday and arrived at a quiet Llangwm around 08:30. A group of men and women were launching a Pembrokeshire long boat - out for an early morning row. This popular sport seems to be really gaining momentum, and it's a rare visit to Pembrokeshire now that we don't see one or more of them, practicising or racing. It appears to appeal to all ages, sexes and types of people too.

Louise pumped the dinghy and we puttered out to Ishtar. I realised something was wrong, straight away - one of the cushions under where I'd fitted the new winches and clutches was soaking wet. There was nothing for it but to take the headlining down and pour water on the deck until we found the leak. This would be the best part of a day's work, so we just got on with it.

Notice the loose hanging wires of the guard rail? We did too. Some fine person, it seems, had given Ishtar a clout with their boat, and driven off, leaving no note. There was not much daage - a bent pulpit and damaged navigation light, but it was more work to do to put right. I was not in a good mood by this point. The sun was shining and I wanted to be sailing down the river. Such is life, as they say.

A few hours later and we were getting things sorted. The leak turned out to be a screw hole holding the spray hood on, and I was pleased that all the work I had done had not been the cause of the leak. I managed to straighten the pulpit as best I could, trying not to fall in as I pushed and pulled at it.

By 4 o'clock we sailed off the mooring in a light North Westerly and set off down the Cleddau, it's oak lined banks were truly beautiful in the spring sunshine.

Louise trimmed the sails, following the wind as we twisted and turned our way down the river towards Milford Haven. The wind is fickle in the upper reaches of the river, and can blow and die, veer and back very quickly. Louise struggled a bit at one point, but there was no problem, and it is truly a lovely place to sail. Anyone who is lucky enough to do sail up or down the Cleddau enjoys a rare privilege.



We'd thought about tying up on the pontoon at Pembroke dock, near the yacht club. When we noticed that it had not yet been set up, however, we turned and headed back upstream.

On the way, we passed Jacona - a Nicholson 32, previously owned by a couple from Cardiff yacht club who took her across to the Caribbean and back a couple of years ago

http://travel.yahoo.com/trip-journal-1392359-jacona

We're hoping to meet up with that couple, Dave and Sheryn, soon, and pick their brains on the trip, doos and don'ts, their thoughts on boats for cruising and so on. More if we do.

Anyway. Some people find drifting up and down rivers at the whim of the wind, looking at trees and birds very boring indeed, and would far rather be on dry land. We tied Ishtar up when we reached Llangwm and took the dinghy ashore this beautiful, tranquil evening. 



  

Where, people who did not enjoy floating up and down rivers made their feelings at being ashore known:

Sticks were massacred. Seaweed was torn up. Mud was trampled, splashed and spattered onto people's undersides, water was swam in and panting noises were heard.

We returned to Ishtar, had a meal, drank some wine, listened to the evening turn into night, the gurgling sounds of the water as teh river passed under us, and the sounds of the wading birds heading home to roost.

Peaceful.

It was even more peaceful the following morning. Dead silent, in fact, and perhaps the calmest I've ever see the river:

There was clearly no point in trying to sail, and motoring down the river and back didn't really appeal. We did a few odd jobs aboard Ishtar, did some tidying, drank some coffe and then went ashore, taking Tigger for a walk along the wooded banks before jumping in the car and heading home.



No sailing

No sailing this weekend. We'd offered to help some friends lay some moorings at Dale, and I had to fit a new riser chain to Ishtar's mooring and refit the head bouy. I did that on Saturday. It was lovely to be in the water again, and surprisingly warm for April. I quickly located and undid the shackle connecting the ground chain to the old riser, and attached the new riser in it's place.

Even though it was a simple 'work dive', I enjoyed it. I didn't do a great deal of diving last year, apart from a trip to Lundy and some mooring work, but we're dong more this year, and we have a trip to Scapa flow to look forward to. We're hoping to have a fortnight diving around Oban, too, in June.

Things were going well with the moorings until the outboard engines started playing up on our RIB. Too little use. Spent Saturday evening cleaning out the tank and carbs, and managed to move the 4 x 400kg concrete railway sleepers out to their new positions as mooring blocks on Sunday.

Poor Tigger had a rough time of it. He had decided that running around with a stick protruding straight from his mouth was a good idea. Until it caught the ground and rammed itself down his throat, leaving him yelping in pain. A trip to the vet followed, which gave him the all clear, although he was quite sheepish for the rest of the weekend.

Meanwhile, with 4 x 400kg concrete railway sleepers to move, and a less than perfectly running RIB, strong winds and squally showers, we worked our way through the weekend, an hour at a time. Cold and wet.

Better times to come this year, I hope.

An early trip West

The club had organised an Easter Cruise. About 12 boats had signed on for the trip, leaving Cardiff on Good Friday, Sailing down to Oxwich Bay on the Gower for an overnight stay, on to the Burry Inlet, North Gower on the Saturday, Ilfracombe on the Sunday and then back to Cardiff on the Monday.

There were two problems for us. Firstly, High tide on Monday at Cardiff was 09:38 in the morning, and nearly ten o'clock at night. Louise had to be in work by 10pm, and leaving Ilfracombe at Midnight on Sunday evening appealed to neither of us. Secondly, Ishtar is a fin keel boat. The others are mainly bilge keels, twin keels that can dry out in harbours that do so. Our last trip to Ilfracombe had been a very rolly affair, anchored outside in the swells whilst everyone else slept, ashore inside the harbour.

Bearing in mind that our friend Tom had an unused mooring in Llangwm on the river Cleddau, we made a quick decision to join the club cruse as far as Oxwich, and then head down to our summer cruising grounds in Pembrokeshire earlier than usual.

We set off from our pontoon in Cardiff just after 6am, the sound of diesel engines drifting across Cardiff bay, with the scent of coffee from the boats, clasped in the gloved hands of the cold, bleary eyed sailors, as we entered the 06:30 lock out.

As part of our ongoing learning curve, I retired below and left Louise to it. She raised the sails and set off, doing everything, checking position, making entries in the log, watching the depth sounder, marking the charts, adjusting the sails, judging when to tack, constantly busy, making decisions, sailing Ishtar the nearly 50 miles to Oxwich, the sound of just the wind and the water far nicer than the sound of the engine earlier.

There were boats all over the Bristol Channel, tacking this way and that, some close inshore, others further out. Louise sailed all the way, only finally switching on the engine when the huge spring tide meant that our tacking upwind was almost taking us backwards.

Louise had never anchored before, and was keen to try. She made some mistakes, but eventually heaved over the great hook and 35m of chain, motoring gently astern until the boat jerked to a stop as the anchor bit. We joined some friends aboard their yacht for beer, wine, japanese rice crackers and other nibbles and drinks, Louise delighted, and rightly proud of her growing achievements as a sailor.

As the sun set over a crowded anchorage, we returned to Ishtar and settled in for a peaceful night, rocking gently, the sound of the waves lapping against Ishtar's sides.

High pressure had dominated the UK over the previous three weeks. The forecast had that set to change. The warm, calm sunny days, with frosty mornings and light winds would be replaced by wind and rain before Easter was over. Typical UK bank holiday weather.

When we awoke and upped the anchor at 6am on Saturday, that change had already started, as we set off from Oxwich westwards, Louise once again helming as we passed the Helwick bank and started our crossing of Cardigan Bay.

I simply could not believe it when, a few hours later, our engine cut out again and refused to start. The dreaded 'diesel bug' had plagued us last year, but all new fuel pipes, switching to white diesel instead of red and dosing that with a bug killing chemical had, we thought, solved that problem. Deeply disheartened, I rigged up a fesh Jerry can and we limped into Milford, our tail between our legs.

 Our spirits were soon raised as the sun came out again, and the spectacular blues of the spring sky were simply stunning as we passed under the Cleddau bridge and headed up river.

The tide was huge. Up at Bristol, the other end of the Bristol channel, the difference between high and low tide was around 45 feet! In Milford, it was a much more reasonable 25 feet difference. All that water moving in and out every 6 hours showed:



Tired, but relieved that we'd made it safely, we opened a bottle of wine. Trying to discover what had caused our engine to stop would be best left until morning - it was starting to get dark anyway. The last time we were here, Louise had absolutely loved sitting on deck, listening to the folorn calls of an owl in the oak woods. As she sipped her wine, tonight, she called down to me 'My owl!, I can hear my owl!'

Another peaceful night. We slept in the forecabin - the new bedding and upholstery Louise had worked so hard during the winter to make was supremely comfortable, and we slept well.

Mumbles and back

Louise took Tigger ashore in the morning. Around us, folk were breakfasting, and the smell of hot coffee drifted from boat to boat. There might just be enough wind to sail by, but that was 'on the nose'. So, when we'd all finished eating, and the dishes were put away, we set off under steam, for Mumbles.

Three times we eased back and tried the sails, but the longest we managed, before the wind dropped again, was about 30 minutes. In the end, we motored most of the 20 odd miles into Mumbles, the blue skies and warmth now replaced by an overcast sky, the bright colours of spring, gone for the moment.

The anchorage, beneath Mumbles' famous lighthouse, pier and lifeboat station, was, however, beautiful, and it was flat calm. The holding here was excellent, in thick mud, just off the long concrete slip at 'Knab rock'. With neap tides, and light winds, I did my calculations and left us with about 2 feet under the keel at low tide.

We enjoyed a beer and a warm welcome at Mumbles yacht club. It's been years since we used to come to Mumbles to launch our diving Ribs, and I was a little surprised that the place seemed far less busy and vibrant than I remembered. It was still only March, I suppose.

The sea was like a plate of black glass when we returned to Ishtar. Almost unbelievably, in this sheltered anchorage, only exposed to the East, an Easterly wind blew up almost as soon as we'd made the bed up, and another lumpy night followed. Most annoying. We had no worries, though. Since buying our Delta anchor, about 2 years back, we've never dragged, even though it weighs a miserly 6kg.

Louise had set the alarm for 06:15, but she was very very tired. I quickly dressed, started the engine and pulled up the anchor as she 'came round' and we were motoring away from Mumbles within 10 minutes. Heading SSE to avoid the Scarweather sandbank, the Easterly wind was fine for sailing, so I ran the sails up quickly, before Louise took over. It was a lot colder than of late as we looked back over the chilly water towards Mumbles

Looking Eastwards, across Glamorgan towards Cardiff, the sun was just rising

I left Louise to it, and retired below with Tigger. As the morning progressed, the wind from last night lessened, and by the time we'd cleared the sandbanks and Turned ESE, we were running the engine. We could have tacked back and forth up the channel, but time was against us. We had to cover 40 or so miles by sea, lock in, sort out the boat, then get home to Neath and wash and eat before Louise set off for her night shift.

The more I think about it, the more difficult I realise it is for us. Sailing gives a great sense of freedom, but, at the moment, if Tigger is with us, we still have to pump the dinghy and take him ashore each night, and we must still get back to Cardiff for work. When you travel everywhere at 4 miles an hour or so, you have to plan carefully. It would be lovely to be totally free and not have to worry about being in a certain place at a certain time.

Maybe one day.



Meanwhile, as we approached Aberthaw, a mere 15 miles or so from home, now with plenty of time, we switched off the engine and finally had a reaaly nice sail, tacking back and forth, upwind, setting and resetting the sails, until we were finally back off Barry

Then, an hour or so later, we were locking in and heading for our own mooring on the pontoon.

A bit rushed towards the end, but great fun, with great company.

Porlock Weir

High pressure. For two weeks now. Blue skies, the trees turning green, light winds, and warm air. Just makes you feel like getting out and doing things. Even on Sunday night after getting back to Cardiff Bay from Portishead, I was checking the long range forecast for the next weekend. High pressure every day with no sign of a change. By Thursday, Ishtar and two other boats were planning to sail West for the weekend. By Friday morning, there were 5 boats in the party.

I spent the night aboard Ishtar with Tigger, Louise did her nightshift. I woke at 07:00, put the bed away and sat on deck, shivering, with a mug of steaming black coffee, watching the sunrise over Cardiff Bay.

The crews of the other yachts arrived, carrying provisions and clothing. Louise arrived at 10:00, exhausted. She wanted to get to bed as soon as possible. We decided to lock out at 10:30, half an hour ahead of the others. The noise of the locks over, Louise would be able to crawl under the duvet and leave me to it. She was not alone......

Leaving them to it, I heaved the sails up and set off down past the pier at Penarth and then turning Westwards towards the open ocean. Well, towards the wide end of the Bristol Channel, anyhow. The wind was light and warm. I'd only sailed a couple of miles when I saw the 4 other yachts, Sui, Chausey, Volition and High Spirits, exit the locks themselves. High Spirits indeed!

We drifted slowly Westwards, passing Barry and the Power station at Aberthaw

The wind couldn't make it's mind up, and I kept switching sails, raising and lowering the 'cruising chute' twice before settling back onto the genoa. Louise had risen and helped me raise the large coloured downwind sail the second time.

None of us were in any great hurry to get anywhere. We briefly discussed going to Mumbles, in Swansea Bay, over the VHF radio, but then changed our minds, and settled on the village of Porlock Weir, on the English side of the Channel. We set off under engine power



'There's a big ship in the distance', Louise called won to me when I was making tea. I stuck my head out and could see by the white water of it's bow wave that it was moving very quickly across our path. Louise had already decided to slow and let it pass in front of us.

And then it started. After passing bhind the stern of that ship, and following a morning of almost no wind, we had a few hours of 15 knots from the West, and were soon heeled over, scything through the water towards Porlock.

Where we were soon anchored up just offshore. The Delta anchor scraped across some rocks before burying itself very securely in the sand. We've noticed this before at Porlock - some patches are better than others. We anchored directly in front of the entrance to the inner harbour, in about 3metres at low tide.

Tigger loves going ashore, and ran about with a big smile on his face. I had a smile on my face too, as we walked through this beautiful old village

and had a beer in 'The Ship'



A poor night's sleep followed, unfortunately. With the swells coming in from the West, Ishtar rolled a lot, and the snatching of the anchor chain, added to the fact that we had dragged our anchor here a couple of years back, meant that we slept only fitfully.