The Cruise - Part 21

The Cruise – Part 21

Wednesday 4th June

I spent the major part of the day driving to Plymouth with the road trailer to collect the boat from Plymouth Yacht Haven, but I decided it would be better to use the slipway at Queen Anne’s Battery Marina. Accordingly I parked the car at the latter and caught the ferry to Mount Batten.

Crossing the water to Queen Anne’s took about 15 minutes, and 15 minutes later ‘Faith’ was secure on her trailer. Unstepping the mast, emptying the water ballast and making her ready for the road required another 45 minutes.


Thursday 5th June

After retrieving the boat at Queen Anne’s Battery Marina yesterday afternoon, John and Josephine, both longstanding DCA members, invited me to their place to have a meal and I spent the night with them. We had an enjoyable time and Josephine did us proud with a tasty and very filling meal - lashings of cream on the sweets!

I was not in a hurry to get home; therefore I stopped 3 times at motorway services which brought the total time from start to finish on the road to 8 hours.

That surely brings ‘The Cruise’ to an end. I hope there will be more cruising to look forward to, but my aim now is to keep ‘Faith’ at the Marconi Yacht Club by the River Blackwater so that she can be used for day sailing and the occasional long weekend.

Conclusion

Virtually all of the objectives were achieved; in particular reaching and exploring the Scilly Isles. I saw the start of the Artemis Transat Race at Plymouth on 11th May. Al Law joined me there with his able Paradox, ‘Little Jim’ and we cruised in company to the Beautiful Islands and back to Plymouth. Unfortunately the weather prevented us from getting to Plymouth by the last day of May to see the start of the Jester Azores Challenge Race. Apart from that disappointment, I measure ‘The Cruise’ as being a very successful and mainly enjoyable experience. I particularly thank Al for his company and support and I would also make mention of Nigel Davidson who shared the first stretch of the cruise by meeting up with me at various marinas and harbours as he cruised his superb ‘Nancy Rye’ westwards.