Hafren Round Britain

[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.

 

[sighmoon]

I posted it on another thread, but I think I snapped them (from a few miles away) at the weekend, off the Aberdeenshire coast:



Cracking progress so far.

 

[Snifter]

Thanks, sighmoon! That's definitely them, and great that you saw them. Can I use the photo on their Facebook pages, please?

 

[sighmoon]

You're welcome. Please feel free to use it as you like. It's a crop of a long zoom - the above is full size, unfortunately.

 

[Snifter]

Thanks, sighmoon. I've cropped it even more!.
They made Bridlington today at lunchtime after a much faster voyage than expected - 95nm in 24hrs. They will stay there tonight to do some detailed planning for the next leg, and the wind is anyway expected to be very light tonight. Also we are approaching springs, so they may have to anchor when the tide turns against them. The next leg could be another very long one, but they want to take full advantage of the weather window. Great welcome and support from the RNLI in Bridlington, and also from the Harbourmaster. It is very much appreciated!

 

[Snifter]

They'll move Hafren tonight into deeper water in Bridlington 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.

 

[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.

 

[MrB]

Nice job on the updates Snifter, it's great to follow the progress. :encouragement:

 

[Snifter]

Thanks, Mr B. Much appreciate the feedback!
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.

 

[Greenheart]

Anyone fancy a bet for fun, on what time & day they'll arrive back at Weymouth?

I've been wrong before about this circumnavigation, but I'll continue in the same negative vein...

...I'd think if the prevailing south-westerlies persist as forecast, dropping in strength, the last leg is likely to be their slowest. I reckon Thursday July 4th, they could be back.

I wonder how sick of that boat they'll be, after more than a month on board her?

 

[Snifter]

Belated 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 pulled into Sea Palling to wait for the tide to turn about 1800, then on for Lowestoft.
Thanks, dancrane for the interest! They have now gone live on arriving back at Weymouth at Castle Cove SC at 1900 on Friday 4th July. The 2 armchair routers are very cautious about this, as there is still along way to go, and I for one know what it can be like trying to get a cruiser from the East Coast to Hamble. However, if that's when they want to get back, the incentive will drive them on to complete this epic.

 

[Seajet]

Snifter,

thankyou very much for the updates, I have been following from Day 1; this is exactly the sort of thing I planned as a youngster then never had the ' opportunity ' - read balls - to carry out !

To say I am impressed would be a wild understatement, I have some idea of the privations & effort, motivation required...

Much power to all elbows involved.

Andy

 

[rwoofer]

Looks like they've just arrived in Lowestoft!

 

[Snifter]

Thanks rb_stretch! And also Seajet! I do agree about the intensity of this challenge and what they have gone through. They were very well prepared. They practised a fully loaded capsize on the Severn in December in unpleasant conditions to prove they could right the boat and continue sailing. That was essential as their voyage would be unsupported on the water. We thought December on the Severn in a capsized Wayfarer was a good test!
They have now 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.

 

[Seajet]

Snifter,

this does seem a real case of ' take a challenge by the scruff of the neck ' ...!

 

[Snifter]

So true, Seajet. They are certainly not relaxing yet, and won't until they get back to Weymouth.....unless they get storm bound on the last stretch. However, the weather still looks mainly favourable.
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!