I had a chat to one of the guys in the harbour office yesterday, and he told me the forecast wasn’t too good for today, so I planned to wait until Saturday before I leave Eyemouth. I woke up this morning with feelings to the contrary, and decided to make a run for it, across the Forth, and up to Anstruther which coincidentally would mean a window shopping session at the boat jumble on Sunday.
I was all set. The boat needed a good tidy, and I needed to get some fuel, but I only had to leave at 11 so had plenty of time. I headed off for a shower, and that’s when I saw the revised forecast – “occasionally 7″. I once gain changed my mind. Kudu would probably be ok, but the auto pilot wouldn’t deal with that, and I didn’t want to helm for 6 hours solid. Besides, force 7 in a 21ft boat is a little on the high side I feel.
Unfortunately, there’s a low pressure area sat around NW Scotland at the moment, and due to move over this way over the next few days. That means I’m not goign to be going anywhere until Monday or Tuesday. On the back of that, I’m not sure if I’ve made the right decision now. I certainly don’t want to leave tomorrow since it’s looking even worse, and my experience so far has been, if the weather man says 7, expect an 8.
Maybe I can make a short hop around to to another harbour on this coast. At least I’ll be moving then, although it will be at the expense of my dear shore power.
No!
If you were not cautious there’d be a gaggle of jobsworths queuing up to shoot you down as being irresponsible.
Whilst ever you are taking responsibility for your actions you’re doing the right thing…. even if, in that process, you make mistakes.
You’re heading in the right direction, just keep going!
maybe some adventures in the dink while you wait (do you have one now or still swimming?)
Nope, still swimming. It’s the healthy alternative to a tender.
I think avoiding situations that could break the boat (especially with your goose neck repair) and put you beyond your abilities/comfort are pretty good seamanship, so good call (even if sometimes that call means not being out when the conditions weren’t as bad as expected).
As for the autopilot and the power situation you mentioned in the latest video update, I find myself thinking about windvane self steering.
No need to draw power leaving you much more for instruments and providing us with more video treats (some of us are stuck ashore and these videos are a great help dealing with office-boredom! Maybe you should start charging for therapy or something.)
I don’t know if you’ve got any more long stops planned, but I’d have thought you might be able to scrounge/borrow the tools and probably scavenge most of the materials to make one. I’m pretty sure I found some plans for a windvane online somewhere. If I find it again I’ll post a link. I don’t think they’ll have the same problems with stronger winds that the autopilot has either.
Or have you already considered a windvane setup and decided against for some reason?
Hi Nathan,
I discovered your journey around Video 9 I think and its almost always the first thing i look at in the mornings. It is hugely entertaining, better than Tv.
As Will posted earlier it is prudent seamanship not to tempt fate and end up breaking something vital which could delay you more than the weather in the long run.(not to mention the expense involved).
I am from Glasgow but now live in Dublin- you have a treat ahead of you as the scottish coastline unrolls in front of you- especially the west coast. Are you planning to go round via Cape Wrath or through the Great Glen and the Caledonian Canal?
Hi Nathan
I think you have made a good decision. It’s a pretty exposed crossing to Anstruther for a small boat and even a W/SW 6 will produce some fairly big seas. If it does get up to 7 or 8 from SW Anstruther would not be a harbour you would want to try to enter. You could go to Dunbar but I wouldn’t recommend it, it’s quite a difficult entrance and any W’ly swell increases the hazard. The next possibility would be Granton which is a long way West. In your position I would enjoy Eyemouth until Monday.
Cheers
K