I’d been offered a place crewing on the delivery of Glen Rosa, a Beneteau Oceanis 331, from the Solent to Cork. Her skipper Jim and first mate Douglas are both very experienced sailors while Hywel and myself have fewer miles on the log and this was to be my first proper passage.
Wednesday 29th June
My plane was delayed several hours (some bad weather about apparently!) and it was 2300 by the time I was aboard Glen Rosa in Hythe Marina so we locked out into Southampton Water without further delay. We motor-sailed into the Solent and Jim and I stood the first watch while Douglas and Hywel attempted to get some sleep.
This was my first night sail and it was quite a change from the west coast of Scotland. Even at this time of night there were vessels large and small, ferries fast and faster, lines of winking reds and greens and the whole panoply of cardinals, isolated danger and safe water marks. My late arrival had put the tide against us and we were making less than 4 knots over the ground so we decided to go for a buoy in Newton Creek to get our heads down for a couple of hours and wait out the rest of the foul tide.
There is a safe-water mark outside but apart from that it was a pitch dark entry between shingle banks with only a compass course and quick flashes from a powerful torch for comfort as we sought an unoccupied mooring buoy. A sharpish manouevre to avoid said shingle bank brought Douglas on deck to assist. We eventually realised that all buoys were occupied and anchored in indecently thin water sometime after 0300. Skipper started rattling pans at about 0530 and produced a serious fry-up which was to have consequences later.
Thursday 30th June
We were under way by 0630 and set off motor-sailing into F4/5 out past the Needles and into the English Channel. For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of sailing here I offer the following observations:
1. The wind is F4 or F5 on the nose.
2. The sea and the sky are grey.
3. Visibility is approximately one mile and land is only occasionally glimpsed as sticky-out bits that get in the way.
4. There is a short chop of 1-2 metre waves on top of an underlying swell from a different direction.
5. Licking your beard will enable you to determine whether you are being lashed by rain or spray.
I decided to try a nap in the cockpit (another first) and stretched out on the lee side to doze for 20 minutes or so. I woke up in a hurry and headed for the lee rail where I had to jettison some of the skipper’s breakfast. I felt immediately revived and had just settled on the high side when Hywel appeared from below to stage a similar performance. Neither of us had ever previously suffered. Five minutes later our skipper also had a quick dry boak. Only Iron Man Douglas seemed unaffected.
We passed outside the St. Alban’s Head spit as the tide turned against us. Since some of the crew had had only 3 hours sleep in the past 30 hours by this point, it was decided to set a course for Weymouth and save Lyme Bay for the morrow.
This brings me to the most remarkable aspect of the whole cruise. I’ve never before seen so many people spend so much time partially conscious while under way. We stretched out in the cockpit and fell asleep. We propped ourselves under the sprayhood and dozed off. We went below for a quick nap. I had to fight to keep my eyes open sometimes while on watch. Hywel was particularly able in this respect. On one occasion he succumbed to slumber while fetching some pasties from the oven. On another (although he swears he was only resting his eyes) he nodded off while standing on the companionway steps. The motion was certainly tiring and the total age of the crew about two centuries but the power-napping seemed to border on the ridiculous. In retrospect I suppose the late nights and early starts may have had something to do with it.
The pressure to “make miles” was off since we had chosen an easy destination for the night so the donkey was silenced and I had my first shot at helming Glen Rosa under sail. What an embarassment! It appears that the hull characteristics of a Beneteau are strikingly dissimilar to those of a Hurley. On Silkie it is clear when to reef since water will be streaming over the cockpit coaming. On Glen Rosa however a digital readout tells the cognoscenti what’s going on but a naive helm ends up with the rudder against the stop before the penny drops. Well, that’s my excuse anyway.
Somehow we reached Weymouth Harbour safely and entered between two square-riggers.
First class showers at the HM’s premises. The skipper’s spaghetti bolognaise was followed by a run ashore (two Hurley 22s in the part of the harbour we explored) and a small libation.
Friday 1st July
An 0600 rise this morning to catch slack water for the inside passage around Portland Bill. Despite near-perfect timing the race was quite impressive off to port with large lumps of white-capped water rearing up seemingly at random. We had left Weymouth in brilliant sunshine (sunscreen was applied) but as we buoy-dodged within spitting distance of the Bill the weather closed in again and the course to clear Start Point put the F4/5 on the nose along with the accompanying short chop.
As we crossed Lyme Bay the engine revs suddenly dropped and a slick of partially burnt diesel was ejected from the exhaust accompanied by the smell of burning. Skipper and first mate investigated the engine room but nothing untoward was found and on we went. Rounding Prawle Point gave us a slant on the wind and a series of alternating short and long boards with a reef in the main allowed us to sail into Plymouth Sound at about 2130.
We seemed to pick up something round the prop as we manoeuvred in Queen Anne’s Battery (not the cleanest of waters) and the skipper went off to try to arrange a diver for the morning but the rope cutter eventually dealt with the problem. Had we in fact picked up something in Lyme Bay which the rope-cutter had chewed through but engaging reverse in the marina had drawn the remains back into the prop? The marina bar had stopped serving food but an obliging local curry house was found to deliver to the marina. A small libation was taken.
Saturday 2nd July
We set off for Falmouth (grey, wet, short chop, F4/5 on the nose in case you were wondering) to refuel and get the latest weather before making the final decision about crossing St. George’s Channel. With a forecast for F6 occasionally F7 the skipper reluctantly decided that it wasn’t worth the risk. Fajitas aboard in Port Pendennis Marina were followed by a run ashore. A small libation was taken in the Cutty Sark pub which may be slightly down-at-heel but deserves a special mention since the round cost less than ?8. Returning aboard for a nightcap, a lively debate about the weather ensued and this included the appearance of a laptop at 0300 to download the latest weatherfax via SSB. Skipper had the last word but it’s not suitable for a family audience.
Sunday 3rd July
A beautiful day and we went sailing just for fun along with everything else in the area that was capable of floating. I now understand why YBW ColRegs threads get so heated. We sailed up the Carrick Roads past King Harry’s Ferry before turning and heading back down and across Falmouth Bay to Helford. Short-tacking up the Helford River sharpened crew co-ordination and produced big cheesy grins all round. The skipper demonstrated his trapezing technique without the aid of a trapeze.
Another spectacular culinary creation aboard was followed by a small libation in the Shipwright’s Arms.
Monday 4th July
We sailed back to Pendennis Marina (my helming was slightly improved by now) and squeezed Glen Rosa into the inner harbour where she’ll be snug until Jim can return for another shot at the crossing.
An excellent trip, beautiful boat, fine company and lots of new experiences. What more need be said apart from thanks to Jim for inviting me and to Douglas and Hywel for being such congenial shipmates. Hope you make it to Cork next time Jim.
Miles this trip 216
Miles this season 501 (s/h 93)
silkie2015 