“ … There was a crack and the jib began flapping mercilessly, the sheet had broken, the boat was slowing and difficult to control … “

Weekend 25th & 26th April. 

After working hard to prepare Chablis for the summer season, Ian Sharples launched her and with his regular crew sailed over to Piel to check that she was ready for the Isle of Man race.  They returned and everything seemed to be shipshape.  On their return on Sunday they put Chablis in the dock ready for Friday morning’s departure.

Bonny (Something) leaving the dock before we started our walk.  The white buildings and tower on the left are original buildings, they could tell some stories

A more genteel form of sailing

The mayflower and marsh marigold,below, are my two favourite spring flowers reminding me of the many happy days spent on my Grandad’s farm on Kellet Lane – now Walton Summit Industrial Estate

There are many coots on the canal

Swans too

Baby coots or ducks?

This is as far as we got, Thirnham Mill

Wednesday 29th April.  

The dock was going to be emptied on Thursday to facilitate work on the dock gate.  Ian had been advised by the Dock to move his boat to the West Quay.  Michael and Sue arrived around 1115 hours to find Ian was ready to move her so Sue got on board and Michael went round to take the mooring lines.
Ian acquired two planks and we positioned them outside the fenders to save Chablis from the irregularities of the dock wall.  I noticed the steel piles were badly corroded, they had started flaking.
We loaded some of my stuff.
Chablis was settled, with long bow and stern lines only, in preparation for the dock drying out tomorrow.  We were surprised to see two swallows settle on the stern mooring line.  Ian left to go to work and Sue and Michael stayed behind a while to see that Chablis was happy.
Justin, who had been moving Fingal and Misty, said he was uncertain of how the bottom was there and so Michael decided to weight the lines to pull her back in to the side.  Justin said he would be around before the boats had dried out and would make sure they would be ok.

After walking along the canal to the Mill they returned to find Chablis was lying well out from the wall. 

Justin, who had been moving Fingal and Misty, said he was uncertain of how the bottom was there and so Michael decide to weight the lines to pull her back in to the side.  Justin said he would be around before the boats had dried out and would make sure they would be ok.

Chablis and Misty, you can just make out the kinks in the warps where I fixed the bits of steel.

Thursday 29th April. 

David, Toggenberg,  also checked the boats later and found that they were OK.

I boarded Chablis at around 1915 hours and waited for Ian, Gillian and David.  Michael started his holiday read.  At 2145 hours Michael rang Sue and she said the Chablis were delayed because Ian had had to work longer than he intended.  They arrived around 2215 hours, loaded up and we settled down to sleep meaning to get up at 0500 hours for our planned departure at 0600 hours.

Billy Ruffian leaving the wind farm behind, Glen & Alex on board

Gillian helming

Friday 1st May

We motored out of the dock at 0410 hours, high water was around 0420 hours, with the navigation lights on.  Dawn began to break as we approached the lighthouse.  We were the first out.  We followed the channel buoys and as we got nearer Lune River No. 1 buoy Ian decide to calibrate the autohelm; Chablis’ autohelm had refused to work on the shakedown cruise so Ian had borrowed’ Suzi’s.  This manoeuvre apparently caused much puzzlement among the following crews and even one from Morecambe coming down the Heysham Channel.  We circled round until we thought it was calibrated but later we found out it hadn’t worked.
By now we were the last of the Glasson boats:  Rice Pudding, Florence, Billy Ruffian, Penny Diamond, Jetwind all ahead of us.  Lopud couldn’t leave till Saturday morning and Triagos decided to accompany her because the weather looked kinder.  Pyrrha intended to leave on Friday evening, sadly the weather worsened and these three  boats didn’t make the Ramsey.
Just before the wind farm, we put a second reef in the main, we’d started with one reef, and then diverted towards the farm to show Gillian a close up of one of the turbines.  Ian had chosen the jib for our foresail.  This manoeuvre, we found out later had again confused Eureka’s crew.  Billy Ruffian ahead of us seemed to be changing their foresail.

Billy Ruffian was now a little behind and then we noticed a boat coming down the Heysham Channel, this later turned out to be Eureka.  We started to ease away from Billy Ruffian but, much to our chagrin, the boats ahead of us were leaving us behind.  We were soon glad we had put a reef in because the wind started to freshen, roughly from SSW/SW.  The seas were building too but it was bright.

There were lots of seabirds around, guillemots, cormorants and gannets.  The guillemots seemed to be in pairs.  The gannets were making their spectacular dives to entertain us, ninety degrees to the surface at break neck speed, except they didn’t break their necks.
We surged on, two boats behind us, Billy Ruffian and what turned out to be Eureka, and the other five boats ahead of us.
The cloud began to thicken and soon it was gloomy.
We heard a radio conversation between Florence and Rice Pudding, they were going to arrive much too soon to enter the harbour at Ramsey!
Michael was down below semi-comatose when he heard “Penny Diamond, Penny Diamond, May Day, May Day.”  Coming to life, he realised that it was John calling Jack on Misty or did he say Medway?
The waves were now quite big.  Soon we were in rain and drizzle and still the wind increased.
Ian was still on the tiller and Michael was working the mainsheet, easing it as the gusts hit us.  Visibility was now down to a hundred metres or so; we couldn’t see either the boats ahead or behind.  The waves were climbing and the wind was howling.  We had by now rolled the jib in a few turns.  Time to put the third and final reef in.  The first two reefs can be handed from the cockpit but now the third one had to be hooked on to the boom and another line threaded through the leech to gather the sail up.  This was a job for David!   He eagerly went forward and hooked the sail on, Gillian and Michael helped with threading the reefing line through the leech.   Michael looked forward and there was a huge wall of water coming towards us, just like the film ‘Perfect Storm’ that he’d recently watched.  We lifted over it effortlessly and then Michael realised that even though it was big wave, the illusion of the large wave had been created because Chablis was sailing down a wave!  We later found out that round about now Florence had recorded thirty-nine knots on her wind speed indicator.
The UV protection slip on the jib was now in tatters, threads streaming out behind, well at least the jib was setting right.  This was the worst weather and it started to improve from now on, we broke out of the gloom and, for the first time, Maughold head was mistily in the distance of the port bow.  We could see boats ahead again.
The sun came out again and we warmed up.  The wind eased further and we had a relatively calm end to our passage.
Later we went to the Manx Sailing and Cruising Club clubhouse and were amazed at the warmth of their welcome.
Pyrrha left Glasson at 1830 hours with Martyn ( skipper), Paul, Marcus and Christopher as crew.  We decided, because of the deteriorating weather, to go into Piel and anchored overnight, planning to continue in the morning.

Silver River at home in Ramsey

Fur Coat No Knickers awray

Serious passage planning on Penny Diamond?

Billy Ruffian's Ratters enjoying his breakfast

Jetwind's Martin not feeling at the moment

Colin & Roger more relaxed on Rice Pudding

Final adjustments on Penny Diamond

Repairs on Rice Pudding

Steve tidying Misty up

John repairing Jetwind's sail

Michael, as seen be Martin on Jetwind

Ian and Michael deep in thought, caught by Martin on Jetwind

On a lighter note; Ramsey’s crocodile about to enter the water

Saturday 2nd May

Pyrrha skipper had to be back at work on Tuesday and the crew back at school and they did not like the sound of Mondays forecast so they sailed back to Glasson today.
A lovely sunny day but the wind was cold and we were pointing the wrong way, see photo below.

Not everyone had secured their fin-keelers as well as Jetwind, Blow the Wind and Fur Coat No Knickers, both Whitehaven boats.  Fur Coat No Knickers’ crew wouldn’t allow anyone to raft alongside, must have made an exception for one of their own Club boats..

Ian, Gillian and David went for a swim in the new baths, Michael didn’t have a swimming costume, he wasn’t all that keen anyway, so he just bought a shower.

There was a lot of activity around the boats, see photographs and the day passed uneventfully and in the evening we went over to the clubhouse.

Chablis on the wall. Taken on Saturday with the tide going out)
In front, left to right: Florence, Rice Pudding, Penny Diamond, Chablis, MistyBehind: Billy Ruffian, Jetwind

Penny Diamond on the way to the Peel mark.

Rice Pudding IX

Chablis

Jetwind

Jetwind

Sunday 3rd May

Race Day!  We were up and raring to go but were hemmed in by Penny Diamond, Florence and Rice Pudding.

We found out later that two of Misty’s crew were up till 0300 hours clubbing!
We got free at 0535 hours and motored out of the harbour.  We hoisted the main and turned the motor off.
At the ten-minute gun we started the stop watch and began to think about the start.  Ian had selected the No1 jib, deciding it was too windy for the Genoa.
Michael said watch Eureka as he knew they were experienced racers.
Five-minute gun – we couldn’t unfurl the jib!!   Ian shot up front and freed the furling drum but we’d lost time and eventually crossed the start line as the ten-minute gun for the next division was fired, five minutes late with all the other 0600 hours starters stretched out ahead disappearing into the distance.
We’d made it to the start line, our second objective achieved.  (We found out later that Lopud and Triagos had left Glasson on Saturday morning but turned back and dived into Piel as they reached the wind farm.  They’d judged the conditions to be impossible as probably had Pyrrha, the remaining Glasson boat.)
We settled down on a close reach, the wind NW 5 – 6 but we had some shelter from the land.   There were many gusts which tended to bring us up into the wind momentarily throwing us off course.  Once Michael had got his brain into gear we started easing the mainsheet as the gusts hit us, we could hold our course and keep our boat at the optimum angle of list.  As the leading boats approached the Point of Ayre we noticed that some of them were putting reefs in so we decided to do likewise, a good decision.  We settled down again only to be passed either side by the two J class boats, Bjasus and Ulula, who had started 15 minutes after our start, ten minutes after us.  It was a stunning sight!
There was a group of spectators braving the elements on the Point, this was probably the most exciting vantage point to see all the boats together, the staggered starts having brought them all together at this moment.  It must have been quite a sight!
We kept inshore and held our course for a while before tacking to set off down the west side of the island.  We seemed to have judged rounding the point to perfection and made up ground over lots of the boats who had been ahead of us.
We heard later that Rice Pudding got in irons here and it took them fifteen minutes to get under way again!
We did several tacks keeping reasonably close to the shore.  We were on Starboard tack when there was a crack and the jib began flapping mercilessly, the sheet had broken, the boat was slowing and difficult to control!  Quick as a flash Ian shouted, (it was very noisy, the sail, the sea and the wind) sheet in the auto tacking line!  We were on our way again without losing much time.
Misty caught us up and passed, Jetwind was just ahead and Eureka was hanging on behind – we’d out manoeuvred them all at the Point of Ayre and made up our lost time.
The trimaran, Rice Pudding flew past, well almost, way out to sea.  We could see daylight under the starboard sponson!  An impressive sight.
Then the catamaran, Bodine, passed us on the shore side taking photographs.  It just didn’t seem possible for us to take photographs! 
We were mainly on starboard going down to Peel with occasional tacks to get away from the shore.  Misty was a few boat lengths ahead of us but couldn’t getaway.  We were catching Jetwind but they stayed inshore after Jurby Head and gradually pulled away from us, Eureka still hadn’t caught us.

Peel seemed a long way off, which it was.   We only knew two racing rules, starboard tack and windward boat.  Starboard tack worked in our favour a few times!
Eventually the Peel Lifeboat came out to meet us, well not really but they were on patrol or exercise.  We waved and they waved back but on their return, they created a wash which wasn’t too kind to us and gave us a few uncomfortable moments.
All the time I was working the mainsheet to keep Chablis on course and sailing at the right angle.
The automatic tacking mechanism wasn’t setting the jib well so we debated whether to furl the jib in a bit but we decided to change the starboard sheet over to the port side.  David was assigned the task and he took off the port sheet and fitted it to the starboard side.  David used the jack stays, which although necessary made the job more difficult but he managed it efficiently.
As we approached Peel, we couldn’t see the race mark.  Jetwind was now well over to port and I thought they would have to tack again to get round the mark but they just managed it having to go close inshore.  We eventually sorted out the mark, it was among lots of look-alike mooring buoys, it helped watching the leading boats go round, and rounded it reasonably efficiently but not without several ‘exciting’ moments.  This mark was allegedly put in to give some spectator sport but we didn’t see anyone on the shore!  We later found out the mark had dragged inshore!  It wasn’t where it had been originally stationed but it was the same for all of us.
We seemed to slow down now as the other boats started to pull away from us.  The wind had dropped a little, perhaps we needed strong winds?   We had lost a knot of speed.  Eureka and Misty were definitely struggling in the strong wind, both being very lightweight boats. 
Jetwind was drawing away gradually too and some of the boats behind were catching us.  Ian had helmed all the way to this point and it was time to hand over to Michael and have a rest.  Now the change of helm could have slowed the boat? 
We’d planned our race assuming five knots boat speed but the winds had been so strong we were ahead of our schedule but that was good news but we were a bit doubtful about rounding the Calf of Man.
The waves were kinder too.  We watched the boats ahead draw away from us and one of the following boats overtake us, the one with the Kevlar type Genoa.  One boat was way over to starboard, Misty and Jetwind were ahead and another boat was close inshore. 
We could see the leading boats, now well round the Calf, through the other side of the sound with their spinnakers flying, a beautiful sight.  We gradually crept inshore, not too close, and painfully edged round the island.  All of a sudden we seemed to lose wind.  The wind was now behind us.  We were in a dilemma, did we shake the reef out while we were close to the Calf or wait until we were clear.  Eureka eased passed us having shook out their reef, they were further offshore.  Mistakenly we waited until we were clear.  Now the boom was swinging from side to side and we couldn’t get boat speed.  Michael asked Ian if heard of a preventer and he said yes and promptly rigged one.  Now we could goose-wing and once more we were on our way.  It was tricky helming and playing the jib sheet so, eventually, Ian took over again and Michael controlled the goose-winging jib.
Jetwind had made a wider passage, as had Misty so we had gained a little on them.  Misty flew her spinnaker and disappeared.  Two boats behind us raised theirs and passed us, one inshore and one outside of us.
The red and white spinnaker was close inshore, soon to be enveloped in a squall, which missed us on the port side.  Jetwind was way over on the horizon.  There were now only three boats behind us but unknown to us the trailing boat was having problems.
We could hold our course for Langness Point goose-winging, Chablis was happy sailing this way.
We cleared Langness Point and our inshore passage had brought us closer to Jetwind.  We could now see a string of boats ahead of us, which was encouraging.  Jetwind was now just ahead of us about half a mile to starboard. 
Gillian now had a spell controlling the mainsheet.  We gradually drew abeam several times but each time a gust would surge Jetwind off again.  We were pleasantly surprised to see that Eureka, also having gone wide, was behind us again on our starboard quarter.
Another squall approached  and just embraced us causing us a few minutes of discomfort.  Again the boats ahead were widely spaced.  Which course should we take round Maughold (pronounced locally as Mackhold) Head?  We decide to follow the inshore boat but not get too close to the headland.  We were now encountering frequent gusts which began to take Jetwind away from us but Eureka was still behind, perhaps losing way on us.  With Maughold Head abeam we noticed Jetwind behaving erratically allowing us to draw close, they were still ‘outside’ of us.
We all rounded Maughold Head and again Jetwind started to pull away.  Eureka suddenly had the advantage over both of us.  She appeared to be able to point better, we were now close hauled, however we were still pleased to be ahead of a much faster boat.  Eureka, like Misty, is a much lighter boat than Chablis and Jetwind and they had been disadvantaged by the strong winds, having to work hard to keep themselves upright.  Eureka now seemed to be pointing five degrees closer than us both.  We became reconciled to losing her now.
The dark hulled boat with the Kevlar Genoa was now way over the right of us and far in the distance, not appearing to be heading for Ramsey?
We were more or less on the same track as Jetwind and again she was pulling away from us.
The boats ahead of us appeared to have sailed right up to the far shore, the land between Ramsey and Point of Aye, before tacking for home.
The wind was dying, it was now late afternoon.  Suddenly Jetwind tacked?  Much too soon? 
Surprise!  The boat with the dark hull and Kevlar Genoa was on the far shore sailing to the finish!   How had they got there?
Eureka was going well inside of us and looked to be finishing in style but then they tacked?   They’ve gone too soon also?  Was the wind going to drop altogether and we wouldn’t make the finish but drift up towards the Point of Ayre?   Should we tack?  No, keep going.  Should we accept a series of short tacks to the line?  Let’s tack now.  No.  Eventually we tacked because of the possibility of no wind but it was a little sooner than the boats that had been ahead of us.
Now Jetwind was struggling, going back on to port tack well short of the iron jetty and floundering, had they no wind?
Eureka was on the wrong side of the iron jetty too, they were forced to tack round it.  We were on a collision course with Eureka!  We were on starboard tack but they held their nerve and we eased off, better to be safe than sorry (The other collision regulation that we realised we knew.) and we’d well beaten them on handicap anyway, and had to pass behind them.  This forced us to go among the moored boats so prolonged our stay on that tack.  We tacked round the boats and went for the line only to be ‘starboarded’ by Eureka and she crossed the line ahead of us! 
We got our finish gun and we were elated, we’d achieved our third objective!  As you can imagine we were all absolutely delighted, hugs all round.
We furled the jib, lowered the main, and motored into the harbour.
As we entered the harbour, in the corner, was Rice Pudding with her mast trailing in the water and her crew struggling to get it on board!
Sometime around 1415 hours the mast on Rice Pudding fell down on Colin’s head, he was helming, Norman was below.  They had heard a crack around Langness Point but didn’t know what it was.  They had just surged past Byjasus rounding Maughold Head and were well on the way to being the first boat home and winning that trophy plus the multi-hull trophy, Florence had retired earlier and Bodine was way behind, over two hours.
We felt desperately sad for Norman, who, despite being in his mid-seventies, sails Rice Pudding, like a person many years younger, with courage and determination.  Michael having sailed many miles with Norman got quite emotional.
It turned out that the mast was undamaged.  The forestay anchorage on the hull had been torn out and the pulpit was somewhat bent because the spinnaker halyard had been secured to it – it was what was holding the mast up after Langness Point.
Jetwind wasn’t very happy to have finished fifteen minutes behind us, perhaps we had beginners’ luck.
We removed our waterproofs and sauntered over to the Fish & Chip shop for our takeaway tea.
There was mounting speculation that Penny Diamond had won three trophies and that Misty was second in her class but no one seemed to know anything about Chablis but we were delighted that we had finished.  We all phoned home to say we had finished and relate how delighted we all were.
Out of the nine Glasson SC boats entered only four finished.  Two retired and the other three didn’t make it to Ramsey and the start line.  Had we missed out on the club trophy, the Squadron Cup?
We later sauntered over to the clubhouse to hand in our race declaration form.  When we arrived the place was alive with tales of daring-do.  We still had no idea how well we had done?  After nibbles, drinks and camaraderie we retired to bed but not before studying the long-range weather forecast in the window of the Harbour Master’s office.  F5-6 occasionally F7 all week!!!!
Photos of some of the boats can be seen on the Flickr site taken by an Isle of Man newsparer photographer.

Monday 4th May

Overcast and gloomy, the weather forecast was still F5-6 occasionally F7 so we all on Chablis decided not to make towards the Isle of Whithorn.
Because of the worsening forecast Penny Diamond, Misty and Billy Ruffian all decided to leave as soon as they floated around 0600 hours.
Ian, David and Michael walked over the swing bridge along the sea front and then through the gardens with the boating lake.
Later we wandered along the eastern front near the entrance to the clubhouse and there was excitement brewing.  Dolphin of Wight from Fleetwood Marina had not returned, one coastguard said she was in Fleetwood Marina!  A boat had been spotted approaching Ramsey beyond the iron jetty.  Could this be her?  Yes, it was and she crossed the finishing line to rousing cheers from the organisers and spectators at the end of the south pier.
The prize giving was scheduled for 1400 hours.  We duly arrived at the packed clubhouse to find results sheets scattered around sailors.  Michael, with some anxiety managed to read one upside down but couldn’t see Chablis?  Ever the pessimist – had we been disqualified, then he noticed we were at the bottom of the division list.  Eventually we got a look at the sheet the right way up.  The boats were still listed in the order of the entry list, not in place order.  We had won our class in the division!!!!!!!!!!!  Moments of sheer incredulity!   Penny Diamond had won her class and Misty was second in hers, Jetwind third in ours!  There was another list which we couldn’t get sight of?
The Commodore began his speech and at last introduced the Race Officer to announce the winners starting with our Tankard, of all the lovely silver, yes silver, cups on display we had won the old tarnished tankard, plus a bottle of Champagne.  As John Penny Diamond had left earlier he couldn’t receive his cups so Norman Rice Pudding was persuaded to receive them on his behalf, as the only Committee Member present, which was a bit tear-jerking because Norman would have won two if disaster hadn’t struck.  John had won his Class, the Shelagh Williams Trophy, the best Bilge Keeler, the Briggs Trophy and the overall winner’s trophy, The Coronation Cup.  And so the prize giving continued until there were only three trophies left.  We had won the Manddrell Trophy for coming second overall!
The Commodore was handed the floor again to present the final two trophies.
The Endeavour Trophy, which last year was won by Lopud, was presented to Dolphin of Wight, despite their trials and tribulations, still pressing on to finish the race.  They had lost a jib sheet then their Genoa had split in two but they made it within the race time limit, just, according to the results, by one second.  When Dolphin of Wight finished they won the Endeavour Trophy, squeezing out Jetwind who, up to the moment when Dolphin of Wight came into sight, had her name on the trophy because of Slippers’ efforts over the years in taking part in the race and visiting Ramsey often when he had been a good raconteur in the clubroom as well as being the only ketch in the race.
After keeping us all on tender hooks for ages the Commodore finally announced that Glasson had won the best squadron trophy, the team prize, The Isle of Man Times Trophy!
Results Trophy Winners
Overall Result
We were told we could take the trophies home so we decided to do this and packed them in boxes in bubble-wrap and installed them in Jetwind’s Trophy Room.  Mai suggested that we have a Manx night at Glasson to celebrate our achievements and that they would send over a box of kippers.
Colin suggested that we invite MS&CC over to Glasson for a celebration and to show our appreciation of their hospitality, Norman suggested the MBSA Trophy weekend.
Celebrations continued and more tall stories were aired.  A family who had gained notoriety for their support of the bar were praised and it was explained that they had presented the Endeavour Trophy to the club.  One of their exploit was to take part in the 1979 Fastnet Race.  Apparently things got pretty desperate for them during the race and Jerry Seapie of Cultra related that things got so bad they got the bible out, he went on to say it was the only safety equipment they had on board.  Well this reduced us all to tears of laughter.
We assessed the forecast and decide not to leave for the Isle of Whithorn.  Kirkcudbright was now the planned destination for Tuesday.
The day seemed to fly by.  We were invited aboard Florence for celebratory drinks and biscuits.  We stayed there for a while and enjoyed Ken’s hospitality and admired his boat, we were particularly impressed by his canopy, which enclosed the cockpit area and protected us from the elements.  Eventually we left for Ian and Gillian to prepare out evening meal, it was now after nine, and then bed to see what tomorrow would bring.

Even the fishing boats decided it was too rough for them also and got down to some maintenance

Norman collecting rope to lash up the mast ready for taking over to Silver River

Slippers, Skipper of Jetwind

One of the rooms in the Grove museum

Tuesday 5th May

Gloomy and overcast and raining now and then, mostly now.  The 0730 Coastguard forecast promised more F5-6 occasionally F7 for the next 24 hours easing to F3-4 for a time after midnight.
Ian suggested that Kirkcudbright was now out of the question as it would take us further from home, which wasn’t a good idea with the long-range forecast, we still intended to get back to Glasson on Friday.  So we changed our plan to leave for Whitehaven this afternoon or even tomorrow morning.

After lunch David went of to the pier to fish and Ian, Gillian and Michael went in search of the museum that Ken had recommended, the Grove Museum.

It was too windy for David to fish off the pier so he soon gave up.
We found David and all of us went for a swim in the baths before our evening meal.  I had no swimming shorts so David leant me a pair of his but I couldn’t get them past my buttocks so I went in in my underpants, from a distance they looked like swimming shorts.
After Our meal David, Ian & Gillian watched the football in the pub across from the quay.

The other side of the swing bridge.  The white hull with sandy coloured undersides is Sepie of Cultra, Jerry's boat

The only remaining shipyard

One of Ramsey's ships

Spring harvest

Ben Varrey

Ben Maye

Wetherspoon’s is at the end of the Bus Station block or I should say former Bus Station.  This brought back memories for me as I had once visited this bus station for work many years ago.  Prime site obviously too good to use as a bus station now.

Wednesday 6th May

David’s eighteenth birthday today!
Ian decided that we would go for Whitehaven.  We left around 0730 hours as soon as we floated, disturbing Slippers but the others all seemed to be awake.  The forecast was W/SW F5-7 but there was hardly any wind at Ramsey.
We motored out of the harbour and put the main up with one reef in.  The sea was calm but there was a short swell so we motored on.  After about ten miles we saw a swallow and some guillemots.  The guillemots seemed to be everywhere.  The visibility got very poor then cleared a little.  It was still miserable and gloomy with light drizzle.  The wind started to wake up and we unfurled the jib.  We wanted to maintain our speed, five and a half to six knots so we motor sailed.  As we progressed towards our destination the wind increased to force five or more.  The visibility improved a little and we could make out St. Bee’s Head.
At last Whitehaven came in to sight and by now the sea had got decidedly lumpy.  Gillian was controlling the mainsheet, Ian helming.  We furled the jib and David took the mainsail down.  Ian called up the Sea Lock and they opened up for us and directed us to a berth across from the sea lock, D13.  After approaching the wrong one we moored up in the correct space and relaxed.  Gillian made us all sandwiches, which were eagerly devoured.
The rain stopped so Ian, Gillian and David set off for an exploratory walk and I stayed behind to, voluntarily, wash down the decks.  We had suffered a lot of ribbing from the other Glasson crews because of the somewhat grubby state of Chablis’ deck.  It was my contribution to the days efforts, Ian, Gillian and David are all looking after me very well.
We found that Fur Coat No Knickers, Suinabhal, Honey of Bosham and Meniscus were all in the marina.
Still can’t really believe that we had done so well in the race.
There was a brief shaft of sunshine then the wind started to get up again like yesterday evening.
After showers we all trooped of to J D Wetherspoon’s for David’ birthday meal.  Ian and Gillian had got a birthday cake for him whilst we were in Ramsey.

We were enjoying the luxury of the marina but surprisingly the wind was so strong that we went to sleep listing about five to ten degrees!

Clothes horse!

An oystercatcher waiting for th tide to go out

A scenic railway

We were well wrapped up against the cold

We had made the right decision!

Thursday 7th May

Wind SW 6-8 severe gale force 9 imminent – no sailing today.
More showers – not rain.  Ian pegged out all the clothes and towels out to dry.

We were blessed with anther sunny day, windy and cold but more than acceptable.
We strolled north along the cycle track to Parton.

Years ago I came to Whitehaven, before the sea lock, when the tide went out and left the dock full of coal dust.  I remarked to my companions at the time "If this was in Cornwall it would be a thriving dock full of pleasure boats".  Today it is reaching that status with some lovely renovated and new dock type buildings surrounding the quays, it's a pity that a there are a couple of new buildings out of character with a thriving dock but nevbertheless it is becominga lovely place to visit.  They could evelop the town away from the dock wher new architecture wouldn't look out of place.

Later Ian repaired the spray hood, which had suffered some damage due to the rough weather sailing.

We had pies for lunch and pasta for tea.

Gales were now forecast in nearly all areas!

Friday 8th May

The wind still SW 6-8 severe gale force 9 imminent – no sailing again today.
We walked in the opposite direction today, to the Haig pit, or more correctly The Haig Colliery Mining Museum .  It's sad to see thriving industries and communities decimated.  I think the history and character of the place should be preserved and it can be done without compromising the present and future generations. Ramsey has a similar feel and it is good to see Silver River, Ban Maye, Ben Varrey and the service still running.

We were well received and given a demonstration of the winding engine followed by a guided tour round the building.  A rewarding experience.
We had lunch in a café and returned to the boat.

I expressed a preference to stay and read in the sun so Ian, Gillian and David went of on another exploration.

Euroclydon of Teignmouth entering the sea dock.  Ian, Gillian and David watched her leave the outer harbour, as she did the bows went under and a wave broke over her!

David about to board the train to Preston

Saturday 9th May

By now Gillian and Ian had done most of the cooking with David making the occasional sandwich. I think Michael made the odd cup of tea and sometimes washed up, he never prepared a meal.

The forecast still wasn’t good, there was a little less wind and no gale warnings.  The wind seemed very strong in the marina but the forecast said it would drop later.  We decide that we may be able to go today. 

We waited patiently but the wind didn’t ameliorate.  Ian went of to pay our marina fees but still the wind blew.
David had to be back at work on Monday and it was looking like we wouldn’t be back by then.
We visited the Tourist Information office to check on rail and bus times and fares.  We walked to the railway station to check on the information, the Tourist Office weren’t’ all that convincing.  The alternatives where a bus at 0700 hours on Sunday or a train at 1634 hours today.  After much deliberation David decided that the best option was for him to catch the train, which would give us the freedom to stay a little longer in Whitehaven if necessary.

The remaining three of us walked along to Parton again

We decided to go for it and entered the sea lock at 2110 hours.
We put the sails up before leaving the outer harbour, one reef in the main.  We got round St. Bee’s Head and managed to point towards Piel but we kept the motor on and motor sailed to maintain speed again.
The wind was light, well a lot lighter than we’d been used to, but there were still lumpy seas.

The seals were just at the end of the spit of land

Sunday 10th May

We arrived at Piel in daylight at around 0500 hours, passing the seal colony at the entrance to Piel Harbour.
We picked up a mooring and retired to our bunks.
We rose at 0845 hours, prepared to leave and slipped the mooring minutes later.

The VHF was alive with conversations by the remaining Isle of Man Squadron.  We hadn’t come first in our Class!  Penny Diamond  had been placed in the wrong Class, as a result of her getting her handicap adjusted at the last moment.  Her trophy went to Eureka and ours to Penny Diamond.  We were now second in our Class behind Penny Diamond.  However we were still second overall.

As we left Piel it seems that Rice Pudding and Florence were waiting to go up the Lune Channel and Jetwind was approaching Lune River No. 1.  All of them coming over direct from Ramsey.

Norman had arranged to have Rice Pudding’s mast transported to Glasson on Silver River and the mast was already at the Club waiting for him.

Michael's breakfast was home made muesli and rice milk. Early in the cruise he challenged the rest of the crew to share it with him but even though they could brave stormy seas and gale force winds they couldn't stomach his meusli and rice milk.

Saturday 16th May

The Club incorporated a small celbration of the Glasson Squadron into the planned social evening with the group Retro