Pwllheli to Plymouth
Ellatrout3
Wed 23 May 2012 09:34
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It was an early start; Margaret wanted to get back home
but also wanted to see me off so I had to go! The tide was right so the
good ship Ella Trout set sail, a little late,(it's amazing how many last
minute jobs there are) from Pwllheli at 9.15 Saturday 19th. I
was not alone, Paul in Sandpiper had set off an hour earlier to accompany me
beyond St Tudwells Islands and Alex Mitchell and Alyson had turned out as
official photographers. Also I knew from the previous day I had many
supporters sending good wishes from the warmth of their beds!!
It was a typical May morning, cold and grey, not really
inviting, but I caught Paul up by the Islands and we sailed happily together for
half an hour taking photos of one another's boats. Then it was off into the slop
of the Irish Sea. By midday mal de mare had set in and I felt blooming
awful for the next 36 hours (why do I do this thing?) Although the wind
was relatively light it was from the north east and the combination of wind and
tide made it difficult to sail directly across Cardigan Bay and drove me
in a slow curve around the Bay. I arrived at Strumble Head at midnight
with the tide turning in my favour, it took another hour to St David's Head but
only 45 minutes to reach Stockholme such was the push as the tide set
in.
By this time I had hoped to risk an hours sleep once past
the route into Milford Haven but there was no chance. At one time I counted 13
tankers around me and the pilot traffic on the radio was never ending.
There were ships being told to anchor and await instructions, others picking up
pilots and dropping them off; it was really busy, all in the pitch dark as there
was no moon and very black. As a result I only managed a few 20 minute power
knaps all night.
As day light came, as you can imagine, no sleep, feeling
sick all the time I was not at my best just doggedly working through the bad
bits when - low and behold - the dolphins came to play. Nothing
spectacular this time, they were the larger ones we see, light under sides and
about 8 feet long. The fact that they were there swimming along with me really
brightened my day and despite the mal de mare it made me feel a lot
better.
It took all day to cross the Bristol Channel and , yes,
you've guessed it I arrived at Lands End in the middle of the night and again
there was loads of shipping. Normally I would go inside Longships but with
following wind, goose winged and everything pinned down limiting my
manoeuvrability, I was not happy to go inside, preferring more sea room in which
to dodge the ships if necessary.
As it turned out I had no need to dodge anything, passing
Longships abeam at precisely midnight without incident. Lands End was the
turning point in more ways than one; as the day dawned the sun came out, I felt
wam and my appetite returned. Suddenly things were good and I new why I did
these foolish things? The trip from here was uneventful but beautiful and
I arrived in Plymouth well fed and in good order, if a little tired, Monday
21st at 17.15.
Roger/Dad/Poppa
Ps I was the first to arrive in Queen Anne's Battery but
at the time of writing,Tuesday evening we have 4 regulars and one new
Jester. From tomorrow the marina offers a 20% discount so things
should start to hot up.
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