Sailing is like jazz
- against the tides, against the wind and no planning!
It’s a long entry.
Believe me – you better off with a mug of coffee in your hand.
It has truly been
several days to remember: bruised legs, sunburned face, few bums on
the head, entire tiredness, shaking legs, no planning - just jazz...
no, that's definitely not negative sides, that's was part of the
adventure, that's an experience! That's what shapes us to better and
more interesting persons! It was hardcore sailing - not a smooth one,
not a boring one, not a planned one - that was an adventure with
Catweasel ant her Captain Timothy S.A. Rawson!
Very very initial plan
was to land in Gatwick and head straight to Portsmouth area to join
HMS Catweasel and her Captain on the 30th June.
Just a week before the
arrival to UK - I was informed that Catweasel needs some work to be
done and therefore expected departure is not until 4th of July the
earliest. Well, my meetings in UK were rescheduled and on the 2nd
July I arrived to meet my captain to be in Brighton.
While waiting for the
departure of Catweasel I managed to attend few meeting back in
London, closed the biggest business deal so far this year, clean a
few windows in Brighton and drink few beers (Guinness of course!) -
but that's another story.
The day came and on wed
the 6th of July we took of to Porchester were glorious Catweasel was
fixed, improved and put into water. Tim and I met Stewart in marina
(Stewart is the guy who knows what's going and but not the one in
charge). I was shipped (literally) to the floating pontoon and left
alone!
In the meantime guys
went to bring Catweasel to the pontoon and all the stuff for round
the world sailing. After Catweasel was brought to the pontoon - and
here it was – by glorious moment - first foot on the front of the
boat. It felt good!
 |
Stewart rows, Tim tries in
vain to start the outboard. |
Another batch of stuff
from the shore was brought - I start "unpacking and putting
everything inside" - it means – throwing (literally)
everything inside the boat.
When the last stuff had
to be brought to the boat by our small dingy - I saw Tim and Stewart
urgently putting stuff out of the dingy back to the shore - dingy was
getting water - actually until I left the boat - not sure if the
reason for the water in the dingy was discovered. Actually we never
used dingy afterwards. Another dingy was borrowed and the remaining
stuff was delivered into the boat. Two hours passed and while the
tide was high...
 |
| Portsmouth's 'Spinnaker Tower' |
... my first movement
on the boat. We did an “outstanding number” of nautical miles as
far as Gosport marina on Wednesday evening. Catweasel was secured to
a berth very easily (and I though it's the way it will always be).
Discussion started about the next steps - we needed food for the rest
of the adventure. At this point our opinion of what and where to eat
became different. My plan was to go shopping; Tim's plan was pub
first shopping later that day or even tomorrow. However Stewart
supported me and after registering at the marina office we went of
for shopping. After 9 pm. Gosport is a ghost town. All the way to
Morrisons (~20 min walk) we saw one person on the high street...
Morrison was closed. McDonalds was not only closed but permanently
decommissioned. Smart phones came to the rescue and using our best
friend for the rest of the week - GPS - we managed to locate the
nearest shop ASDA.
Shopping was done
within a budget (5 pounds per person per day). Having a few beers at
pub (not me - I was still not feeling well after I had an off
Guinness from the night before in Brighton - we approached kebab
shop. Stewart and Tim had one big kebab each to take away - I still
had my one liter healthy bio sth active yoghurt to drink. Close to
midnight we returned to Catweasel and after whole day of excitement -
I just fell asleep on my bank in the front cabin of the boat.
 |
| Motoring out of Gosport Marina |
...and it was the best
sleep in the long time! That swinging of the boat is so relaxing and
calming. Stewart and Tim were already up and just when I came from
the front cabin – I smelled a fresh ground coffee. It was Stewart
who brought it from McDonalds. Tim left to get a shower and in the
meantime I and Stewart were doing a shopping list for food (and other
stuff) for the days to come. While cooking breakfast (really good -
Thanks to Stewart) I noticed that Tim actually has moca Espress
coffee pot! Ground coffee on the shopping list was added and we were
off for shopping. Few hours and we were done (not really following
the shopping list). Back at the boat we decided to give a go and take
Catweasel to the solent channel. Sails were still not an option so we
motored all the way to Yarmouth. It was windy, a bit wet, bumpy but
relatively ok (pure my opinion). No sea sickness for me – but after
few hours against the waves – I had an experience to use a toilet
in the boat. And believe me – that was an experience when all your
toilet is moving up and done left to right while you are doing …
well what you usually do in the toilet
Resume, it’s a bit complicated but manageable. After spraying a
bottle of some cheapish champagne all over Catweasel (well it's her
first sort of official day to start round the world adventure) we
arrived to Yarmouth. "Parking" was an easy as we secured
our boat at the end of berth. Registering, showers, chili made by
Stewart and we were off to check local pubs. Guinness was good, free
wi-fi - the day was finished.
 |
| Moored in Yarmouth |
...Friday morning I
woke up after another perfect relaxing sleep and after got to the
rear cabin - I heard Tim and Stewart talking that we are not sailing
today as Gale force 8 wind is expected imminent. Winds were just too
strong to continue so another day in Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight.
Breakfast was made by me that morning (bacon, eggs and fried tomatoes
with bread and butter) and we were off to check the town and ferry
schedules as the men who knows what's going on ( =Stewart) had to
leave Catweasel and her crew on Friday. We came back to pub visited
yesterday to check weather forecast and have a beer (I just had half
of my Guinness as the rest was knocked down by myself - see sickness
to blame - on the ground I felt wavy and less coordinated). Stewart
departed - I and Tim checked a new pub - one beer each and back to
the boat.
 |
| The Galley |
Dinner -Special minced beef, baked beef and sth else sauce
with bread - was served by Quartermaster Gurskis (me). Captain liked
it (or that's at least what he told me - at least he ate all that
stuff so it shouldn't have been so bad). After dinner we managed to
watch 1/3 of the Jurassic park movie and were off to check the
remaining pubs in town. Three pubs were visited that night - 4
Guinness drank and back to the boat for another perfect sleep.
...5am. Guinness was
processed by my body and nature called to release unnecessary water.
As quiet as I could - I went from front cabin to the berth. Tim was
sleeping (or at least that's what he looked like). Half awake and
probably still a bit drunk I stepped on the pontoon when suddenly
heard from somewhere above - "Have a nice journey!".
Apparently it wasn't God or Tim so I looked behind and saw another
yacht leaving that was parked close to ours. I wished a pleasant
journey back and walked to the shore to relieve myself from the
Guinness and get back to sleep. Just as I was walking back to
Catweasel - saw Tim “dancing” around the boat half dressed.
Apparently another yacht rammed ours and Tim was forced to wake up
really quickly. Such unplanned waking up is no good for him. Suddenly
he had some strange idea that we have to leave (it was still roughly
5am in the morning). Half hour putting stuff back to the boat, eating
breakfast (just leftovers from yesterday for myself) having a quick
shot of espresso and before 6am we were off the Yarmouth marina. We
motored out of the harbor to the open waters, sea was rough but
decision was made to bring up sales for the first time.
 |
| The Needles |
Such a great
plan was suddenly forgotten as Tim noticed that main sails halliots
(? main ropes) are tided together by another rope. Stewart was blamed
for it. Decision was made to undo those ropes but sea became really
rough, waves were coming in and decision (again) was dropped. We
motored all the way across solent - against the wind but at least
tide was in our favor - sort off. See was really rough. Even thou I
was bravely standing in the cockpit and motoring, seasickness started
to kick in and at one point when I decided to sit down – for the
first (and the last time) I fed fishes with the remaining undigested
content of the last food I ate. (Guinness and breakfast was to blame
of course).
Tim continue to keep
saying that in a few minutes when we reach that or another point-
waters will get calmer and more relaxing. After 10th such notice and
sth like 3 hours of motoring through the rough water - it actually
became calmer. With no further a due - we approached the entrance to
the Pool harbor. Two container ships were passed by and along the
main entrance channel we entered the second biggest natural marina in
the world. Tim called one of the berth parking/mooring place/thing
office if they have space for our notoriously big 26 foot vessel -
confirmation was received and in between red and green markers we
entered the main channel (or at least that's what we though we did).
At some point while I was motoring and steering - Tim had a strange
idea to turn 90 degrees to the starboard side (for those that knows
less sailing terms than I do - it's right side of the boat). Few
seconds after - engine was still going ahead but the boat was not. We
hit the ground. Reverse did not help, even my idea that Tim has to go
in front of the boat as far as he could and the weight of the boat
will be rebalanced and we somehow move away - it didn't help. Call
was made to marina for help. However after 20 minutes - tide started
to come and we were free again. GPS logger came to help and we
noticed that instead of us thinking being in the main channel of the
marina - we actually already were in the North Channel close to the
place were we had to leave boat. I bravely steered in the closed
harbor - our "parking place" was supposed to be 12A. As we
saw it - it was few seconds to late but I still decided to give a go
and bravely turned to the left (port side). I managed to hit the
pontoon just in the center but it was enough time for Tim get off to
the pontoon. After not sure what to do and seeing that in the next
few seconds tide will push me towards a million dollars worth
motorboat - I got a strange idea to go in reverse. And I did. Tim was
left on the pontoon waving hands and shouting "Men what a h***
are you doing?" To be honest - I didn’t know. It was first
time doing something similar – apparently steering 26 ft vessel –
is somewhat different compared to steering a car. I saw another place
for parking and shouted to Tim to run around the pontoon to the other
side. He did it and again I hit the center of the pontoon (the
initial plan was to go on the left side of it. Not sure how - but we
managed to secure a boat in some other spot and Tim went to the
marina registry to find out if it was ok - and it wasn't. We had to
move Catweasel on the other side of our pontoon. This time we walked
the boat and it was just perfect. 9A place was also good.
 |
| Moored in Poole |
Our boat
was "parked" among at least half million dollars worth of
yacht on one side and another million worth on the other side and
proudly face few million worth vessels on the opposite side of the
channel! Catweasel’s blue bottom and yellowish deck a bit
different from the other shining white boats parked around...
After showers to put
salt off; cleaning; tiding the boat as most of the stuff was aground
after rough sea - we were off to town. Beer, shopping for highly
flammable liquid for our stove which prevented us from traveling on
public transport (apparently highly flammable liquids are not allowed
on public transport in UK) back to the boat, short nap, and back to
the town for fish and chip and beer. Not very successful fish and
chips hunting as we had to walk 5 miles to finally find a pub that
serves not only beer but also fish and cheap. Walking wasn't silent -
I tried to convince Tim that with his 85 amps batteries running 13
volts he could boil imaginary cattle (2000 watts 230 volts) for just
half an hour. Tim was even pulling an idea that it could run for 8
hours. Even a tech text enquiry to my tech friend and his
confirmation that - yes it still half an hour did not convince Tim.
After 2 hours of such discussion - we finally approached a pub, had
fish and chips and few beer each, took a taxi back to the boat and
another perfect sleep.
... and the last day on
the boat came. We were awake just before 10 am, showers, small
breakfast for myself and before 11 am suggested by a "local
expert" we left marina. The plan was to sail (actually sail not
motor anymore) to the Weymouth were our good friend Peter kindly
suggested to come and pick me up as the next day I had to catch a
flight from Gatwick (and I did as this entry is being written on the
plane). That was the plan anyway. We motored out of the marina to
open waters with no incidents and started to put sails on. Even thou
I am not an expert - but I think the whole sails up thing has to be
done a lot smoother. Tim was running up and back the boat and
shouting to release undone one or another rope while keeping boat
head to wind. I was trying to execute his order as precise and fast
as I could but that head to wind thing was not my thing. Front Gip
(?) sail was up after some time and the work on the main sail was
started. Long story short - after some shouting; failing to do that
head to wind thing and with some help of an ordinary spoon – the
main sail was up to; engine off and peace and calmness of the see...
Finally!
 |
| Under Sail |
Sails first time ever and I was behind it - keeping them (or
trying to) 45 degrees to the wind and we were sailing. Actually
sailing and moving forward. We did first tack. No problem. Seconds
one - no problem again... All was good for almost two hours when we
looked to the coastline and it hardly changed - in theory we had to
move along it against the wind. GPS was brought to help and it showed
that our land speed was roughly 1 - 2 knots while sea speed almost 7
at some points. We realized that we are heading not only against the
wind but also against the tide. Actually I was a bit suspicious when
after putting sail and seeing that a lot of sailing boats were coming
towards us from Weymouth side and none with us to Weymouth. If we
kept such speed - our ETA to Weymouth was about 12 hours and that is
after midnight my dear readers. We decided not to risk (and not to
trust any local expert advice from then on) and motor was kicked in;
sails down (well putting sails down is another story with a bit of
shouting, a bit of sth going wrong, me still not really managing to
keep head to wind thing and finally one of the long main (important)
ropes dangling on the top of the mast).
 |
| Traffic |
Against the wind
against the tide against and all the other boats we start heading
straight towards Weymouth marina. ETA was still like 8 hours but the
idea - that tide at some point had to turn around and help us instead
of slowing - kept us going. No service on the phone - no way to
inform Mr. Woodger that we will be very late to Weymouth (if at all
before midnight). We just hoped that he will decide to check our spot
thing tracker online and see where we actually are before start
driving (and as we later found out - he did). Finally after 6 hours
or pure motoring and me staring directly at the sun behind the lever
and catching salty sea sprays (that's why I look pretty reddish on my
face today) we managed to sail into Weymouth marina. Tim cracked the
radio, called Harbor Master and we were good to enter and tide our
boat to another one called High Sun, after several minutes of
motoring we found it. The instruction was not really clear for me how
to actually stare the boat - I just listened to Tim’s command to
kill the engine and with Tim on the front of the boat I bravely
ramped Weymouth marina/pontoon thing! One command was missing that
after killing engine I actually had to turn right in order to come on
the side. Bright side - even years to come in Weymouth marina I will
still be able to find blue marked dent in it!
 |
| Weymouth |
Boat was secured, Peter
arrived, showers taken, things packed and Catweasel was left. My last
Guinness, fish and chips in Weymouth and close to 11 at night we left
Weymouth. I decided not to sleep even thou I was really tired but at
some point I actually napped in the car on the way to Brighton.
However not really possible to sleep when driving with Peter - he
does not slow down on round about so some side force waked me up on
every turn. Back to Brighton, back to sleep and well amazing week was
finished.
It’s a plan (but well
again plan is a jazz) to rejoined Catweasel and her Captain somewhere
in the Meds later this year. For now – have a safe journey
Catweasel and her Captain – Timothy S.A. Rawson!
