Now I know folks back in Dallas are sweltering in the sun and possibly starting the annual moan about the heat – but I’m not! We sailed around to Brixham on the Devon Riviera-

Riviera my eye! I know it can be glorious down here and it has been on previous visits, but they were from the land side and maybe that makes a difference. We were supposed to have (according to them) light winds and light drizzle. Well we didn’t! The gentle Force 3 to 4 became a definite Force 5 to 6 and the light drizzle became bloody big wet drops. We sailed close hauled at 8 plus knots and needed hot soup and a good sandwich to keep our spirits up!

As we entered the bay ready to turn and tack into the harbor, we prudently put in a couple of reefs on the main and turned to get 8 plus knots with a lot less sail and a lot more control! We then firled away the sails right outside the harbour entrance and motored in to the Marina and guess what we did next? Well – what do you think – we went for a pint and some warmth! We then collected some supplies and headed back to cook a meal fit for Sunday night in a damp boat! Lyonnaise Potatoes, Ratatouille and roasted pork chops with an apple wine glaze – all cooked by my fair hand on a two burner simple boat stove. Of course we had to drink some red wine to occupy ourselves during the prep process!

Now the things is – as seems to be the way to start conversations with the folks at Elite Sailing (owners of this vessel and suppliers of the training skippers that will accompany us) – “fing is” Brixham used to be a lovely little fishing community with summer tourist season. It looks sad now – the fishing fleet is there, but smaller and the summer tourism is still there, but smaller (and to be honest not sure of the summer based on what we’re seeing right now) – and the quality isn’t the same. To be frank -it’s a bit grotty! We went to a lovely pub which had been given a facelift on the outside (like Ivanka Trump had a face lift) and now it looks like a fish shop on a wet day – but inside it was quaint (does Invanka Trump look like a fish shop on a wet day – or is that her ex?). Outside sat a bunch of jogging suited early twenties males (strangely looking like each other – but let’s not fixate on that aspect – Ramsgate?). It was very off putting and had we not had local knowledge – we wouldn’t have gone anywhere near it. “Fing is” – the entire street of shops that line the quay all looked the same – Turn of the Century Gauche! Again – it’s a judgement and someone must like it – but on a rainy Sunday afternoon – it just looked naff.

The phot below is of us passing Portland Bill (it’s a place not a person of doubtful character). A forbidding place – a large set of cliffs, a whirlpool in the sea and and prison on the top. You can just about see how welcoming it’s not!

So now it’s Monday morning and the rain it keeps a coming and so we’re having a lazy start and a late breakfast. We’re heading just down the coast to Dartmouth later today (home of the Royal Naval College). Today and tomorrow we have some short hops and we’ll use them to do drills and make sure we’re not out of snuff on things like MOB (Man Over Board)! For now – that’s it!

More to follow! Pip pip

I was going to share with you some observations about Ramsgate and how everyone looks vaguely similar to each other and how they are now living in cafe culture (without the culture). STOP! Now I have Weymouth to talk about. We arrived last night about 7.30, rafted up next to a couple of other yachts on the Town quay and headed for a beer and some Fish and Chips. One of the other boats was skippered by a guy from Gatehead – across the river from Newcastle – so that was a bonus when disturbing their Saturday evening to get over to put dock lines over!

So first stop a beer – and our training skipper insisted on going to – a Whetherspoons! Here we are in the picturesque harbour of Weymouth – the jewel of Dorset (it’s oft called the Dorset Riviera ) and we go to Whetherspoons – the largest chain of pubs in the UK. HOWEVER – it turned out to be a very good choice for many reasons, not least of all that we got served very quickly, the prices were amazingly low and the people watching was awesome. Saturday night seems to be the night for the locals to parade themselves in their finest, which, and I don’t want to sound too judgmental, seemed to be desinger Primark! Also, it seems that sizes were limited and so you took what they had, too large, too small (mostly), but this was not a wear what fits society and I think mirrors are scarce! The place was packed with a collection of  interesting people, assembled in groups. Let’s call one group “The Gary Group” and another “Tina” (usually shortened to just plain “Tine”) and another “Kevin” and the final group we’ll call “Rill” (presumable shortened from Cheryl, who knows). While standing at the bar waiting (and as I said – not for long) – there were 3 cries for Gary with numerous people answering, a couple of Kevin’s, also answered numerously and you can fill in the gaps about Tine and Rill! I have no idea how to convey the local accent – but West County English is probably rightish – although there was a clear smattering of something else which involved swallowing the end of every other word. BUT – the Gary Group and the Tine Group – while sitting or standing together didn’t actually talk to each other. The Garys talked to the Kevins (sparingly) and Tines talked to Rills (surprisingly sparingly) – but they all shouted to other similar groups – “-righ Gar” ” Yer or-righ Gar” – “Tine” “Yer righ” and onwards! I think the origins for this became somewhat obvious when looking at the tables lining the walls where the older Weymouthians were sitting (and wearing similar clothes to their kids). Not a word was spoken within the couples and absolutley no inter-couple communications. Silence – plain silence! Years of honing their communications skills to zero and passing on their know how to the next generation!

There’s could be so much more dribble to share about Weymouth – like going into another bar later on to listen to a very good live band and finding a variety of spaced out older men dancing on their own right infront of the band like groupies being cheered on by a number of Taylor Swift wannabes (it was a vague resemblance – very vague – but the influence was there) – or the Fish Shop offering “Place and Chips” or even the late night hairdressers called Blonz (yes open on Saturday evening at 9.00).

For those interested – we got here from Southampton safely, a little later than we wanted to – winds were highly variable and often right on our nose (10 – 15 knots). We had a very pleasant sail, but long tacks away from where you want to go get old after a while (especially on a Saturday night) and then we got really cold so we motored the last 6 miles (out of the 69 we did to get here). We passed out of the Solent through the Western Channel, along the north coast of the Isle of White, past Lymingtom to the north and Yarmouth to the south and right by the Needles. The scenery along the way was spectacular and we got close enough in to shore to see the entrance to Lulworth Cove and to look through Durdle Door (I didn’t take the phot below – obviously!). Rolling fields running down to chalky cliffs with an abundance of green. Pip pip, N

The final passage of leg 1 was the sail back over the Chanel and so after a day of rest and getting sorted (like washing clothes, washing the boat, drying the boat!), we head out of Ocean Village Southampton (phot below) and on to Weymouth in Dorset. I am particularly looking forward to this first passage of the second leg as it passes out through the famous Needles at the Western End of the Isle of White and across the Southern Coast past Lymington, Poole and around up by Portland Bill and into Weymouth. We will pass by Lulworth Cove (another set of great childhood memories – visiting the place with brothers and sisters when we camped in Poole (we were visiting my oldest brother and welcoming my eldest nephew Tim into the world). The huge treat at the time was a nightly small bottle (yes a proper glass bottle) of Coke a Cola, Ice Cold – simple pleasures. 

This leg of the voyage will take us around the Southern Coast and over to Devon and Cornwall past some beautiful scenery. What a privilege! 

This Marina turned out to be rather nice with good facilities and a nice Club House where we ate on our first night (too tired to cook for ourselves). We expect the weather to be quite nice for today’s journey – winds could be a little stronger and from a better direction (they will be westerly and we really want North Westerly – but they’ll do) and so we’ll sail and make pretty good time I hope. I am off to finish the passage plan and get us down the Solent, west past the Isle of White and out into the English Channel again. This time we’ll see land the entire way. More from Weymouth!

Pip pip,

N

Another map – but you may need it!

Not the best photo – but here’s what things look like after a few weeks of sailing and getting back across the English Channel safely – a little red for a man with a beard! Pip pip,

N

In record time – 19 hours in total – leaving Honfluer at 19.00 hrs and arriving her at 14.00 hrs – sounds like a long time – but we just came right across the channel to Southampton. At fist there was no wind which was a bummer – but about 3.30am the other watch got the Genoa up and switched off the engine! We’d had a mishap trying to raise the main up outside of Le Havre when the main halyard got stuck in the mast light (that’s the line we use to raise the main sail). Needless to say with some ingenuity we managed to overcome this (my Father would have been very happy) and all was well. We also managed to get into trouble reefing the main just ahead of a squal – but once again we overcame adversity and all was well. We were able to speed along at 7.0 kts SOG (8.05 miles per hour Speed Over Ground) until we were forced to lower sail in the Solent between IOW and the Main Land. We’re now resting up at anchor in Osborn Bay ahead of creeping up into Ocean Village marina in Southampton.

I’ll post a wee photo later when I get proper connectivity!

I think 40 winks are in order! 

Pip pip,

N

So after a short 24 hrs in Honfluer – a seriously pretty place – rather touristy, but what am I – we will set out on this evening’s high water to cross back to the UK (it’s about 6 miles through the lock and down the Seine out to Le Havre) – heading to Southampton (may be via Chichester). We’re a bit short handed for this – only 4 of us – so the watches will be a little longer and the rest a little shorter! Winds seem a little light for the journey – but hopefully enough to sail with a full sail plan and get 6 plus knots out of her. Only about 6 hours of darkness – so a short night! More later.Pip pip, N

After a night in Fecamp (recommend you don’t make any effort to visit this one) – we just tied up in Honfluer up the Seine from Le Havre (and this looks like a real recommendation from what I can see from the docks). What a day’s sailing – we had it all! We started in rough seas and with winds Force 6 gusting force 7. For some strange reason we didn’t see any other boats this morning! With the seas calming and with the winds lightening we sailed beautifully. As we neared Le Havre (France’s busiest port) a squal came through and we had wind, rain and hail – with visability reducing to very poor and we got a right soaking – a proper wetting! Probably the worst visability I’ve ever skippered in. However – we made it through and now we’re inside and drying out. The boat sailed very nicely through the rough weather (so even if is it taking in some water – she seems to eat up the bigger seas and coped well  – with a second reef in the main and with 1/3 of the Genoa out -I know – enough sailing talk).

More tomorrow on what is going through my mind (and of course the much promised observations of Ramsagate), but now it’s off for a well earned beer before dinner!

Pip pip!

N

After a day of strong winds and quite some rain we eventual docked at 11.00pm local time here in Dieppe. Haven’t been here since we took the ferry from Newhaven with Ian and Debbie almost 30 years ago! Well who would have thought it! Heading on to Fecamp tomorrow – shorter day with strong winds forecast  – so time to sale leaving at 6.00am! Pip pip, N

Sails out and sailing at 8kts – life is good! Here comes the rain though!