and so the adventure
continues...
Slipstream, in Arklow since her
arrival from the Scilly Islands at the beginning of July, welcomed the arrival
of Billy C (skipper), Baines (ex comms) and the cabin girl to release her back
to England (or close…Wales) for the start of the three peaks yacht
race.
First to arrive was Bill, whose duties involved victualling (Aldi),
fender washing (!) and rope-locker reorganisation (…who says he doesn’t have a
busy life?), next was Baines. Billy and Baines set off to refuel Slipstream, an
interesting venture in so far as the tank was subterranean and so
invisible…fortunately Mr Gaffney the fuelman appeared with piping, flowmeter and
pump. Following refuelling the excitement in Arklow involved Guinness, more
Guinness, food in Christy’s and more Guinness, Aldi red wine (made us realise
we’d not drunk enough Guinness to drink Aldi red wine) and then early to bed in
anticipation of a 5 am start.
5 was early but bright and windy. No one else up and a nice start out
past a family of windturbines. Fine fresh sailing until the wind died and we
motored on keen to have a look at the Caernarfon bar (or Baines was until he
discovered Bill meant a sand bar!!)
Caernaerfon was lovely, but one beer in one bar was sufficient to
persuade the crew to spend the night on the mooring (but in fact it almost took
the whole night to secure the mooring buoy and almost cost the boat
hook).
So a fine supper was prepared by the Captain and cabin wench and another
early night (before another early start…this is meant to be fun!)
In the photo Billy’s finger is helpfully pointing to our
first hill…Snowdon
Breakages: the asymmetric spinnaker boom rope…always chafes and did so
reliably again after two hours…bugger, in fact double bugger
(almost lost a boat hook)
