Grand Slam

Monday 27th July, Dunblane ???

Serious withdrawal symptoms are setting in from lack of Estrella. Their share price has plummeted. Rob's hardly eaten anything since he got back last week. We are of course back home in Scotland for a week with the boat safely(??) tied up in Portosin marina. We fly back on Thursday. Trying some Singha tonight.

At least the weather has been good up here. It's actually been over 20 C for the few days we've been here - a record for this year. We went down Port Edgar on Sunday and went out for a very pleasant couple of hours sail on Erin in tea shirts - in Scotland!!! Erin is off today round the west coast via the canal to do West Coast Week. Best of luck guys.

To cope with the lack of Estrella we have been to the Tapit Hen in Dunblane a few times (ie a lot of times). Pam fancied a snack ie a few plates of Tapas. Some hope. Quavers or pork scratchings. I have never seen the attraction of anyone eating a snack with hairs on it. Anyone recognise the book I have been reading yet? That was another clue.

As a recap then on the trip, we have done around 1400 miles and spent 8 weeks on the boat. Looks like we have another 600 miles to go and around 7 weeks. The best pub of the trip was Kehoes in Kilmore Quay - but the Tapit Hen in Dunblane is still winning. The best marina has to go to Kilmore Quay for the all round great time we had there. Must try and get back sometime. Runner up is Portosin - and we still have a few days when we get back there. Best places to visit apart from Kilmore Quay were Rathlin Island which was very nice and Arklow (thanks Dave). The friends we met in Kilmore Quay though were fantastic and hopefully we will meet up with them again.

Very little has broken on the boat. Two seasons of racing has ensured all the weak bits have failed already!! We needed a new set of taps for the galley in Crosshaven when the original mixer tap packed in. The dinghy needed patching when holed in Islay (which along with Craighouse was probably the worst place on the trip). Oh and a bottle opener broke in Portosin - good job we had a spare. Best bit of new kit on the boat has been the AIS - very useful for crossing the shipping lanes in Biscay given the way the big tankers and cruise boats bear down on you at 18 knts+. Best bit of advice gained was from John and Sue on Ellan Vanin who suggested adding a 3rd jack stay from the port stern round the bottom of the mast and to the starboard stern so allowing the person at the mast to clip on easily. Oh and the wifi dish antenna has done a storming job since Dun Leary (easy spelling) when we have hardly been without a good connection.

So we have now stocked up on more warm weather clothing and other essential items for our trip back on Thursday. Look out for more postings from Friday onwards.

Tuesday 22nd July, Portosin

Today has been a chill out day. With Rob and Tom on the way home, it's been very quite, the fridge has remained full and we have not had to buy any food. It's the usual 25 deg+ with wall to wall blue sky but the F5-6 northerly wind has changed to a very light south westerly. We are both in "going home for a week" mode so not a lot to do.  It did give me a chance to look at some photos and upload them.

Obviously Grand Slam then with the oversized Saltire. You can just about make out the smaller Welsh Dragon. The next picture was in the centre of Noya. Now here's a challenge. Any one up for counting the number of black tiles? The plan is to go back into Noya tomorrow on the bus and have a good look round at the old town with it's churches and cathedral.

The final photo was taken yesterday in the centre of Santiago and shows the main cathedral. It doesn't really do it justice and needs a good wide angle lens.

We did manage it down the beach for a couple of hours (trying to ration our exposure to the sun!!) and up to town for a few Estrellas. I did get a chance to spend a few hours looking through the pilot books to work out timing for moving south. Looks like around 3 weeks in the Rias and then day sails down the coast to the Algarve. Plenty of good anchorages ahead of us in the Rias, but not a lot beyond. So it's another slow day tomorrow and then back to the UK for a week.

Monday 21st July, Port of Sin day 3

Shares in Estrella have rocketed. They were top of the Spanish FTSE gainers today. The sky is still very blue and the fridge is having a very hard time coping. It is now official, the boys have left the building the boat. Thanks for all the emails from home saying how bad the weather has been (although it sounds like it is heating up this week) – but it won’t get as nice as down here guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and you don’t have Estrella. We are coming home for a week so that will put the mockers on that. That will be rain by the weekend in the UK then.

 Rob and Tom left today. We all went into Santiago de Compostella (why can’t they have simple names like Stirling or Denny? –that’s Denny as in twinned with Beirut) with Rob and Tom heading off then to the airport to fly back early Tuesday. Really nice city, full of pilgrims (?????) and tourist tat – ie lots of the equivalent of “see you Jimmy hats” which looked like walking sticks with shells and gourds on them. Anyone know what a gourd is? I didn’t.

Santiago is about an hours bus ride from Noya which is about a 15min bus ride (or 45min if the bus is half an hour late – it is Spain – cheap but no rush) from Portosin. Some great photographic opportunities. Shame I didn’t have the SLR with me. The Cathedral is not to be missed. I don’t think I have ever seen a more impressive inside than this one! ….however I am not starting the world’s best cathedral competition (the best bar and best marina is as far as I will go!). Lots of gold flake, ornate carvings and the biggest incense swingy thing in the world. Certainly worth the trip to Santiago. I will try and post some pictures tomorrow but this is becoming a logistical problem. Late evening it is relatively easy to compose one thoughts to paper, (or electronic media to be precise) however to manipulate pictures from the camera to the PC, run them through photoshop, reduce them to the right size, upload them to the web client, spin through 360 degrees on your head and make a ham and cheese sandwich all at the same time is almost nigh impossible – hence no pictures in this post. I will try in the morning. I promise.

So where were we. Oh yes, back in Santiago. The heat, and fear of death from hunger required us to stop for an extended luncheon break and as we only know “Estrella”, “vino blanco” and “café con leche” we were limited in what we could drink (ps Tom was on the coffee). Our mid-afternoon break gave us the same problem. Pam and I then said our goodbyes to the boys and wandered off back to the bus station and back to the boat. I haven’t a clue where they were sleeping tonight but there are no beaches around so no Sulidae to worry about. We got back to the boat around 8 ish, chilled out a bit in the now 29 deg C evening sun and then went up to the bar to give Estrella yet another day of impressive stock market growth. Back with more tomorrow.

Domingos, 20th July, Port of sin

Sunday afternoon and we are still in Portosin marina. The wind is blowing a hooly (F6-7) but we are nicely tucked up in the back of the marina (as we are staying a couple of weeks). Most of the visitors are on the outer pontoons and bucking up and down - in a very similar manner to Port Edgar in an northerly F6. Not a lot of time to spend blogging as we have been on the beach, in the bar, on the beach and back in the bar. Probably spend a bit more time putting more on the site when the lads leave for Santiago tomorrow. We will then be back to two on board.

Above is a pic of us going round the Cape of Death. Well at least it was taken from our boat, we are not the boat way inshore. F6 - downwind sail - magic!

I said in the last post that Portosin was a great marina. I'm still going to give the award to Kilmore Quay on the basis of better "Craic" but this is not far off. I mean ....were do you get facilities like this.......

......and they don't do pie, beans and chips. Just Calamari and pulpo (that's octupus for the linguistically challenged - er, me!) for about the same price. Despite the wind, it's been 25 deg C + all the time so we have been very dependent on the cold Estrella Galicia, the Spanish answer to Guinness. Rob's trying to work out how much he can take back on the plane.

I tried to get Rob to do a guest blog for the day but he refused point blank. So you will have to settle for me. Yesterday, Saturday, Pam and I caught a bus into Noya which is the nearest city about 15 mins bus ride away. Nice old town with lots of history. Given our complete lack of knowledge of the local lingo, we managed a huge mid-day meal with drinks for only 22 Euros - obviously a communication problem as we ended up with at least 2 dishes we didnt think we ordered! Great food.

Back at base, we ended up in the club house with another Estrella or three watching the sun go down.

I guess this is what Port Edgar will be like once they complete the development.

Rob's still heavily into monitoring the various species of bird life. He has seen 43 species this trip which includes 8 or 9 all time new ones - so that means 8 or 9 all time new ones for me. He is now very actively looking for the family Sulidae. There were none on the beach today. I will have to keep looking when Rob returns and update you all on progress.

Tomorrow Rob and Tom are going into Santiago so they can catch their early plan back to the UK on Tuesday. Pam and I are planning to go in with them to get a day to look around before our flight back on Thursday. We will then have another couple of days of beach and bar. We do keep thinking about the poor people who have to go to work each day. Well not that much. Task for the next couple of days is to get the Spanish phrase book out and learn some!!!! Back with more news tomorrow.

Friday 18th July, Portosin

Well after 3 days of La Coruna, we decided to leave. Great town (as always) and great Tappas but the showers, the fight over the washing machine and the toilets left a lot to be desired. The main problem was that the high pressure over the atlantic was setting up F6-7 Northerlies around cape finisterre so everyone was arriving at La Coruna but not leaving. It was getting quite busy. Added to that, Wednesday was a fiesta day so for the whole day the guy on the pier was setting off nuclear blasts which could be heard in Madrid. The weather has also been brilliant, blue sky 25+ deg C etc.

The forecast was F5-6 northerlies so at least they would be behind us - but add on 1-2 more as they always under-read. The plan was to move down the coast a bit so Rob and Tom could get nearer Santiago to fly back. On Thursday then we left late morning after stocking up with provisions including are rather dodgy 5 litre box of wine which cost as much as 5 Euros. 6 hours later we anchored in Ria de Camarinas after a 45 mile sail in winds that ended up as force 7 (at least behind us). It was a great sail though with great weather and another downwind sleigh ride into the Ria. We anchored for the night in 25knts of wind and decided the 5 Euro wine was not so good after all. There was an attempt at a fireworks display that night in the town of Camarinas but a bit of a damp squib.

We left Camarinas first light on Friday to head down to Ria de Muros and into the marina at Portosin where the plan was to let Rob and Tom off and then for Pam and I to catch a flight back to the UK for a week in seven days time. Again another great days sail with 25knts behind us, 2 reefs and an 8 knt roller coaster ride round Cape Finisterre (also know as the Cape de Morte - Cape of Death). Not a patch on Rattray head - or Carnsore Point which are far worse in these conditions!! By midday we were all in tea shirts and shorts (and life jackets following the sad news from Port Edgar).

We arrived in Portosin mid afternoon, threaded the boat between a pontoon and a yellow bouy with 2 inches to spare either side and onto a berth for a couple of weeks. After the usual boat tidy up we went up to the office to register and to go for a beer in the bar. If you remember in previous posts, I mentioned my unofficial "best pub in the world" competition. Well I'm now starting the best marina competition. To date it was Kilmore Quay but that has almost been surpased by Portosin (Kilmore Quay, you should be worried) - and we have only been here an hour. The office staff are great, the cost is low, the facilities are brilliant and the four of use sat down to have a few cold ones on the balcony, overlooking the marina, the blue water and the Ria. It was 30 deg C, wall to wall blue sky, a F3 westerly and the beer was cold. This was around 4pm local time or 3pm UK time. Rob spent an hour texting and emailing as many people as he could to let them know it was warmer here than in Scotland. Did I tell you Spain was cheaper than Ireland? ....and now I realise why we decided to take the boat down to Portugal with such good weather.

We've now decamped from the bar back to the boat, raised the large saltire flag (with the Welsh dragon underneath) we have as some french boat has put up a tricolor - although very careful to keep it below the spanish courtesy flag! and prepared for a siesta ahead of a night of more food and drink.  There are good wifi conections here so looks like there should be a post each day for the next week.

I have advanced my bird watching, now being able to recognise the difference between a Corry and Great Shearwater, of which there are many here. Also the european, manx and sooty shearwater although Rob reckons the sooty I saw was indeed a european. Rob's been seeing a lots of great boobies as well as gannets. They tend to congregate on the local beaches.

So a few hours kip and then back up the bar. Talk to you all tomorrow once we have done a bit more exploring.

Wednesday, 16th July, Biscay crossing and La Coruna

From the last post you will have seen we made it across Biscay in one piece.
 The trip was just over 500 miles so we were looking at around a 4 to 4 ½ day
 sail. We were therefore looking for a good weather window with no surprises. 
We left around 8 ish on Friday morning with around 15knts of wind behind us 
but in quite a nasty swell coming from the west.

Our course was basically due south following the 8 deg 30 mins line till 
we hit northern Spain. The first day was reasonable weather – bit of sun and 
the odd shower. Still quite cold at night. By Saturday the swelll had subsided 
a lot and by Sunday was very comfortable. The wind kept at around 15 knts 
north westerly until Sunday morning and turned to be south westerly and then 
finally died. Sunday evening the sea was almost flat. Rather than drift, we 
put the engine on and motored for 10 hours or so. Lots of wildlife around. Rob 
and Tom saw a pod of whales. Plenty of dolphins, a sun fish and some new 
seabirds for me.

Monday, and the wind turned to the north east and increased to 25knts as we 
approached land. We ended the trip in a rough sea, surfing down the waves 
with 9.7 knots showing on the log. We had averaged a good 6knts all the way 
so we managed the trip in 3 days and 8 hours. It had been a tough sail for 
the four of us but the boat managed it very well. Only problem was the 
compass light giiving up which actually was quite a pain at night when 
the clouds decended and it was pitch black.

Tuesday and Wednesday were spent wandering the town and visiting lots of 
tapas bars. Pam and I had spent quite a bit of time in La Coruna last year 
so know most of the places to go.

It's a lot cheaper here than Ireland. The wine is half the price as is the 
beer. Ireland is definitely an expensive place. We are just off to the beach 
now for a chill out and probably a cold beer on the way. Probably hang around 
here for another day or so then head off to go round the corner (Cape 
Finistere – Cape of death!) to get to the Ria Muros. 

Tueday 15th July, La Coruna

We have now arrived in Spain! The crossing from Kinsale to La Coruna took 3 days and 8 hours which was fast! Averaged over 6 knots for the 500 +mile  crossing. Seas were a bit rough for the first 24 hours and then for the last 12 we had 25-30knt winds, thankfully on the quarter so we were surfing down the waves. Top speed to me at 9.7knts.

We got into La Coruna around 4 ish on Monday and a welcome cold beer all happy that that part of the trip was over. Today is a chill out day. Rob and Tom are off to the beach and Pam and I are drinking beer in a street side cafe where I have at last found an internet connection. No good ones in the marina! Looks like I will have to come up here for a beer each day.

More tomorrow.

Thursday 10th July, Kinsale

It's Thursday today and the sun is shining and it's warm. So I am not going to hang around here writing things on this computer. We are rafted five deep in the marina as everyone is escaping from Cork week.

The weather looks good for the crossing to Spain so we are off tomorrow (Friday) morning when we eventually get up. Time for one more night on the Guinness. Unlikely we will put another post up until at least Tuesday. Sunshine here we come!

Wednesday 8th July, Aidan's brother

 Wednesday the 9^th. Mid morning. There must have been something wrong with the Guinness last night. Or maybe it was everything right with the Guinness. Everything is still very fuzzy and the two Panadols are helping. Pam wanted me to take a picture of Rob sleeping off his hangover but I was having difficulty turning the camera on. No more Guinness for me then – until later this evening. The half bottle of Ardbeg didn’t help.

 

Rob and Tom turned up on Monday night – well actually it was Tuesday morning. They were due into Cork at 10.30pm but with the obligatory “budget flight late in the day 1 hour delay” and a medical emergency necessitating the flight to turn round and go back to Edinburgh, they didn’t get to Cork until 2am and by the time a taxi turned up it was nearer 4am that they got to the boat. By that time I had finished another 5 suduko puzzles including two 4 star ones in half an hour each. Rob brought the essential whiskey supplies so we hit a bottle of Ardbeg.

 

With Cork week approaching, the Royal Cork marina were fairly keen to get rid of us. Playing FT$E and numerous other racing machines were turning up daily so we duly obliged and headed off to Kinsale. The wind had subsided but was still on the nose so it was a beat all the way. For the first time in 2 weeks we sailed the whole way – although it was only 4 hours.

 

Kinsale has a couple of marinas so we went into the Kinsale yacht club one. Very helpful staff. Rafted up outside a French boat. The marina manager came down to chat and gave us all the “gen”. The day before I had tried to change the engine oil but totally failed as the suction thingy that sucks the oil out had packed in. I asked the manager where to get one. Rather than direct me to Union chandlers in Cork, he said he would get someone to pop over who could help. Ten minutes later, Aidan’s brother turns up. His name was Mark. Now for those of you who don’t know Aidan sails on Erin and is from these parts. Talks with a strong Irish accent. Well Mark sounded exactly the same. Not just a bit like but exactly the same. They must be related.

 

Mark sorted me out with a new vacuum pump which his mate (another Mark) brought over later that evening and then proceeded to give me a hand with the impellor on the engine which needed changing. Then for the first time in weeks, we had a couple of drinks on deck in the sunshine.

 

As you probably have guessed from the first paragraph, we then went out for the evening and consumed one or two Guinness and listened to some real live traditional Irish music!

 

Looks like the weather is opening up for a Biscay crossing on Friday. It should take around 4 days so we are keeping a close eye on the synoptic charts. That means two more days of Guinness.

 

 

Sunday 6th July, more on Crosshaven

Well we’re working our way through the to do list. We got the laundry, been to the farmers market, found a tap – and fitted it (or rather them), filled up with diesel so that just leaves the dinghy and the engine service for tomorrow.

 

The weather is still at the top of the list of discussion points. Not so much the wind over the weekend but the rain. One minute it is sunny and the next hour it is a deluge and so the cycle goes on. We got soaked in Cork looking around the shops and again today over in Kinsale. The photo above is one of the few minutes when the sun was out - the Crosshaven boat yard marina is just up from where we are. It's certainly not summer.

The buses aren't bad over here so we've done the touristy bit. Not sure though about some of the direction signs. Have a look at the one below in Cork bus station showing the gates where the buses go from. Ok as long as yours isn't going from gate 10. Ours was! Which way? We asked one of the workers (?) and he responded "bejesus", I've not noticed that before"! A truely Irish sign. 

 

The further west we go the more foreign sounding voices we hear – or indeed strange accents. Must be into tourist zone. Lot's sound eastern European but there are a fair smattering of Aussie and New Zealand accents. Stats show that New Zealanders are the most travelled nation on the planet, as no one else is that bothered to go 13,000 miles for a bar job. We'll let you know if gate 10 turns up. 

The food is getting better (but not cheaper). Pam has at last found restaurants serving oysters.

 

We can certainly recommend Cronin’s in the square in Crosshaven and Fishy Fishy Café in Kinsale. My biggest concern now is what we are going to do when we leave Ireland and head south. No Guinness. I don't think I have had a bad pint in the 3 weeks we have been here. The Guinness in Scotland is not a patch on what you get here.  

Tomorrow then is a day of boat fixing and a bar lunch here at the Royal Cork and then await the arrival of Rob and Tom. Looks like we will sail round to Kinsale on Tuesday morning to try a few more of the restaurants over there and look for the weather window to go across Biscay. It doesn’t look promising until at least the end of the week with two depressions bringing southerly winds. More Guinness is the upside.