so, here I am, tapping away on the keyboard once more. I'm currently in Pineche, in a small bar near the marina.
and "yes yes", I've been lax in posting blog updates but hey! in the grand scheme of things I'm ahead of the game....
We crossed the English channel from Salcombe Bay in the end, having been locked into harbour by yet another gale. Oh! we did try to leave but were beaten back and, on the way back in to safety the GPS showed maximum speed as 20 knots!!! woohooo! Don't listen to the nay-sayers who will claim speed measurements by GPS can be......inaccurate...p'shaw say I! toosh and piffle...it's digital and can't be contradicted...
Back on track...from Salcombe we crossed the Channel to Camaret (near Brest) where we found a few good bars, a bloke with a longer beard than myself and a Commitments cover band. From there we headed across the Biscay to La Coruna. I'd braced myself for the bay but we were very fortunate, good consistant wind blowing from the North ish made for a very pleasent crossing, dolphins and all. Sadly our windvane, named after the manufacturer, died a death about one day off the Spanish coast. I can only think that it was damaged when it was hit by another yacht in Yarmouth. More of this later.
Bugger...got distacted by stuff and now it's the 17th August and I am in Sines....
OK...so, La Coruna and on...we left the French side of the Biscay 11am on the 22nd July and hit La Coruna 3 days and 3 hours later.
We (Stewart and I) bimbled our way south and soon learned a few things....
1 - onshore winds can be a biatch (gussetting force 8 and up) but are fairly regular and can be predicted
2 - there is no rush to moor up..even when the harbour master is sitting in his rib and madly gesticulating...take your time, get everything ready
3 - condensation dripping from the cabin ceiling can, and did, trash my netbook
4 - My initial estimates of 50+ miles a day were utter bollocks....a realistic daily milage is 30 miles as this allows time in the afternoon to restock/repair/recuperate and other things beginning with "r" at the marina.
5 - Dolphins are perty
6 - My budget for mooring (€25 a night) was about right for Catweasel (prices to date have been €10 at Sines to €30 at Troija) but my budget for beer (2 a day) was...a tad wrong :). My food budget of about €6 a day is OK but only if cooking on board. One meal on shore costs between €10 and €20 with the variance being influenced by the amount of peoople (more people means more cost as left to my own devices I'm happy with a small meal but with company a full meal becomes more pleasureable).
7 - No one has asked for to see my ICC to date but every place has required to see my SSR and most places wanted to see my insurance papers.
8 - The cruising shute is way easier to fly than the spinnaker.
I hope there's a lot more to learn :)
Stewart has left the Catweasel now so, for the first time I am truly solo but not for long. I have a new crewman joining me in or near Cadiz and several friends, I hope, joining me at random spots in or near Gibralter. At this point I'll extend an offer - if anyone wants to join me, use the contact page or email me. Bear in mind it's a small yacht but most days are easy sails from marina to marina.
Anyhooo...enough for now, I'll try and be more disciplined and post more frequently but honestly, I'm having a whale of a time in the evenings, relaxing and enjoying new places with new friends.
