"All Four Corners"

[Robert Wilson]

Well, I have today committed myself to attempt a single-handed circumnavigation of the UK.
I've been researching and planning for about a month now, but today was decision day.

It will be the first time I have attempted something on this scale, especially solo.
The costs of new equipment and the voyage itself are daunting, but the thrill and pleasure (I hope) of it should make the butterflies worthwhile.

I look forward to being able to keeping you all up-to-date (nowhere near as well as Dylanwinter did),
and also perhaps to sailing in company wherever folk may be and/or wish.

The whole trip should take me about three and a half months, leaving mid-April (depending on tides, tide-gates and weather etc). I'll be going anti-clockwise, mainly because I have to be at Milford Haven for 7th May.
I intend to do no night-sailing at all, making marinas/harbours/anchorages each night. I'll probably go from Gigha to Northern Ireland, down the east coast of Ireland to about Rosslare then across to Milford Haven.

I have wobbly legs thinking about Padstow-Land's End-Newlyn, and the Dover to Harwich stretches. Pentland Firth & Cape Wrath? Pah, easy-peasy............

And when I get back, I'll probably have some electronics/gear to flog to defray costs!

If any of you have any advice or suggestions, I'd welcome them - especially good/nice anchorages and useful marinas/ports.

Thanks for all your advice so far, and for any that may be forthcoming.

Robert

 

[lpdsn]

Good luck. Best wishes with it all.

Send me a PM when approaching Norn Iron.

 

[macd]

because I have to be at Milford Haven for 7th May.

The first thing I'd do is turf that sort of thinking overboard. You don't have to be anywhere that's not prudent.
Good luck, fair winds and good times.

 

[Robert Wilson]

Good luck. Best wishes with it all.

Send me a PM when approaching Norn Iron.

Thanks. And I shall do - internet connection permitting!!:encouragement:

 

[Dave-Shafa]

My advice is to do what I do. Short cut through the Cally Canal.

 

[Robert Wilson]

The first thing I'd do is turf that sort of thinking overboard. You don't have to be anywhere that's not prudent.
Good luck, fair winds and good times.

Good advice. I remember being told "Cruising to a timetable is racing - and that's when the trouble starts."

But I do have to be in MH on 7th May, even if I have to leave the boat somewhere and catch a ferry, train, taxi, hitch or walk.

Thanks for your kind thoughts.

Robert

PS. I thought I had posted this response already, but it seems to have disappeared into the ether!

 

[trapezeartist]

I think your wobbliness re Padstow - Lands End - Newlyn is only because it's a long way from your familiar waters. While I would agree that going round Lands End does have some sort of special psychological cachet, it really requires no more than the usual degree of prudence. Watch for pot-buoys all along the north Devon and Cornwall coasts. Be sure you have a good weather window for Lands End before you leave Padstow. Only pass inshore of Longships if the weather is benign. I can't comment on Newlyn because I've never been there, but it does seem to have a fairly unattractive reputation.

 

[Robert Wilson]

I think your wobbliness re Padstow - Lands End - Newlyn is only because it's a long way from your familiar waters. While I would agree that going round Lands End does have some sort of special psychological cachet, it really requires no more than the usual degree of prudence. Watch for pot-buoys all along the north Devon and Cornwall coasts. Be sure you have a good weather window for Lands End before you leave Padstow. Only pass inshore of Longships if the weather is benign. I can't comment on Newlyn because I've never been there, but it does seem to have a fairly unattractive reputation.

Thanks. Yes, you're correct. That stretch is very unfamiliar (other than standing at Land's End/Sennen on VERY stormy days!!). It just seems a long way to go in one hop with no bolt-holes and the prospect of the tide being wrong on a return to Padstow after a few hours SW-ward.

Time will tell.

I gather Newlyn isn't brilliant, but it's the first port-of-call once round Land's End??. Falmouth/St. Mawes would be nice if the weather did splendidly!!

R

 

[jimi]

Falmouth to Harwich is a doddle. Easy day sails if required. I did Inverness to Lowestoft in a oner cos with a 6'6" fin keel there were limited ports of refuge on the East Coast. I'd be tempted by a long leg from Cork to th Scillies if I were you rather than Milford Haven to Padstow

 

[Champagne Murphy]

I think your wobbliness re Padstow - Lands End - Newlyn is only because it's a long way from your familiar waters. While I would agree that going round Lands End does have some sort of special psychological cachet, it really requires no more than the usual degree of prudence. Watch for pot-buoys all along the north Devon and Cornwall coasts. Be sure you have a good weather window for Lands End before you leave Padstow. Only pass inshore of Longships if the weather is benign. I can't comment on Newlyn because I've never been there, but it does seem to have a fairly unattractive reputation.

Same might be said of Harwich Dover (the wise and open minded would try Ramsgate). Really not as scary as it looks on paper

 

[dylanwinter]

tough schedule...

make sure you leave time to enjoy the journey rather than focussing on getting stuff done

It took me sevenn years to get from the isle of Wight to Edinburgh

this spring I did the same journey in six days

I ended up sailing past some wonderful places I had really enjoyed

we only go once around the wheel of life

savour every moment

D

 

[Dave-Shafa]

Took me SIX months to do this:
and I was going fast.

 

[EdWingfield]

Good luck Robert!

As usual, you get the full spectrum of advice here from see as much as possible, to miss N Scotland and miss E Scotland and most of E England. No one is right/wrong, each to his own.

But for selfish reasons (I will be an armchair sailor one day, and I will get pleasure from your blogs vlogs) I have a request?

Please give dialogue. Please avoid blasting rock music. I would like to know your daily plan, what went right, what went wrong. Comments along the way.

I'm sure you will be offered a perfect night-sail. One that is mild, dry and stress free. 60M night crossing of Irish Sea? Fill your boots.

There is an intermittent chance of selling your charts/pilots to skippers sailing the other way round. Half-price would seem fair to me.

Where will be your Utube or Vimeo collection of films?

Ed

 

[macd]

I'd be tempted by a long leg from Cork to th Scillies if I were you rather than Milford Haven to Padstow

+1 (ish) OP says he's going E of Ireland, but also that he's doing a circumnav of UK: he can't do both. Also that he has to be in Milford Haven.

Re route to Land's end: much will depend on wind direction: they don't call Padstow 'the glue-pot' for nothing. If he needs to maintain westing, Padstow might be ill-advised, although the alternative is a long passage and he plans on not sailing at night.

 

[Robert Wilson]

Good luck Robert!

As usual, you get the full spectrum of advice here from see as much as possible, to miss N Scotland and miss E Scotland and most of E England. No one is right/wrong, each to his own.

But for selfish reasons (I will be an armchair sailor one day, and I will get pleasure from your blogs vlogs) I have a request?

Please give dialogue. Please avoid blasting rock music. I would like to know your daily plan, what went right, what went wrong. Comments along the way.

I'm sure you will be offered a perfect night-sail. One that is mild, dry and stress free. 60M night crossing of Irish Sea? Fill your boots.

There is an intermittent chance of selling your charts/pilots to skippers sailing the other way round. Half-price would seem fair to me.

Where will be your Utube or Vimeo collection of films?

Ed

IF I can do a blog etc (no experience/gizmo-challenged!) I'll let you know where, and there definitely won't be rock music! If any music, then perhaps a bit of Wagner for Land's End perhaps, and of course Sibelius for NW Scotland.......
I'll somehow have to publish my daily plan, as such, if only to alert folk in the various areas.
Night sailing could be wonderful but still in negotiations with insurance company.

Do I really need ALL the charts? I was thinking of electronic (plotter, with back-ups on PC & Android) and the pilot books.

 

[jimi]

IF I can do a blog etc (no experience/gizmo-challenged!) I'll let you know where, and there definitely won't be rock music! If any music, then perhaps a bit of Wagner for Land's End perhaps, and of course Sibelius for NW Scotland.......
I'll somehow have to publish my daily plan, as such, if only to alert folk in the various areas.
Night sailing could be wonderful but still in negotiations with insurance company.

Do I really need ALL the charts? I was thinking of electronic (plotter, with back-ups on PC & Android) and the pilot books.

I carried Imray charts but rarely used them, I'd say you could do without. Where they are useful is to give the big picture, which is often difficult to get on a small screen .. but that's a nice to have rather than essential.

 

[Robert Wilson]

tough schedule...

make sure you leave time to enjoy the journey rather than focussing on getting stuff done

It took me sevenn years to get from the isle of Wight to Edinburgh

this spring I did the same journey in six days

I ended up sailing past some wonderful places I had really enjoyed

we only go once around the wheel of life

savour every moment

D

Aye, tough schedule, but as I live in the best part, I don't need to tarry there! If all goes well then I can go slower the next time (NEXT time? ), and as an "old salt" I'll be able to go as the day takes me.
IoW to Edinburgh in six days, that sounds encouraging.

 

[Robert Wilson]

I carried Imray charts but rarely used them, I'd say you could do without. Where they are useful is to give the big picture, which is often difficult to get on a small screen .. but that's a nice to have rather than essential.

:encouragement:

 

[Robert Wilson]

Took me SIX months to do this:
and I was going fast.

You forgot to turn left out of The Caley! NO wonder you wandered around so much!

As I live up there I can sail around and enjoy the area at leisure.

 

[prv]

IoW to Edinburgh in six days, that sounds encouraging.

That was proper passagemaking, three blokes standing watches, for most of the way. Think they stopped once to let some weather go through, but otherwise were sailing all the time. If you're daysailing (which is unavoidable really as a singlehander in coastal waters) then it'll take a lot longer!

Pete