Is there anything better?

[Minerva]

It’s early April.
Most of the winter jobs have been done so you leave your winter Marina berth.
The suns’ been shining all day so your cheeks feel a bit sun kissed.
You have a short sail to a honeypot Anchorage, and have it all to yourself.
You cook yourself a lamb roast in the oven and enjoy it during a spectacular sunset.
You open a nice bottle of plonk.
But it gets cold rapidly so you retreat below
oil lamps on
Taylor’s heater heater roaring away; The cabin is now toasty.

Boats are the most wonderful things. The sailing season has started!

 

[Stemar]

We had a lovely day on board, only spoiled a bit by trying to put the boat to bed in 20 knots of wind.

It took I 8 or ten tries, and broke two boathooks, including a fancy gadget that turned out to be completely useless when it came down to it, and had to use a mast winch to heave the mooring chain on board. Still, I got there in the end, and learned that the fancy hook can't be relied on, which could save me some serious grief in a future manure/fan interaction

 

[wombat88]

April is reserved for trying to remember how to tie a bowline.

 

[Snowgoose-1]

I had my first sail a couple of weeks ago.

It's a bummer having to relearn all the button pushes on the electronic stuff.

It happens every year now.

I now have all the manuals on the phone.

 

[Stemar]

April is reserved for trying to remember how to tie a bowline.

Well, yes, that too. I learned as a cub aged about 10 - the rabbit comes out of his hole... and have never really forgotten, but have to think about it. I've never attained the fluency of one old boy in our club who just seems to shake the rope twice and there it is.

 

[dunedin]

I had my first sail a couple of weeks ago.

It's a bummer having to relearn all the button pushes on the electronic stuff.

It happens every year now.

I now have all the manuals on the phone.

Simple solution. Keep boat in commission and sail all year round

 

[Sea Change]

Simple solution. Keep boat in commission and sail all year round

One of the benefits of being a full time liveaboard. There is no 'season'.

 

[Minerva]

and to top off yesterday evening, when I went for my night time pee, I popped my head out the main hatch to see a glorious starry evening and the aurora blazing over head.

Got a cracking photo, but too large for the hamsters of this forum. So you’ll have to imagine an empty Puilidobhrain, stars and a green and purple sky!

If only I didn’t have work tomorrow!

 

[Mark-1]

Down wind 15 mile blast in shorts in a brisk NNEly over a sparkly sea. Bliss. (Coming the other way looked hard work.)

 

[lustyd]

Our current anchorage. Since leaving in March we’ve had 4 days which were too gusty but the rest have been like this

 

[Mark-1]

Our current anchorage. Since leaving in March we’ve had 4 days which were too gusty but the rest have been like this
View attachment 191755

Lovely, but where?

 

[The Q]

Had three good races yesterday, in about 20mph wind.
A few minutes ago it looked like this.. my boats are in shot.

 

[AndyDavies]

Our current anchorage. Since leaving in March we’ve had 4 days which were too gusty but the rest have been like this
View attachment 191755

Is that the Vilaine?

 

[Ray Purchase]

April is reserved for trying to remember how to tie a bowline.

Could I add to that (with an audience)

 

[winch2]

April is reserved for trying to remember how to tie a bowline.

And ...cant believe Im saying this, a clove hitch too. Got in a right tangle yesterday just when I needed it asap.. Old age, grr!

 

[lustyd]

Lovely, but where?

Dartmouth, up near Dittisham

 

[Mark-1]

Dartmouth, up near Dittisham

Lovely, I thought it was the Fairy Isles in Lock Sween, but it didn't look quite right. Thanks for sharing.