Passage To Poole

First stop: Swanage Bay

In a comfy corner to windward of the wheel, I stretched and put the paws up. The perfect location to supervise André the owner, Bernard the RYA Instructor Magnificent*, and the Can Opener as he rocketed about as ‘Skipper-of-the-Day’. 

I’m a low key manager who likes to rule from behind by dint of a nuclear-radiating personality and the occasional swipe to the Achilles’ tendon. A kind of Chaircat of the Board, if you will.

Every minute you spend planning is repaid many times over. We knew this when we were doing the passage planning and chartwork the day before we set off to Poole. But seeing the plan executed really underlined Bernard’s message.

We were up bright and early, breakfasted and doing boat checks while the dew was still on the deck. Tidal calculations were checked and rechecked. The weather report noted and compared for continued compatibility with our plan. We were headed out the famous (and challenging) Needles Channel in a blow, so the plan had to be perfect. All was set to go. And so we went…

Through Needles, the sea state was ‘rough’. The Met Office defines this as about 8 to 12 foot waves. And this narrow channel is bordered on both sides by enormous pointy rocks rearing out of the sea to the east and jagged pointy rocks lurking below the surface forever to the west. 

Of course, you never think to take photos at the time (the Needles photo above is from another calmer day…). You’re riveted on the sailing.

 

The first night of the passage we picked up a mooring buoy in Swanage Bay (see leading photo at top) just south of our final destination. 

The second day, after skills drills allllllllllll day with Bernard, we pulled into the night-calm harbour at Poole. The glorious sunset made it all worthwhile.

 

Destination made: Pulling in to Poole

Could we have packed any more learning into our time with Bernard? I think not. 

Passage planning, berthing, anchoring and mooring practice, even some crew overboard work. It was a fantastic and very full training schedule. And much appreciated. 

The entire team has loads to think about and much to practice going forward.

 

–Captain Cat 

(transcribed by the Can Opener)

* Bernard Mitchell works with the Hamble School of Yachting. Ask for him by name. He’s in great demand. Plan ahead.

A Year In Pictures 2013

Best boats of the year!!

All the boats we sailed on in 2013: 

Baltic 35

Cap’n André’s boat!

Hallberg-Rassy 29

Cap’n Davie‘s!

Sigma 38

Sigma racing!

Reflex 38 

Junior Offshore Group racing!

J80  

Red Tabby team racing!

J122

Racing at Cowes Week! – Image Source

 

–Captain Cat 

(transcribed by the Can Opener)

 

Home Cruising Grounds

Views of the Solent…

Sooooooo good to be home…

–Captain Cat 

 (transcribed by the Can Opener)

A Year In Pictures 2012

Best boats of the year!!

All the boats we sailed on in 2012: 

Baltic 35

Cap’n André’s boat!

Hallberg-Rassy 29

Cap’n Davie‘s!

Sigma 38

Sigma racing!

Reflex 38 

Junior Offshore Group racing!

J80  

Red Tabby team racing!

J122

Racing at Cowes Week! – Image Source

Arcona 37

More Junior Offshore Group racing!

Fountaine Pajot 40

The Spain-Greece 2012 delivery

Eleonora

Eleanora, a 90 ft schooner and an exact replica of Westward that was launched in 1910.

 

–Captain Cat 

(transcribed by the Can Opener)

Reflections On A Delivery

Reflections on the delivery from Spain to Greece

What we learned…

Well, 1553 nautical miles later – we were thrilled that we made it and learned so much! We’ve taken a little time to reflect and map out the topics that were most important to us on the Spain~Greece delivery.

Of course, with cruising there’s always tons more to learn. That’s the great thing about it – lifelong learning. Always something new to master or finetune.

A few areas in particular, however, really stood out for us. Here they are:

Cruising Skills 

1.  Dealing with customs and borders when entering a new country on a boat

3. Weather watching and getting info in new countries and foreign languages

4. Planning the route – pace, waypoints, planning refuges 

5. Some engine skills

6. Provisioning and on the water cooking skills – cooking for varied tastes and crew preferences

7. Choosing a good team 

8. Teamwork – clear roles 

Why we still really want our own boat

This delivery was a fantastic experience and it was a great team to be on. So many people in a small space for 3 weeks and everyone got along for the whole trip. Surreal-y well actually.

But to keep good crew harmony requires compromises – compromises that were duly made and with good cheer. 

But long term, we realised there are some key reasons we still want our own boat rather than just continuing to sign to crew on other peoples’ yachts. Our long term cruising plan remains unchanged…


So here’s why we still want our own boat:

1. Choosing food – when, where, what 

2. Choosing safety equipment and maintenance 

3. Choosing where, when, how we go

If you’re reading The Cruising Kitty, you probably are thinking about cruising at sometime in the future – if you are not there already.  

What are the key reasons for you for getting/having your own boat?

–Captain Cat 

(transcribed by the Can Opener)

Home At Last

Home At Last…

‘Course the first thing I did was check the answering machine. And Pussy Galore did not leave a single message.

She must be having technical difficulties.

–Captain Cat

 (transcribed by the Can Opener)

Hovercat To Athens…

… and Athens to home…

We can’t be believe we made it! Or that the delivery has finally come to an end.

Poros to Piraeus by ferry, Piraeus to Athens Airport by bus, and Athens to the UK by bird. We’ll be home soon. Being back on land seems a little surreal.

So much to do, eat and unpack – the Can Opener should be busy for a week. And I need a pedicure.

We’ve been invited to crew on a new cruising boat back home and – after a short rest and recoup – we’ll be out on the water with the brand new team!

–Captain Cat 

(transcribed by the Can Opener)

Two Glorious Days In Poros

In Poros

We’d been 3 weeks almost constantly on the move, often throughout day and night. 

And now we had two whole glorious days to explore, wander, sniff, soak up the Greek sun,…

 …smell the flowers,…

  

..admire the endless spectacular views,…

 … and curl up in comfy armchairs in quayside restaurants to watch the sun go down.

Tomorrow we’ll hovercraft it up to Athens and then catch our big bird plane home. But for now, a souvlaki, tzatziki and some warm Greek bread. But no ouzo for me. 

The Can Opener stole mine.

–Captain Cat 

(transcribed by the Can Opener)

Poros, The Perfect Greek Island

 

 

Here’s where we leave our catamaran at a quayside berth in Poros, finally in its new home in Greece. 

The owner will fly down here for holidays with his family so they can sail and cruise these beautiful isles for many years to come...

They’re planning to explore the Greek, Turkish and Croatian islands, using Poros as a central base.

We were glad to be a part of this delivery, successfully repositioning the boat from Malaga, Spain to Poros, Greece.

The Can Opener and I think this guy’s got his priorities straight.

–Captain Cat 

(transcribed by the Can Opener)

Through the Rabbit Hole – The Corinth Canal

On our Corinth Canal morning, the day dawned with rising winds and some leftover (though greatly) reduced swell. Everything from the wild slide ride of the day before (nearly) as if it had never happened.

Liquids are quite resilient always returning to their original form in short order – water included, of course. (On a regular basis, I do wonder what planet you are really from, Furrball. And I you, dear Can Opener. But we digress…)

 

We lined up before the entrance to the canal, bright and early, prompt as requested… and then waaaaited…

 

Lots to look at, so it was a short hour later that we poked our bow into this famous canal…  

 

Under a series of bridges (four, I think) with traffic whizzing high overhead. Seemed quite a contrast when one thinks of its historical origins. 

The Corinth Canal was started in 1881 and completed in 1893 (although there was also an abortive attempt to build it in the 1st century AD). It is 6.4 kilometres (4.0 mi) in length and only 21.3 metres (70 ft) wide at its base.*

Photo courtesy of Gerard in the yacht ahead of us passing through the canal.

We passed slowly along the canal for about 30 minutes, then out we popped on the other side…

 

… to the Aegean Sea. 

Five knots of wind, sparkling wavelets, calm – what we’d been dreaming of all those days when we were dreaming and preparing to come on this trip.

Beautiful.

–Captain Cat 

(transcribed by the Can Opener)

* wikipedia