capnsensible
Well-Known Member
Who wants to go first?
Blackcatters tales of exotic sailing stories.
- Thread starter capnsensible
- Start date
newtothis
Well-Known Member
I've said it before, but I've rounded Cape Calshot on a Saturday in summer... you weren't there man!
capnsensible
Well-Known Member
I've extremely vague memories of seeing Sunderland flying boats there awaiting scrap.
The Calshot Activities centre was where the likes of Tom Cunliffe and John Goode developed RYA training.
The Calshot Activities centre was where the likes of Tom Cunliffe and John Goode developed RYA training.
blush2
Well-Known Member
There was a Sunderland being refurbished when I worked there in the 80s. I had a look round inside it. It eventually flew, I have photos. It spent a summer in the Lake District and was subsequently sold. A documentary was made about it.
capnsensible
Well-Known Member
Some time ago I was doing an Istructor update and we were having fun and frolics taking turns to practice a manoverboard recovery under sail just to the west of the Spit. Blowing old boots. Very energetic.
During this, we saw an aircraft attempting a landing at Southampton Airport, revs on and off, we could see it wobbling. Clue that the weather was a bit pants.
The spooky bit was that a week or so later I was in a bar in Marina Bay in Gib, having a wet with a friend of ours. In walked his friend who had arrived for a couple of days sailing. Interested on how the update went, I related the dit about that day.
The guy who was a friend of my friend asked what time and what day. When I told him he said he was the pilot and it had been a bit of a sporting arrival. For once, I was a bit lost for words.....
During this, we saw an aircraft attempting a landing at Southampton Airport, revs on and off, we could see it wobbling. Clue that the weather was a bit pants.
The spooky bit was that a week or so later I was in a bar in Marina Bay in Gib, having a wet with a friend of ours. In walked his friend who had arrived for a couple of days sailing. Interested on how the update went, I related the dit about that day.
The guy who was a friend of my friend asked what time and what day. When I told him he said he was the pilot and it had been a bit of a sporting arrival. For once, I was a bit lost for words.....
capnsensible
Well-Known Member
Christopher Columbus made 3 voyages to the New World. So that's 6 crossings.
I've done 12 so take that Senor Colon.
I've done 12 so take that Senor Colon.
newtothis
Well-Known Member
Pah, I've crossed Mare Solento to Isla Blanca more often than that. And the natives there were real savages.
RunAgroundHard
Well-Known Member
Pff, pussies, I have beaten round Cloch Point hundreds of times in a southerly gale, sailed over the Toward Bank, and survived the natives of the Black Bull Inn, Rothesy, and ordered a curry from the Indian Pavilion. And don't get me started on been hammered in Frasers Bar, Millport, on a Fair Weekend, after broaching over Portachur Spit then pitchpoling off Sheenawally point before gybing onto the moorings with a perfect spinnaker drop. Routine for us you know.
Biggles Wader
Well-Known Member
Isle of Thanet. Been there done that.
fredrussell
Well-Known Member
I’ve twice rounded Cape Horn in my Parker (Knoll) 31. Easy-peasy man, don’t know what all the fuss is about.
newtothis
Well-Known Member
capnsensible
Well-Known Member
I went sailing this morning.
veshengro
Well-Known Member
Not exotic and not sailing but a strange voyage. Loaded in Liverpool and the Clyde for Murmansk...in winter...
Murmansk although above the Arctic Circle is ice free because of the North Atlantic current. Picked up the Pilot and a gang of Customs and blokes armed to the teeth. (1960's Khrushchev was still boss)
All personal radios, binoculars and cameras confiscated and sealed away in a locker. Any American Dollars also impounded.
Once in her berth, a 'Cultural Officer' came aboard. Shore passes were in two parts, one half given to gangway Guard on going ashore and the other half let you get back aboard..Lose it and it would take the British Embassy to rescue you.
Found out that booze was a major problem ashore, the locals had to buy Tokens in the bars with a limit on the number of tokens per person per Bar . This was supposed to prevent Ivan getting legless, because he had to move between Bars which gave the local Police snatch squad a chance to nick anyone who staggered in the street...
As crew we could only go ashore mob handed with the Cultural Officer. We were loaded into a coach..Ah! Ha! we're off to see the sights of Murmansk...Nope, they took us to a Tractor Factory !!! Honest. Big red Tractors on an assembly line.
The Dock Cranes were operated by women..big ones, in big felt boots and padded overalls mostly sized XXXL. For three days I was a virtual prisoner of Mother Russia and apart from an enthralling day at a Tractor Factory where I got to eat some sort of meat paste in a cardboard bread sandwich and drink coffee which I think was burnt Acorns, I saw nothing but Cranes, enormous ladies in blue overalls and dodgy looking blokes pretending they were not watching us, just to ensure we didn't steal a Dock crane or something...
Murmansk although above the Arctic Circle is ice free because of the North Atlantic current. Picked up the Pilot and a gang of Customs and blokes armed to the teeth. (1960's Khrushchev was still boss)
All personal radios, binoculars and cameras confiscated and sealed away in a locker. Any American Dollars also impounded.
Once in her berth, a 'Cultural Officer' came aboard. Shore passes were in two parts, one half given to gangway Guard on going ashore and the other half let you get back aboard..Lose it and it would take the British Embassy to rescue you.
Found out that booze was a major problem ashore, the locals had to buy Tokens in the bars with a limit on the number of tokens per person per Bar . This was supposed to prevent Ivan getting legless, because he had to move between Bars which gave the local Police snatch squad a chance to nick anyone who staggered in the street...
As crew we could only go ashore mob handed with the Cultural Officer. We were loaded into a coach..Ah! Ha! we're off to see the sights of Murmansk...Nope, they took us to a Tractor Factory !!! Honest. Big red Tractors on an assembly line.
The Dock Cranes were operated by women..big ones, in big felt boots and padded overalls mostly sized XXXL. For three days I was a virtual prisoner of Mother Russia and apart from an enthralling day at a Tractor Factory where I got to eat some sort of meat paste in a cardboard bread sandwich and drink coffee which I think was burnt Acorns, I saw nothing but Cranes, enormous ladies in blue overalls and dodgy looking blokes pretending they were not watching us, just to ensure we didn't steal a Dock crane or something...