19 August to 20 December 2001

Ann's Log
19 August 2001
Maiden Voyage

Went through Milford Haven lock at 10:23. It took half and hour and I learnt how to tie up. Sailed to Dale Fort for lunch. Home made soup and scones

Sailed with Sue and Mike fellow steel boat owners. Arrived at 17:45 with the free flow. Parked up amazingly well by skipper Mike. Great sailing did 3 knots in 10 knots of wind. Wing and wong on the homeward stretch. We needed a wind indicator so I bought a fish sock!

20 August 2001
Maintenance to sheet mount and tightened bolts. Put name on the bow of the yacht and painted the aft bedroom.

21 August 2001
Very windy. Would not go out to meet Rowen and Roly. Met up for dinner instead.

22 August 2001
Beautiful day sunny and warm but alas very little wind. Motor sailed to Dale and I steered while we anchored for the first time. To much reverse!!! But it dug in well. Rowed to shore with two dogs and a lap full of water and a wet bottom as I sat in the wrong end. Walked to a beautiful sandy beach around 25 minutes away the dogs loved it and we went swimming for the first time this year. Walked back and had lunch on our boat. Pulled up anchor successfully but I was scared to death. Left for Rudders Boat Yard at 16:45 later than we had planned as we were going to Wendy’s 50th at Beggars reach. We were Taxied by Roly and Rowan to shore and had a great evening and was taxied back.

23 August 2001
Mike shopped with R & R (Roly and Rowan) I painted. Motor trials. Picked up a mooring successfully I steered and Roly directed not bad though. Planned to go to Tenby. Made it to Dale moored and walked two bays and swam. Lovely day. Sailed on to Barafundel.

24 August 2001
Rowed ashore took ten minutes!! And walked on the headland. Went back to Dale. Over the rifts mad lot. Everything was flung about. Monty was very brave, Mitzi cried. TV fell down and the drawers shot out. Now we know what to tie down. Cupboard stayed shut. I was down below all the time came up for air and went back for my coat as it was cold. Came up and was sick but no carrots. Arrived at Dale lunchtime. Rested. R and R came for dinner, they had to go early next day.

25 August 2001
Retuned to Milford at 08:30 hosed down the boat and cleaned up. Went to Weston Super Mare for christening. Tiana Estelle.

26 August 2001
Christening. Returned late evening to boat.

27 August 2001
Painted and did maintenance. Put fabric on walls in side cabin.

28, 29 and 30 August 2001
Moved our belongings on board which were stored at Wendy’s house. Both decided that we were fved up with all this hard work in the heat.

30th PM sailed to Dale with Wendy. Had a good time tacking down the Haven. Anchored after two attempts in Castle Bay. Waited for Franc who brought Steffi and Becky and the dog Charlie so could not get all in dinghy so Wendy was ferried ashore after a quick dinner. Shame. Rocked to sleep that night.

31 August 2001
Set off at 08:00 for Swansea. Mitzi would not go on deck an. Mike would not row them ashore. Don’t blame him! Surfed to Swansea. A bit frightening at times. Did eleven knots and twelve with the engine on. Managed to make a bit of lunch down below. A few things went flying but learned much from last time and secured things better. Steering went stiff. Problems, we limped into Swansea marina, crashed into pontoon. More paint removed. Mike did a great job and parked up bloody miles away in the marina. Why did they give us the furthest berth with no steering? Not sure about this sailing lark.

1 September to 2 September 2001
Karen and Ian visited us.

3 September 2001
Lifted out what a nightmare! Had to reverse down the wall the dinghy was very bendy and made a good fender. Managed not to hit any other boats, just. Mike investigated. Spent four days on land climbing up an enormous ladder. Boat got filthy trampling dirt around. Lovely marina good walks for dogs. John Swansea kept popping in and brought Sid along to inspect. The Mathew turned up with a gun blast on the last night. Mike fixed the boat the rudder had seized up because the welds broke. Very reinforce now. Had a lot of bother as could not get all the right parts to remove the bearing.

7 September 2001
Set off after being lifted in at 09:15 John Swansea came down. Mathew was due to leave at 10:00 but we never saw her again. Got out of locks with a big surge as we went through but Mike managed it all OK. Got into the bay and hoisted the sails. I had made soup and sandwiches for the journey and was very please to have them. Wind over tide all the way from 09:00 to 17:30 bloody nightmare. Force 3 to 4, huh, was more like 6 to 7. It was choppy to rough sea and took ages to get anywhere as we had 4 knots of tide against us. Did not enjoy any of it. Not sure if I am cut out for this sailing lark. The wind was dreadful and the sails swung round twice and we bent batons. Did lots wrong and was very pleased to see Penarth. Approached a t low tide, big mistake, touched sea bed at 0.2 meters luckily came off it quickly. Found it difficult to follow markers approaching the barrage. Had to wait for 18:15 lock no.2 as boats were coming through. Did not know we could tie up and hovered for 10 minutes. Our boat does not hover to well. Went through the barrage only one in there thank goodness and not to many watching. I tried to use radio and failed miserably and decided to go on a course. Got into our spot with reasonable ease and both decided that we wouldn’t be going out until next April! Exhausted!! Marina berth is a long walk from all facilities not as nice as Swansea.

10 September 2001
Gas run out. Got a new one lasted a long time, I making a note of the date. Decided electric payments a rip off as keeps tripping did a pump out in the bay September 15th.

23 September 2001
Dennis’s birthday. Both came down for a “sail”. Managed to untie and Mike reversed into Wendy Abbs’ boat Margaret Alice. He said it was the wind, I recon he was being to clever for his own good. Not sure if Ilse enjoyed it to much but it was a birthday not to forget. Confidence shattered decided not to go out ever again.