Drama on the high seas

October 21st

Sailing

Leaving Eastbourne at 6am

Friday night saw John and I training down to the south coast to hook up with Brimble, our boat.  So far this year we have sailed her from the east coast of Scotland through the Caledonian canal, taken part in the Scottish Peaks Sailing and Running race, sailed across to Northern Ireland, over to the Isle of Man, into South Ireland and visited the oldest sailing club in the world in Dublin, sailed south to the Scilly Isles and then headed north to the south coast of the UK taking in Falmouth and Plymouth to name but a few coastal towns.  Now we were to pick her up from Eastbourne with the intent of managing to round the coast to near Ipswich on the east side, almost but not quite a circumnavigation of the UK in a season.   In theory we hoped this would be the last sail of the season as now the weather can turn and sailing can be hairy. Having  well over a hundred miles to cover with winds admittedly in the right direction for us but strong meant it was not a done deal that we would cover the distance and so we would have to find another weekend to move her if the task could not be completed.   Of course there are also those pesky tides to deal with too, get that wrong and you can actually be sailing backwards for 6 hours at a time!

A great sail

Arriving

Saturday's sail was fast and furious, we generally estimate to make between 3-5 knots, meaning we cover about 3-5 miles in an hour but with strong winds and tides in the right direction for most of the sail this trip saw us making up to 8 knots.  This was terrific news as then we could wave at Dover and the white cliffs, not needing to make landfall there and scoot on over to Ramsgate.  Perfect, it was looking like we might actually make it to the east coast this week end.  John decided as we were doing so well, we could also push the boat out (almost literally in this case) and take a cunning short cut so as to avoid the now turning tide which would slow our last bit of the sail down to possibly only 1 or 2 knots and sail on the inside of the sand banks that are notorious around Ramsgate.  My heart began to palpitate as I hate sailing anywhere where it is shallow, but there was a buoyed channel so it meant it was possible.

WRONG!!!  

I cannot convey to you how wrong that was, according to the chart (sea map) we were supposed to have at least 2.3 m of water under us but as we 'bumped' hard twice on the sand beneath us, I can tell you the chart is wrong or the notorious sand banks had shifted, this can actually happen but then the bouyage is usually moved.  As we were the only idiots ones to be out at sea in October and to take the inside channel the buoys had not been moved, it's the end of the season after all.  Luck was however on our side and we did not get stuck, although it took a while for my heart to calm down.

Taking the inside channel, Ramsgate in the distance

This meant we had to back track the last two miles around the sand bank and still had another 3-4 miles to sail after that.  Taking the short cut had cost us about an extra two hour sail and against the tide!  After twelve and a half hours we made it into Ramsgate, not helped by the harbour master who helpfully added  when I called up on VHF  that we could moor up in any berth on E or F pontoon if we could see it, meaning it was dark and we were silly to be out there, thanks for that!

Moored up in Ramgate with a moody night sky

Having been a little unsettled in my tummy on the sail I was now ready for some good food ashore but not before we popped in to the rather salubrious Temple Yacht club founded in London originally in 1857 but later moved in 1885 to Ramsgate.

Yachting silver ware at Temple Yacht Club

Bad weather and drama 

Paying the friendly harbour master our berthing fees, he told us that the forecast for the next day was for rough winds and that were we going to instead enjoy time ashore and not leave the next day.  'We don't like heros here, ' he said.  John mumbled something about the wind again being in the right direction and that our boat had sailed more miles than most in extremely strong winds that he was sure it would be fine.  [At this point maybe I should point out that John is very qualified both in academia of sailing  and in practice a sailor even winning Yachtsman of the year some years ago, presented by HRH Princess Anne, so he knows what he is about]

Leaving Ramsgate

Sunrise 

See the rain in the distance?

The wind did indeed pick up and was gusting a force 7, one below a gale, but the good ship lapped it up and the sail was great, not as fast as the day before but it was a brilliant day sailing.  We were not alone this time as there were another 2 sailing boats out at sea.  Sailing across the Thames estuary means there are no bolt holes once you leave Ramsgate, there is no where to to go and one just has to continue.  Turning round really was not an option on this day with such strong winds and with the tide against us had we turned, we literally would have been going backwards by a knot or two, so forward we had to go and enjoyed the sail until that was ...

THE PHONE CALL!!! 

At 9am my daughter rang in tears not able to get out of bed the pain was too excruciating in her back. This is not the type of call you want when at sea with no bolt hole to make landfall at.  It was also quite incredible that I had mobile reception at this point.  Being out at sea and more than 10 miles from land, it was quite by chance all reception was working.  Calling a village friend who was on stand by for the weekend at just after 9am, I sheepishly asked her if she could pop over and see what the situation was like, telling her that I may loose mobile signal and that whatever she needed to do she had my permission!!  Tense times on the boat in the high winds I can tell you.

It turns out they needed to call NHS direct, who did not like what they were hearing and sent a paramedic round immediately.  I cannot fault the NHS system, all was incredible by all accounts and the paramedic stayed at our house with Ella for over an hour.

To cut a long story short she was put on a meningitis watch as she had all bar two of the symptoms!  I just could not wait to get into land and home to my girl.

At some points you could not distinguish the sky from the sea

Murky weather

Suddenly all clear now just need to dodge the wind
farms that are scattered all overt the Thames estuary

Muddy east coast water

Forecasts

 My husband has several forecast apps on his iPad and googles the weather constantly from about 10 days before we set sail and then daily until we depart.  We joke in our household that he searches until he finds one that he likes.  The forecasts really do vary that much!

A good look out is always needed for other shipping,
especially in bad weather conditions,
we are so small we might not be seen

Once safely ashore, John googled the Met Office off shore water weather page and found that there were severe wind weather warnings around much of the UK on Sunday.  We sailed from area 6 to 5, so all red warnings for us.  When asked why he looked now and not before we set sail on our 10 hour sailing journey, he replied that this particular forecast keeps most sailors in dock as they are nearly always scary.  John asked if at anytime I felt the boat or the conditions were unsafe and I had to admit that I did not, infact I thought the boat loved the conditions.  'There you are,' he said, 'that's why I don't bother with this forecast...'

Season sailing complete


So our season of sailing has come to an end and Brimble is now safely tucked up on the east coast, waiting for her major refurbishment.  She is going to be pampered and looked after and made safe to continue to be sailed hard for the next twenty or so years, she's not bad for an old girl of 44

Sunset on the east coast

Sunrise

Blue skies in October

Until next season Brimble

As to Ella, she has not got the meningitis strain, we don't think, she was not allowed to travel to Italy with her Grandfather yesterday, doctor's orders and in fact Ella admitted that she is so wiped out that it would have been impossible.  Since Sunday she has spent most hours asleep in bed and not well. Today we have been told we still need to keep an eye on her and although she seems better, it could spike it's ugly head again.  I'm wishing her better all the time.

Joining in with    Amy  today, sharing my 5 moments from last week end, 

do pop over and see what others are sharing.

♥  Wishing Ella better  ♥

Sailing spectator Scottish style

31st May 

I'm exhausted.  I'm physically and mentally shattered and yet I have hardly left my chair. Why?  My

Third night at sea

husband has been involved in the most challenging sailing and fell running race. He began on Friday at noon, did not stop and finished on the Monday afternoon.  What's it all about and why am I shattered? 

I began writing this whilst they were mid race and started by writing the post thus: 

Grab a coffee and help me stay awake, if I disappear for a moment every 30 minutes or so, do excuse as I am trying to see where his latest position is, let me explain...

But I was not able to concentrate on blog writing whilst also trying to keep track of them so here is their race in Scotland now that they have thank goodness successfully completed it.

Race briefing

Normally our boat Brimble is kept in the south of England but for the past three years she has made her way with help from us! to Arctic Norway and now is currently on her homeward journey via Scotland and Ireland.  Whilst in Scotland we thought  John thought it would be a great idea to compete in the Scottish Islands Peak Race.  Not really knowing what is was other than a bit of sailing and running, both of which he does regularly I told him to go for it.  Umm, had I realised I wonder if I would have been so keen or encouraged him as much...




Fast and furious sailing to begin

The race takes place over several days non stop and involves difficult sailing navigation and strong tides, passing by the third largest whirlpool, Corryvreckan in the world and sailing close to the Mull of Kintyre made famous by the Rod Stewart song but known to have strong currents and dangerous outfalls for boats.  On top of that the race involved climbing Ben More, the highest mountain on the inner Hebrides, the Paps of Jura and Goatfell on Arran.  All this takes place non stop and as the organisers of this race were heard to say on BBC radio Scotland,  the category called 'all rounders' generally consisted of nutters as the crew on board have to do everything both sail, run  and try and get some sleep in-between.  Other classes in the race had sailors for the sailing and runners for the running, but not my husband and team, oh no, they were one of 5 boats who chose to enter the all rounders' class.

 

This year the organisers insisted that all boats had trackers on them and that runner could if they so wished use the tracker whilst running also.  Not all boats decided to carry the tracker on their hill runs but after the first run and sail when Brimble, the smallest and oldest boat in the race were in a time frame of their own and so ended up running all the mountains mostly in the dark, the organisers insisted that a tracker be carried at all times.  For me as the armchair spectator it meant that I could see where Brimble and her  crew were 24 hours a day.  The yellow brick tracker as it was called was refreshed every half an hour and so consequently I refreshed the computer page so I could follow them in almost real time.  Below is a speeded up version of the yellow brick tracker.  Boats that you see are stationary are some that have had to retire for various reasons.

On returning home my husband began to explain how they started to climb Goatfell at about 4am, I know I responded, I was there with you refreshing the page... this is why I am shattered and the house looks like a bomb site...

Injuries in this race are not uncommon and many boats have to retire.  Of the 38 that began only 29 completed the race.  One poor chap fell on Mull in difficult wet and dark conditions and had to be helicopted to the mainland and under went surgery.  I'm surprised more were not injured.

Second race was on Mull and conditions were 'horrendous'
according to the tweets that were flying around. 

 

Visibility on Mull became like pea soup

One boat retired after the run on Mull which by all accounts seems to have been hellish.  They write as their reason for retiring from the race as, we can see we are only a few miles from the distillery at Tobermoray so are going to make our way there after this hellish run.

The odd run was conducted in daylight

Having climbed one large mountain/hill, there was time for
a quick stop to look at the next climb!

Scotland at it's best

The bluebells were still out

Having spent much longer on some of the runs than anticipated mainly due to the bad weather and night time running it meant that Brimble and crew were having to sail against the tide, they had missed the tidal gate and made for slow painful sailing progress, it could be said they were pushed backwards for a while.  At this point another boat retired as they couldn't be bothered to battle the tidal gate and turned round and sailed home.

Light house in the Sound of Luing, here the boat missed
the tidal gate and almost moved backwards for several hours

  

No engines allowed in this race.  Runners rowing
to shore to begin their running leg

After strong winds and rain, being pushed backwards by missing the tidal gate having completed three of the four runs, the wind died down and there was not a whisper to be had.  Out came the newly purchased wooden oars and the crew had to row as no engines are allowed.  By this time everyone was almost exhausted.  Another boat retired at this point stating being becalmed with so many more miles to sail meant they had had enough.

Becalmed at night and so it was time to bring out the
3m long oars and row the 28 foot sail boat

With strong winds and rain battering down, one boats mainsail ripped and so they had to retire from the race also.  Small but steady Brimble soldiered on.

The weather was often not kind

Having completed running up and down the
3 Paps of Jura, it was time for the sail to Arran

 

Light house on Mull of Kintyre, the sea was rough and 
outfalls  difficult & yes they did play the
Rod Stewart song as they sailed past

Another boat retired at this point as they needed to push on and get in so as to be able to allow crew members to get back to work as the race had taken longer than anticipated.  Their engine fired up, they motor sailed to the finish.

 

Being the smallest boat in the race, there was not actually
enough sleeping bunks for all.  It was a tight squeeze



All sorts of weather was experienced

Whilst sailing the easiest food to eat is that which can be cooked
quickly, fits into a bowl and can be eaten with only a fork

Another night time approaches

Steep hill climbs with loose rocks everywhere, dangerous
running, especially when conducted mostly at night



Stunning scenery but can you spot our runner?

In the anchorage of Jura one boat had to retire as they were quoted as being a 'bit too friendly with some rocks'. What they meant by that was that the sailing navigation of this race is difficult and they hit underwater rocks and their keel fell off!

Oh yes, all three need to be climbed

By this last race John said everyone was utterly exhausted.  Little sleep had been had by any of them and they had all been pushed to their limits.  They completed the run and sailed to the finish line at Troon, south  west of Glasgow.  Celebratory beers and dinner was had with one crew member falling asleep before the main arrived and awoke to the pudding!

Top of Goatfell on Arran, half way through the last climb

All throughout the race twitter was alive with the arm chair spectators like me fascinated by the yellow brick tracking system and cheering on all the boats.  Camaraderie was strong and supportive and even though I was not racing was made to feel part of the group.  The penultimate tweet from the organisers on cheering the last boat home, Brimble read:

SIPR ‏@SIPeaksRace May 23

It's Brimble! With a finishing time of 15:13:28. Hooray! #sipr2016

Would John do it again?  Indeed if Brimble were to find herself in Scotland at the right time of year, the answer was a resounding yes.  Despite having had terrible weather at times and little sleep, John felt the race was extremely well organised and he loved it in a challenging sadistic way.  Me?  I'll stick to arm chair spectating and engaging in the social media whirr that took place unbeknown to sailors and runners alike. 

And so it continues...

27th May

Life continues no matter what.  Sometimes momentous news hits us and we wonder why the world does not just stand still and stop but it doesn't and it can't.  At other times I feel the world spins so fast that I'm running at a fast jogging pace just to try and keep up, those difficult moments when you wish you could fast forward a bit in your life and then finally there are those times in life when all seems to go swimmingly well...  Do you find the same?  Where are you in your life?  In our household we are all in different phases of the above and makes for a very interesting time let me tell you!

Exam fervour continues here with the youngest joining in this week and sitting his GCSE maths a year early, could be an interesting result, as is our tradition we had waffles before breakfast to wish him well and his older sister who had to sit two exams that day...

My mad as a hatter husband partook of a challenging and enduring sailing and fell running race that was non stop from noon last Friday until Monday evening of this week.  Even the organisers of the race were quoted on BBC radio,  which took place in Scotland, called the class that he entered as the 'nutters' who partake!  It was dangerous and I am tired from being able to track them on line.  A tracking device that was on the boat and then had to be on the runners as they ran through the night up and down Scottish highland mountains was refreshed every half an hour and so consequently I refreshed every hour even during the night, I may not have been in the race but I sure am tired!  More on this race later in the week with stunning Scottish scenery.

Brimble with many in the fleet ahead and some behind

We have a wonderful flower show here in the UK every May called the RHS Chelsea flower
show and as often as I can I attend.  I have very dear friends who have a stand there every year and this year they won Best Trade stand in the show, so proud of  David Harber    But did you spot and see the knitted and crocheted poppies?  It was hard to miss if you live in the UK or indeed in the Antipodes.  I have been a liker of the Facebook page  5000Poppies for a while and have watched in fascination as a group of people have from the small beginnings of 120 handmade poppies created in memory for respect and remembrance have now had makers from all around the world produce over 300 000 poppies which have lined and carpeted the flower show.  What an amazing and glorious sight and a genius way to keep the stories of war alive.  I've been quite emotional about it all.

RHS Chelsea Flower show

As always in my week there has been my own making and the coming together of ideas with the talented Phil from http://thetwistedyarn.com/  Do you know her, do you follow her blog?  Her writing is second to none, she has a way with words that make me titter and sometimes even guffaw out loud, she really is rather talented and she's not bad at knitting and crochet either, hee hee. 

Crochet: An idea begins to come to fruition

And finally there has been much comfort food in our house this week and as requested by my daughter we had Toad in the Hole one night.  Oh yes real toads, take a look... ;)

Toad in the hole, can you spot any?

Joining in, sharing my five photos of the week,  as always with Amy,

pop along and see what others are sharing today.

 

 

 

♥  Wishing you all nothing but good times  ♥

Eclectic ramblings

Bunad purse and silver

20th May


Celebration

17th May saw National Constitutional Day in Norway and I was not to be left out, there may not have been a National Holiday here in the UK, but I baked my cake and wore my bunad (national costume).  Outside of Norway the largest parade for 17 May takes place every year in London and despite the fact that I could not attend this year, I streamed live both to the London and Oslo parades.  A girl wants to feel part of the party after all! 



To see more about this day and how to make kransekake pop along to my previous post... here

Traditional Norwegian celebration cake: kransekake

Exams begin with tradition

As with many other households across the UK we are at the beginning of exam fervour.  A tradition has been set up and whoa betide us if we now do not follow it, so in true eclectic home style we had waffles for breakfast as a good luck feast before heading off into the hall in silence, with a see through pencil case, you know what I'm talking about right...

Breakfast waffles

 Sewing for the first time this year

The Great British Sewing Bee began this week and as in previous years I sat glued to the TV, not being a great TV watcher, this is somewhat unusual for me to actually even know when a programme is starting, but I was there in front of the goggle box with a few seconds to spare.  AND it got me to thinking when did I last dust off the old sewing machine and make something?  The following day out it came and from my chaotic craft cupboard, that everything falls out of when you open it because it is crammed full of 'this might come in handy' random stuff, I found very suitable material and a funky chunky red zip.  I had the beginnings of a skirt... 

No pattern, so I had to wing it...

Really happy with the material and red combo

It's so hard to photograph yourself!

I'm not entirely happy with it as the waistband is a little large, so really I need to un pick it and trim it all in but I was running out of time and now I wonder if I will ever get round to it *sigh*

Teaching & Learning

My day job hours are always reduced in mid May every year and this is my frantic time to make, bake, craft, learn and teach.  It began in earnest this year.  Crochet class number 3 began, (actually the first  course of this year)  Still being a tad nervous at teaching crochet I try and dot my 'i's' and cross my 't's' so to speak for days before checking I know exactly what to do and how to go about it.  I think the first class went well, it was on National Day, so the ladies were treated to kransekake, that seemed to wash down well with the refreshments, what to bake for next week?  Any suggestions?  I like to bake something new for each class...

Beginning to set out for the course

And this is week 5 of the Scheepjes CAL, I'm loving it and learning new crochet tit bits all the time.  Ester's videos are totally brilliant, just love it.  To find out more, see this post here

Watching Ester on the video, although with
 the crib sheet and crocheting at the same
time, multi tasking indeed and loving it

 

 

Hard to see in the photograph, but this
week we made seagull prints on the sand!
You have to look very closely...

 

 Nature

What weather!!! you would think we were in April still.  What is right to wear, I seem to get it wrong every day.  I'm either freezing cold or too hot.  Here's what it looks like in my village and garden right now...

Clematis montana in beautiful sunshine. 
Can you spot an animal shape?

Then came the rain.  Leaf of honeysuckle

The wild flowers are literally having a
 field day with the rain and sun

Buttercups in the centre of our village

Such cheery wildflowers

Everyone's wisteria is in full bloom, ours every
 year is behind by a few weeks, odd!

Simply stunning

Sharing with you my five moments from my week and joining in with  Amy

 

♥  Have a glorious week end  ♥

APOLOGIES TO WORDPRESS BLOGGERS
Massive apologies and I have been trying to remember to say this for some weeks, but for some inexplicable reason I cannot leave comments on WordPress.  I write them, click on publish and vamoosh, they disappear, gone into thin air.  I then often try again but to no avail, after now having tried again on two different WordPress blogs I know not what to do to rectify this solution. 
Anyone, can you help?