Goodbye Ireland

After 2 weeks of waiting, trying to arrange some way to stay in Ireland and not being able to sail; our new group arrived on board on Friday. As we where not allowed to stay in Ireland, we decided to give them the opportunity to see a bit of Ireland so we stayed one more day in Cork and set sail on Saturday towards the south coast of England. As none of the crew and only one of the guests had been to the Scillies, we set course and sailed through the night.

Winds picket up and under full sail with the wind on the quarters we raced towards the Islands. Not accustom to normal 12 day trips we had to sail through the night. Gijs and I went to bed after our first 12­6 shift but neither of us slept. I felt the Tecla pick up speed and as I was laying on the high side of the boat, I got forced out of bed more and more. Around 11 pm Gijs and I got hoisted out of bed because we where going to fast, we where speeding up to 11 knots (about 20 kph).. that was new to me.. we where actually going to fast so the ship was beginning to find her own way down the waves. Our guests on board all experienced a bit of sea sickness so we where needed on deck to get the topsails and the stay sail down. And still we went about 9 knots per hour.

Next day, after only 24 hours sailing we arrived on the island st Mary.
We threw anchor in a bay where the water was so bright you could see the ground at 10 meters of water.. that was kind of a shock for me as I was on look out. Imagine seeing ground under a ship with a draught of almost 3 meters, somehow as a Dutch girl that was a bit hard for me. I can`t remember seeing ground under the boat and not already knowing we are on a sandbank somewhere on the Waddenzee with a boat with a flatbottom. But as I measured I saw that there was over 10 meters of water.. not a problem I would say!

Next day we sailed round the island as our guests walked over the Island to our next anchor place. After the Scillies we set went to Penzance. The funny thing about Penzance is that you berth in a lock. The harbour can be sealed of by sort of a fold which prevents the water from going out. So inside the harbour it seems as if there is no tide. This does mean that you can only enter the harbour 2 hours before and 1 hour after high water. We where there 15 minutes before the harbour closed.

The small opening hours of the harbour made us leave at half past 5 AM which gave us a beautiful sailing day ahead. From Penzance we went to Falmouth, next day on to Dartmouth, leaving in the morning for Weymouth and then to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight. In Dartmouth we, unexpectedly, sailed into a harbour festival. With big naval ships and al kinds of small sailing vessels. At night we looked at the fireworks and in the morning, as we where leaving, there was an air display with helicopters and all kinds of flying objects.. We went at anchor once more in the bay of Weymouth and went on very early the next day. I think I have never seen so many beautiful sunrises in one week as in this one!

We arrived on Wight before midday and so we had some time to look around and relax. The next day we sailed to Portsmouth where the journey ended.

Although I kind of miss Ireland and the beautiful scenery of the Irish south west coast, I must say that England is very beautiful as well. Not as much `mountains` but just as much sights to see!
After this trip our course will be set on home, feels a bit strange to be honest.
So until next time, probably from a Dutch harbour.

Jet Sluik
Deckhand