First Day

Trip Start May 06, 2008

130

Trip End Sep 30, 2008

Loading Map

Map your own trip!

Map Options

Show trip route

Hide lines

Flag of United Kingdom Bangor, Wales, United Kingdom
Tuesday, May 6, 2008

            This year's plan was a bit ambitious, in that we intended to launch and go ie hope that all would be well and that should any problems occur, we would find them during the first 24 miles or so as we sailed to Holyhead. The reason for this fairly foolhardy (some might say) approach is that we had decided to relinquish our mooring position in the Menai Strait and to sell our ground tackle and the reason for this, is that we plan to be gypsies from now on, leaving our beloved boat in the care of a new boatyard every winter, wherever we end up. Our plan this year is to spend the first part of the summer in the Western Isles and then, weather permitting, travel northwards to the Faroe Islands and then eastwards to the Shetlands, south to the Orkneys and thence down the eastern coast of the UK to over-winter in Tollesbury, in Essex. That is the plan - let's see what actually happens!!

            We almost fell at the first fence. Our launch and go tactic was almost scuppered when we discovered that the anchor windlass wasn't working - it was 4 weeks previously when I gave it its annual maintenance. Before you instantly conclude that it must have been my interfering that caused its demise, read on! Fortunately for me, the manager in charge of engineering in Dickies' boatyard in Bangor (where we have stored our boats for years) , dropped everything and came to help. It transpired that the unit had never been sealed properly, so that over the years, the gearbox had filled with sand, salt, shells and all manner of debris, so much so that it eventually refused to move. Several hours later, we had the newly refurbished and rejuvenated unit back in place and we were able to launch, with probably only 20 minutes to spare before the tide dropped too much to allow us to go. Moreover, the launching schedule was completely booked for the remainder of this run of spring tides, so we might have had to wait 10 - 12 days to get in!!

            After all this drama, the rest was a relaxing non-event ie a pleasant sail and motor to Holyhead, where we arrived at 18:30 and tied up to the pontoon. On to the local pub as the sailing club was not cooking that night, and early to bed as we planned on a 5:45 start to Ardglass in Northern Ireland, which is 70 + miles away. Actually, we really wanted to spend a few days on the Isle of Man but the wind, although forecast to be ESE, was actually NNE, ie not a good direction for Douglas, the main town and harbour in the Isle of Man.