I have spent 84 days onboard Round Britain Experience, having learnt so much, but always had an instructor with me. What a chance now! I feel like a child who has finally grown up and moved away from home and learning to live and make important decisions away from its parents!
On Sunday I joined a 36ft yacht called “Nashira”, along with a guy called John. This was the first time we had met. We spent yesterday familiarising ourselves with our new craft, and Duncan, one of SWMT instructors joined us for a few hours to help with that.
Today we have sailed from our berth in Ocean Village, Southampton to a visitors pontoon in Cowes, Isle of Wight – not very far you may think, but today has been a big day for both of us. It is a day of Firsts.
Today is the first time we have sailed together, the first time we have sailed from a busy commercial port (Southampton), the first time we have sailed this boat, Nashira, the first time we have sailed with just two people on board and the first time we have sailed without an instructor!
We spent time together meticulously planning our passage, and felt entirely confident, until our chart plotter (the boats playstation!) did not show some of the buoys we had listed! This threw us both for a time, until we decided to trust in our chart work, and not rely on electronic equipment – just as we had been taught!
This is a busy commercial area, and some ships are as big as “The World”!
There were numerous ships around, so we knew to stay just out of the buoyage, but unfortunately, other ships had the same idea at times, and we felt like a “Nashira sandwich” on occasions
John looks calm as 2 large ships negotiate their way around us!
John prepares the sails as we start to sail for the first time
Once safely in the Solent, near Cowes, we practised sailing and got used to our new rigging
With very little wind it wasnt easy – its always harder to sail with little wind – but we managed and felt very proud of ourselves as we made our way into Cowes, even stopping at the fuel pontoon to fill the tank up and get fuel for our outboard motor should we need it.
As potential yacht masters, we pay good attention to health and safety, which is more than we can say for some craft
How many life jackets can you see???
We are now on the visitors pontoon and have had a relaxing afternoon and evening. The weather (despite lack of wind) had been fabulous today and we are both looking tanned! Its lovely here, and we are very close to a sailing school, and can hear the squeals of delight from the kids. Here they are coming in from their lesson like little ducklings
It was strange having to rely on our own knowledge and judgement, but we felt satisfied we had done it. John brought the boat in, and I worked out how I could single handedly secure all the lines. I mentioned a few weeks ago how I viewed regular changes of instructors along the trip – how I take a look at their tools and select my own for my toolbox! Well today I used Chris’s tool of using a midships line which worked well, Ricks way of stepping onto the toe rail by the shrouds ready to step off, and Tanks method of preparing the bow and stern line by “flaked” them along the guard rail ready to grab and secure once on the pontoon. Quick as a flash I had Nashira secure on the pontoon once John had beautifully steered her alongside!
I imagine most readers would be dismayed that a man and a woman could be brought together one day to sail, with no knowledge of one another but with a common goal. I feel very lucky that the man I have been brought together with is a true gent!
John is a retired geography teacher who now works on his families farm. He is very practically minded, very well spoken, knowledgeable, kind, calm and best of all – he laughs at my jokes! He doesnt cook but is great at washing up and cleaning which suits me just fine!
During out trip today, we realised that the boat speed wasnt being recorded, so we have set about solving this by finding, removing and cleaning the transducer paddle for the speed sensor in the forward bilge (ie. under my bed!) We hope it will now work tomorrow!
Having enjoyed a chicken thai green curry, I put the finishing touches to the passage plan for tomorrow – for we are sailing to Weymouth. We have a list of every buoy we will pass, complete with distances and headings from each point between here and Weymouth as well as a pilotage, and felt very comfortable with our preparation – that is until we saw the fog descend around us – what if this is still here in the morning? Lets see – how much of a challenge would we like?
The time just flies by – we were both in bed by 9am, John to snooze no doubt, me to continue some of my studies and to blog of course! The day until my yacht master exam looms ever closer and I find myself fluctuating with my confidence, at times feeling quietly confident, and others wondering why on earth I’m doing it! I know why I am, its about achieving something special and seeing a project through to the end! However, I am homesick and miss my family and my friends! I would love to give Cal and Tash a big hug and kiss now (sorry Ces but I got my hugs this weekend from you – but could always manage another!)
I like being on this new boat, it is smaller and easier to manage than RBE, which is a good job without an instructor!) but she is still 36ft, so not a dinghy! With there being only 2 of us we have a real feeling of space. I am in the fore cabin which is huge! I have far too much luggage really, but even with all my gear unpacked and my lifejacket, sail boots and waterproofs hung up, there is spare room in my cupboards!
I have made it very cosy, and am snuggled up in it right now as I type this and listening to the fog horns around us! Its now nearly 10pm and I’m feeling weary. Spending 14 weeks on a boat, sailing and learning is very tiring (I can see you are feeling sympathy for me now!) just being in the fresh air most of the day makes you feel tired. With that thought, I am going to say goodnight. Goodnight!
