Taking your cruising ground ...... where have you not been but want to go to ?

jamie N said:
On my way up to Scalloway in my wooden Folkboat, I anchored at Pierowall on Westray, but having expected there to be pontoons in the harbour, I felt slightly let down. The harbour master came on by and said nice things about my boat STAKKR, and apologised about the pontoons not being ready, telling me that the contractor was running on 'Island time', but that they'd be ready in a couple of weeks for when I'd be coming back down.
Sure enough, a fortnight later the pontoons were in and I'd a good berth for a couple of nights. The harbour master visited, and again apologised for the pontoons not having been ready for 'me', insisted on only charging for a single night by way of apology fro my previous visit, and gave me a fair sized (cooked) lobster, which was well accompanied by the Sancerre from my bilges cellar.
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The crew still calls it Pierohell. We were stuck trying to get back round Cape Wrath. Eventually decided to use the canal.

A colleague nearing retirement owned a croft on Papa Westray. I called him up and asked whether he really was going to move there. Yes, he said.
 
I haven't been with the boat but I think the cardiff marina front is a beautiful place for a weekend trip in the summer. Pedestrian area, bars and restaurants in view, nice little area around to explore, park nearby. Price is reasonable, a pound an hour whatever your size..

It's just the center of attention in the whole area, and if you really fancy, you can buy yourself tickets to the opera nearby, too. All in walking distance and a very lively area.
 
Refueler said:
Many of have localised cruising area and time after time - weekends / trips etc are to regular places .. but I know for me in areas I've sailed - there have been harbours or bolt-holes that I've wanted to visit .. but for some reanon never did ...

Interested to hear from others about this ... try name the harbour and area so we can maybe google it and see ...

Mine ? In UK - was southern bolt-holes of Isle of Wight ..... and various along south coast from Solent.
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This bolt hole?
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Mine are pretty mundane - we sail from Littlehampton, and generally pop round the corner to East Head, then for the big 'un we press west, generally pushing through the Solent so I've not been up the Medina to the Folly for decades, nor ever to Island Harbour which I believe is back in the game now, and is supposed to be quite nice for a marina. Havent made Wootton either due to tides.
A couple of years ago, the westerlies thwarted us so we went to Poole (Furzey Island) then bounced around the Solent from Cowes to Ashlett and Ryde which made a change.
Other places we'd go to if things fell into place - Eling, Lulworth and Weymouth even - haven't been there since I was about 12, but only if we didn't have to raft up (if I want to stay awake all night I might as well sail through the night 😄)
This year hopefully our new boat will bring more places within reach for a weekend and enable us to push further, across the Channel and anywhere we can get to. Scilly is on our list too.
 
Refueler said:
The Stockholm Archi is actually beautiful .. its only the immediate vicinity of Stockholm that loses its charm. but north or south of Stockholm .. it really is worth it.
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So I have heard, but we went to the Baltic for one summer each non-consecutive year and never made time to go there, generally mooching around the Rugen, Poland and Bornholm. We archipelogoed a couple of times north of Gothenberg, which I enjoyed a lot. Very different to Stockholm, being almost all glaciated, and not many trees, but very scenic and plenty of interesting sites to see, such as Tanumshede.
 
johnalison said:
So I have heard, but we went to the Baltic for one summer each non-consecutive year and never made time to go there, generally mooching around the Rugen, Poland and Bornholm. We archipelogoed a couple of times north of Gothenberg, which I enjoyed a lot. Very different to Stockholm, being almost all glaciated, and not many trees, but very scenic and plenty of interesting sites to see, such as Tanumshede.
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I did a delivery of a friend's new Swan from the yard in Finland, down the Baltic, to the Kiel Canal.

I loved the Baltic - we passed so many interesting places without stopping

It's very high on my list of places to get back to for a slow-paced exploration.
 
mogmog2 said:
Mine are pretty mundane - we sail from Littlehampton, and generally pop round the corner to East Head, then for the big 'un we press west, generally pushing through the Solent so I've not been up the Medina to the Folly for decades, nor ever to Island Harbour which I believe is back in the game now, and is supposed to be quite nice for a marina. Havent made Wootton either due to tides.
A couple of years ago, the westerlies thwarted us so we went to Poole (Furzey Island) then bounced around the Solent from Cowes to Ashlett and Ryde which made a change.
Other places we'd go to if things fell into place - Eling, Lulworth and Weymouth even - haven't been there since I was about 12, but only if we didn't have to raft up (if I want to stay awake all night I might as well sail through the night 😄)
This year hopefully our new boat will bring more places within reach for a weekend and enable us to push further, across the Channel and anywhere we can get to. Scilly is on our list too.
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Your a proper sailer hailing from Littlehampton!
 
johnalison said:
So I have heard, but we went to the Baltic for one summer each non-consecutive year and never made time to go there, generally mooching around the Rugen, Poland and Bornholm. We archipelogoed a couple of times north of Gothenberg, which I enjoyed a lot. Very different to Stockholm, being almost all glaciated, and not many trees, but very scenic and plenty of interesting sites to see, such as Tanumshede.
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That why it can make a lot of sense to take 2 seasons and over winter somewhere in the Baltic (we chose Fehmarn, in Germany). This allows time to get round to the East side of Sweden - and perhaps back through the Gota Canal.
Fortunately the 18 month rule for VAT temporary import still works with this approach, although Schengen days can be an issue for most of us.
 
dunedin said:
That why it can make a lot of sense to take 2 seasons and over winter somewhere in the Baltic (we chose Fehmarn, in Germany). This allows time to get round to the East side of Sweden - and perhaps back through the Gota Canal.
Fortunately the 18 month rule for VAT temporary import still works with this approach, although Schengen days can be an issue for most of us.
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This reminds me: I want to sail into Helgoland one day. The red island.
 
Laser310 said:
I did a delivery of a friend's new Swan from the yard in Finland, down the Baltic, to the Kiel Canal.

I loved the Baltic - we passed so many interesting places without stopping

It's very high on my list of places to get back to for a slow-paced exploration.
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I loved the Solent and along South Coast (westward !) ..... then moved to Baltic.

No tides ... unspoilt .... magic.
 
There is great joy in setting targets.


No particular places to go for me , but a determination to do more sailing than I have done in recent years.
 
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Sea Change said:
We've sailed to Orkney twice.
First time we only had ten days there and spent most of it storm bound in Stromness. Didn't make it out of Scapa Flow. Still worth the visit though.

Second trip was very good. Got to the northern part, and played around in the tides to visit several of the smaller islands. Westray was probably the favourite but they all had their charms.
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Orkney is lovely, but Shetland is even better in my opinion, however the real treat is Fair Isle. Time to sail a bit further I think.
 
DangerousPirate said:
This reminds me: I want to sail into Helgoland one day. The red island.
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We sailed there once and were the inside boat of a raft of about eight during a gale. We also visited by ferry from Norderney. It is a complete mad-house and great fun. By 4 pm everyone is drunk on duty-free, in a very civilised German sort of way.
 
johnalison said:
We sailed there once and were the inside boat of a raft of about eight during a gale. We also visited by ferry from Norderney. It is a complete mad-house and great fun. By 4 pm everyone is drunk on duty-free, in a very civilised German sort of way.
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Well, I grew up in northern germany and always dreamt of Helgoland. Never actually went, but I just find the island super cool. Sylt is similar, although that oneis just for rich snobs.

Also beware: Germans like their drink and can get quite rowdy. It's all fun and games until the Pfeffi comes out :D
 
mogmog2 said:
Nah, we generally have to motor against S Westerlies to get to Selsey 🤣.
There is the Washing Machine though...
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I sailed my first boat out of Littlehampton,my fathers converted Thames river sailing boat ,it was fun sailing in and out through the entrance turmoil and we made trips to Chichester ,unfortunately she ,the boat ,nearly met her death on the west pier…..but was repaired to last another summer 🙂
 
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