UK....again

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Tyboron to Lowerstoft -
420nm





So in checking the weather, it looked like we had a
better window if we went now, to get another 12 hours under our belt. So we untied and headed out to sea. We had a few hours of light left so it was
good to be out in the open by dark. We
had everything on this trip, we started out sailing nicely. Then over the next 4 days we had very thick
fog, some rain, some good sailing, some motoring and lots of tacking. For 24hrs we were tacking at the change of
each watch – but still sailing. After
one of my off watches, I came up on deck to find a big shiny beach ball. Phil had seen it on his watch and had gone
and rescued it. He wasn’t sure what it
was at first as the colours were reflecting in the sun. We had a few ships but not too many, dodged
quite a few oil rigs, and saw a few dolphins..but not many. The last few hours into Lowerstoft we
could’ve been sailing, but motor sailed as we wanted to keep up the speed so
that we had the current with us going up the channel into Lowerstoft. The current is so strong here, we wouldn’t be
able to fight against it.


















9^th – 12^th








Lowerstoft








Had a few days here in Lowerstoft due to the weather. The winds are against us so we can’t sail south. Well, not comfortably anyway! It is really nice to be in a country where I know what I am buying in the supermarket and not just guessing. 3 times in Europe I accidently bought sour milk. It looks like milk and is in the same colour as the normal milk, but I guess I was missing the writing that sail ‘sour’. For the first day, I kept turning around when I heard someone speaking in English! Then I would remember that I was in an English speaking country!!








We checked all of the local shops we could to find a 12v tv. Ours has been broken for months now. And no luck anywhere. Everyone said we should try online. So we did. We found a reasonable priced one, it had good reviews, and so we bought it. We paid 10 pounds extra to have it delivered to us on Saturday..the next day (if it was a week day it would’ve been next day delivery for free). I got a text Saturday morning saying it would be delivered between 10:15 and 11:15. And sure enough it was. We were sitting up in the yacht club using the wifi and it was delivered at 10:30 – no problems at all. Have to be the easiest we’ve bought anything online!








At this stage we still hadn’t heard from Lake yard to see if we could haul out there for winter, so we went for a walk up the river to check another marina where we could haul out for winter if we wanted. Then over the next few days we also checked Dover and Brighton and decided that we could head south, without hearing from Lake Yard as we’d probably stay in Brighton as our friend Pippa could keep an eye on the boat when we’re not there. She lives on her boat Wanda in the marina there. Also she’s a Harbour Master at the marina. Had already decided to leave on Tues 13^th, and heard from Lake Yard that they had room and we could stay there today…on the 12^th. Yay, so now we’re on our way to Lake Yard. Will work our way along the coast.
















13^th








Lowerstoft to Dover – 92nm








We did have a place we could pull into if necessary come night time, but as all the conditions were with us, we decided to keep going and do an overnighter to Dover. We had a good sail down, it got a bit busy as we got closer to dover and of course Phil was on watch then – as he always is coming into a Port, but especially one as busy as Dover. It was a clear night and Calais looked so very close. It always is tricky coming into Dover with the currents and the big breakwalls, but even worse at night. Well it was 5am – so still dark. We spoke on the radio to get permission all along the way, 3 miles out, a mile out, and then to enter, we got green lights, then on the radio again to the marina guy to get our spot. He first allocated a finger berth, but we knew from last time it was squeezy, so he gave us a hammerhead! We tied up, called marina guy on the radio and asked if we could settle up later in the morning…and then went to sleep!
















14^th – 15^th








Dover to Lake Yard – 141nm








Got up around 9am, sorted out with the marina, went for a walk up to the chandlery and then, on reflection on the weather, currents and tides, we decided that rather than leaving tomorrow morning as initially planned we should leave…NOW! So we did. About 4pm we left Dover. Just as we were heading out, so was another yacht, so we must have made the right decision. It was very choppy as we left, due to the currents, so the other yacht stayed in close to shore and we headed out a bit. It looked like it was choppy wherever you were. They tried to sail, but we kept motoring. Not sure what happened to them, if they caught a fish trap, or just had to sail, but they started doing strange things and we kept going. After about an hour the seas all calmed down and it got pleasant. We were even able to sail. Our first stop was going to be Eastbourne, but when we got there, we were sailing beautifully at 6kts, the wind, currents and everything was with us…..so we kept going








Then we were going to stop at Brighton, but it was in the middle of the night…conditions were still great. We were both doing well on watches so kept going…could’ve stopped at Chichester..but no need.








I came up from one off watch…to find a huge paddle board lashed to the side of the boat. Phil had rescued a paddle board….and I hadn’t even heard him!!








Next stop….Cowes..Isle of wight. But hey…conditions are great, we’re sailing along beautifully…we could be in lake yard in 6hrs…before dark!!








So we did. I called Lake Yard, and were allocated a mooring and by 6pm that night we were sitting pretty at the Lake Yard Bar.
















17^th – 20^th








Mooching around Lake Yard. So nice to think that we don’t have to sail to another destination for a while. We’re out on a mooring so it’s a bit of a pain getting into shore each time, but the marina is totally full. In a way it’s nice to be out, but then with the stronger winds, it makes it a bit rough out there. At night, we get 6 hours of calm water, but then when the tide changes, we get wind against tide, and it gets a bit rough. Not enough to be uncomfortable, but enough to disturb your sleep. Fortunately we’ve only had 2 nights with strong winds.








Phil went out fishing in the Zodi and came back with Dinner!! 2 Sea bass. The minimum size is 42cms. But we didn’t know that at the time…I read it online when he got back. Fortunately the ones he got were 44 and 48cms. AND you are only allowed 1 bass per angler. Fortunately I was the second!! When we went into the Bar that night and told everyone, Robin said he loved Sea Bass, so we said we’d bring them in for lunch the next day.








And we did. Ali cooked them up for us in the kitchen. So sweet and tasty.
















21^st – 23^rd








Drove down to Cornwall for a very short visit. So nice to catch up with family again. Stayed at Pensipple with Non and Lindsey (Grace and Richard) and managed to catch up with Bryan, Clyve and Ann for afternoon tea, Lydia and Barbara, for tea, and also Lizzie and Archie for coffee on the morning we drove out. A bit rushed and lots of cups of tea, but better than not visiting at all. Had the usual fish and chips at Looe – become a regular thing now.
















25^th








Moved into the marina today, onto the visitors pontoon, so nice to be able to walk ashore again and not get wet going in and out in the Zodi. It’s been a bit windy the last couple of days, so a bit lumpy out on the mooring and noisy every 6 hours as the tide turns and we get extra chop caused by wind against tide. So, breathe a sigh of relief, not moving, very still and quiet alongside. Robbie threw down the challenge a few nights ago in the bar by stating “you can’t cook a roast on the bbq”, he invited us to his place to see how a ‘real roast was cooked’ and tonight we went there to sample his version of a roast. Very nice, pork done in the slow cooker, lots of veggies and crispy roast potatoes. Will be hard to beat, but then again, roast done in the bbq will always be very different from roast done in a slow cooker. Apparently it’s been a bit of a talking point in the bar, people telling Robbie he’s going to lose. Personally I don’t think there will be a loser (as there is no independent judge) mainly as you really can’t compare the two types of cooking. Oh well, it’s become a bit of the Lake Yard roast cook off. We will have to do our roast when we return in March..there’s no time now really before we haul out on Wednesday.
















26^th








Earlier, last month, I ran out of Vegemite. I put out an SOS on Facebook showing my empty jar of Vegemite, and had so many offers to send me some more from people at home. However as we will be back there in late February, I declined all offers. However today Jack presented me with a jar of vegemite. He’d ordered it online. So nice to have Vegemite on toast for breakfast once more.








Then we invited the Lake Yard crew down to boat for drinks after work – and gave them vegemite and cheese on bikkies for snacks. They all loved it!! That proved to be a very late night (or rather..early morning)
















28^th








Haul out day. Early start as we had an 0800 haul out. It all went very smooth, the guys here know the boat and we know them, so it was the first time I was actually quite relaxed during haul out, and that I managed a good nights sleep last night. Usually I don’t sleep well at all the night before. So now we continue the ‘winterising of boat.’
















29^th – 30^th








As we have the time, we’re having later starts to the day. Staying at a B&B up the road, have a big cooked breakfast, come down do a few hours work, coffee at the bar, then some more work, don’t need a big lunch, and then have an early knock off. This is the way to finish a season. We have dropped off our sail to be repaired while we’re away (the one that ripped in Storm Katie back in April), have organised the Yanmar guys to come and fix the transmission – we believe some seals need repairing, the cockpit cushions are going to be recovered, and Bod will fix the bobstay fitting. So lots organised to happen while we are away. People are happy to do the work when they have the time.

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