Video Diary – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvJahJz96kU
Well, lots has been going on lately and I am sorry for the delay in the blog postings – technology dramas…. So last week I was out completing the long distance sail as part of my Yacht Master Fast track. The idea of this week was for us to skipper and pilot passages of over 60 nautical miles around the English Channel. During the week we sailed across the English Channel with the intention of reaching Sark. We were told that Sark was a really traditional island without any roads and where the locals still get around using horse and cart as there mode of transport. Needless to say that my curiosity was woken but as our luck would have it our engine died and we couldn’t get there. On the passage across the channel we were sailing in force 7-8 (35-40 knots of wind) and a little swell as well. With all the bouncing we were doing on the waves we had stirred up all the sediment in the fuel tanks so that when we ran the engine all the lines were clogged. Now I know what you’re thinking ‘why would they need an engine to get around in a sail boat’ well after a night bouncing around in the dark during the Force 8 the wind decided to stop blowing with sunrise so we were completely becalmed in waters with strong currents and rocks all around us. Fortunately the Guernsey Coast Guard were out on exercise and kindly offered us a tow to Guernsey where we could collect some fuel filters and fix the engine for the return passage. And again the wind decided to kick up just as we were departing leaving us to sail in strong winds and heavy seas all the way back to England.
Tow to Guernsey from the coast gard
The following week sore me sailing around the Solent onboard a beautiful 42 foot yacht completing all of our boat handling, sail drills and navigation exercises and preparation for those who will be sitting the exam at the end of the week. All of my pontoon bashing skills have increased so that I am now able to safely park a 42 foot yacht (haven’t tried it with much wind yet though) along with my wind awareness. The highlight was by far the blind navigation task. Basically I am down below with a chart, Portland plotter, dividers, 2B pencil and eraser. There is someone in the companionway relaying my instruction to the Helm and someone else on the Helm. I then have to navigate the boat from position A to position B without the use of the GPS. This is no easy task but by using boat speed, distance, depth and time it is possible to navigate. The scenario behind this is that I am sailing in dense fog and need to be able to navigate around the many obstacles in the oceans. For me this was a great success getting the boat within a stone’s throw of the destination. 10 points.
After this week I completed my sea survival course in the Pool playing with life jackets and life rafts. My teacher was a very good shot with the bucket as he simulated breaking waver onto our heads as we were all climbing into the life rafts and assisting the others. I just need to remember CUT, STREEM, CLOSE, MAINTAIN and that stands for Cut the painter, Stream the Dough, Close the entry way only once the water is clear of people and maintain the life raft by patching any of the holes ect.
And today I am writing all of this on the train back from Birmingham where I have spent a delightful day dinning for lunch and delivering a presentation at the Birmingham Rotary Club. Peter a member of the Birmingham Rotary Club was in Noosa, Australia about 5 months ago when I delivered a presentation to the Noosa Rotary Club. Peter felt that his fellow Rotary members would also enjoy my presentation and invited me to present today in England. So I would like to say a BIG thank you to the Birmingham Rotary Club for their kind welcome and for a wonderful lunch. Oh and a special thanks to the president for my shower. He he…
At the stage that Peter had seen me in Australia 5 months ago I had raised $13,000AUD towards my dream and today I have raised a whopping $65, 000AUD brining me within a stone’s throw of achieving this dream. But the trials are just beginning as I need to remain focused and raise the last little bit. Once the berth fee is covered I will then be able to focus on sailing around the world and for filling my dream.
Video Diary – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvJahJz96kU
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