21.06.11 Newlyn to Isles of Scilly


Date:- 22.06.11
Name: Morgen
Crew: RD (Richard Dempster), Freddie
From: Newlyn
To: Scilly Isles
Comments: The hardest days sailing …..Ever

Wind Strength / direction: Force 6 and 7
Sea State: Moderate to rough
Distance: 40 nautical miles
Time Taken: should have been 9 Hrs was actually 18Hrs…………………..

After a days rest I was ready to go again. Well actually we were ready to go again. Peter Svenson on the next boat thought it would be a good idea if we went to the Scilly Isles together and we could watch out for each other. This seemed to make sense. So I was ready to sail at 9:00am in order to catch the tide for the longer reaches to the Isles of Scilly.
Look closely and you can see dolphine
It started well as usual! It would take approx 9 hours to cover the 35 or 40 miles to the Isles of Scilly. As you can see from the photos I was escorted through mounts bay by a small pod of Dolphin who suddenly appeared and stayed with me for about an hour and a half and although cold it was reasonably nice weather with good visibility. It was great to be amongst Dolphin. Every time I see the Dolphin I get the same thrill as if it were the first time. It’s a great thrill and I found I couldn’t point and shoot the camera fast enough to get any great shots. But the excitement fades the frustrations you feel at not being able to achieve a really good shot of them.

This had been a brilliant start to the day and the thought of getting to the Isles of Scilly was really exciting. The dolphins left me after about an hour and a half and I carried on out of St.Michaels bay at wich point the Wind had veered and was now hitting me on the nose again as I headed west. It didn’t take long for me to realise that another seven hours of this would be awful and I decided reluctantly to turn around and head back to Newlyn harbour. At about this time Peter Svenson had come out of the harbour and was also heading out towards were I was so I used the VHF to radio through to him saying that the Wind had veered and it had also picked up to a force five, really uncomfortable  and I was heading back. Peter decided to carry on. As I approached his boat I thought I would give it another go and radioed him explaining my change of mind. I swung the helm over had turned in behind him.
We followed each other talking on the radio for quite a few miles. We decided to head deep south in order to tack back up in to the wind and hopefully cover quite a few fast miles.
As you can see the wind and the sea had picked up and Morgen was flying along at 7knots. However the wind continued to become stronger and the sea was changing becoming very angry and you could see the strength of the wind on the surface of the water.
Morgen was also pitching from side to side even with a reef in the main sail and the jib not fully wound out. This was quickly becoming the worst sea we had been in and with the thought of sailing for another six hours like this I radioed through to Peter explaining that I would continue for another hour in this direction and if the weather didn’t improve I would turn back to Newlyn which I knew I could make within an hour going with the wind.











This fishing boat is about twice the size of Morgen and probably about as high and as I took the pictures she slowly descended and rose with the swell completely disappearing at times.













Even these pictures do not display how rough it was becoming, the blue sky in actual fact was a very grey sky and becoming angrier as the seconds ticked by.












After about an hour I contacted Peter to say I was returning as I thought the weather was not going to improve and I hoped he had a good rest of his journey which he replied to by trying to persuade me to continue with him and his son. He said we were nearly half way now (which was true) and we might as well continue. After a quick soul search I agreed and we continue tacking in to the increasing wind and swell. I already had all my waterproofs on and of course my life jacket and the hand held VHF attached to the life jacket in case I went overboard. I also got the safety lines out and attached myself to the boat. If I went over I would be dragged behind but at least I would be attached to morgen and be able to radio for help. GULP. The weather continued to deteriorate and the patchy clounds were now a total grey and it was drizzling. Every now and again a wave would hit us and come over the top and hit me. This wasn’t a problem as long as I was aware and expecting it but if I wasn’t expecting it the wave would crash over Morgen and when it went in my eyes etc stung like hell.

I was becoming more tired as the day went on as I was fighting with Morgen to keep her on track as she wanted to turn with the wind instead of fighting in to it. Every tack I went through I would have to pull the Main sheet in so that when I tacked I didn’t risk the boom crashing from one side of the boat to the other and possibly de-masting us. My hands were wet and cold even though I had gloves on. And I found it hard to grip the lines as I heaved them as tight as I could. This was relentless I was tacking and racing away on the wind only to have to tack a short time after this and go through the whole procedure again. Very very tiring. But sailing single handed means you cant take a rest when you want you just have to keep going. No ones there to take over for you just because your tired. Just keep going. Just keep going I would say to myself remembering when I had run mini marathons in the past and when it began to hurt I would say to myself “Ive been here before” “Ive been here before” referring to the pain you go through when running distances. So I just said to myself “just keep going” “Just keep Going”

It was about this time that I found there were no thoughts of taking pictures as I was to busy surviving and also about this time (and this is very unusual for me) I started to throw up, It didn’t feel like sea sickness as there was no prelude to it. You usually feel quite nauseous before being sick but this time I felt absolutely fine and then all of a sudden I thought I’m going to be sick and within two seconds up it came. Breakfast first followed by undigested “you guessed it” Lobster! Well better out than in as they say. However I was to be sick another two times which is very unusual for me and both times it contained more Lobster. I began to think Peter was trying to kill me off. By now my arms were aching and I had to keep dropping them to my sides to allow the blood to circulate and my ribs were really aching from vomiting. “just keep going” Another tack followed by another tack followed by another tack and so on and on. Peter on his much faster larger boat had disappeared of in to the distance and I had no alternative but to continue even with the increasing wind and swell. It slowly dawned on me that this was going to take much longer to get to the Isles of Scilly as the wind kept pushing me backwards in the direction I had come from. All I could do was try and keep as much speed up as I could and keep tacking towards the Scillys. I also realised that I was not going to make the Islands before nightfall and would not only have to contend with the weather and sea but I would also have to do my first night passage since I did my competent crew course years ago. Gulp, Gulp….

After many hours of this repeating picture. Peter Svenson contacted me and said he was now fed up with the conditions and was going to use hid engine to cover the last 12 miles. I looked at my chart plotter which told me I had 22 miles still to go. The air turned blue for a while. I tried to run with the engine on but even at a fast RPM my little engine could only make about 1.5 Knt to 2.5 Knts against the sea and wind. Back to tacking with the sails then. Engine off as I might need the Diesel later on. It was about ten o clock at night that it finally started to get really dark and I still had twelve miles to go. I was cold and hungry and now feeling very lonely and very tired. My estimated time of arrival was becoming later and later. The plotter was saying anything between 1:06am and 1:30am. It would be pitch black by the time I was to reach the entrance between St.Agnes and St.Marys Islands I had many rocks to avoid, Spannish ledge to avoid and god knows how many other dangers. The Isles of Scilly are strewn with wrecks that have met their ends on these rocks.

Nothing else for it! Tack and tack again and “just Keep going” I was very cold now what with being sick and having wet hands and the sun had completely gone and becoming more and more worn out.  I could at last sea the lights from the islands with about six miles to go. Peter had asked the coastguard to phone me and check that everything was OK as he was becoming quite worried by the lack of my arrival. I assured the coastguard that everything was OK but because of the increasing wind on the nose I was hardly making any headway and that I would arrive in St.Marys harbour at approximately 1:30 in the morning.

Down to four miles and this was becoming very tricky and I was worried that my navigation may not be up to it, especially in these conditions. The last four miles tracks me along the coast of St.Marys across Spanish Ledge between various rocks and rocky outcrops and numerous leading lights and coloured lateral markers which all shine out to sea but all represent some kind of hazard for me to avoid. My eyes were out on stalks I had completely forgot how hungry and tired I was. I just concentrated on what I could see and the chartplotter, I was essentially sailing blind. With so many hazards around me I had to go slowly so I dropped the jib sail first just before going between the two islands, this allowed me a better view of what was ahead. If there had been anything in front of me, I would have to avoid it with only a few feet of advanced warning. Once through the gap between the islands I dropped the main sail after following the leading line to the entrance of St.Marys Harbour. I had almost made it. My maiden voyage at night Yippeee. With the engine running and the sails down I motored in to the harbour which was notably a great deal calmer than out at sea. However the wind was still blowing strongly and I would have to be careful.

Its at times like this, all day long I kept thinking of my family, what they were doing how much I missed them and the comfortable night time routines like having dinner together watching TV or saying our good nights. You realise in life what is important to you. And believe me I’m not the gushy type!

Anyway what a reliefe I had made it, instead of covering 35 to 40 miles my chartplotter said I nearly covered 80 miles exactly twice the distance it should have been and coincidently twice the time it should have taken. In total eighteen hours.

However, Itried to pick up a floating Buoy I couldn’t do it. Being single handed means I cant be at the bow picking up lines with the boat hook and at the helm position steering to a point somewhere whilst taking tide and wind in to consideration. I spent some time trying this but couldn’t do it. Probably physical and mental tiredness coming to the fore. I decided to drop an anchor and sit until morning at anchor.

Again I went to the bow of the boat and prepared the anchor for dropping, returned to the helm and steered up as close as I dared to the rear of the other boats that were attached to the floating buoys.  Once in position I ran to the bow of the boat and released the anchor, letting out the recommended amount of chain and rode. At last I collapsed in to the cockpit of Morgen. Exhausted but safe. I looked up for the sudden realisation that I was still moving and moving visibly quite fast the wind was blowing Morgen towards the rocks at the end of the bay. The anchor was dragging. I started the engine and drove the boat towards the chain that I could see. Running to the bow of the boat I tried to drag the anchor and chain back to the boat. I grabbed the line and heaved the boat wouldn’t move any further forward and I couldn’t pull the chain onboard I tried leaning over the side grabbing as much chain as I couls and using my legs and back tried to pull the chain on board but I just couldn’t do it. The rocks were getting ever closer as the tide dropped on the ebb it essentially brought the rocks closer. I had to get the anchor up to allow me to motor to a different location. I tried to reach one of the winches with the rode. This is the rope at the end of the chain. But as I did this the wind just pushed Morgen further towards the rocks and I couldn’t hold the rope firmly enough and it cut through my hands and I had to drop it. I was running out of time I only had minutes left (if I was lucky) I ran below grabbed the Almanac with all of the harbours details in it. Found and emergency harbourmasters telephone number and dialled it. I had to leave a message on the answer phone for him to get back to me. After all it was now 2:45 in the morning! I then phoned the coastguard there was nothing else fo it. I explained exactly where I was giving Lat and Long and describing the position I was In. The coastguard explained they would be with me as soon as they could. With the end of the conversation all I could do was try to steer away from the rocks but this was only a few feet in either direction as the anchor was still holding me. Just as the first lights appeared on the harbour wall and the distant beach I had a stomach curdling jolt as Morgens Keel started to touch the submerged rocks. Just a tap at first but the next and the next were becoming heavier as the water receded. The coast guard men came out on a rib and had a line on the stern of Morgen within fifteen minutes of my original call to them. Unbelievable! What a reliefe I couldn’t thank them enough but they carried on about there business and pulled us sideways through the water using the rib. Another larger pilot boat then appeared and held Morgen in position whilst the crew on the Rib went about releasing the anchor by pulling it in another direction. Finally we were free. What a relief.

The coastguards then motored out  with me and found a visitors pontton which I had inadvertently motored past on the way in to St.Marys and made sure I was secured to it before heading off. I cant say a big enough thanks to all the crew that helped. Without them I would have lost Morgen most probably and it would have been the end of the trip round to Scotland and all the sponsorship which has been raised. A really really close call. Not to be repeated….

Pictures of Isles of Scilly etc







Some of the Islands


Black wild Rabbits


Aiming at the boat at anchor!
Look carefully and you can see the dolphin

20.06.11 Mylor Marina to Newlyn

I left on April 30th from Port Solent thinking I would probably have good weather by this time of the year. WRONG. Apart from one leg of the journey I have had miserable weather and the wind on the nose all the way. It was not going to be any different on the Mylor to Newlyn leg.

I left Mylor in good spirits and it seemed like a good day as always the further in to the cruise the worse the weather became. But as you can see the seas were relatively flat.
Which only left me with a small problem to contend with. The visibility to begin with was down to maybe two miles, this was fine as I had also set the AIS (Automatic Identification System)up for a two mile range. This little gizmo is brilliant it shows any large vessels within a predefined range and all large vessels are required by law to carry AIS transponders. This means in laymans language that I get a little triangle show up un the chartplotter were there is a tanker or such like. It also gives me the tankers or cargo vessels MMSI number so I can radio them directly, the course of the vessel, its speed and its bearing amongst other information. So I had no problems with the visibility being down to 2 miles. Lizard here I come!!!

What I didn’t know until it was to late to turn back was that visibility was reducing down to approximately 50 meters and I would need to use the fog horn every minute whilst I couldn’t see. I have a little fog horn which you have to blow through a little like a bugle. No easy task whilst you are controlling the sails and steering on a course you cant see and all the time puffing your lungs up in order to blow the fog horn. EVERY 60 SECONDS.

There are no photos of this as they all appear as just grey with nothing to see. Needless to say I didn’t see the Lizard peninsular  as it passed in the cloak of mist which finally thinned out once I was well past the point at which I could have seen it.

However I was able to use for the first time as well the new Radar that I installed. This was spun up and transmitting the whole time I was in the sea mist. This meant I could see other boats as a little orangy dot on the plotter which I could hardly take my eyes off.
However as soon as I thought the mist was lifting it as good as disappeared in a few seconds at which point two other yachts passed by. This was to prove quite significant for future travel!
Finally in Newlyn harbour and all tied up. A piper starts the evening off with a rendition of Scotland the brave etc. A good omen I thinks.
And finally sunshine. You wouldn’t believe how horrible it was earlier in the day, gray damp wet miserable are only a few things I could call it!
Newlyn turned out a lovely little port although boasting only limited amenities as it is a working fishing harbour.  I also met a guy on the next boat by the name of Peter Svenson and his son Andreas who had just bought there 40foot sun odysee and was going to sail it back to Sweden. He was a Major in the Swedish army and had a real gung ho attitude to everything. He was in seventh heaven when he was able to buy a large lobster for ten pounds off of a fishing boat which had just returned from the sea. I was to sample some of this Lobster later on along with some beer and a few drams of whiskey.