Chris Carr

The first leg from Newlyn to S Wales was a challenge with confused 3m seas around Lands End and into the Bristol channel. Us crewman felt dodgy most of the day. Already 5am, Dale Bay, tucked in the west corner of Milford Haven, was the perfect place to get our heads down for a few hours. The next day was was a complete contrast with sunshine and blue skies. Fellow crewman Ronnie took us through the eddies of Skomer and Ramsey islands via St Brides bay. Then it was over to Wicklow, anchoring outside the North Harbour wall which was calm when we dropped anchor at 1am but rolly later in the night after the SW wind had got up past 20Kn. Next day, we stopped in at the impressive walled harbour of Dun Laoghaire for fuel and reheated curry leftovers from the previous night before heading on up the Irish coast. Passing Lambay island, we cut across the sea corner, aiming for an overnight stop at the wonderfully named Knockinelder Bay (aka Kearney point) just north of the entrance to Strangford lough. When we got there at 1am, we all agreed we were good for a few more cuppa soups so decided to push on to Donaghadee so we could time the passage though the north channel a bit better. Up at 7am, we set off the next morning at 7:30am (HW Dover at 9am) and got ready to ride the tide up to SW Scotland. Best recorded SOG was 11.2kn with 3.1kn of tide. At this rate, we were tempted to go non-stop to Oban but the attraction of a 7pm stopver won the day. We considered Kinuachdrach harbour on the NE of Jura but in end chose the bay on the west side of Crinan Harbour which gave us perfect shelter. On the last day, we got up and away at 6:00am for the 4 hour sail up to Oban fuelled by another of Ronnie's breakfast specials. Epic and exhilarating trip in great company.

Slipped mooring at Laboe marina at 14:20, passed through the Holtenau lock and were on our way down the Kiel canal at 15:45. Moored overnight in the Giselau canal. Up at 06:00 the next morning and exiting the Brunsbuttel lock at 10:00. Quick stop in Cuxhaven for a visit to the Bundespolizei for an exit stamp on my passport. More motoring along the north side of the Frision islands to Ijmuiden for a handy self-service fuel stop. Continued south as far as the Dutch Schouwen peninsula then changed course westward across to the the UK East coast via the North side of the Borselle wind farm. Then back along the UK coast to Southampton.