UPDATE FROM FISHGUARD:

Whilst still anchored in the bay, we discovered the Water Pump on my engine was starting to wear, so I needed the parts before we could safely get moving again. Luckily, a friend in Milford Haven was able to pick us up, and help us find the bits we needed, for my engine, and the tillerpilot. This was amazing because otherwise we'd have had to chance the engine, and wait in Milford haven to get the parts.


The people in the Marine Electronics place were very helpful, and soon discovered that we'd had so much water washing around the cockpit whilst going through the straights, that the tiller pilot was completely full up! They didn't have another pilot big enough for Falanda in stock, so ended up putting the parts from the old one, into the casing of the smaller one - therefore giving it maximum power. 


We then moved in alonside the town dock, which I was a bit nervous about, having never dried out like this in Falanda before. Luckily both boats settled in nicely, with Amaryllis against the wall, and Falanda on legs alongside.


The next day they had it ready, so Andy very kindly drove the tillerpilot, oil filter, and waterpump back down to Fishguard for me! 


This morning Dad showed me how to replace the water pump, and I changed the oil filter on the engine, and started setting up the tillerpilot. After that I met a bunch of kids, (who were really nice!) and who set up a small shell stall near the boats, and amazingly raised £22 for Sea Shepherd UK! We are now at way over £8000 total raised, so very pleased!!


Recently we've had a whole load of strongish south westerly winds, so thats why we haven't moved! There was no point trying to bash out against them, as headwinds can almost half you speed, and its just really uncomfy, and tiring tacking into it. Although its been annoying to be stuck here for a while, everyone in Fishguard has been really friendly, and we've been able to meet loads of people! 


Looks like we should be able to get moving again on Sunday, to Milford Haven, and then hopefully across the Bristol Channel, to either Padstow, or Newlyn.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/falanda-roundbritain


Falanda and Amaryllis against the wall at Fishguard, Falanda on legs





Falanda and Amaryllis in the harbour





A local kindly gave me a twirly bracelet, after a quick interview thing.


(bit hanging off the stern is actually attached, and is the transducer for the depth sounder!)


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Aborted Azores trip in Karuna

Image
On the 20th June me and dad left the Exe heading southwest aboard Karuna, his Rival 34, with a vague plan to sail to the Azores.  By sunset the tide was turning against us as we approached Start point, and after beating into the southwesterlies all day we pulled in and anchored off Salcombe until 3am when the tide turned. We then continued on to St Maws, where we dropped the anchor and caught up on sleep.  The next morning we set off, tacking out into the Channel. By midnight, we had reached the French shipping lanes so changed tack and headed more west. At this point me and dad had been cooped up on his boat together for 3 days and the novelty was begging to fade.  On the fourth morning the wind began to pick up and the boat set into a horrible slamming motion, making living much more difficult. Anything from cooking to going for a pee was horrible and we avoided going below unless to sleep.  By the next morning the wind had picked up and was accompanied by a relatively short, choppy
Read more

Across the Channel for Paimpol festival

Image
 In the last week of July, Falanda and I set off across the channel accompanied by my parents on Karuna.  The morning started out windless so we motored until torbay when the wind picked up and we started sailing, close hauled at about 4.5 kts. The wind increased and a few waves skirted over the stern, splashing the tillerpilot which in turn got wet and packed up.  We then had a few hours of perfect sailing, the helm so light that falanda was steering herself, under full main and slightly reefed jib. At sunset we hove to so that I could reef the main and get changed into some dry, warm clothes before it got cold.  Then it got dark, and we started approaching the shipping lanes, still sailing well at about 6 - 6.5kts.  At this point my batteries were getting low, and I needed the AIS on as we crossed the lanes so I tried starting the engine. I then discovered that the batteries were almost dead rather than low, so faffed around turning everything off, whilst also trying to steer the boa
Read more

Friday - Weymouth to Yarmouth, Isle of White

Image
  Not much wind this morning so had to motor sail untill it picked up in the afternoon. It was a bit of a grey, foggy day, and we passed the Militery Firing Range without being shot at or bombed! We had the tide with us at St Albans head, wizzing us staight round, and the tide stayed with us untill we arrived at Yarnmouth. No problems passing the Needles, although poor visibility untill the Lighthouse.  I slowed down before we got to the Needles, so Dad on Amaryllis could catch up and we could take some photos of the boats sailing. Hence why he was so close. The bad weather looks like its coming in on Monday night, so as long as it does't change, we're hoping to get to Eastbourne to shelter for a day or so. Its quite stressful trying to predict the weather when each forecast is completely different, and I need to let each Marina know exactly what time we will be arriving, a couple of days in advance. Sailing past the Needles Approaching lighthouse at the Needles Leaving Weymout
Read more