2010 Isle of Man Race and Afterwards

We left Glasson at 0110 hours on Saturday morning 1st May.  It was still with a clear sky.

Night sailing can be enchanting, especially when you can see the stars and moon, as we could tonight. The plough was plainly visible and using the north star we negociated our way out to sea. We'll it sounds good but we just sailed out like we always do, one eye on the depth gauge and one on the buoys and Lune River buoy.

We motored out, confident of the high tide, and went straight to River Lune buoy.

We hoisted the sails as we passed River Lune but as we were more or less sailing into what little wind there was we kept motoring. the large moon rose and with the stars made a spectacular display.

After two hours, Ian connected up the autohelm and we changed watch, David and Paul taking over.  Around 0500 hours, it was now light, I looked out into the cockpit and found our two mariners fast asleep, one either side of the cockpit.  The engine droned on and Chablis sailed on dead to the world like the Mary Celeste.

Having roused them from their slumbers we took over again.  The sun warmed us, a little, I've never been so cold, and we managed to sail the last few miles.

There were frequent pairs of guillemots but nearing the Isle of Man we spotted two puffins

Magholdhead

Approaching the entrance to the harbour

Entering the harbour

The Glasson boats in the distance, these had left on the afternoon tide on Friday.

Our old friend Silver River at home

Jet Wind, Strider, Triagos, Penny Diamond and Billy Ruffian, alongside which we rafted.  You can't see Misty who is alongside the wall hidden by the other boats.

Rice Pudding and Florence were rafted alongside a motor cruiser a few metres further into the harbour, before the bridge.

Everyone was tired after their crossings but Jim Strider, wasn't feeling very well.

Sunday, race day. We'd lost a batten on the way over but we were to discover that there were three missing. Ian found one down below plus the one we had saved before it fell into the sea but we were still one short.  John Penny Diamond lent us one and we sewed them all in place to prevent them flirting out again.

We motored out into the bay, raised the sails and set about positioning ourselves for the start.  Michael said we want to be over on the right-hand side of the line ready to cross the line on port tack. Stupid.  We should have arranged to start on starboard tack - basic principle - but that wasn't all. We got tucked too far into the corner of the bay and lost the wind, we had our work cut out stemming the incoming tide.  So instead of a great start we were worried sick that we wouldn't make the line at all!  We eventually crossed the line ten minutes late!  The boats were all over the place on different courses however we decided not to get too far offshore.  We had one reef in and were strugglingto control the boat by the time we reached the Point of Ayre.  We put another reef in but were late, almost an hour late, to go round the point.  The overfalls had reached the shore by the time we got to the Point so we had to plough into them, which surprisingly weren't too bad. We missed our first tack but got round and surged out of the mayhem and on with the race.

Now we had time to enjoy the sailing and the views of the Isle of Man.  The gorse, which was everywhere on the island was particularly bright and joyful. The gannets flying close to the surface of the sea and at times diving spectacularly from heights.

We spotted Triagos and Jet Wind trailing far behind, they had tacked way over to the east on the way to Point of Ayre. Our race was pretty uneventful for a time.  Past Peel, Triagos and Jet Wind suddenly seemed to be getting closer and they almost caught us rounding the Calf of Man but we gybed and began to pull away again.  We'd got to the Calf of Man at low water, our passage plan had us off Langness Point by then but that was not to be.  We set course for Langness Point and got round without any problems although the weather was deteriorating by then.  Jet Wind was the first to catch us but they went out wide and stayed level, Triagos stayed close by.

As we were approaching Douglas, the night was closing in, I went below and took no further part in the race until we crossed the line.  Ian and David were in control and the wind was dying away.  Triagos decided that the yahd had enough and ducked into Douglas for the night.  A storm blew up with rain lashing down but I missed all that.  Ian and David pressed on.  Jet Wind finished ahead of us but we were ahead on handicap.

We crossed the line around 0247 hours and by 0400 hours had managed to berth and get into out bunks.

We ended up fourteenth overall, winning our class but hen our class was incorporated into anoither class so we came away with nothing.  Penny Diamond got 4th Oveall, won her Class and got 1st Bilge keeler.  Rice Pudding won her Class, only 21st overall, and Jet Wind was awarded the Endeavor Trophy.

1300 hours Monday was scheduled to be the prize giving but it dragged on until later in the afternoon, when we'd missed the tide, so we decided to leave our planned departure for the Isle of Whithorn till tomorrow but probably we would go straight to Kirkcudbright.

Tuesday, good forecast. We left around 0700 hours with David skipper and Paul crew, Ian and Michael taking a back seat.

There wasn't much wind so we motored for a while. soon we were sailing. some time later, two hours off the Little Ross, we decided we'd have to motor again.  We arrived at the entrance to Kirkcudbright in plenty of time and proceeded up the channel.  We tied up in fornt of Florence and Rice Pudding who had made a faster crossing, as you would expect.

In the evening we all went to the Masons Arms and Norman organised a pool tournament, of sorts.  I bought our first round of drinks - £14.40 for three pints of lager and a guiness for me!!!  Later on we were joined by a group of RAF personnel who had been grounded by the volcanic ash.  They introduced us to a new varation of the game, which everyone took part in at the same time, until they got elliminated.

Wednesday. All the crew with the exception of me, went for an early morning swim in the nearby swimming pool.  Later Ken took us to the Queeine factory where Ian purchased a box of Qeenies.

Three hours before high water, the Harbour Master, said we'd be OK to push the tide, which we found that we were, we left for Whitehaven.  Approaching Little Ross we met Triagos who had stayed for an extra day in Ramsey.

Brian and Audrey

We motored on putting the sails up but ehre wasn't much wind.  Eventually we got a little sail, towards the end of the passage but motored towards Whitehaven.  A couple of miles away we drifted around while David and Paul tried to catch our supper, sadly with no success.

Meanwhile, as it was getting late, aproaching 2000 hours, Ian prepared our supper:

Crush a little fresh garlic, mix with the melted butter, coat the queenies with the mix and fry on a moderate heat for two minutes each side, serve on a bed of chopped salad and garnish with black pepper.

They were delicious.

Inside the sea lock

We're the sith boat from the left, this is Thursday morning.

Whitehaven marina 'facilities' are the best on the West Coast.

After a makeshift lunch we set off eastwards for a walk along the cliff tops.

Today was David's nineteenth birthday and he likes to celebrate it with a meal at Witherspoons.  Ian and I had mixed grilles but David and Paul and large mixed grilles.  Somewhat of a departure for me but the others enjoyed the meal.

Friday, iffy forecast but no rain and good visibility.  We left the sea lock at 0710 hours hoisted the sails and motored round St. Bee's Head, seemed to take for ever.  We then sailed all the way to Abbey Light - somewhat lumpy at times. We ended up with three reefs in the main and a partially folded jib.  I had my longest spell on the tiller, from before Selkirk buoy to Lune Rivere buoy.  We arrived at Lune river buoy about two hours too soon, four hours before high water.  We ploughed up and down dodging the large ships, I've never seen so many at one time.

We picked up the mooring at about 1830 hours.