Dover Straits, Rye, Newhaven and home to Pompey!
14th September 2022
We slipped out of Ramsgate at 4.45am in order to catch the west-going tide through the Dover Straits and head up the Rother river to Rye on the afternoon’s flood tide.
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London and Ramsgate
10th September 2022
We departed from Queenborough at 0445 in order to catch the best of the tide up the Thames and make our mid-day lock opening time at South Dock Marina, Rotherhithe.
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East Anglia to the Thames Estuary
6th September 2022
Having ‘fuelled ship’ and found a replacement for our gas canister (there is a shortage of small blue Calor gas cylinders across the north of UK!) we departed Grimsby and headed south easterly, across the entrance to the Wash and towards the north Norfolk coast.
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From the Tyne to the Humber
27th August 2022
After a night in the heart of Newcastle we headed back out of the Tyne and down the coast past Sunderland and on to Hartlepool where we locked into the large marina. The marina, sited in an old commercial harbour, was surrounded by a development of modern flats, large tracts of land that were presumably awaiting development and, in the far corner, HMS TRINCOMALEE.
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Farewell Scotland, Hello NE England
22nd August 2022
I left Little Scarlet in Port Edgar for a week while I joined up with family to attend the wedding celebrations of my Scottish nephew and his Bavarian wife. We had a great weekend in Crieff catching up with family, Scottish dancing and eating and drinking far too much.
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Farewell Orkneys and down to Edinburgh
6th August 2022
With Tim embarked we slipped from Kirkwall Marina on a Saturday morning for the short sail around to Lamb Holm and the Italian Chapel where we intended to anchor for the night.
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The Orkneys - Longhope, Margaret's Hope, Westray and Kirkwall
1st August 2022
So this is going to be a brief summary of a really interesting few days in the Orkneys – brief because there is only so much time in the day and if you want the full detail you’ll need to wait for the book!
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Neolithic Orkneys and Stromness in the sunshine
29th July 2022
Having arrived in the rain, with a persistent and cold northerly wind, and few cafes or pubs open, initial impressions of Stromness were not good, however, a few days later and with the sun shining, things looked and felt very different.
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Remembering HMS HAMPSHIRE and Great Uncle Norman
26th July 2022
The rain cleared as we rounded Cape Wrath and we reminisced about the hours we had spent in a variety of ships bombarding Scotland with 4.5 inch shells...
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Loch Ewe, Ullapool and Kinlochbervie
23rd July 2022
As I mentioned in the previous entry I have fond memories of a cadet camp at Loch Ewe and was keen to see what remained of the old Nissen huts at the boom defence camp at Mellon Charles.
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Shiants, Gairloch and Slioch
20th July 2022
Having arrived in Scalpay in a fresh breeze we left in beautiful flat calm conditions, not too good for sailing but, we discovered, ideal for nature spotting. We decided to leave through a different sound and under the relatively new single road bridge that connects Scalpay to Harris.
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Skye Coastline and the Hebrides
17th July 2022
We headed up through the Sound of Raasay with Plockton behind us and the intention of making progress towards the Outer Hebrides. We were blessed with relatively sunny and relatively warm weather and some decent breeze but the star of the day was the landscape and geology of the whole area but particularly the Skye coastline.
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Tiree to Tioram to Mallaig to Kyles of Lochalsh
13th July 2022
With the music from Tiree ringing in our ears we were off northwards again but with a quick diversion via the Treshnish Islands, famous, we were told, for their puffins.
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Tiree Music Festival
10th July 2022
A great weekend! Highly recommended and I would love to go back to Tiree, a beautiful island with amazing sandy beaches, wind and surf – the Hawaii of the North!
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Fort William
7th July 2022
Having ‘hunkered down’ on board for our first night in Fort William due to the incessant wind and rain we headed ashore the next morning in Terry (the tender!) to be met by niece Jane and a day of home comforts with her family in Banavie, just by Neptune’s Stairs.
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Nigel recalls 3rd July 1982
3rd July 2022
Peace broke out in the South Atlantic on 14 June 1982; such a relief that the bloodshed was to cease. However the work of the trawlers of the 11th Mine Counter Measures Squadron (11MCM) still needed to be done.
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Corryvrekan and Fort William
2nd July 2022
We departed Crinan with the first opening of the lock, said our farewells to Good Craic and headed down the Sound of Jura – destination Islay. Sadly the wind was ‘on the nose’ for the vast majority of the passage so we motored, arriving in Port Ellen marina at around tea time.
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North from the Clyde and through the Crinan Canal
29th June 2022
We returned to Ardrossan on a Monday morning after a fortnight’s ‘break’ – Nigel laying the foundations for a stable block at his country estate (!) while I was lucky enough to attend a wonderful Indian/Irish wedding in the south of Spain!
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Forty years on
14th June 2022
On 14 June 1982 Argentinian Forces on the Falkland Islands surrendered and Midshipman David Price was on board HMS HECLA on passage to Montevideo with injured servicemen who were due to be evacuated back to UK by the RAF.
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Irish Reflections
8th June 2022
The Irish West Coast - Some Reflections - In No Particular Order …
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Farewell Eire
7th June 2022
A wonderful send off from Sheephaven Bay from a large pod of dolphins playing around Little Scarlet for at least five minutes. Heading around Malin Head we ‘struck’ the Irish tricolour and headed towards Portrush.
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Nigel's Falkland memories
6th June 2022
6 June is a memorable date for amphibious operations both in Northwest Europe (1944) and in the South Atlantic.
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Aranmore to Gola
4th June 2022
As we headed up the Irish west coast we increasingly had an eye on the ‘distance to run’ to a safe harbour where we could leave Little Scarlet for a couple of weeks in mid June while we headed back to England.
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Inishbofin to Killybegs via Broadwater
2nd June 2022
Another early departure, this time from Inishbofin and northwards again to an anchorage at Ballyglass, Broadhaven.
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Inishbofin
31st May 2022
We had had several recommendations to visit the island of Inishbofin. We were told it is a beautiful and safe anchorage and we had also heard that it might be the site of the westernmost pub in Ireland so we felt it deserved a visit.
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Aran Islands and Galway
29th May 2022
We were up early this morning – tough after yesterday’s gruelling passage, but we really wanted to get ashore, see a little of Aran and then get away in time to make the lock gate entrance at Galway – it closes at 1700.
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Dingle to Aran Islands
28th May 2022
Yesterday’s wet and miserable weather cleared to a beautiful morning – we slipped from Dingle in lovely calm conditions and made quick progress under engine to the West, through the Blasket Islands (the most westerly point of our voyage) and then northwards toward the Aran Islands.
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Recalling 25 May 1982
25th May 2022
With LITTLE SCARLET sheltering from a minor westerly gale in Dingle in the west of Ireland. It is difficult to comprehend that 40 years ago today in the South Atlantic, HMS COVENTRY and MV ATLANTIC CONVEYOR were attacked, with tragic loss of life and the subsequent loss of both ships.
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Safely in Dingle
25th May 2022
Some fairly random thoughts on Dingle, and our passage to and from here and 40 years on from the Falklands War.
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Northwards at last!
23rd May 2022
So we are now heading north. We have bounced past Mizen Head and the dramatic bridge that spans the ravine that divides the lighthouse from the mainland. The seas off these headlands have been quite choppy but this time we were distracted by a great display of dolphins.
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Baltimore to Crookhaven
22nd May 2022
I’d happily go back to Baltimore! I liked it’s ‘frontier like’ atmosphere and it’s beautiful setting within such a wild and windswept landscape. It is a large enclosed harbour and has apparently been a historical staging point for shipping crossing the Atlantic or heading south towards the continued from Ireland.
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Westwards from Kinsale
20th May 2022
We arrived in Kinsale on Monday evening, and, after three nights alongside at the yacht club marina we departed into a choppy sea to continue westwards. Kinsale was very pleasant. We were extremely well looked after by Kinsale Yacht Club and particularly by their bosun Kieron.
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Kinsale to Glandore
19th May 2022
So we set off from Kinsale toward Glandore this morning with some trepidation...there has been a strong SW'ly breeze for a few days and although the wind is forecast to drop we are expecting, and the locals confirm, that there will be a very lumpy sea...
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Kinsale
18th May 2022
We arrived in Kinsale yesterday afternoon after a slightly choppy but lovely sunny sail down the coast from Cork harbour. No doubt we shall be saying this again but this coastline is spectacular with some really interesting rock formations.
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Cork City & Crosshaven
15th May 2022
Nigel re-joined Little Scarlet last night and we took the opportunity to have a ‘run-ashore’ in Cork City. It was busy out there...
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Cobh's colourful streets
13th May 2022
Back on board last night after a delayed (but extremely cheap) RyanAir flight!
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Reflections on the voyage so far
2nd May 2022
Some reflections on the first phase of Little Scarlet’s circumnavigation ...
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Towards Cork
2nd May 2022
It was a relief to leave Dunmore East with the fishermen at 0600 this morning and head off down the coast. Yesterday’s wind and swell has died away so although we hoisted our sails we have relied on the engine all day.
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Towards Youghal...
1st May 2022
We decided to leave Waterford early to catch the very strong ebb tide down the river and then head SW towards Youghal – pronounced ‘Yawl’!
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Across the Irish Sea!
28th April 2022
The crossing of the Irish Sea had always featured in my plans as one of the major passages for the circumnavigation...
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Tresco and Bryher
26th April 2022
After a fretful night (for me – Nigel was soundly asleep!!) at anchor off the Turk’s Head during which a neighbouring yacht dragged, we headed around to Grimsby Sound and I was relieved to find a mooring buoy.
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St Agnes
25th April 2022
After our walk around St Mary’s yesterday we did a little research and felt that a visit to the most South Westerly pub in the UK, on the island of St Agnes, was appropriate but first we needed to ensure we were topped up with fuel and water.
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At St Mary's
24th April 2022
We were disturbed from our sleep this morning by tapping on the hull – the harbour master had come out in his boat and wanted payment for our stay on the buoy.
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To the Isles of Scilly
23rd April 2022
After a trip ashore to get a shower in the Royal Fowey Yacht Club (very nice and much needed!) we stocked up on ‘victuals’, especially pasties, and headed back onboard, deflated and stowed Terry and set off, west again.
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Plymouth to Fowey
22nd April 2022
A very good morning in Plymouth ‘getting things done’! Last night we reconnected all the navigation light wiring to ensure they were all configured correctly, had a bowl of Marianne’s chilli con carne and were in our ‘pits’ and asleep by about 9 pm!
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On to Plymouth
21st April 2022
Well I’m extremely tired but alongside safe and sound in Plymouth (Queen Anne’s Battery)!
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D-day
20th April 2022
And we're off. We slipped from the Camber just before midday, earlier than planned but clear of the Wightlink ferry that was due to sail at 1200.
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D-day minus 1!
19th April 2022
I moved Little Scarlet from her usual berth at Whale Island last night and brought her down to the Portsmouth SC pontoon in the Camber, Old Portsmouth.
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Jam!
16th April 2022
Sunny Easter Saturday ‘storing ship’ and making final preparations ‘for sea’! Little Scarlet jam ready! I have no idea why yacht Little Scarlet was given the name...
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Back afloat
2nd March 2022
Big day today. Little Scarlet was re-launched, mast re-stepped and she’s now back on her mooring at Whale Island. The boatyard team at Port Solent were very efficient with the launch conducted absolutely on time and without any issues.
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Boat plumbing
16th February 2022
Despite a successful survey in the autumn I have been concerned about the state of some of Little Scarlet’s seacocks. These are key components of the boat plumbing systems that allow water to pass through the hull: in, to allow engine sea water cooling and heads (toilet!) flushing and out, from the sinks, cockpit drains and heads.
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The plan develops
14th January 2022
Back in November Nigel and I had an ‘Initial Planning Conference’ in Portsmouth Sailing Club and an outline plan was developed....!!. This weekend that plan was developed a little further, once again with a beer at the PSC.
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First boat-work weekend
14th January 2022
With Little Scarlet out of the water at Port Solent, Nigel and I had a good weekend polishing and painting. Friday was spent trying to get some of Little Scarlet’s twenty-five year old gel coat nice and shiny and on Sunday we applied the first coat of anti-foul paint.
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Heating up
10th January 2022
A frequent piece of advice I was offered when discussing plans to sail north was to invest in a heater, both for personal comfort and to keep kit nice and dry. At some stage in the past Little Scarlet was fitted with a gas heater but it had not been serviceable for many years however it made sense to incorporate the existing ducting within the set-up for the new, replacement system.
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Winter preparation
November 2021
Little Scarlet was lifted out at Port Solent for the winter today. It’s going to be a busier winter than usual as she is prepared for a nice long sail around UK next year. Little Scarlet is a well set-up yacht that has largely been used for Solent cruising but there are a range of upgrades that we intend to make to set her up for extended sailing and living onboard.
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The idea
November 2021
One of the hazards of ‘working’ from home and being locked down during a pandemic is that there is far too much time available for day-dreaming and re-reading old favourites. One Summer’s Grace, Libby Purves’ tale of her family’s voyage around Britain has always been something of an inspiration….
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Inside the cabin
When Little Scarlet and other Sadler 32’s like her were built in the 1980s they were advertised as having accommodation for six…
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