I’m glad to say that the storm didnt whip up too much last night and a good nights sleep was had by all – thank goodness, as today our coastal skipper/yacht master exams start today – dun dun duuuuuuunnn!!
Before this however, Tank, being his usual task master had us all working on chart work – ensuring we know how to do courses to steer – a tad important when you want to move a boat from A to B and even as far as C I guess.
A quick break and half hours quick revision, and we sat our IRPCS exam – that stands for International Regulations For Prevention of Collision at Sea, or rules of the road for short! Again, a little important as the last thing we want is a pile up on the waterways, or sea rage amongst mariners.
I’ve been having a bit of trouble remembering my lights and shapes along the way – for instance, how to recognise a vessel if it is restricted in its draught, if it has been silly and run aground or if it is fishing, not trawling. They display shapes during the day, and at night of course, they have a sequence of lights. Fred back in leg 2 had an amusing way of teaching us this with some of his little stories – I will enlighten you.
If a vessel is restricted in its draught – it displays a cylinder shape – which looks like a barrel – in a pub you would have draught beer….are you getting the idea?
A vessel which is restricted in maneuverability is marked with a ball, a diamond, then a ball – which looks a little like a bra wouldn’t you think with a little gem in the middle as some bras do – and the aim of this garment of course is to restrict the movement of the vessels within it……
A pilot boat is lit at night with a white light and a red light – the way to remember that is that it looks like a pilot with a white hat and a red face……
A vessel which has run aground displays puts 3 balls up – I will let you work that one out for yourself! Hmm….
That helped loads, and I was grateful to Fred for this expert tuition and humour as I answered the questions on the exam.
The pass rate is 75% and I’m glad to say we all passed with flying colours! We all looked very smug with ourselves as Tank then said we had to work on what we got wrong. Cheers tank – I guess the only way to approach anti-collision is to be 100% about it after all!
That finished, we have to think about our plan forward – we are sailing to Leith tonight so have to plan! More work. I was reminded of the ancient history lessons in schools with the pictures of the triremes (big galleys with 3 rows of oars on each side with a man on each oar) and the gangs rowing away hard in the bottom of the boat with guards holding whips at the ready – just like us, with Tank looming over us ensuring we get all our work done! Only joking Tank!
Remember me saying that the lock is only open at certain times, depending on the tides, and the times the harbour staff go home in the evening. Well, tonight they are not opening it until 7.20 and then closing it again when they have to go home at 7.45 – a small window. We planned to leave during this window, but as we didnt want to set sail for Leith until midnight, we would have to moor up outside the marina, (which is a wet dock) in the outer harbour. The harbour can dry out, so we had to be certain of the tidal heights at this time.
I love it when you learn something then put the theory into practice. Here we had to work out the tidal times and heights for Arbroath. We knew the times for Aberdeen which is the standard port, but Arbroath is a secondary port – so we had to interpolate. Yes, thats right, not interpret, but interpolate! We sat down and worked out what the tide should be doing at various times, then popped along to where we wanted to moor and checked the actual height at that time.
The books talk about using a lead line, but a spanner tied onto the end of a rope, with the rope knotted at 1 meter intervals did the trick!
Tank putting a spanner in the works!
Down it goes - a whole 2.1 meter!!
Do you like the look of our berth for the evening?
It was a whole 30cm shallower than charted, so gave us a general idea that we had to subtract this amount for 8pm!
Following our interpolating, we calculated that at 19.09 we would just be touching the bottom – too fine a margin, but the lock wouldn’t be open then anyway. We also calculated that if we left it until the last minute just before the lock closed – we would have 20cm between the bottom and our bottom!
Doing exercises as we have been is all well and good, and we make errors (fortunately they are lessening) but it doesnt matter, we get our answers checked and learn along the way. However, this is for real, and if we have made a mistake it could mean that might have to put 3 balls up!
Having completed this exercise, we are ready to get ourselves ready to head off later.
John and I took a stroll to the local RNLI shop, and bought Mike a new mug, then went to the local Tourist Information Office. I will have to tell you about the lovely moment which I experienced there. Bare with me please and try to picture this –
We strolled around and I strayed to the far end of the shop to take a look at the displays whilst John stayed near the leaflets. He was about 20ft away from me, looking intently at a leaflet with a map in it, he walked towards a woman who was browsing around, minding her own business, with his head in the leaflet and said to her
“I can’t find Arbroath anywhere on this map”
he thought it was me!
Although I couldn’t hear what he was saying, I could see him approach this woman, and I realised he thought she was me, He continued to look at the map and stood very close to her so she could also see it, he continued to talk to her. She looked up, looked around, confused as to what was happening, but was far too polite to walk away. Instead, she went along with him and looked at the map too.
John then continued to say
“why can’t I find Arbroath, I can see Stonehaven, we were there too werent we”
(he is studying navigation at the moment I might add!)
Politely, she pointed to the map and told him where Arbroath was. At this point he realised it wasnt me and turned round to see me doubled over with laughter, the tears rolling down my cheeks!
It was an easy mistake of course – can’t you see how alike we both are???
Me and my identical twin!
Fortunately, she was Australian, from Melbourne, and I find they are usually quite happy talking with strangers. Although she found it a little strange, she kindly humoured him and when she realised what happened, she found it funny too and allowed me to take a photo of us together so you can see!
I found it so funny as I could see the whole thing unfold from afar, John tells me he was aghast when he realised what he had done, but when he looked over and saw me literally doubled over, it made him laugh too!
Ah well, aren’t moments like that great!
I couldn’t resist taking this photograph of a gull on my way back
A bit of a random photo I know!
Just time to prep the boat to leave, then I went to luxuriate in a shower. None of us has had one since Peterborough (how many days ago was that…..?) so it was a real treat. I left the shower, bright pink towel wrapped around my head and headed back to the boat. I decided enroute to take some photographs of Arbroath harbour
Our way out tonight!
but we will need the tide a tad higher!
The signal Tower
Doesn't she look a beauty in Arbroath Marina!
The lock we will be waiting to open later
Arbroath Marina
Which way?
I can't resist photographing RBE!
The marina at Arbroath
I can get quite engrossed when I look around and photograph, (as you can tell!) even if it is just with a point and press – and I wondered why I was getting some funny looks from passers by – I had forgotten what I was wearing on my head!
Ah well – I wont be seeing any of them again, so I continued. (By the way – my trusty Canon is at the camera hospital, so hopefully normal service will soon be resumed!)
Here we are on the East Coast of Scotland, and I looked around the harbour front at the eateries available – all classic British outlets???
Cafe Kashmir......
Peppo??
And of course Marco - I bet he sells a lovely Scottish deep fried mars bar!!
Is British cuisine finished? What about Scottish?
Thank goodness, the Smokies are still here!
Back to the boat now – she looks lovely in the marina, and shortly the lock will be opened
We waited, and waited, 19.20 came and went, then at 19.30 Tank went to see if he could find the harbour master. They hadnt really planned to open it this evening, but would now they know we wish to leave – so the lock was opened just for us
Here it goes
Here it starts to open
A little bit more....
Time to move out - the lock was closed again as soon as we left - phew!
Free of the lock, we headed to our home for a few hours – but Tank was canny and left Mike on shore to check the level before we headed to the wall and to catch the lines.
He did a sterling job, and the brought was brought in safely – with the usual spectators
I couldn't resist photographing the sky!
And RBE one more time!
We have enjoyed a lovely meal, cooked, completley without assistance by John – its Chicken Arbkiev, Broashed Potatoes (with hardly any lumps), cauliflower cheesethed (with barely any lumps!), carrots and green beans
Din dins - thanks John!
Now all we have to worry about is the lumps we are accumulating around our bellies!
Its now 10pm, we have a passage plan to write, then set off at midnight and start our watches at 1-3am – Tank and John, 3-5, Mike and I and so on…..and we hope to reach Leith at 10am.
I’m feeling tired already after all the exertions and fun from today, but am looking forward to a night sail. As a midwife I have worked many night shifts and oncalls, so have been well used to working through the night – but we are on watched – Ive never had a job where I can get a 2 hour break every 2 hours – so its not so bad after all!
Thats enough ramblings for today, its going to be a long night – goodnight!
