Hafren Round Britain

[KREW2]

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.

We counted them out, and are looking forward to counting them back in.

I started a thread the day after they launched, and put a link in to their website, so I know they are being well followed.
Castle Cove YC are already planning a good reception, and a flotilla to see them in would be great.
That will all depend on arrival time though. I believe if they are early they are going to hold off til evening. That's confidence for you

 

[Seajet]

If they come through the Solent, please give us advance warning, I for one would like to wave them past !

 

[Snifter]

Thanks, Seajet. Will do. Current plan is to come through close to Lymington. The time will become clearer over the next couple of days, I hope.

 

[Temujin]

Temujin and crew may well head down Friday evening to welcome them back so please keep us updated, stunning achievement.

 

[Snifter]

Thanks, Temujin. I'll keep you posted on ETA. Still 215nm to go.
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.

 

[MrB]

Did they take a Go-Pro or equivalent with them? It would make epic viewing.:encouragement:

 

[Snifter]

Hi MrB - yes, they have got a GoPro, and I hope they worked out how to use it. I gather that Tom Gruitt who takes photographs for Yachts and Yachting was on the RIB, so hopefully the photos will be really good. I gather he knows Phil through Cherub racing. I've already had one request from a sailing club for a talk this winter, so there'd better be some pictures!

 

[Greenheart]

I've planned all sorts of jaunts in dinghies over the years, but maybe Hafren's seemingly effortless success can answer one question I never worked out:

How to be sure of safe (and secure) places to keep a heavy, unballasted boat overnight, in completely unfamiliar ports or harbours along the way?

Especially if there are likely to be numerous such places on the route. The theoretical ideal must be to anchor and sleep aboard, assuming the crew can stand such propinquity...

...but how confidently can one assume that an unballasted boat without a trolley for hauling-out, can be safely left unattended, ashore or afloat, at landings along the way?

May we assume Hafren's route was very carefully researched in advance, with harbour-masters warned about her requirements?

I've looked hard at the Isle of Wight for places where a big dinghy could be landed, close enough to tenting spots to feel secure. There seem to be very few.

 

[Snifter]

Hi dancrane. Very good question, and I wish we had worked an answer out earlier. The original plan was to have a shore support team running around the country arranging stopovers before Hafren arrived. We then went to a talk by Ron Pattenden, who sailed a Laser singlehanded around Britain, at Clevedon Sailing Club earlier this year. Read his book - Land on the Right. A lightbulb went on. Much better to have a central 'armchair' routing team, and some people who could quickly react as Hafren decided to make a stop. Also we made sure the boat was self sufficient for 5 days. The crew of Jeremy and Phil were sure they could manage 2 nights and 3 days at sea without stopping from trials they carried out last year, and if necessary they could - like Ron - go up on a beach or anchor and sleep in mini tents or in the boat. They are also very determined and able to put up for long periods with great discomfort!
Hafren has so far been very lucky with the weather. The route was carefully researched, and tidal gates, main arrival ports and emergency bolt holes were all planned. However, we have relied heavily on sailing clubs, local RNLI PR Officers and crews, and harbourmasters to give generously of their time and support. Often I or my co router or one of the support team has rung a club at an hour's notice - like Felixstowe Ferry yesterday - and had a magnificent response. The same with harbourmasters and the RNLI. It has been wonderful to see how kind and supportive everyone - with very few exceptions - has been.
However, this has been a carefully planned voyage, and your point about finding places to leave a large dinghy safely while cruising is not so easy to resolve. I have had sleepless nights worrying about where Hafren would anchor or come ashore on the way round, but somehow it has - so far - worked out. My advice, for what it is worth, based on the last month is that unless you just go and do it, you won't find solutions. But Hafren has been blessed with almost perfect conditions - so far.

 

[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.

 

[Greenheart]

Thanks for your answers Snifter - very encouraging, and reminds dinghy-cruisers to be as independent as possible, as I'm always hoping to demonstrate.

I had an exceedingly irritating encounter when I helped a singlehander who'd reached the deep breakers by the slipway in his Laser and was waiting for somebody - anybody - to bring him his trolley for hauling out. I waited to see if his friends were around, but nobody came, so I offered to get his wheels if he could distinguish them from others on the hard...

...eventually, like a fool, I agreed to hold the boat, while he found his trolley. I'd been picnicking with SWMBO, but by the time he returned, I was soaked to the waist - drenched wallet & phone, wet car-seat afterwards, all because he'd had no plan for landing singlehanded. I'd hate to be such an ill-prepared dimwit, on arriving at an unfamiliar landing place. Though I realise a smarter man than I might have emptied his pockets before plunging into deep water.

Looking at Hafren's position tonight, and glancing at the very favourable WindGuru reports for the next few days (strengthening south-easterlies!), I can't help thinking the guys must be daring to dream that they might get into Weymouth tomorrow night, effectively within one month (31 days) of starting...they really have had fantastic luck.

 

[Vara]

Hafren coming into Dover Eastern entrance.
Pic from Twitter, by James Pascall, who is part of port control.

 

[Snifter]

Thanks, dancrane, and I sympathise with your Laser experience. You're right - single or short handed sailing requires careful planning and thinking through of what you are going to do in different circumstances, and getting the boat ashore is one of the most basic!
I agree with you about arrival time, which is looking closer now.
Hafren has cleared Beachey Head after a long cold night, and is now approaching Newhaven. As always on the voyage JnP will fight on against the tide if they can make some progress. If not, they'll anchor or beach the boat till the wind fills in or the tide turns. Lymington is still the target for tonight.
Then, Weymouth will be next stop.

 

[Snifter]

Thanks for the pic, Vara. I hadn't seen that one!

 

[Stoshak]

Oh! I do hope Edmund is watching from on high!

Rex

 

[Seajet]

Snifter,

I was hoping to wave to them in the Solent on Tuesday, but at this rate they'll be in bed in Weymouth with a hangover by then !

Magnificent effort and well worth a TV programme if they've managed to record it.

 

[Greenheart]

I was hoping to wave to them in the Solent on Tuesday, but at this rate they'll be in bed in Weymouth with a hangover by then !

Magnificent effort and well worth a TV programme if they've managed to record it.

Echo that!

Southerlies today, moderate south-easterlies tomorrow...have these guys sold their souls for favourable winds? However tired they may be, with under 200 miles to go, they'll be kicking themselves if they land for rest during a following wind, then have to spend much longer than necessary beating against frustratingly light SW drafts on the last leg.

 

[Greenheart]

One thing I don't understand...

...at present they're south of Brighton, but whether they're heading for Lymington tonight, or aiming south of the island for Weymouth, to avoid wasting one minute of the predicted easterly (much more heroic in my view!), they seem to be holding a course WNW, exactly five miles off the Sussex shore. Is this dictated by wind direction or something else?

 

[Temujin]

Oh! I do hope Edmund is watching from on high!

Rex

Pretty sure he will be and with a mighty big smile!