A rambling circuit of random places Raparee’s unplanned, partly (65%) solo, circuit of Britain and Ireland, with a bit of island exploration. (From 2016 log and blog extracts, with all most of the non-Radio 4 blue and rude bits removed). Leg 1: Solent to Northern Ireland – with crew (sometimes) Sea Area Wight - Coastal Waters Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis Wednesday 1st June 2016 Cowes to Portland

After the usual last-minute faffing, and a spot of grandchild tickling, the never- ready Raparee and her indecisive skipper dragged themselves away from Cowes for a slow solo sail westward. There was a plan of some kind….well sort of. Sail to Ireland, from somewhere in the south west, possibly on Sunday or early in the week. Maybe head for Crookhaven in West Cork, and carry on further south and up the west coast…..or Kinsale as my first point, before carrying on west. If I do get up the Irish West coast, I’d like to see the Aran Islands and Dun Aengus, that huge mysterious iron-age fort there. I could hang about at other places (like Bantry, Bearhaven, Dingle, etc). All very fluid. My sit-on kayak on deck is great for exploring places. After that, I’ll take the top route out across to the Scottish Islands. No crew yet but would be happy to have anybody along who wants to do short hops. It's over 2000 mile around, and I need to complete it before the summer is out.....in fact I want to be home sometime in August. A pleasant enough first day, but by the time I got to the Kingdom of Jurassia, I was too late to struggle against Portland Bill so I made a last minute decision to harden up and fight into Portland harbour for an overnighter at the RNSA buoy. Always fun finding it, and picking it up solo, in the dark, in a good breeze!

Sea Area Portland - Coastal Waters Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis & Lyme Regis to Land’s End Thursday 2nd June. Portland to Salcombe Oh-crack-sparrow-fart start and out and around Portland …….wasn’t too sure to where…see how far I got, I suppose. A long day across Lyme Bay with wind up and down. Everything from reefed to becalmed and engine. Plenty of Dolphins around. I like sitting on the bow and singing to them, but they roll their eyes, groan, and bugger off when they hear me. Start Pt abeam 1830. Do I do a full solo overnighter?…..or….well… or perhaps not, as the wind had all but disappeared…it was a lovely evening for an early zig zag up into Salcombe to find the elusive RNSA buoy. Strong ebb tide, so experimented with 6 different types of boat hook, lasso, bowline, and a prongy/hooky thing on a stick (PHTS). The PHTS did it in the end but as the stick is only 2 feet long I had to do some limbo-ing. Amusing for onlookers and appetite whetting for a G&T. Toasted Cosmonaut Tim as he whizzed by overhead. Sea Area Plymouth - Coastal Waters Lyme Regis to Land’s End Fri 3rd June. Salcombe to Falmouth Another early start for refuelling at the friendly barge in the river, before the long leg across to Cornwall. Had to overcome the temptation to stop at the Yealm and play with my friends there, but know I must push on. If you want to get somewhere, just go straight there… put off the holiday stops until the return leg. Eddystone abeam at noon so I decide to make it across to Falmouth in a oner. I know the harbour and the creeks there well, and there’s a good RNSA buoy over in St Mawes. Despite falling winds got in in time for supper. The buoy had a good pick-up thingy attached so didn’t need the PHTS this time!

Fig 1: RAPAREE

Saturday 4th. At Falmouth Saturday shore leave was granted, so dinghy up and away for water and huge pasties. Lots of working boat Gaffers racing in the harbour. Very pretty sight. Fond memories as I was an Old Gaffer myself once, don’t you know! Met up with friends (and fellow CA Members) Graham & Sheena Gibson and was invited ‘up homers’ for a meal ashore. Graham announced he’d like to come across to Ireland for a few days as well. Sheena says OK. So good. That’s serendipity. Sunday 5th June. Falmouth to Scillies. Away from Falmouth at 0840 for a long slow drift/sail to the Scillies. Thick fog to start with but burnt off by mid-afternoon. At the Scillies, as we weren’t staying long, we decided on mooring ‘round the back’, at Porth Cressa. Nice and quiet evening lying to one of half a dozen private buoys. Sea Area –Lundy/Fastnet Coastal Waters Carnsore Pt to Mizen Hd Monday 6th June. Scillies to Kinsale Ireland Early this morning a Dory came alongside with the sweet and helpful buoy lady (lady-buoy?). She is so pleasant, skipper thinks about changing plans and staying here longer and has to concentrate on the task in hand. Time to head out to sea now……… Out between the misty rocks on a NW course for a bloody bloody long long droning drifting fluky rolly frustrating 26 hours of motor sailing. Wind and visibility up and down. Very humid and warm. Mr Beta working hard. A lot of not very interesting watch-keeping. Tuesday PM 7 June. At sea to Kinsale. Passed through the ghostly Kinsale oil fields in the early dawn and finally brought up the harbour heads at 0900. Up harbour past the town to Castlepark Marina, which has a good fuel pontoon, then back down to the Town Marina and the hospitable sailing club. Raparee & I know this place well as bits of the family live hereabouts and we use it a lot as a crew change base. It’s a great spot for pubs and restaurants and not too far from Cork airport.

Beautiful warm weather today. Family visits and shopping. Joined all day onboard by a friendly Pidgeon who pooed on the Nav Plan, the one we need tomorrow for the south coast towards west Cork and possibly Schull and Baltimore. Simon, my youngest brother is coming along as well, and may get off later on at Bantry or Dingle. Aim is to get towards Dingle area towards end of next week, as a jumping off place towards Galway bay and the Aran Islands. Galway City is possible before or after the Arans. Perhaps my old school friend David McAvinchey, an Irish speaker, will act as interpreter and guide in the Gaeltacht areas? Thereafter northwards towards Achill and NW Ireland and then over to north Scotland, in the first weeks of July.

Wednesday 8 June. Kinsale to Baltimore. At Kinsale. Warm enough for brekkers in cockpit. Slip westward 0950. Skipper Mike, crew Simon and Graham. Compulsory MOB evolutions in harbour. Lovely motor sail along South Cork coast. 1650 enter Baltimore. Explore harbour. Berth 1755 alongside 55ft training yacht on short visitor pontoons on the town (stbd) side. Friendly shore staff. Basic facilities. Good pubs. Interesting place with much history. The village was sacked by Moorish pirates in the 17th C, and most of the population carried off into slavery. There was resentment for centuries afterwards against the local colonial authorities, who totally failed to come to the aid of their people. Thurs 9 June. Baltimore to Schull Depart Baltimore 0925, towing the dinghy, after decent showers ashore and a breakfast of local black and white pudding. Tricky navigation and by Graham and Simon through various passes, sounds, and the islands of Roaringwater Bay. Around Sherkin Is and through Gascanane Sound. Important to study tidal streams carefully here to avoid rocks and shallows.

Fig 2: Fal Working Boat

Fig 3: Kinsale guest pigeon

Arr Schull on the Mizen peninsula at 1120 and find the visitors moorings tucked across the far side of the town bay. Nowadays Schull is a popular fishing, holiday, and boating area, but a medieval seat of learning here gave the town its name (from Scoil, Gaelic for school). Ashore to drop Graham off to catch the noon bus for Cork so he can fly home next morning. Ashore again PM to meet my other brother Ken from his bus at 1800 and to the pub for Guinness and fish & chips on the town quay. Dinghy back for whisky and late night nav planning. Sea Area – Shannon. Coastal waters Mizen Hd to Loop Hd Friday 10 June. Schull to Derrynane At Schull. Depart Northwest 0920. All 3 Buggy brothers on board! Compulsory MOB evolutions (Everyone takes part. Always done after crew change). Horrible heavy rain, and windless, until 1500. Bring up the great jutting finger of Mizen Head, the most SW point of Ireland, in the mist just after noon. Its dramatic cliff scenery was, for many seafarers, the first (or last) sight of Europe, A museum in the old signal station displays the site's significance for transatlantic shipping and communications, including the work of Marconi. In drizzling stillness we motor across the great fjord like bays of Dunmanus and Bantry. Ireland has five great SW peninsulas – Dingle, Iveragh, Beara, Sheep's Head, and Mizen. Whole seasons could be spent cruising these wonderful headlands bays but for us I’m afraid it’s ever onward. We head in towards the tip of the Beara Peninsula, to find Dursey Island, separated from the mainland by Dursey Sound. The sound has a very strong tidal race, with

submerged rocks in the centre. The island’s 6 residents are connected to the mainland by a cable car. I recalculate the clearance of the cable car about 50 times. It seemed like only metres above the mast. A tight fit, good for the heart rate but we go through looking up at a bunch of curious trekkers in their swaying capsule. The wind comes up for a nice remaining evening sail with dolphins. Arr Derrynane 1700. A tiny tiny tiny tiny tiny tiny very pretty little lagoon type harbour at the bottom outer end of the Kerry Valentia peninsula. Scarily difficult to get in and out of. Using very sketchy leading marks and beacons,

you pass within touching distance of unmarked rocks awash. Beaker people mined for copper here around 2000 BC, and more recently, Derrynane was the home of one of Ireland’s 19thC revolutionary heroes Daniel O’Connell MP ‘the Liberator’. PM all ashore in dinghy for beautiful unspoilt beach walk to ancient Pub. Saturday 11 June. Derrynane to Dingle At Derrynane. Depart Northward 1000 towards Dingle at the bottom of the topmost SW peninsula, but if we don't make that, it will be Valentia at the top of the big Iveragh peninsula. Around midday we pass through the Skelligs archipelago and circumnavigate the dramatic Skellig Michael. This towering dramatic isolated stack is famous as a remote seat of early Celtic Christianity and was recently used as the new Star Wars film setting. Fast afternoon broad reach on a grey and cool day. Arr Dingle 1700. Now raining heavily. Dingle is a colourful and busy place. Home of Funghi the Dolphin, many tourists and Celtic gift shops, genuine ‘oirish’ pubs and much foot tapping. The main dangers in the harbour entrance are the powerful Funghi-boats who vie with each other furiously and charge about recklessly, totally ignoring IRPCS. Dolphin images abound ashore. There is a good little modern marina and facilities with friendly staff. Fuel by can, although can also be got in larger quantities at the commercial pier. Meal and pub ashore, but got very wet in torrential downpours. Sun 12 Jun. At Dingle, Co Kerry. Busy Boatwork, shopping, and sorting day. Windy unsettled weather. More pub checking. Expensive fish meal in expensive fish restaurant. Pints of Guinness in various trad pubs. Cloth caps and diddly dee and more Guinness.

Figure 4: Simon & Graham. Kinsale Old Head

Fig 5: Dursey Is. Cable Car

Fig 6: 2 X Buggy brothers at the Skelligs

Monday 13 Jun. Dingle Very rainy start. Older brother Ken left early AM. The thought of three or four days or more, of pretty indifferent weather put him off. He didn't fancy being stuck in Dingle as he couldn’t drink any more. There is only so much sparkling water one can drink. Younger brother Simon left later at 1330, leaving me solo for a while. I put another 40 ltrs of Diesel in the tank and also in my shoes, which is an ancient tradition on Raparee. Shopping and large home-made pizzzzzzza. Not sure of plans yet until weather settles. Tuesday 14 Jun. Reality in Dingle: Still weather-bound. But good day as I got a chance to go over the Sound to the Blasket Islands with Billy, a capable young man, running one of his family boats. Not many people about today because of the forecast. The boat had twin turbocharged 150hp Yanmar diesels and went like poo off a digging implement. We went to a buoy off the main island where we changed over to a large RIB which took us into steps in a cove. Had a very fast energetic 3 hour walk around the main island....it's a lot bigger than expected. Interesting place. Lots of ruins, lots of birdlife, lots of seals. Sad to think that this was a home to a large community until the middle of the last century. It all came to an end…a bit like St Kilda. One of the outer islands in the group was owned by Charles Haughey, Irelands PM in the 70s and 80s. He was fond of skating on very thin ice, and fell in a few times I can tell you. He lived a shady Nixonesque, Bond villainesque type life. His island has helicopter pads, jetties and slipways. The others have ruins. Billy was much better with Funghi the Dolphin than the tourist boats....he had a knack of speeding up and slowing down which attracted the beastie over to us. Funghi surfaced alongside us several times, and told me he was well hacked off with bloody tourists. His breath smells. Haven't yet made any crew or navigation plans as I can't see a weather opportunity until late Friday or Saturday..... annoying as I have a very long way to go still. Still fingers crossed. If it's still pooey tomorrow I might assemble my folding bike and head into the country.....see how far I get before heart failure or a puncture. To bed after whiskey and guitar. Former good. Latter indifferent. IRONIC report from Dingle for today: 35degreesC. Humid and sticky. Waiting for it to cool down and bring some rain and wind before we leave. Sky far too bright. Had some rum at open air waterfront disco last night. Slept on deck as so hot. Pineapple for breakfast. Don't really want to leave this beautiful unspoilt idyll. Getting bored just snorkelling lazily in the bay and wearing swimmers and flip flops, can't wait to get my anorak back on. Supervalu is clean out of coconuts and limes. As no one has ever said in Dingle! Wednesday 15 June. Dingle Old school friend David Macavinchey from Tipperary arrived today as Mate and Crew. Had a meal ashore, then went to Curran’s pub again where they treated me like one of the locals. I even got nods and waves from the man-who-looks-like-the-Chieftains-flautist and the old man with a hat and the fat lady with the onion sack jumper. David spoke Irish to the bar staff who looked at him strangely, thinking perhaps he was a Polish immigrant. Thursday 16 June. Dingle to Ventry. Cold, damp, and windy. Decided to leave at noon today after 5 days waiting out strong Northerly winds. It was David’s decision for us to leave whatever the weather, in case I might lead him astray, so at noon we were helped off our blow-on berth by the HM and a kind American blue water sailor ’Dick’, and departed westward via the long winding approach channel. Funghi the D appeared for us in the channel. You could see his most recent prop scar on his starboard flank. The local fanny-boat drivers are rather careless in their enthusiasm to please the trippers, frequently driving over him in the process. Bouncing along the Dingle coast we realise it wasn’t a wise move to leave when we did, as the winds and seas increased dramatically, and Radio Eireann was giving a F7 Northerly.

Fig7: On Blasket Mor (Seals on distant beach)

We couldn’t face going back to kiss Funghi, so we diverted into Ventry Bay around 1400 where we found a mooring buoy with no pick up and a tiny squashed rusty top ring. It took us about 45 mins to pick up the bloody thing in the swell and wind. Emergency bacon butties needed. The wind got up to a steady 26 with gusts up to 30 or so with the rigging moaning away like a banshee. Too blowy to go ashore. Plan to leave tomorrow am and do battle with the ferocious Blasket Sound between the Islands and Kerry mainland. Then it's an 80 mile open sea NNE passage to the Aran Islands, unless we divert inshore into the Shannon Estuary. There is a slight lull forecast from midday Friday until sometime Sunday, when it all kicks off again, but from the South. Fingers crossed.

Fri 17th Jun. Ventry to Carrigaholt, Co Clare At Ventry. Morning porridge and dinghy deflating ops. Depart 0910 around Dingle headland and Northward into the challenging Blasket Sound. Dramatically beautiful landscape. Sea inky blue with whitecaps. Great fluffy clouds. Loads of gannets and other airgoing, seagoing, and undergoing feathered stuff. Slimy and rocky rocks to avoid. Motor-tacking up the Sound in order to keep the tide. The intention is to aim for the Aran Is. 70 odd miles North…but….hmm, the wind is sur le nez. Carry on motor sailing for hours into the chop along the Limerick coast, until close to Loop Head when we finally admit failure, and bear away up the Shannon to get a proper sail upriver and find a suitable overnight bay. About 10 miles upriver we find the small fishing harbour, Carrigaholt, on the Co Clare side of the estuary. Some vacant buoys but most look a bit dodgy. A fisherman on the jetty indicates a suitable one for us but also thinks we can come alongside the pier. Looked like a bit of an exposed and bouncy lee shore berth in the swell, so at around 1900 we take the buoy instead. The area is famous for its large pods of Dolphin, and there is a tall 15th C Castle with a very tortured history by the pier. Sat 18th. Carrigaholt, Co Clare to Kilronan, Inishmore, Aran islands 0810 Depart West down the Shannon to Loop Head where we turn Northward for a long seaward fetch off the Co Clare Coast and the dramatic Cliffs of Moher (400 to 700 feet high and a popular tourist sight). Not many yachts about in these parts, but plenty of Dolphins, Puffins, Guillemots, and Gannets.

Fig 8: Funghi’s farewell off Dingle

Figure 9: Carrigaholt Harbour, Shannon River

We arrive at Gregory Passage between the islands in late afternoon and finally secure to a buoy in Kilronan harbour, the main town of Inishmore in the Aran isles at 1630. The intention is to visit the huge and mysterious Iron Age fort at Dun Aengus before moving on to explore other islands. Inishmore has a sizeable population but Kilronan itself is now a bit tourist tat-ish. Father Ted meets 1950’s Skegness. Sort of. After moving to a bigger buoy and securing with extra lines and a chain, had a very wet run ashore this evening, and with a gale expected tomorrow, further shore leave might be difficult. Such are the delights of mid-summer in these parts. After much dinghy faffing had a good meal in the Pier House Restaurant

followed by Guinness in the pub. This is a Gaeltacht area so I've been trying out my old rusty school Irish with limited results. David, is a good speaker and achieves better results. Slainte Mhaith go leor as they say here. Found our dinghy trapped upside down on the handrails of the steps so took us some time to recover our dignity and get back aboard. Sea Area – Rockall. Coastal waters Loop Hd to Erris Hd. Sunday 19 Jun at Kilronan, Arans Boring grey wet windy rainy squally day. WE ARE PRISONERS on board…ALL DAY! David tries to teach me chess. Too much for me. Can’t take it in. Should have learned when I was young. Thinking ahead, our plan is to move on to the craggy and mountainous Connemara coast to work our way northwards. We could definitely do with some sun rather than this windy 8mm of rain! Nice supper and early night. Mon 20th. At Kilronan, Aran Is Ashore for many long walks on Inishmore. An unusual landscape. An ocean of limestone walls and tiny fieldlets. Huge under-cut cliffs on the western side. USA is the next stop over the horizon. Lots of wild flowers and garlic. (Harvested for salad on board!). A further long island-length walk through the limestone moonscape took us to

Dun Aengus. This very large stone built fort, is an international heritage site with the usual information centre at the entrance. Information centres are places which take your money to see what was free before. The fort itself doesn’t disappoint. A massive semi-circular affair built of huge cut stones. It is built on an 800ft sheer cliff edge. There are various levels, buttresses, gates, and steps built

into the fort, not unlike Minoan stuff in Greece. Not proven, but believed to be built by the Chiefs of early P-Celtic Bulgae tribes around 500-200 BC as they fought off the waves of incoming later Q-Celts, including those that would later become the Gaels. Water by dinghy from commercial jetty and meal ashore at Aran Hotel – good value.

Fig 10: Kilronan Harbour Aran Mor (That’s Raparee just inside the pier)

Fig 11: Dun Aengus, Aron Mor

Fig 12: Doorway at Dun Aengus

Tues 21. Kilronan, Inishmore to Clifden, Co Galway. Very tired after our exertions. Dinghy on deck etc. Dep Kilronan 1430. Northward passage on a rough and rainy day. Big swells. Well reefed. Many gybes. Big rocks. Large breakers. 2130 enter Clifden Bay. Awkward dropping the main in big swell off the wide scary rolly entrance. Pick up vacant buoy off Clifden Co Galway at 2200. Pizza and zzzzz. Weds 22 at Clifden, Co Galway Clifden is the capital of West Connemara. A handsome early Victorian town on the Owenglin River at the head of Clifden Bay. Its fortunes, and population, waxed and waned hugely down the years. Marconi opened his first transatlantic wireless station here. One of its workers went on to be the Titanic’s Radio Officer. The very first transatlantic flight also ended here…rather abruptly, as they mistook the bog by the radio station for a field and their Vickers Vimy upended in it. Clifden saw vicious fighting during both the War of Independence and the subsequent Civil War, and many building were destroyed. Ashore for a walk, shopping, and Guinness. Skipper bought 5 nations rugby top and David bought some smarter stuff. Ashore again PM for long walk (got lost) to the Abbey Glen Hotel where we were entertained and fed regally (Of course it helped a bit that mine host was my nephew-in-law!). Thursday 23 Jun Clifden to Inishbofin AM. At Clifden YC. Showers and Coffee at the great little yacht club by the landing stage in the river. Welcoming Commodore and friendly members. Lunch onboard after the weekly engine servicing. Dep Northward 1530. Big swell with squalls. Well reefed. Good boisterous coastal sail. Pick up the 2-beacon entrance transit to Inishbofin’s harbour at 1830. Temporarily berth alongside Ro-Ro Ferry Pier. At last, we are now on the lovely old island of Inishbofin off north Connemara. Walk ashore for pints and chips in Day’s Beach Bar on the jetty. No phone signal but local Wi-Fi and good Guinness. Friday 24 June. At Inishbofin. Moved very early AM to a large fisherman’s buoy out in the harbour. Very pretty place here, so full day walking and exploring ashore. The island has standing population of 160, down from 1400 in pre-famine days.

The Island passed between various clans before the Sasanaigh, and between Anglo-Norman lords thereafter. At one stage it was a base of the great Gaelic Pirate Queen and Elizabethan clan Chief Grace O’Malley (aka Grainne or Granuaille), who ruled most of these far western coastlands. Her descendants still exist as the Marquises of Sligo (Westport House). Who said piracy doesn’t pay? Ashore again for evening beer and more Irish practice. David has me buying the coffees and Guinness ‘as gaeilge’. All well so far, but not very warm, and heavy weather expected again soon. Getting steadily maddened and wearied by the endless grey weather and big seas. Oh for a nice day in the warm sun!

Not everyone’s view I know, but I was hacked off with the result of the UK Euro referendum. In my view, horrible for youth and future generations. Sat 25. Inishbofin to Blacksod Bay Dep Northward 0915 in company with a cheerful French yacht. Wind up and down and all over the place. Mix of sailing and motoring. At times frustratingly sloppy and floppy. With Achill Island abeam and a bad forecast we have to decide on a long offshore trip, or to divert into Blacksod, behind the Belmullet peninsula to starboard. A no-brainer really so we play safe and head in towards the 16km long bay Blacksod Bay, in North County Mayo, where after a bit of faffing and some chatter with fisherman we pick up a vacant Buoy by a small fishing harbour in a sheltered seaward corner inside the Bay at 1650. Ashore by dinghy for a 2 or 3 mile walk along the bay road to the village of Aghleam for 2 X Guinness. Given lift back by kindly fisherman.

Fig 13: Summer crowds at Inishbofin

Sun 26 Weatherbound Blacksod Bay Rainy grey day. Water up by dinghy and container from pier. Blacksod bay lighthouse, a short row from us, was built in 1862. During WW2, detailed Meteorological Reports were sent from here daily to SAC Europe. One of the deciding factors for the decision to proceed with D-Day was the favourable forecast from here for that day. The Children of Lir are said to be buried on the Island of Inishglora just off the coast. We befriend the nice couple on the interesting home-built French yacht which had left Inishbofin with us and was now also moored in the harbour. Row over to them for wine and nibbles. We both intend to head out tomorrow 50 miles north to a safe haven, somewhere like Killybegs in Donegal, where we can ride out next week’s gales. Then for us it will be a big jump to the top of Donegal at the top of the country. Sea Area- Malin. Coastal waters Erris Hd. To Malin Hd. Mon 27. Blacksod Bay to Sheephaven Dep Northward 1100 for a long day and overnight passage. With the wind and sea up, making all of Donegal Bay an exposed lee shore, we decide on a long single overnight jump across Donegal bay past all the major North West headlands heading towards the top point of Ireland. As it turned out ‘It was a dark and stormy night’ with some fast surfing in giant rolling Atlantic seas. Several near gybes. Had to head far out into the blackness of the Atlantic to give us a northerly gybe-safe course. At about 0130 we gybe again to bring us on a safe easterly course for Tory Island off the NW coast of Donegal. Tuesday 28 At Sheephaven Pass between Bloody Foreland and Tory Island at around 0345. Enter Sheephaven*, Co Donegal on North East coast of Ireland, to the west of Malin Head, at around 0700 and make our way inland in the shelter of this long fjord-like bay. Pick up a vacant buoy off pier at the head of the bay at 0800, after a very exciting, sometimes terrifying and dramatic, 24 hour non-stop trip in very heavy Atlantic seas and 25 knot winds. Although the challenging battle with Atlantic is complete it’s still a bit blustery here so the dinghy stays aboard and we decide to rest up a bit. *The name ‘Sheephaven’ is thought to have arisen from the mapmaker mishearing ‘Ship Haven’ in the local accent! Thoughts: Well now. Raparee has effectively 'completed' a round-Ireland circuit as we crossed the longitude, but not the actual track, of our outward passage to St Kilda in 2008. I won't cross the actual track until I get to Scotland. It’s a 60 mile trip tomorrow around the top of Malin Head and down through the large Lough Foyle to the old city of Derry/Londonderry (D/LD). Storms and gales due from Thurs noon onwards, so want to be in a safe haven. If we get there, Londonderry will be a strange place for a southern Irish catholic like me to find myself. It was to my mind, at one stage anyway, the very home of all things that were NOT of that ilk, and of many beliefs and outlooks with which I might have been at odds. However, I understand it was then, and is still a fascinating place, and I'll have an open mind. Good place anyway for me to ride out the gales, restock, carry out repairs and decide on the next stages. Emailed farewell message to our recent chummy French Yacht: Hope you got to Killybegs safely. We carried on northwards as the wind was taking us that way! We went all the way around the Donegal peninsula to Sheep Haven about 20 miles east of Bloody Foreland and Tory Is. We got here about 8 in the morning after a very rough and exciting night out in the big waves! The harbour here is fairly sheltered in magnificent surroundings and has 6 visitors mooring buoys. You need to go right into the bay, and far down on the left at the very bottom you will find there is a pier in a little bay. The buoys are just off the pier. Hope you are both well. My crew David may leave from here or from our next place which might be Londonderry. I am making my way along the coast and may head for Scotland eventually. I haven't decided yet. Bon voyage mes Amis! Weds 29th. Sheephaven to Greencastle Dep Eastward 0830 in rain. A good long old rocky coastal flog around the very northern tip of Ireland, the big Inishowen peninsula, and the very Malin Head itself! A bit choppy and misty but not a bad day with a good tide under us. Great rocky headlands and cliffs. Passing between Malin headland and close in to the Inishtrahull Islands.

Fig 14: Blacksod Lighthouse – ultimate D-day Forecast

Great afternoon visibility over to the distant Scottish Islands. We’d heard it was critical to make the tide at the entrance buoys to the Foyle. We just about did.

Choppy motor sail up the Foyle as far as we can before the ebbtide gets too much. As we’re cream crackered, and had no tide left, we decided to divert into the pretty Donegal village of Greencastle L. Foyle. Arrive 1700 at a small recent micro-marina just above the village. 2 or 3 spare berths on small visitor pontoon. Interesting and friendly little town with a good maritime museum, the usual ivy clad Norming castle, and a busy little fishing harbour. Until recently the fishing harbour had a reputation of scaring off yachties but there is now a small private enterprise yacht harbour just outside the village. Good eatery and pub by the harbour. Thoughts: My old school chum and regular offshore Crew

David Macavinchey has been a terrific help and great company throughout...I couldn't have covered these windy western shores without his help. He will leave when we get to D/LD, so the rest of the journey will be solo (unless I find anyone who fancies a trip!) up towards Arisaig or Oban on the Scottish coast before considering the route home either via the Caledonian canal or over the top via Orkney. The weather has not been great so far, and rain wind and grey skies has been the rule. My enthusiasm for continuing 'over the UK top' may be lessened by my experience so far, so I will certainly give it further thought while in Londonderry. Thurs 30th Greencastle to Derry/Londonderry Dep Greencastle 1250 for a long, mostly motoring, river trip up to Londonderry. Speak to the HM on approach…“See the lady in the coffee house opposite for keys and codes” etc. Berth at big pontoons in a strong tide stream. 1610 Arr Derry/Londonderry, also called ‘Stroke City’. A city so nearly good they named it 1½ times. Ashore for beers and later a curry in one of the local combined Italian/Curry houses…….a popular, if rather odd local combo…but one that seemed to work well. Friday 1 July. At D/LD Raining again. Sad to say farewell today to David who provided fantastic support and company around the west coast. Now, I have a confession to make. I have one of those granny type shopping trolleys (not tartan though). Believe it or not, these are incredibly useful thingies for shifting heavy stuff about ashore. It is certainly the only way for gentlemen skippers to refuel, especially if lashed behind an ancient folder bike and cycled through city traffic. 6 trips and 180 litres. Trolley tested to 30kg limit! All in Londonderry in the rain. Saturday 2nd July. At D/LD Mega shoppex and laundrette run. One of my 5 main batteries is a bit sick so I make a very hilly 3 mile bike ride to Halfords for VERY LARGE and VERY HEAVY battery. Towed wobblingly back with the bike/granny combo. Sunday 3 July. At D/LD After a busy days work today, I finally got around to walking the walls of the city. Fascinating history, although I still feel very much 'on the other side' and somewhat anti some of the goings on back in the TROUBLES. Took some pics of Bogside murals etc as well. As a final treat this evening, I bought a ready-made full Sunday roast at Sainsbury’s. Very nice with a glass or 2 of red. If I don't go tomorrow I'll be kicked off the pontoon anyway as its all being got ready for the arrival of the Clipper round the world fleet and the Foyle maritime festival.

Fig 15: Raparee at Greencastle L. Foyle

Fig 16: David Mcavinchey - Ace crew!

Fig 16: The proper way to get fuel

Leg 2 – A long bit round the top with no crew Sea Area-Malin. Coastal waters Lough Foyle to Mull of Kintyre Notes to friends & family: Now begins the long challenging SOLO trip north towards the Hebrides on Monday or Tuesday, possibly stopping for refuge at the odd island en-route. I seem to have picked the worst summer for this venture! Hey ho! Will take shelter for a few days somewhere around the mid-west coast or Islands as yet more pooey weather is coming in before the end of the week. There have been many times when I've had enough on this trip. Mostly grey skies and mizzling weather, and bloody cold to boot. I'm suffering from sun deficiency. Not worn any of the summer clothes on board.....just my usual autumn cross-channel thermals and FW gear, heating is on most nights when in harbour. I'm told it will be nice when summer arrives! Anyway tootle pip. I'll keep you posted. PM final note to just departed crew David: Thanks again for all your help David. Found a very large container of your wife’s porridge in a locker this morning...just after I'd bought 2 more bags. Do fish like porridge? Mon 4 July. Derry/Londonderry to Moville. Dep 1030 D/LD this morning at 10 after a busy storing, fuelling, rest, and maintenance stopover. Overcast and grey,

and pouring down and freezing, with the wind from the north (my intended direction) by the time I reached the river mouth. After about an hour of zig zagging doglegs in the river in nil visibility and suffering near hypothermia I sought refuge in a little bay off the village of Moville in the Foyle estuary. Here there were a number of unkempt old mooring buoys. None had pick-up lines and the vertical eye at the top of each was totally blocked by a huge heavy rusty shackle lying flat on top. It was also a strong wind against tide with the boat responding randomly to either. She would not behave herself nor lie anywhere steadily, preferring instead to bury each buoy sideways under the hull amidships, no matter what I did. I finally managed to secure a buoy in a torrential downpour, using a lasso improvised from a piece of chain between 2 ropes. Retreated below to change and dry out and await the summer, ....maybe tomorrow....who knows?

Tues 5 July Moville Foyle R., NI to Colonsay Dep, at 1000. Head Northward. Grey and queasy start from Moville, but the day eventually brightened up and made a good long distance, mostly under sail steered by the Monitor wind vane. Was very excited, and a little sad, to hit the big open sea, and to see old Ireland finally slip behind me after a month. Exciting also to see Bonny Scotland hove into sight. PM 2100 Anchored in a quiet bay at the Island of Colinsay W. Scotland. Spookily I dropped anchor in the exact same spot, and within 5 days of the same date, that I did 8 years ago, when starting down the Irish Sea on the return leg of a 2008 Raparee trip to St Kilda & Iona. Although it's well over a week since Raparee 'boxed ' all 4 Lat and Long points of Ireland, it’s only now that our 2016 north and west coast, and 2008 east and south coast, tracks actually crossed over. So Irish circuit now fully complete in both senses. Had a G & T and glass of Red to celebrate. Beautiful sunset. Sadly I didn’t get ashore particularly as Colonsay is the smallest island in the world (population of 124) to have its own brewery. I read that Colonsay and Oronsay are home to the only native species of honeybee in Britain and it is an offence to keep any other species of honeybee on either island.

Fig 17: The Malin/Inishowen Peninsula (Foyle on the rt)

Sea Area-Malin. Coastal waters Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Pt Weds 6 July. Colonsay Is to Kerrera (Oban). Dep/up anch 1040. Beautiful early dawn today, but then the day went rapidly downhill. Rained all the way here to Oban area today, and still blowing a hooley when I got alongside late afternoon in the little offshore marina at Kerrera. Was looking forward to fish and chips and a shower (not simultaneously) at the marina but find the place is not as described in the books. The boatyard effectively went under a year ago and ownership was still a bit troubled. Very few facilities. Bar etc closed. I haven't been in to Oban town on the mainland yet as weather is too bad and I don't have enough layers of dry waterproofs, and anyway my fingers have gone white and crinkly. Trench foot is a real possibility. Ferries to town (the marina is on an islet) few and far between, despite the books saying 'every half hour, dawn to dusk'. I'll probably try and visit town tomorrow, then skedaddle onwards as soon as this cold howling weather blows through. Enough for now. Hope all well with all. Thurs 7 At Kerrera/Oban Ferry to town for seafood and strolls. Oban is a kind of touristy frontier town in a national park mountain landscape area. Explored for a bit and ferry back to do boat jobs. PM meal, wine and whisky and jolly evening with friends on their Sadler 34. This evening, the little marina is busy with a combined Irish Cruising Club and Clyde CC rally, also heading north. Friday 8 July Kerrera/Oban to Loch Drumbuey Plan to continue northward towards Arisaig (which I like), way up opposite Rum, but probably a bit too far. Not sure if I'll go out to outer isles this time. My friends at Kerrera recommended a little sheltered Loch (Loch na Droma Buidhe/Loch Drumbuey) at the entrance to Loch Sunart, opposite Tobermory on Mull. It’s about half way to Arisaig, so ok for a more leisurely 1500 start time. We make slow and stately progress across to, and then tacking up, the Sound of Mull. Always a bit of a stream running here, and always wind on the nose. A not unpleasant afternoon of long slow tacks, as close in as we can get to maximise our northing. Tempted by the delights of Tobermory where Raparee has been a couple of times before, but the evening is getting on and the ICC/Clyde rally is there before me so there are now too many masts. We swing off east into Sunart to find the entrance of the tiny keyhole shaped Locha Droim Buidhe. It’s a very narrow rocky entrance and once inside the Loch it is well sheltered. 3 or 4 other boats at anchor here and there. Anchor close in by a tiny bay and stream at 2030. We drag a little and fidget about a bit but eventual settle into a peaceful night. Sat 9 Locha Droim Buidhe to Mallaig Dep/up anch 0900. Around Ardnamurchan peninsula. The headland and lighthouse are murked in mist. Flog along rock dodging. Odd seals and Dolphins say hello. 1530 alongside Mallaig.

This busy fishing harbour used to have a reputation as being a bit unfriendly to yachts, but now has a nice little marina with a helpful ex-services marina manager. Characterful place with much history. Raining heavily. Being a Sat night finding a place to eat was difficult. Explore ashore. Mallaig was founded in the 1840s by Lord Lovat in order to encourage the fishing industry. It soon became the main commercial fishing port on the West Coast of Scotland, and one of the busiest herring port in Europe. It is also the Terminus of the West Highland Line Railway. Although the fishing industry is now quieter and only one smokehouse remains, there is much evidence ashore of its industrious past.

Fig 18: Kerrera Island Marina, Oban Bay

Fig 19: One of the old smokehouses at Mallaig

Sea Areas Malin/Hebrides-Coastal waters Mull of Kintyre to Ardnamurchan Pt & The Minches Sun 10 Mallaig to Rassay. At Mallaig AM. Shopping, exploring, and dodging rain. Having tipped off the HM that I’m going sometime today, I can’t help but notice an annoying gin palace loitering, revving up, and staring hard at me and my berth for what seems like hours. Perhaps I should have kept quiet about my departure until later. Anyway, finally depart Northwards at 1720. Careful tidal planning needed for the passage up the Sound of Sleat and the 2 Kyles. Get it wrong and miss the tide run, and you won’t succeed. Anyway we make it in time for a dusky late passage under the Skye Bridge. Once above Skye and out into open water, it’s a bit exposed and there’s a spot of unsettled weather on the way. It’s getting dark rapidly, and there’s also too many options invloving too many rocks and too many open sea fetches for this late at night. Decide to stick to Island dodging off the Skye coast and head for shelter off Rassay. After the usual playing about with ropes, prongy things, and hooks, pick up a visitors buoy with some difficulty in pitch blackness, in Churchtown Bay off Rassay Is at 2320. Curry and Whisky for 1 was ordered from the main galley. Mon 11 Rassay to Loch Ewe Breezy cool and grey morning. Too cold to work. Dep buoy 1400 northwards well reefed into stiff headwind. Skye is dark and sinister with a great misty cap on her high hills. I thought about going into Portree but it’s a long way in, with unfavourable 26kts gusts, and there’s a large cruise liner in the entrance anchorage. An earlier plan had been to climb and trek the Cuillins, but I decided to give Portree a miss this time; Raparee has been here before and I was getting tired of the uninviting weather. A long afternoon of tacking and motor sailing past Rona through many small fearsome rocky islets. A slight lull as we cleared the islands into the Minch allowed just enough time for Earl Grey Tea and fruitcake amongst the rocks. Once out in the open, the wind became more westerly allowing us to continue north past Loch Torridon and on towards Rua Reidh headland. For the last 2 hours of this passage a growing fresh breeze and a big wild quartering Atlantic sea threw us around a lot. The motion and sail crashing was painful and tiring, it was getting dark and late, and I didn’t want to stay out any longer than necessary. Despite the mad rolling and navigational overload I somehow managed to cook and eat a very reasonable chili and rice! Decided to take shelter deep in Loch Ewe, a north-facing loch in Wester Ross, although I’ve never been in there and didn’t know what was on offer. Fairly easy entrance, although swelly. Important to identify the major and minor channels between the large and small islands, and give a wide berth to shallows on the shore to port. Loch Ewe was used as a convoy collecting point with a strong naval presence during WW2, and there is much evidence still around. The deep water sea Loch has a relatively narrow mouth which made it easier to protect it from submarines. Good anchorage half way into the Loch off the hamlet of Aultbea, sheltered by the Isle of Ewe. There were also some visitor’s buoys but these looked a bit suspect, and one had actually dragged onto the shore by the hotel. I decided to anchor between the hotel and the sewer pipe in kelp and mud at around 2145. Mid passage thoughts: We’ve passed all too swiftly through the Highlands & Islands stopping only at Colonsay, Oban, Locha Drumbuidhe, Mallaig, Rassay, and Loch Ewe. This meant some long solo days in between each stop. Fortunately it's bright until nearly 2300 so late night arrivals at anchorages aren't always totally in the dark. The North coast, yet to come, may provide challenges (exceptional tidal streams, and exposure to big seas and dramatic weather changes). The plan will be to stop perhaps once on the North coast en-route to the Orkneys. All depends on whether a decent weather pattern establishes itself. Enough for now. Hope all well. Sea Area Hebrides - Coastal waters Outer Hebrides to Cape Wrath Tue 12. Loch Ewe to Kinlochbervie Dep/up anch 0815 Off Altbea Hotel Loch Ewe. Outwards and Northwards. A bit brighter, but still those very rolly and lumpy big quartering seas and winds making for awkwardly sails setting. Much flogging, crashing, and preventering. All a bit wearing and inefficient. Decide on roosting for a bit at Scotland's most north western fishing port of Kinlochbervy, just a few miles short of Cape Wrath at the far top left hand corner of the mainland. Very difficult to identify the entrance which is in a cleft in the rocky cliffs. The trouble is all the clefts look the same. It’s an odd harbour with a straight rockbound entrance channel and then a hard left into a sheltered lagoon-like inner harbour

Fig 20: Under Skye Road Bridge at Dusk

area. It’s also possible to come in from seaward through a totally different entrance loch to another harbour area on the back side of the same isthmus. Finally alongside late afternoon in a friendly compact mini marina just outside the busy fish harbour. Had a jolly meal on a well-travelled Rival 38 yacht with her very experienced blue-water crew. It's been pretty hard work getting here, so I'll probably stay here tomorrow for rest, maintenance and refuelling.

Weds 13 July At Kinlochbervie (KLB). Pleasant morning fuelling by hand into containers trolleyed over to a pump at the fish warehouse workshop. Very good price and very helpful jetty-man. There are 3 local industries here: fishing, fishing and fishing. Although it’s a WEST coast port, the local fleet is small, KLB has is dominated by the EAST coast fleet who make most of their landings and trade here. The main feature ashore is the large fish handling depot and

auction shed. Catches are taken by huge refrigerated transport lorries (HRTLs) by road throughout Europe. As a result, KLB has surprisingly good road links, despite its extreme remoteness. During the day ancient overworked trawlers potter in and out with crews of all nations. There are Seafarer’s missions and hostels for the crews and a little Spar shop, a small chandlery and a watercolourist in an Art gallery in an ISO container. The bank and the cinema come to the village via Lorries. I take a long hilly bike ride in fair weather to the head of this long sea loch. Tea in the old school house. Great big vistas of lochs and creeks. Later on I watch a big fish auction in huge shed with every possible variety and size of fish. Interesting buying and bidding process. The HRTLs depart through the night. As the sun goes over the yardarm, I donned my silk smoking jacket, and finesse my evening G&T, when a giant noisy charter Bavaria with 9 enthusiastic crew arrives. HM suggests he berths on poor old Raparee. I put on a very sad face and point to a perfectly good empty berth on the inside of my pontoon. The charter party grumble a bit but thankfully move on. They don’t know how lucky they were, as had they stayed I would have got my guitar out. My singing and 3 chord riffs can clear whole yacht harbours. I’m thinking of having a sticker made ‘berthing alongside may cause loud keyless wailing and monotonous strumming’. Thankfully on this evening, the only entertainment is provided by the harbour seals! Interim bed-time thoughts: It's between 73 and 83 miles from here to the Islands. Around 15 hours allowing for at least one full tide against. I’m used to long distances offshore solo, but solo rock dodging with coastal pilotage and harbour entry, is more difficult. I certainly won’t be hauling up any big downwind bloopy type sails either. A 15 to 18 hour solo rock-hopping watch is bloody knackering and best avoided overnight in these parts......if I want to stay insured that is. Thankfully, up here, at this time of year, it’s not dark until nearly 2200 so as long as I leave early the fetch to Orkney shouldn’t be too bad. There are SEl’y gales forecast for the area on Fri through to Sunday, so I need to be in somewhere before Friday morning.

Fig 20: The pontoons at Kinlochbervie.

Fig 21: Fish Auctions Kinlochbervie

Thurs 14. Kinlochbervie to Orkney. Up early in the dark for 0510 departure for Cape Wrath & the Orkneys. Depart Kinlochbervie’s narrow rocky entrance in close company with the large Bavaria. Just getting light outside as we meet a big quartering sea, setting us up for a very rolly 75 mile passage past Cape Wrath, on course for Pentland Firth and the Orkneys. Given the nature of this area and its reputation for unpredictable weather and big seas, I should be grateful it was a relatively uneventful crossing! Having rounded Cape Wrath, I’m relieved to have safely achieved another major milestone on the circuit, effectively leaving only (!) the east coast down as far as Lowestoft to cover for Raparee to have done complete separate circuits of both Ireland and Gt Britain as well as an overall circuit of both together.

Another rolly day at sea, but no real extremes. Late in the afternoon, with the Islands standing out clearly ahead, I identify the Old Man of Hoy on the South West coast of the archipelago. One needs to study the sluicing tides between the many inter island sounds and passages before entering the islands. I decide to approach from the West, North of Hoy, and make for Stromness. Met at entrance to Hoy Sound (between Mainland and Hoy) and escorted in by a jolly pair of white beaked black and white striped dolphins, rather than just any old common ones. I guess they must be paid to dress up like that by the local tourist board.

Odd right angle entrance to Stromness. Arrive Stromness marina Orkney Mainland, at 1750 Sea Area Fair Isle – Coastal waters Cape Wrath to Rattray Head incl Orkney Friday 15th July – Mon 18 July. Alongside at Stromness Orkney. Stromness (Norse Straumsnes, "headland in the tidal stream") town is clustered along a winding cobbled main street, with. Narrow lanes and alleys of houses and shops in local stone. The anchorage was called Hamnavoe ("peaceful harbour") by the Vikings. There is a regular ferry to Scrabster on the coast of Scotland. Stromness was important when England was at war with France and shipping avoided the English Channel. Hudson's Bay Company Ships were regulars, as were whaling fleets. Orkneymen, were explorers and seamen for both. Captain Cook's ships called on their return from the South Seas. Interesting and quaint town with a good Museum and a Statue of the Artic explorer John Rae describing him as “the discoverer of the final link in the Northwest Passage.” There is a lot of fascinating stuff here on the Islands so I took a few days out to make like a tourist before starting the long passage southwards via the UK east coast. A day out by bus to the Archipelago Capital, Kirkwall and the Cathedral of St Magnus - Britain’s most northerly Cathedral. The Cathedral, the 'Light in the North', was founded in 1137 by the Viking, Earl Rognvald, in honour of his uncle St Magnus.

The cathedral is a truly Viking place with much mention of blood and axes in the lineage of its founders and patrons. Bought an Orkney courtesy flag. Very pretty flag based on the typical Scanwegian model. Prize-winning design by a local postman. Took a Sunday bike hire and ride to the Iron Age settlements at Scara Brae on the NW coast of the Island. This Neolithic settlement was built and occupied between about 3180 BC and 2500 BC. Worth a visit. Detoured to visit many standing stones and other prehistoric jobbies dotted around. Around the harbour: Pubs, culture, cobblestones, and quaint Viking derived rowing and fishing boats.

Fig 22: Old chap of Oi!

Figure 1: St Magnus Cathedral

Fig 24: Orkney aloft!

Leg 3 – Crewless again southward and off down the North East coast Tuesday 19 July. Stromness Orkney to Wick. Dep Stromness southward at 0430 and slipped quietly down through the Islands. At 0600, saluted the just visible buoy marking the wreck and the gravesite of HMS Royal Oak up in Scapa Flow. She was torpedoed with great loss of life at the start of WW2 by a rogue U-Boat (skipper Gunther Von Prien). Crossed a (rarely) well-behaved Pentland Firth with no problems during the early forenoon. Although I was lucky with the weather and my choice of tide times, the huge swells and sworls and surface heaves showed the potential power and danger lurking in these waters. I wouldn’t like to be hereabouts on a ‘dark and stormy…….’! Arrive Wick Marina 1130 after a fascinating, but rather grey and rainy, Orkney. Raparee is now alongside in Wick’s Inner harbour, Caithness. It's taken nearly 7 weeks, but at last we've reached the east coast of the UK mainland. First sunny day, for me anyway, for what seems like a month at least. In for a day of work on the boat and perhaps a look at what the town and Caithness has to offer. Next leg will be across the Moray Firth towards Peterhead and a steady winding southwards thereafter. Could still leave the boat somewhere en-route and come home for a short breather. Friendly marina. Good Tuesday steak night at Weatherspoon’s in town. Wednesday 20 July. At Wick Windy and wet. Must be summertime for Wick! Jobs on board and shopping. Great Maritime and Fisheries Museum. Heartily recommended. A visit to the Old Poultney Distillery is worthwhile. Wick is a fascinating place with a long and varied history. Those old Irish saints were here, the Gaels were here, Thomas Telford did a lot of heavy stuff around the harbour here, all the Stevensons (Steam, lighthouses and books) were here, Adams designed the town bridge. The port thrived with the great cod and herring booms although things were never the same again after WW1. These days there is moderate activity as a transport and storage hub for huge north-sea wind-turbine components. Thurs 21st. At Wick to Peterhead Awake since dawn as Danish boat nearby spent 3 hours discussing loudly whether to leave or not. Dep Southward 1100. Another day of our long flog southward. (This NE corner part of the trip needed several days of hard motor sailing into cold headwinds, with enforced stops through fatigue, or boredom, and hours of daily motoring into a regular North Sea chop). This was a particularly long day and part overnighter at sea, across the Moray Firth, with an 0100 tacking battle past Rattray Head, and ending in a challenging entry to Peterhead, Europe’s biggest whitefish

port. The absolutely gigantic ocean going trawlers coming and going very fast through the harbour mouth made my 0245 entry very scary indeed. Entry to the port is strictly controlled by radio. During my entry, it was obvious that the harbour control duty officer did not like mere yachts visiting his own personal port. He made me, and another solo late arriver that night, feel like something he had trodden on and wished to get rid of as soon as possible. Having found a berth at 0300 in the snug little marina over to the left in the outer harbour I ran to help my fellow late arriver alongside. Being shattered anyway, and both being hacked off with our on-air treatment, a long whiskey session had to be held on Raparee.

Figure 2: Wick Bay and Harbours

Fig 3: Yachtsmen relaxing in Peterhead……

Sea Area Forth - Coastal waters Rattray Hd to Berwick-on-Tweed Fri 22nd. Peterhead Slightly hung-over. Bike out to visit the port. Dark and gloomy day. Rainy. Bike ride around town and docks. Huge trawlers and factory ships. A mix of old fishing industry and the very new. A warren of dark grey stone cobbled back streets, dock basins and jetties. Here there is the visible evidence that to keep up with demand, catching power must increase proportionally as stocks dwindle and recede. Giant ships displayed their formidable machinery of satellite controlled bottom scraping and mass-production. All very worrying. Sat 23rd. Peterhead to Stonehaven Refuelled at the outside breakwater of the friendly little marina. Helpful marina manager. Dep Southward 1230. Unpleasant bouncy cold wind on the nose day. Eventually resorted to motor-sail tacking in 26kts for 7 hours with single reefed main.

Arrived at the little port of Stonehaven 1945 for a pleasant break moored against a trawler at this pretty little coastal village. A bloke on the quay tells me ‘aye, that trawler may go out in the early hours’. The harbourmaster tells me later ‘he always says that’…so I sleep comfortably and undisturbed. Not a very big or deep little harbour but sheltered and quite similar to a small Devon or Cornish port. Here I had fish and chips at the very chipper where the deep fried battered mars bar was invented. I didn't have a DFBMB myself though. Friendly and helpful harbour master. Good shore-side and village pubs. Some basic visitor facilities ashore. Although primarily a fishing port, a couple of other cruising boats came by during the evening.

Sunday 24th Stonehaven to St Andrews Great Sunday market in Stonehaven town square. Bought a plastic fire engine.

Very nice coast walks around the town bay with great little arty bits of marine sculpture here and there. Stonehaven is a place I would like to linger in but sadly have to press on, so depart at 1220 southward. En-route, closely explored some of the dramatic bays and castles along this coast. A mixed day of good sailing interspersed by sudden calms and motoring. Managed to change gas bottles, clean all the fenders, read the Sunday papers, and have a Sunday Roast. Decide to run inshore and anchor in the lee of St Andrews around 2020 just below the Tay estuary. Ancient buildings, Spires, and Golf links ashore. Slightly uneasy night as I wasn’t sure about the holding here, but all was well and we stayed put.

Monday 25th. St Andrews to Amble Up at 0530. Dep/up anchor St Andrews 0715. Many lobster pots to dodge around. Finally heading southward along a very interesting and historic coast with battle scarred castles and enticing bays. A very fast 75 mile run, properly sailing, with a strong reaching wind at last....most of the day with 2 reefs and half rolled genoa, but still getting 8 knots. Whizzed across a blustery Firth of Forth and past lots of places I originally planned to stop at, like Berwick and Eyemouth, but wind, tide, and timing were all wrong.

Fig 4: Mega Trawlers at Peterhead

Figure 5: Alongside at Stonehaven Figure 6: Home of Deep Fried Mars Bar

Fig 7: Beach Artwork at Stonehaven

Around mid-day, after 3 weeks in Scotland, we finally crossed back into England, so the courtesy saltire was hauled down at sea somewhere just north of Berwick. I sailed as close to Lindisfarne as I could, given the blustery conditions, and also took the inshore passage inside the Farne Islands. I really did want to anchor by Lindisfarne to honour those old Celtic monks, but sadly the going was good and the anchorage too exposed. I also passed all those famous Northumberland castles, but alas no time to stop. Now only 480 odd miles left to go out of about 2000. Around 2000-ish we reach Coquet Island, Northumbria and decide to try the nearby harbour of Amble. A very pleasant little family marina in a small Geordie fishing port. Interesting town. Pretty quiet at night but sparkled with character by day. Lots of fishy eating to be had….and good beer. Tues 26 July. Amble marina Alongside Amble marina, near a familiar yacht, the old wooden Illingworth Belmore 36 ‘Electron’…a Naval yacht back in the 1960’s. I did the 1969 Fastnet in her, don’t you know! Nice to see her still in good nick. Catch up and maintenance day. Food, gas, water etc. Explore town by bike. Just a short bike ride away is the lovely country village of Warkworth and its ancient castle. Great meal and ale in old pub in shadow of castle. Lots of traditional fishing Cobles in the harbour. Very characteristic lines. Coquet Island, outside in the Bay is owned by the Percy family (Dukes of Northumberland). The Victorian lighthouse on the island was once looked after by Grace Darling’s brother. Sea Area Tyne – Coastal waters Berwick-on-Tweed to Whitby Weds 27th July. Amble marina to Whitby Finally left friendly Amble, Northumbria, in a rain squall at 0630 on Weds 27th for the long (70 mile) coastal run down the very lobster-pot strewn Geordie coast towards Whitby.

Constant vigilance needed in these parts due to the number of pots…so many that finding safe places for sail hoisting and reefing is difficult. On this coast they are still mostly laid by wonderfully curvy traditional cobles, but, look away for just a moment and you’re on top a string of pots! Very stressing when solo. Mainly motoring again due to fickle winds. Now, I'm sure they're all very nice places but I decided against the fleshpots of Sunderland, Tyneside, and Hartlepool.

This was a long and very rolly day at sea, to the point of queasiness, although by evening I'd recovered enough to polish off the last of the mackerel given to me in Amble. During the day we were overhauled by the square rigger Stavros Niarchos....a nice sight, as she deployed some sail, although she was motoring as well. Not sure if it was a weather phenomenon, but every hover-fly in Geordie-land also came to visit during this leg. Still thinking ahead - If I run out of time do I leave the bateau somewhere in the area (for a short spell of family duties at home)?... perhaps Grimsby Docks or Hull marina…Hmm? Finally reached Whitby outer harbour and the bridge waiting pontoon at about 2000. The town was obviously in holiday mode, and the pier head was a roosting place for large numbers of inquisitive and over-excited teenagers.

Fig 8: Warkworth Castle, Amble

Fig 9: Typical curvy NE Fishing Coble

Fig 10: Stavros N. off Northumbria heading South

No bad behaviour though, and I only had to wait an hour for the 100 yr-old swing bridge to open for me, having called by radio first. This gave me access to a berth (rafted outside another boat) on pontoons in the inner river at 2120 with only a short walk into town for a pint or three. Thursday 28th July. At Whitby Explored Whitby, particularly the Abbey and the Captain Cooke Museum. The town was busy with tourists but a fascinating place and well worth a visit. I called into the Sutcliffe (pioneering Victorian photographer) gallery which has some of the earliest marine

photographs. Gt Grandpa Sutcliffe documented the lives of the coastal folk and early lifeboat crews. His best known lifeboat photo is the bearded Cox’n Henry Freeman wearing an early B.O.T patented cork lifejacket.... he was one of the few who agreed to wear it and was the only man to survive the Whitby Lifeboat disaster..... his photo is often kept as a safety token on sailing and fishing boats.

The Captain Cooke Museum is highly recommended and gives a wonderful back history to this brave and industrious man. You don’t need to don full Goth attire to spend a couple of hours at the great rambling Abbey ruins, but whatever turns you on, it’s a well worthwhile visit. Great sea and harbour views from here as well.

Fri 29th Whitby to Bridlington Bay and Grimsby Up early. Very foggy and drizzly. Fuelled-up with the help of the very kindly marina manager, just in time to catch the 1100 swing bridge opening. The whole town comes to a standstill when the main thoroughfare is blocked by boaters passing through, so the bridge keepers don't like you hanging about too much! We emerged into the outer harbour to find thick thick fog and heavy rain. Should I even be out here, I thought? Zero viz. Radar, AIS, and lights on etc. When I got out, I found one of Her Maj’s University Training FPVs was transiting Whitby Bay at in zero viz at a million knots. I took pics of her, and of her speed and track on my AIS. She was being bellowed at on VHF by local fisher folk but sped off out of sight. Oh well.

Another largely engine assisted day due to misbehaving or no winds. Interesting coastline with Robin Hoods Bay, Flamborough Head, Scarborough and Bridlington The floors of some of these bays are littered with historic wrecks from a sea battle between the American Navy Commander John Paul Jones and a British Naval convoy. Anchored Bridlington Bay at 1700 for a few hours to puzzle out my next move. ....a conundrum....I could have the next 6 or more hours against a fierce tide to get a favourable tide into the Humber, or have a favourable tide now with an impossible tide later into the Humber. Both equally bad so I upped anchor at 2100 and decided on an overnighter whatever the outcome. My thoughts were to try Grimsby after all. I was told that the old fish dock is now a small marina run by retired fishermen.....called the Humber Cruising Association.

Friendly folk, although I’d been warned not to discuss Brexit with them unless I'm wearing protective clothing.

Fig 11: Whitby Harbour opening bridge

Fig 12: Henry Freeman

Fig 13: Cap'n Cooke Fig 38: Whitby Abbey

Fig 14: John Paul Jones USN. Boo Hiss!

Turned out to be a very interesting but very stressful night with little rest. No one told me about the wind farms!!!! They're everywhere....except on my charts! Finding yourself at night almost amongst them, and they are huge, and not quite knowing the safe routes is interesting. Then came the night time entry into the Humber.....Spurn Point, big ships, fierce tides, lots of traffic separation schemes and mandatory VHF channels to talk, and get clearance for transiting this busy estuary. Again my charts weren't exactly the latest.... they were hand-drawn by Cooke when he was a midshipman. Thank God for google and chart-plotters! Very heart in mouth when rounding spurn point in the blackness, being only about 2% certain of where I was! Anyway made it at full power across all the traffic zones and shoals to Grimsby Fish Dock to meet the dawn lock closing deadline. You can have free entry to the lock for a couple of hours either side of HW if you radio ahead. This done, we were alongside in the inner basin at 0445....time for a whiskey and bed! Shattered. Sea Area Humber – Coastal waters Whitby to Gib Pt Sat 30th July. At Grimsby. With bike and camera exploring Grimsby and the old fish docks

......sadly much abandoned and decaying, although the windfarms are providing a certain amount of new work. The docks areas and old warehouses and auction houses are all now rather abandoned and run down, although there are still fish processing, and fish import and export businesses. The little yachting harbour in the old fishdock is well organised and comfortable, with a small clubhouse and bar and a very obliging yard bosun. Phone call late PM from home telling me of a new addition to the

family.....new baby grandson on the Isle of Wight. Time for another whiskey! Or three. Sun 31st July. At Grimsby. Oil change, engine service, and fuel up, followed by bike ride to Cleethorpes. Busy day-tripper place with Pubs, Piers, and Proms and all that. KMQ hats and Cornettos. Wife-beater Tee-shirts and Tattooed bulldogs. I approached an attractive young lady selling ice creams and she gave me one. That's Innuendo in Cleethorpes for you. Back aboard with a Sunday roast from Iceland, paid very helpful Marina Manager and loaded bike aboard. Mon 1 Aug. Grimsby to Lowestoft Early start 0530 at Grimsby Fish Dock locks. Raparee & I en-route to Lowestoft, but with a possible stopover at Wells next the Sea in North Norfolk. The leg across the Wash to Lowestoft is over 90 miles in some very contrary and confusing tidal streams. There are also 5 large windfarms to be navigated in and around, none of which are in any of my charts! This turned out to be a long 20 hour day of mixed fortunes. All 4 seasons....in about every 4 hours. And 3 different tidal systems. Huge amount of wind farm support vessel traffic working most of the east coast ports. Again this passage required threading my way between shoals and windfarms. Fortunately some, but not all, of the shoals are marked by buoys as they move and change over time .....unfortunately the marks on my chart plotters and charts don't move with them!

Fig 40: Dawn arrival - Grimsby

Fig 15: A Grimsby fishdock jetty

The weather turned adverse just around the rump of Norfolk at Cromer and so we ended up with a pretty horrible night-time motor sail beat into squalls and headwinds down between the coast, its off-lying sandbanks, and the windfarms on the banks. In the rainy gloom, those forests of huge wind Machines appeared very close and ready to mince us up. More than once I needed to use 'the steamer-scarer' a powerful plug-in searchlight, to ward off huge ocean going tugs and support vessels bearing down on me. These tugs carry huge bright floodlights facing aft and as soon as they pass you, you lose all night vision. It was at this stage, about 0100 hrs, when the tide turned strongly against me, the wind went dead on the nose, and a rain squall arrived. 10 miles still to go, engine revving away, endless lobster pots scraping down both sides, breaking shoals either side, harbour lights ahead. At least I think it's the harbour lights, but hard to make out. The pilot book warned that Lowestoft harbour entrance can be difficult when there is a swell and a strong tide. It was. I'd been in and out of here before, but on this occasion, because it was late, cold and wet, and I was tired, I’d have to say it felt like one of the most scary harbour entrances I've ever had. Picking out navigation lights from the myriad of shore lights was a real mental struggle. Having dropped the main and genoa I drove the boat straight at what appeared to be one of the pier heads. Because the tide was so strong, my approach was very sideways, on the slew. The entrance appeared very narrow with breaking overfalls and fast moving water. As we were moving sideways so fast I had to keep steering for the right hand pier head, only a few feet ahead, while the actual harbour opening was well down to the left. I really had to steel myself to keep my nerves on to stay driving hard straight at the wall close in front of me. If I slowed, the sea would quickly take me backwards against the other pier aft of us. For a while, as I couldn't actually see the entrance, I thought I'd got it all wrong and was actually driving ashore on the back of some random breakwater..... I just had to convince myself to stick with it whatever the outcome.

Suddenly we were in the inner basin surrounded by jetties and lights, still very rolly, but just time to get out fenders and lines.....but in my state of mind the basin appeared ridiculously small, and we kept being washed very quickly close to the walls every time I made a move on deck. It was a case of one fender and one rope at a time with a sprint back to the cockpit to turn and reposition the boat between each move. Finally got alongside at some ungodly hour in the inner basin at the Royal Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club (locally aka the Nobs & Snobs). Several stiff whiskeys I can tell you. And then some more.

2 August. At Lowestoft There was some point in me coming to Lowestoft. It was the furthest east I had come previously on Raparee...a few years back. Technically the boat and I have now sailed all the coasts of Britain and Ireland - not only both Islands separately, but now also both together as a unit (the Irish Sea and the NW of Scotland was covered twice). The next leg to Gosport is just a delivery to tail off the external circuit. So I guess it's kind of a semi technical yippee-ish so far......although the show’s not really over until I do battle with the rest of the east coast, the Thames Estuary, and the Eastern channel. Nice breakfast and showers in the friendly and rather posh YC. Explore town. Jobs on boat. Nice supper in YC. Wed 3 August: At Lowestoft Arranged for mid-morning bridge opening and motor upriver from Lowestoft to the Broads entrance area at Oulton to a pre-arranged berth at Lowestoft Cruising Club pontoons. The same berth I had used about 7 years before. This is a very friendly and welcoming little club. All done by meeting the berthing sec who gives you a set of keys. The rest is all down to trust and the honesty box. Economical for leaving boats and very convenient for trains etc. Thurs 4 August. At Lowestoft Laying up preps. Back to Lowestoft by bike for train tickets (can’t get them at local train halts). Friday 5th Aug: Very early breakfast and walk to Oulton Broad station. Long trip home by train for 1 weeks leave.

Fig. 42: Huge Windfarms everywhere….arrrrgh!

Fig 16: Alongside at RNSYC Lowestoft

Leg 4 – Homeward bound – initially clueless and crewless Sea Area Thames – Coastal waters Gib Pt to North Foreland Saturday 13 Aug: Back at Lowestoft late PM. Round Britain and Ireland restarted! After week at home cutting down piles of weeds and paperwork, and kissing babies old and new, returned to Raparee at LCC, upriver at Oulton Broad. The last of the three trains I needed from Norwich, refused to start, so that bit was by bus. Funny how trains can behave like boats at times. Just got fish and chips at closing time. Worked until the early hours recommissioning and prepping for departure AM. Sunday 14 Aug Lowestoft to Dover Another very very long day today! To catch the tide from Lowestoft I needed a very early departure, 0300 (the bridge opens at odd hours on Sundays), but by the time I got my head down it was nearly 0100 so delayed until 0500.....still meant getting up at 0400 though as I needed to motor a couple of miles down to the bridge. I still hadn't worked out the complexities of this coast..... Harwich entrance, container ships, Traffic Separation Zones, Wind Farms etc but decided to do this on the hoof. In the end I kept well to seaward of Harwich although had a few heart stopping moments at complex big ship channel junction points where, I really wasn't sure what I was meant to do!

At one stage I had 2 of China’s biggest container ships coming straight at me, 1 from either side. I decided the safest thing was to circle around the nearest navigation buoy until the ships went away....hopefully they weren't going to run down any buoys. Apart from that, a good start to the day in fair weather, but the wind finally dropped off to a couple of knots, so pretty much the whole of this leg was motor-sailing. Once past Harwich, the only option was to transit the whole of

the Thames estuary. I decided to do this to seaward via Kentish Knoll, outside all the huge and spectacular windfarm installations on the banks. Once down on the Kent coast, the first option was Ramsgate, but as. I'd been there before, and it was only 1700 I decided to press on for Dover. About this time, I had a serious ‘oh sh**!!!! moment’. I was motor sailing at about 6 knots and went below to sort some afternoon tea (Earl Grey in fine bone china, doyleys, thinly sliced cucumber sandwiches etc). I was just about to load the fine mid-Georgian filigree silver tea tray when I suddenly had a feeling that I should go back on deck. There, right across our bow and extending either side was a line of breaking water. Glancing down at the echo sounder ……zero!!! Arrrgh! “He flung himself at the helm” I believe is the correct phrase in this instance. Executing a quick 180° turn, the depth began to reappear. Post-event analysis……I thought I had switched the autopilot on…I hadn’t …….instead of heading south for Dover we were heading east for an all-night rave-up on the Goodwin Sands, and we weren’t even dressed for the party. Lesson learnt?…none. Poo happens. Dover is fairly welcoming to small boaters these days but it's an extremely busy ferry port and the protocol to get in is like waiting for a landing slot at Heathrow. Call on VHF and you are put in a holding pattern and given a slot. You have to keep to your slot otherwise you are back in the holding pattern. You come in behind a ferry with another one behind you, and one or two going out as well. A bit hairy but a good experience. I went around in a circle to get the sails sorted during my entry slot; this was noticed instantly by the control tower, so as punishment I was told to go back down the queue to a later slot. Finally alongside in Dover inner Harbour at 2000 after a very very long 90 odd mile day.

Fig 44: Lowestoft town bridge early dawn…just for me

Fig 17: Mighty big Chinese stuff

Leg 4a— a last bit of leg 4 where someone kindly joins me Sea Area Dover – Coastal waters North Foreland to Selsey Bill Monday 15 Aug at Dover In Dover for 2 nights to sort stuff out. My old RNSA friend Bill Lewis, who lives in Kent, joins tomorrow for a couple of days. First time non-solo for about 6 weeks! Hopefully back to Gosport around Friday sometime. The local posh sailing club is very friendly and does good bar food. The marina is also intimate and friendly with an ever changing stream of Dutch, German, & French boats. So, the news is that Dover is now fairly yacht friendly. We are moored near a replica iron-age boat. Very impressive. The actual ‘Dover boat’ is in the local museum. Tues 16th Aug Dover to Eastbourne

Departed 1300 with Bill Lewis as crew after lunch, for a quiet homeward coastal sail. Bill is a local so very good with names of cliffs, lighthouses, rocks and coves. We opt for Eastbourne as an overnighter and make the locks at 2045. Just time for a burger and pint ashore in the ‘plastique’ marina pub……which was already geared up…for Christmas! In August..?.

Weds 17th August. Eastbourne to Gosport Left Eastbourne 1100. Pleasant quiet sail, sometimes motor sail, with a dusky evening transit through the Selsey Bill inner passage. Late night 2200 pick-up RNSA mooring buoy in Portsmouth Harbour. Several end of trip whiskeys. Thurs 18th Aug 1050 back at Hornet SSC Gosport That's all folks. For what it’s worth, here’s the statistics:

Boat Raparee 38 ft 1990 Westerly Oceanranger Miles Hours Sea Days 2010 365 44 Total at sea under way 1140 210 26 Solo at sea under way

870 155 18 Crewed at sea under way

30 Anchored/Moored or not under way Trip total 81 days (incl 7 laid up) Total Solo Areas NE Ireland, West coast Scotland & Islands. North Scotland & Orkneys.

East Coasts Scotland & England. S Coast England. Crewed Areas Scillies to Ireland, S, W, & NW Coast Ireland.

Fig 18: Bill Lewis, fellow RNSA member

Fig 48: Raparee surfing under jury rig in heavy breaking turf off the west of Ireland