The last post?

I would like to say a big 'thank you' to everyone who has followed the progress of Blue Star around the GB coastline, everyone who has sailed with us and everyone who has helped us with our fund-raising! It has been a wonderful adventure - the scenery, the wildlife, the people, the sailing, the challenges we faced and the fundraising. I hope that our tale might inspire others to do something similar; if you think you might like to do it then I say 'Go for it!'

But what next of us.....?

Blue Star is soon to have some maintenance work done on her, after which she will be sold (gasp!). She was bought specifically for the GBchallenge project and it was always our intention to sell her at the end of the project. If you spot her on the water please give her crew a wave and remember what a special boat she is!

Roger has been so inspired by the project that he has decided to buy another yacht and plans to get to know the south coast more intimately. 'Star Mist' will be sailing in the Solent and surrounding waters during the summer of 2017. Do give a wave if you see her.

My sailing plans for next year are as yet unconfirmed but may well include: sailing with SCC club members, an entry in the Round The Island Race and perhaps some warm weather sailing (that would make a change!). I also hope to continue to raise funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust through sailing activities and through giving talks about sailing. Do stop and have a chat if you see me, and do get in touch if you would like me to give a talk for your club.

The blog? This will be my final post in connection with the Blue Star project. I may continue to make posts about future sailing however, so please keep a look-out! You can also sign up to be alerted of posts via email alert form at the foot of the right hand column of the blog - just enter your email address and you should get an automatic notification. The Virgin Money Giving page will also remain active for several more months - after which I will probably start a new one!

Thank you once more to everyone who has followed and supported the Blue Star GB Challenge project!

.......oh go on then! One last joke that made me smile:
'My wife is sailing to Venezuela!'
'Caracas?'
'Yes, I said she was too!'

Lymington to Buckler's Hard, and the 'finish line' at Hythe!

Belated posts below (sorry - I had no internet, and then was busy celebrating!)

Friday 16 September - Lymington to Buckler’s Hard

Buckler’s Hard is a beautiful boatyard on the Beaulieu River in the New Forest. It is the place where ships that fought at the battle of trafalgar were built, as well as torpedo boats used in WW2. Now it is also part-museum with cottages of former boat-builders of old, well renovated, now lining the ‘high street’ (actually a grassed bank) which leads from the visitor centre to the river and to the pub and hotel. It is a favourite stopping place for many yachts, and well worth a visit if you get the opportunity to do so.

Jean-Francois and Joan left the boat this morning to deal with issues at home, leaving Roger, Judith and myself to take Blue Star to Buckler’s Hard. There we met Susan and John who were staying at the hotel in readiness to attend Blue Star’s formal arrive home in Hythe on Saturday.

Joke:

Velcro – what a rip-off!

Looking down the 'high street' towards the river

Looking out across the river

Saturday 17 September - Buckler’s Hard to Hythe

We left Buckler’s Hard at 9.00am and motored gently down the Beaulieu river and out into the Solent. There was a fair wind so we hoisted the mainsail and showed off our ‘Woolcool’ logo again! Off Calshot the North-West wind and waves came at us all the way down Southampton Water and it became quite difficult to make progress against them. Slowly we inched our way forward and finally saw the crowd of supporters and well-wishers standing on the quayside and Hythe to welcome us in. It was really good to see everyone there and it made a lovely welcome back to Hythe for us. Thank you everyone for all of your support! I did a short celebratory jig (see it here Mike's Deck Jig) on the foredeck to an Elvis's 'Return To Sender' and everyone joined us aboard Blue Star for a celebratory drink of champagne. In the evening we held a celebratory dinner in the evening at which Roger and I were each presented with a Woolcool GB Challenge trophy, a Blue Star medal and a 'shipping forecast' mug! Three trophies in one day - not a bad haul!

Joke:

A very nervous first-time crew members asks the captain ‘Do yachts like this sink very often?’  The captain replies ‘No, it’s usually only the once’. J

Friends and family gather in Hythe ready to welcome us back

Blue Star shows up as planned at 1200 hours!

Celebrations begin onboard Blue Star

Roger and I being presented with the Woolcool GB Challenge Trophy

Cowes to Lymington

We have plenty of time to spare before our formal ‘finish’ on Saturday so we took time out to enjoy some sailing in the Solent today before returning to Lymington to collect Judith who is now our fifth crew member. It was once more interesting to compare how busy things are in the Solent, where yacht crews are simply expected to exercise responsibility and care themselves, with the approach in many other ports where they consider themselves to be so busy that yachts are carefully managed via instructions broadcast over VHF radio. Today we also saw Ben Ainslie’s America’s Cup team practicing in the Solent today – they sailed within about 5m of Blue Star’s stern, so we had a great view! It was disappointing that Berthon marina in Lymington 'never do anything like support charity sailing boats' whilst east cowes marina had given us a 50% discount! Thank you East Cowes marina, your support is really appreciated! Very disappointing Berthon - 0 out of 10, we probably won't come again.

Jokes:

• A boat carrying red paint crashed into a boat carrying blue paint and the crew were marooned.
• Making a boat out of stone would be a hardship!

  

  Three vessels converge on us at the same time!

  

  Ben Ainslie's America's Cup team wizz past us!

Lymington to Cowes

This morning Peter Brown, Roger’s neighbour, came to visit us at the Lymington Town Quay where we were berthed. Peter posted several comments on Blue Star’s facebook and blog so it was nice to meet him in person. After leaving Lymington we sailed and motored to Newtown Creek where we anchored for lunch amongst the many other boats that were also anchored there. Newtown has an interesting history. There is some evidence that it was attacked by the Danes, but by the mid-14^th century it was a thriving commercial centre. Then the plague struck and the French ransacked the town after which it never recovered. Today it is owned by the National Trust and it is also a sanctuary for wildlife. Evidence of the old quay can still be seen, but there are no buildings left. After lunch we proceeded to East Cowes marina where we dined out with my sister, Pat.

Joke:

Customer: ‘Do you have a sextant please?’

Sales Assistant: ‘We have all kinds of tents sir. You can do anything you like in them’.

Newtown Creek

Looking back towards the sea from East Cowes marina

Poole to Lymington

We spoke with Lucy and with Jake who had arrived in Poole from Alderney by small sailing catamaran, ‘A Roamer of Alderney’. Jake had attended a meeting in London and today they set out for Alderney again. A Roamer had reached speeds of 15 knots and they had dealt with some rough seas on the way to Poole. They hoped to fly their repaired spinnaker to get faster speeds on the return leg! Hmmm! Interesting, considering that Blue Star cruises at 5 knots! Jake and Lucy help to run barefootboatbums.com

Later this morning Hilary and Duncan and Archie (the dog) came aboard Blue Star in glorious sunshine and we sailed out of Poole harbour to the sea, then returned when we saw the lightening flashes! Some of us got absolutely drenched bringing the boat back to the marina where we had coffee and then lunch before our visitors departed. We then sailed, well mostly motored, to Lymington, catching more rain on the way. At Lymington Judith (Roger’s wife) and her friend Jane came aboard for dinner before leaving.

Joke:

Q. What do you call dangerous precipitation?

A. A rain of terror!

Jake aboard 'A Roamer of Alderney'.

Approaching Hurst Narrows. Familiar waters after so many miles!

Weymouth to Poole

We were on a collision course with the other vessel, a medium sized motor boat. We were under sail – a reefed main and genoa. Clearly we were the stand on vessel, and the motorboat the give way vessel. We were getting rather close and starting to sweat. Stand on or give way anyway? We bore away to port, as the collision regulations require of us if it seems a collision is otherwise unavoidable. Blow me! The motor boat changed course to put us back on a collision path! We hardened up and headed more to starboard again, on our original course. The motor boat again changed course so that we were on a collision path again! There was really nothing more we could do than to allow the motor boat to approach very close, at which point it slowed right down to have a good look at us. A large sign on its side read ‘Sea Cadets’! Then away it zoomed! We gave them an icy stare as they sped off. We really could do without motorboat crews who thinks it’s a good idea to keep on altering course so as to threaten a collision. It has happened to us before, and really annoys me! I think maybe they just wanted to have a close look at the yacht with all those sponsors' names on, but even so!

Earlier John-Francois’s wife, Joan, had joined the crew. We had motored out of Weymouth into a choppy sea, heading out to avoid the army firing range zone where we might otherwise have a shell put through our hull. (Hazardous preoccupation this sailing business!). It was not comfortable at all. Once we were able to turn east, having reached the limits of the firing range, we were able to sail and the motion of the boat was slightly more comfortable. Once around St Alban’s Head and then Anvil Point the motion improved again. We took tea and sandwiches (OK and biscuits too) for lunch. We looked out for fishing pot markers that we needed to avoid hitting, then passed Old Harry and his wife before entering Poole harbour. All done after about 6 hours and 29 miles.

Joke:

They told me I had type A blood, but it was a typo.

Approaching Anvil Point

Old Harry, just outside Poole harbour

On to Weymouth

The other craft was catching up with us slowly but surely. We had full sail up already, and well trimmed, so there was little else we could do to get more speed. We considered jettisoning some weight but no-one volunteered. I gave the order to bring the cannon to the aft deck and blow them out of the water! Ahhrrghh! That last bit was my imagination, and the other craft we decided was a bigger yacht and was able to sail faster for that reason. I raised the question of skill and ability as sailors but was quickly shouted down.

Sadly we had to say farewell to Chris and to Keith earlier in Brixham as they had other commitments that prevented them staying aboard for the trip to Weymouth. Thus there were just three of us aboard today for the trip – Roger, Jean-Francois and myself. We slipped lines shortly after 6.00am and motored out into the bay and on towards Weymouth. It was still a little dark and we could see the navigation lights of a few other vessels that were also on the move. There was little wind so no sails were hoisted initially. Soon the wind filled in though and full sail was raised, and we powered along at 6 knots plus on a flat (ish) sea. Just great! It was all meant to be like this, not just the occasional day! As we approached Weymouth harbour we had to wait outside whilst the Waverley left port before we had permission to enter the harbour. One or two other boats didn’t bother to wait and promptly got told off by the authorities! There was some kind of event taking place in the town. What was it? I strode up the ramp from the harbour pontoon to make my way to the harbour office – and suddenly found myself taking part in the running stag of a triathlon! Why on earth did someone have the bright idea of placing the track where I was likely to need to walk (or should I say run)?

Tomorrow we sail for Poole.

Joke:

All the toilets at the police station have been stolen. The police have nothing to go on!

 Blue Star powers her way across Lyme Bay under full sail

The ramp from the pontoon arrives at street level and hey presto - you're in a triathlon!

In Brixham

It is about 50 miles from Brixham to Weymouth, our next port of call, that is about 10 hours at sea. If things go wrong, or the weather turns bad, you just have to manage the situation or tough it out for several hours that might seem an eternity. So we wait until we are confident of good weather at least and thus here we are still in Brixham. Nuff said.

Yesterday we walked into the town and met Charlie who is re-fitting his old sailing lugger, which has no engine. ‘How do you get it out of the harbour?’ we asked. ‘I drop an anchor over there’ he said, pointing to a position just out from the harbour wall, ‘and haul her off the quay then just raise the sails’. Hhmm. Easy then? ‘What about bringing her back into the harbour, you must need some help for that?’ we asked. ‘Well I just sail her in and run her onto the mud, then let the sea do the rest as the tide comes in’ he answered! Anyway we got ourselves invited aboard Iris to view things from deck level. Iris looks very smart, but apparently there is still much work to do below deck! We retired for coffee and scones at the shop just across from where Iris was berthed. Later we walked to Berry Head and looked out from the cliff-tops over the sea we had sailed in from Dartmouth. Berry Head was fortified from iron-age times but more recently in the 1700s to protect against an invasion attempt by Napoleon. It was also a defence post in WW1 and WW2 and now hosts a lighthouse and radio beacon to assist modern traffic. It also has a coffee shop!

Today was the food and music festival of the sea in Brixham. We took a quick look then made the journey to Dittisham, by bus and river ferry. It is still just as picturesque there as when we last visited. We also spoke with a group of sailors on the table next to us in the Ferry Boat Inn; they were very impressed to hear of our shortly to be completed circumnavigation of GB and asked how they could make a donation to our cause, which was very kind. The marina here in Brixham has also given us a free night which is also very welcome! Thank you Brixham marina. Tomorrow we plan to depart around 0630.

Joke:

Broken pencils are pointless!

Charlie's Lugger, Iris

The crew talking to Charlie

Looking out from Berry Head towards Dartmouth

Old Brixham trawlers ready to take part in the festival

Dartmouth to Brixham

The forecast was for the wind to strengthen during the day so we decided to leave as soon as convenient in order to make our passage before the worst of the weather. First things first though – we motored proudly along the river Dart with our huge ‘Woolcool’ sign showing on our hoisted mainsail! As we motored out of the river the wind died to near nothing, then out in the bay it suddenly rose to force 6; we immediately put 2 reefs in the mainsail and rolled away some of the headsail to wrest back control of the boat which was rolling and yawing rather wildly. That task completed, things were in more control but we still romped away out to sea on a broad reach. The waves were quite high, 2-3m perhaps, and we had to concentrate well to maintain control. After a while we gybed the sails and headed for Berry Head, just off Brixham. The sun shone, and it was exhilarating sailing. After rounding Berry Head we hardened up to reach up towards the marina at Brixham, and after tacking to get a little closer we dropped the sails and motored into the marina. Once in the marina we were visited by a film crew who were making publicity material to appear on the marina website; they filmed Blue Star on a 360 degree view film accessable via the marina website where they said they would put a link to Blue Star's website. They were very impressed by all our sponsor's stickers! We haven't yet wangled a discounted marina berth though!

Joke:
Velcro - what a rip-off!

How to write good:
1. Always avoid alliteration
2. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with
3. Avoid cliches like the plague, they're old hat!
4. Comparisons are as bad as cliches
5. Be more or less specific
6. Writers should never generalise
seven. Always be consistent
7. Don't be redundant; don't use more words than necessary; it's highly superfluous
8. Who needs rhetorical questions?
9. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement

Showing off Woolcool

Belting along in F6!

Salcombe, and on to Dartmouth

A heavy mist hung over Salcombe so we delayed our departure in the hope and expectation that the sun would soon prevail and we would have an enjoyable, sunny sail to Dartmouth with an opportunity to appreciate the coastline. Earlier there had been a mix up with the showers. We had decided to use the ones at Salcombe Yacht Club in preference to those at the end of the pontoon for visiting yacht crews. The yacht club facilities were much better. However, during official closing hours the facilities were made available via a somewhat hidden side passage leading directly to the showers. Safely after leaving Salcombe I learned that certain crew members had not located the correct side passage and had instead forged a way past the bins and in through another door, and in the absence of a clear route to the men’s showers had made use of facilities clearly labelled for the use of ‘ladies who launch’ only; sadly I must add that use of the facilities was made by torchlight too, since the aforementioned facilities were not lit or ‘switched on’. I would like to say that it is not official Blue Star policy to misuse facilities in this way but sometimes you just can’t get the crew!

Anway, the sky had brightened in Salcombe so we resolved to leave. (A good job too bearing in mind the shower debacle!) As we motored (the wind was on the nose in normal Blue Star fashion, so no sailing) clear of the river we set a course past Gammon Head and towards Start Point en route for Dartmouth. It seemed like a lovely sunny day was to pass, but once clear of the river we passed the Nation Coastwatch Institution lookout point at Gammon Head and a heavy mist returned. Visibility was reduced to about 300 yards so electronic navigation, navigation lights and radar were used. We had to stand several miles out from Start Point as there were strong overfalls causing uncomfortable waves closer in. Even at our distance the boat’s motion was very erratic because of the waves. Slowly, in the murk, we inched our way past Start Point (although we could not see it). We had several ‘engagements’ with other vessels – fishing boats, yachts and motorboats) that we ‘saw’ on AIS and radar and manoeuvred to avoid, catching the odd real glimpse of them in the mist as they passed by. Half a mile out of Dartmouth the fog lifted and suddenly we were experiencing a hot sunny day in Dartmouth!

Joke:

When you get a bladder infection, urine trouble.

The Ferry Inn at Salcombe

The mist over Salcombe seemed to be lifting

Motoring out of the river at Salcombe

The NCI lookout at Gammon Head

A sunny day in Dartmouth!

Plymouth, and onwards to Salcombe

This morning we walked to Plymouth Hoe where we had coffee and scones and fed the birds with our crumbs. We identified the bowling club where Drake played (J) and then continued our walk into the town to get some more supplies. We departed the marina soon after lunch, bound for Salcombe. There was little wind so we didn’t hoist the sails, but the uncomfortable swell that we experienced yesterday was still with us today as we rolled our way along the attractive coastline. We passed Hope Cove where past holidays have been spent, and on into Salcombe where we berthed alongside the town quay pontoon. Woolcool, as represented by Keith, bought dinner out in the nearby restaurant for everyone! Thank you Keith! After dinner we visited the local yacht club for a final evening drink-  and familiarisation with facilities!

Joke:

Plymouth’s a right laugh! Hoe, hoe, hoe!

Keith, with Plymouth Sound behind

Coffee and scones! Yum yum!

The birds help out with the crumbs

Err!? Where Drake used to play?

The coastline, Hope Cove towards the left of the picture

Blue Star on the town quay in Salcombe

Fowey, and on to Plymouth

We left the marina at Penmarlam at 0900 and motored the short distance to the life-boat pontoon in Fowey. After radioing the harbour master we received permission to stay a while and we walked into town and found a coffee (and croissants) shop that looked out over the river. The plan was to sail out to the Eddystone lighthouse on our way to Plymouth, but a damp heavy mist hung over Fowey so we resolved to stay a while longer, postpone the trip to Eddystone and hoped the weather might improve. A local shop selling Cornish pasties beckoned which we felt we should respond to prior to leaving Cornwall. We wondered whether we would come across border guards off the Cornwall-Devon coast? More gloom arrived in the form of a phone call about the cost of a new hot-water tank. Gulp!

After lunch we decided that things might be less grim at sea, as the sky out at sea looked brighter. Once at sea we did find a brighter sky, but the sea state was less than comfortable with a 1.5m swell rolling in on us and causing an uncomfortable motion of Blue Star. We motor-sailed for a while, then the wind dropped to near zero so we took down the sail to stop it slamming from side to side with the motion of the boat. We passed Polperro, and Looe, and eventually the sea state improved. We continued mopping the engine bilge every hour when we made a log entry and plotted our position. We spotted warships far in the distance and speculated which faint silhouette that we saw might be the Eddystone lighthouse. Eventually the murk came down again as we motored past Plymouth break-water. We passed through a lock into Sutton Harbour where we rated the facilities as 9.5/10!

Joke:

I used to be a banker, but then I lost interest.

The marina at Penmarlam near Fowey

Pollux (quite!) was moored opposite the marina

Coffee and croissants in Fowey

Looking out at the murk whilst we had coffee

Blue Star on the pontoon in Fowey

Plymouth breakwater appears out of the mist

Blue Star in Sutton Marina, Plymouth

Boat maintenance and a trip to Fowey

Yesterday's Post

We departed Falmouth with new crew (Chris, Jean-Francois and Keith) mid-morning and motored for a while in the river whilst we identified the source of a water leak into the engine bay. After much groping around and feeling of hoses etc. we concluded that the problem lay with a leaking hot water tank. When the water was heated, by use of the engine or by immersion heater, the pressure built up and the tank leaked. Looking for the source when moored in the marina was impossible however as all seemed well and the bilge remained dry. Earlier Jean-Francois had exercised his skill with self-amalgamating tape applied around one of the electrical leads that passed through the roof at the base of the mast where another leak had manifested itself. That problem seems now to be solved; as for the water tank, we will have a new one installed as soon as we are able to, and in the meantime keep on soaking up the water with cloth!

The sea state was slight and proved comfortable, and the wind was about 10 knots as we sailed out of the Fal bound for Fowey. Several other boats accompanied us, but we couldn’t keep up with them under sail alone. Presently we rolled away the headsail and started the engine. Sandwiches were prepared for lunch. Eventually we passed Gorran Haven and Mevagissey and Charlestown, the latter being a private harbour where training is offered on square rigged vessels that have appeared on TV programmes such as Poldark and The Onedin Line. Fowey soon appeared before us and we motored past the main town into the marina at Penmarlam. J-F and I walked to the pub at the ferry crossing and watched the England. Roger was chef of the day and had prepared a delicious chicken and apricot dinner on our return.

Joke:

A police officer called the station on his radio: "An old lady has shot her husband for stepping on the floor she had just mopped". The Duty Sergeant  replied "Have you arrested her?". "Not yet - the floor's still wet!"

The troublesome hot water tank

Jean-Francois and Keith look out as we pass Gorran Haven

Entering Fowey

In Falmouth

Blue Star has had a 2 week stop over in Falmouth prior to continuing her voyage. In that time I visited with Diane. Cliff and Ash came to stay with us, and also Angie and Keith from Woolcool visited. It was rainy when Diane and I arrived but a lovely rainbow soon gave way to lots of sunny weather. We took the opportunity to explore the River Fal, the Helford River and St Mawes.

New crew arrive this weekend, but the weather forecast isn’t very encouraging! Still, only 2 more weeks of sailing and we will have crossed the finish line!

River Joke:

Mr Thick wanted to cross the river. Mr Tricky shouted to him from the other side: ‘Hey, I’ll shine this torch across the river. All you have to do is walk along the beam of light until you get to this side!’.

‘Do you think I’m thick or something?’ said Mr Thick. ‘I know full well that as soon as I’m half way across you’ll turn the torch off and I’ll fall into the river!’

Diane and the rainbow

The Helford River

Catch up post

There was no internet connection at Newlyn and Falmouth, but here are the accounts of our days sailing to those places....

Wednesday 17 August 2016 - Padstow to Newlyn

We got up at 0500. It was still dark. High water was 0520 so we needed to be out of the harbour shortly thereafter as we would exiting down the river Camel on a falling tide – any touching the bottom would result in us being stuck until the next tide at least! The wind was still blowing strong, and even in the harbour boats were being jostled around! Was it safe to go, or stupid? The forecast was for a force 6 and a moderate sea. Hmmm! Moderate enough to be comfortable or enough to make us all ill? Another yacht, Tiger Moth, was also leaving, so it must be alright mustn’t it? I checked with Roger that he was happy. ‘I think it’ll be OK’ he said. Hmmm! Soon after and we were away, following Tiger Moth down the river. We raised the mainsail in the river, like Tiger Moth, and put two reefs in. The headsail was also reefed. Away we went, down the river and out to sea. Too late to turn back now. The sea was very lumpy and the wind tended to round the boat up making it difficult to keep control. We were heeled over considerably too. After a while we took in the mainsail completely and proceeded under reefed headsail only, which was more comfortable. We headed out across the bay away from the land which slowly disappeared from view in a mist and fog that came down. Eventually the sea state improved, the wind decreased and veered and we had to use the engine to make reasonable progress. We navigated with electronics, seeing nothing of the coast, or of Land’s End, and only a fleeting glimpse of the Longships lighthouse and surrounding rocks. Eventually we neared the coast off Newlyn and could only just see our way into the harbour. There were few places and we had to raft up against another yacht that planned to depart at 0500 for Falmouth. We would have to let them out, so we decided to set off early ourselves too.

Joke:

Q. What goes 'croak croak' in mist?

A. A froghorn.

Our view of Land's End!

Thursday 18 August – Newlyn to Falmouth

At 0500 we were ready to depart Newlyn (despite the fact that our neighbour wasn’t!). We left. The fog of the previous day still prevailed and we set out into the murk to round ‘The Lizard’ on our way to Falmouth. It was a day for electronic navigation, navigation lights and radar again. We had to stand well of Lizard Point as there were large waves close in. Even two miles out we had to contend with large rollers that caused us to wallow uncomfortably. After a while we altered course to head towards Falmouth, east of The Lizard and we were able to surf down the rollers instead of wallow in them. Slowly the fog lifted and we could see the coast. There was an appearance of sun even! We checked the forecast for the following day – gales! It was clear that Falmouth would be our stopping point for this week. Everyone else obviously thought the same as all of the marinas in Falmouth were very full; we could only get a place where we had to raft up against another yacht. Never mind, at least we were in. 

Joke:

Parallel lines have so much in common. Its a shame they'll never meet. 

We could just about make out Lizard Point