Alan and I arrived back in Arbroath onTuesday the 19^th, and Moondog was safe and sound where I had left her. We had plenty of time to explore Arbroath, some might say too much time, since we could not leave until around 1300 on Wednesday. This was down to our old friend the tide, which determined the earliest lock gate opening time to leave the marina.

Plenty of time to rediscover all the things that Arbroath was famous for. To those referred to in the last entry can be added :

·         The base from which the Bell Rock light house was built and later managed

·         The biggest goal difference win in a main league game of any team ever....36-0 !

Having exhausted the tour of Arbroath we found a pub for beer and Arbroath smokies.

Our first leg on the Wednesday was to be to Eyemouth, another active fishing port just south of the Firth of Forth, a distance of about 40 miles. The forecast was reasonable with up to F4 winds, coming mainly from the west . Our late start would mean that we would be arriving into Eyemouth around 2000, but that was well before dark and ok for the slight tidal restriction in Eyemouth for a couple of hours either side of low water.

There is not much to report for this trip. We just left the harbour as soon as the lock gate opened, and set a straight line course for Eyemouth. The weather was mixed, and we were well off shore for much of the time with little to see, crossing the mouth of the Firth of Forth, to make the shortest direct distance to Eyemouth.  The wind and sea picked up a bit as we crossed the Firth and came out of the lee of the land, but it all quietened down once back in the shelter of the land for the final run in to Eyemouth, and its fairly intimidating breakwater and harbour entrance walls. All went smoothly and after rafting up alongside a mast less rather abandoned looking yacht, Alan cooked a feast of home made burgers. Good plan to have a chef on board !

Bogdan’s Blog

Not much to report on today’s trip, and it is still cold. However, great fun last week smuggling myself back to the skipper’s den at home. I was discovered at Crewe station while checking out the surroundings, but it was too late by then and they had to put up with me.  Turns out that this den does not move and bob about and it is full of food and hiding places. Great fun all week, but had to keep a look out for a dog, which was easily fooled and too lazy to bother with me. I would have been quite happy to stay, but next thing I knew I was in the bottom of a rucksack and heading back to the frozen north.