Hafren Round Britain

[Snifter]

Another long old slog today, much of the last 2 hours after the tide turned paddling as the wind died. Still aiming to get to Amble tonight, and the paddling muscles are getting finely tuned. Jeremy is keeping a tally of every 100 strokes, and is now up to 2500! Pray for some wind or a back eddy to get them to some beer in Amble before the pubs close.

 

[Snifter]

They arrived in Amble around 2100 to a great welcome from the RNLI, and some well earned beer, food and a good night's rest. No one from Coquet YC turned up which was a disappointment, but it was late on a Monday night.
They are reprovisoned, and ready to go at about 1000. It has started raining, and the forecast is for light northerly winds, so the ideal target of Lowestoft is going to be severely curtailed, but they plan to stay at sea again and grind out the miles.

 

[Snifter]

Good progress this afternoon from Amble, with spinnaker up and lots of puffins, beaks stuffed with so many fish they could hardly take off. Wind is expected to go light tonight, so possible next stop now is Bridlington - another 50nm. Then off to Lowestoft on Thursday.

 

[Snifter]

Great night with more wind than predicted, a close - but safe - encounter with a giant oceangoing tug hauling an oil rig, and a good chance of Bridlington this afternoon. Probably stay over night there before going on to Lowestoft or beyond tomorrow. Tide against for the next 4hrs, but the easterly predicted for this afternoon may have come in early, so we'll see at noon.

 

[Snifter]

They decided to stay tonight in Bridlington and get some good sleep. They'll move Hafren tonight into deeper water in the harbour so they can get out tomorrow - the harbour only has water a few hours either side of HW. The plan is to leave around 1000, and go for a long leg, subject to the tides and wind. As we are at springs, it may make more sense to anchor when the tide is against them, although if they can make more than 2 to 3kts SOG they'll probably continue sailing.

 

[Snifter]

They left Bridlington just before 1000, having put the boat on the fuel jetty before breakfast at 0730. It was already half aground when they got back at 0930, so Jeremy pushed it through the mud! Now sailing in a F2 ENE and doing 4.4 SOG.
Thanks to the RNLI for all their help in Bridlington - really appreciated! Royal Yorkshire Yacht Club were very welcoming last night as well.

 

[Snifter]

Good day so far, and Hafren is now level with Grimsby. I'm away from home with limited wifi for the next 24hrs, but will do updates whenever possible. You can track progress under Mapping on www.xtremedinghycruising.com.

 

[Snifter]

Hafren is still going well, and aiming across the Wash towards the Norfolk coast. It'll be another long night at sea, and the wind looks light, but favourable. We'll see how far they get overnight.

 

[Snifter]

Update from Router Ken at 1000 this morning: JnP will have completed about 90 nm over the last 24 hours. The wind veered during the night into the SE, hence the change of course. They were then lifted and are now just off the coast near Cromer. I have just spoken with them and they are well rested having had at least 6 hours sleep each during the night. The tide is currently with them until about 12.00, but they are approaching an area of unsettled wind, not so much in strength but in direction. At the moment, they are beating with the tide. When the tide turns, depending upon wind speed and direction, they may sail on or may anchor up because the foul tide, it being Springs, can reach up to 3 kts!! They are not sure about stopping at Lowestoft, which is still about 35 nm away and likely to take them of the order of 10 hours. At that point, they might have at least 2 kt of tide under them and won't want to stop just at that point. Much will depend on how they get on today and what the forecast looks like this evening.

 

[Snifter]

Update from Ken at 1400: JnP definitely making for Lowestoft. Expected to be a long slog beating all the way. Tide foul until about 18.00. Current ETA about 22.00, but keep watching track. I'll be contacting again beforehand.
1700 - they have landed at Sea Palling to wait for the tide to turn, and then will continue to Lowestoft, aiming still to arrive at 2200.

 

[Snifter]

Hafren has arrived safely in Lowestoft after the leg from Bridlington, and should soon be in the excellent care of the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk YC and RNLI. The plan is to leave at 0800 to catch the tide down the Coast and make the most of the weather.

 

[Snifter]

Hafren left a bit early this morning to take advantage of the tide down the Coast, and is making good progress towards Felixstowe. There is some light wind forecast on the nose this afternoon, so they'll probably anchor for a few hours to wait for the tide, and carry the next one down towards Ramsgate. The crew is positive, and relishing the challenge of the Thames estuary, the Dover Straits and the South Coast.

 

[Snifter]

Hafren reached Felixstowe Ferry to be faced with 7kts pouring out of the Deben, so they accepted a tow from the harbourmaster to get to FFSC. They were there welcomed by Rob Ford of TSC who works for a yacht builder up the Orwell, and had been tracking them all day, and members of FFSC, who are lending them a Wayfarer trolley. Thanks to Rob for taking them shopping, and FFSC for your help and support at very short notice!
I've just had a conference call with JnP and a couple of committee members of FFSC. We went through the weather forecasts for the next 36 hours or so, and there is a light bit in the night around Southend to Ramsgate. The Thames Estuary at night is not the place to be sitting in a small boat with an adverse tide and slatting sails, so they have sensibly decided to defer departure for 12hrs. The wind will be steady from the north then, so they can run down to Dover with spinnaker in daylight (hopefully!). In the meantime, they will no doubt enjoy local hospitality!

 

[Snifter]

Hafren left Felixstowe Ferry at 0400 for the leg down to the last corner of Britain before the home leg. Thanks to FFSC for your hospitality! Force 2 NW as they set off making around 4kts.

 

[Snifter]

A good trip across the Thames Estuary and round the last 'corner' to Dover where Hafren stopped for an hour to wait for the tide to change and have a cup of tea. They are now off again aiming for Lymington by tomorrow night, although they may stop over somewhere like Newhaven if the wind goes too light to make progress against the tide. A RIB went out from Dover to find them, so hopefully there will soon be some more photographs to post.

 

[Snifter]

Some photos from today are now posted on the Facebook page, which can be accessed on the top right of the header bar on www.xtremedinghycruising.com. Thanks to Chris for sending them to me. JnP took the visitors on board as they sailed towards Dover to give them some idea of what it's like, and brewed a cup of tea for one really lucky person. I have not heard what it tasted like. I like the pics of Hafren sailing towards the White Cliffs and into Dover Harbour. They are now round Dungeness.

 

[Snifter]

Working their way along the south coast at present, and Hafren will struggle on up the Solent later this evening against the tide to Lymington. They will rest there with friends before timing their departure to get to Weymouth on Wednesday afternoon. The crew have amazed themselves, and to be more than two days ahead of their projected arrival time of less than a week ago is astonishing.
More photos are now on the Facebook page, which can be accessed via the link on the Header bar of www.xtremedinghycruising.com. There is also a link if anyone fancies donating to their chosen charities - the RNLI and the Pappa Fund, a community in Southern India supported by Jeremy's home village of Marshfield - in return for the many hours of wonderful entertainment they have provided over the last 30 days!

 

[Snifter]

The easterly is blowing Hafren up the Solent against the tide, so hopefully if they keep close in to the shore they will arrive at a reasonable time at Lymington.
Some great photos were provided by Tom Gruitt of Yachts and Yachting of their approach to Dover yesterday, and can be seen on the www.xtremedinghycruising.com site by clicking on the Facebook or Twitter icon on the right of the header bar. Thanks, Tom!
They plan to leave Lymington at about 1500 tomorrow to get round St Alban, and will then rest up in Lulworth Cove before arriving at Castle Cove Sailing Club in the early afternoon.
Ok, perhaps they will regret not keeping straight on to Castle Cove tonight, when next year another Wayfarer beats their time by 24 hours, but I challenge anyone to have a go. If they get in on Wednesday, it'll be 32 days against what we thought was a tough target of 60 days. Amazing!
It says a lot for Wayfarers.

 

[Snifter]

They made Lymington just before midnight after 44 hours from Felixstowe Ferry with just an hour's stop in Dover for tea yesterday.

 

[Snifter]

Hafren had a great welcome at Lymington last night around midnight, with a Blaze, a sailing canoe, and 2 RIBs to guide them in.
They are now rested and planning to leave about 1400 past Hurst Castle, and then take the North passage into Christchurch Bay, where it should be more sheltered. It's blowing quite hard at present, but is from the East, so with the tide they should make good time to St Alban's Head. Their going to anchor up overnight, and plan to sail into Portland Harbour in the early afternoon before landing at Castle Cove.