Back to Sea
Where Next?
Bob Williams
Wed 29 Jul 2009 18:51
Course: drifting
Wind: calm
Weather: overcast, mild
Three days we have been waiting at anchor off Tayport for a suitable weather pattern to cross the North Sea. We have spent a couple of days exploring Dundee and a day exploring St Andrews. Our visit to St Andrews yesterday was interesting, the Mecca of golf. There were plenty of interesting ruins to explore but amongst the more serviceable structures every other one was either a golf shop or sold golfing paraphernalia . bookstore window displayed golf books, newsagents displayed golf magazines, clothing shops golf clothes, antique shops old golf clubs, etc. though there was I believe a rather old and prestigious university tucked away in amongst all this. We didn't check out the supermarket so I do not know whether one can buy golf ball cereal but would not be surprised. As neither Thomas nor I are golfing aficionados it was all rather amusing, worth a visit but in the end seems another example of western commercialism gone a little crazy.
Starting to feel a little crazy ourselves after three days at anchor we were keen to be moving on, and Thomas has a plane to catch from Amsterdam on the 6 August. The forecast for the next few days is not ideal, strong west to nor'westerlies, with gales further offshore. At the moment conditions are what the meteorologists hereabouts call cyclonic, ie light and variable. By tonight though the wind should freshen significantly and will allow us to make good some ground towards our goal, the Netherlands. Given the strong winds forecast and the gales a little further offshore our plan is to stay in close to the Scottish and English coasts avoiding the rougher seas offshore. If the weather pattern unfolds more favourably then we will make for the Netherland coast, if not we may seek shelter further south on the English coast. But right now the wind has deserted us, the sails are down and we drift.
All is well.
Bob Cat:
Things are flopping and bobbing again. Stretch, yawn . Zzzzzz.