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Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip
  • Steve and Barbara White,
  • Barbara White
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  • Steve and Barbara White,
  • Barbara White

Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

We have been thinking about this for some years and are now getting no younger. At 71 we have just decided to get on with it, so watch this space. For some odd reason Find Penguins has us in 'Woking.' Trying to sort this out as we are at home. Read more
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  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Back in Island Harbour

    August 28 in England ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Wed 26 Aug, the Final Leg, or is it?

    August 26 in England ⋅ 🌬 22 °C

    We had thought about a stopover in Eastbourne, Brighton or Shoreham, but looking at the speed-time-distance, optimised by best use of tidal streams available, and therefore the sort of time we would be approaching such venues, we decided to press on to Island Harbour in one go. I think the heightened desire to get home had something to do with this decision, however from a navigational point of view it all made sense to do this.

    This trip of 124 miles comprised, in broad chunks: Ramsgate to Dungeoness (30 miles), Dungeoness to Beachy Head 30 miles, Beachy Head to Selsey Bill (40 miles, spookily the longest leg) and Selsey Bill to Island Harbour (24 miles.)

    (Officially we closed the Round Britain loop at 0253 as we passed the point where we turned back just before Beachy Head in a horrible easterly blow on 20 April. Ran back to Brighton for a couple of days.)

    Departed Ramsgate at 1440, made Dungeoness at about 2040 (6 hours,) Beachy Head at 0220 (5 hrs 40,) Selsey Bill at 1005 (7 hrs 45), were between Horse Sand and Nomansland Forts at 1145 and alongside in Island Harbour, shut down at 1337 (3 hrs 35.)

    ‘I love it when a plan comes together’

    As we approached our berth a load of Island Harbour sailing friends were onboard their boats, sounding their horns and generally raising up a storming welcome.
    Wight Mistress was lightly adorned with the courtesy flags of all the significant places we had visited and stepped ashore.
    The 6 P’s had flipped to the fore, as we ‘just happened’ to have a case of champoo in the fridge. Our lovely friend Lyn brought around one of her famous cheesecakes and we enjoyed a couple of hours of boisterous chat and bubbles.
    At some stage we retired, tired and emotional, to bed.

    So. In summary (after the first trawl back through a very thick logbook and I reserve the right to amend the figures where I find errors (and to protect the innocent.)::

    10 April, left and headed east
    22 April, headed back from Brighton to Island Harbour ( flying along all the way downwind on a Chesapeake Bay reef - did 51 miles in 8 hours with good favourable tidal streams, even though only Neaps +1 - you will remember the very strong and persistent easterly winds?)
    7 May, departed Island Harbour heading west
    27 August, arrived back in Island Harbour

    For the statistically minded:

    Total mileage 1906
    Total days 140 inclusive
    Total days at sea 65
    Total days alongside 75 75
    Total engine hours 306 306
    Total diesel consumed 933 ltrs 933
    Average fuel consumption 3.05 ltrs per hour 3.05
    Total spent on diesel this trip £793.62 £793.62
    (NB we started with full tanks, total 414 ltrs)

    Barbara and I hope you have enjoyed this blog. Please keep an eye on it for a while as we have a lot of photos to upload and now we have time to do it properly.

    Our thanks go to all those lovely people who engaged with us during this wonderful experience. In particular:

    David and Kerry, our son and daughter in law (and next door neighbours) who looked after our home while we were away, stocked the fridge, managed the window cleaners etc etc.

    Steve and Rachel Morgan, old friends from the RN, who took us up homers for a BBQ and to meet their friends. Steve is a volunteer on the vintage Brixham trawler ‘Pilgrim’,

    Mike Smyth CF28 EX-REA of Fisgard (and Steve’s brother from another mother) - our video expert, webcam spy and provider of weather snippets, rude comments and general banter, as well as joining us for the passage from Dundee to Berwick upon Tweed and again from Ramsgate to Island Harbour. And for generally leading Steve astray!!

    Sam (Steve) and Ellen McLeod. We met them in Campbeltown. Sam and Steve served together years ago. and Sam is also a retired submariner. It was really lovely to see them.

    Catherine and Steve Bunn F35 PJ Fisher. Catherine joined us at the top of the Inverness staircase to lend a hand, then Steve and Catherine invited us home for a break, do laundry, go sightseeing, buy provsions etc. THEN they sailed in PJ Fisher in company with us up, across the Pentland Firth and into Scapa Flow in the Orkneys and spent a bit of time with us there too.

    David and Christine Dawson F37 Lunga. They drove all the way from Ullapool to Culloden (55 miles) to pick us up, takes on a tour of the highlands and back to their house in Ullapool for a lovely meal, THEN drove us all the way back. Another lovely experience.

    Charles Morland, F30 Hedda, who came to see us in Lowestoft and took us shopping.

    Alan Ward F30 Northeaster North Star, who maintained comms with us and kept us up to date with Fisher Owners Association while two of the flag officers swanned off Round Britain.

    Steve and Steph Rodgers, our friends in Plymouth. They took us home to ‘sleep in a real bed for a bit.’ A lovely sojourn in Plymouth.

    Kel and Jackie, Broome 37 Boisterous Mistress, who we bumped into along the Caledonian Canal and again in Lowestoft (small world.)

    Richard Brockelsby, Colvic 32 Ketty II, who we met in the Crinan Canal and again in the Caledonian Canal. Richard was sailing single-handed around Britain, raising funds for a Parkinsons Disease Charity. Last time we spoke he was on his way from Yarmouth to Poole. We wish him all the very best for a safe return to Plymouth

    I am sure I have forgotten key members of this lovely bunch of people so as advised by St Francis of Assissi, I beg your forgiveness. I will continue to update and correct for a while before committing this to the god of blogs and get it printed.

    Yours aye

    Steve and Barbara White
    SV Wight Mistress    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip
    Ba enjoys a wrap snack
    Ba enjoys a wrap snackSizewell C ReactorGuess what these are

    Tue 25 Aug, Lowestoft to Ramsgate

    August 25 in England ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Woke at 0430 to find the wind had eased a little, but as with the North Sea, we discovered that the swell had a mind of it’s own. Working on the principle that the nasty bit should abate once off the shallow bits, we braved the…….things that sailors brave, and took off like a scalded cat. True, getting out of Lowestoft Harbour and around the narrow channel between the shallow bits was a tad lumpy, true enough, as soon as we arrived in deeper water the whole world settled down a bit and we settled down into our 72 mile passage, along the Suffolk and Essex coasts and across the Thames Estuary, dodging the wind farms. I don’t know and am not bothered by your opinion, dear reader, of offshore wind farms and I am not about to share ours, BUT in a peculiar way, they are actually quite beautiful.
    The sunshine was wonderful, we had favourable winds and very carefully calculated use of tidal streams and we sailed all the way to Ramsgate. It was one of those sailing passages (a bit like a good golf shot) that makes you want to do it all again and makes you (temporarily perhaps) forget the bad ones.

    Mike was there, video’ing our entry into Ramsgate and then meeting us on the pontoon after ‘legging it’ round from the light house’s vantage video’ing point to the marina (quite a jaunt.)

    We were all quite tired, us from the voyage and Mike from public transport, so we inhaled a spaghetti Bolognaise and hit the sack.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip
    Royal Norfolk & Suffolk YC
    Royal Norfolk & Suffolk YCCharles visits usMet up with Kel and Jackie again

    Mon 24 Aug, Catching Breath in Lowestoft

    August 24 in England ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Shortly after breakfast, who should knock on the ‘door?’ You may remember, dear reader, of our sojourn in the Caledonian Canal, where we stopped and ate at the Eagle Barge Restaurant (Friday 17 July) and we met up with Kel and Jackie onboard their motor cruiser ‘Boisterous Mistress?’ Yep, they had been on their own journey and had just arrived here too. We spent a lovely couple of hours nattering and comparing experiences. They had had some engine problems (not good for a motor-cruiser.) Kel had very kindly donated us a 5 ltr can of engine oil when we were in the Caledonian Canal, so it was a real pleasure to donate to them a (nearly) full bottle of diesel bug cleaning additive (like Marine 16 but called something else.)
    It is lovely when a charitable act can be returned isn’t it.

    Charles arrived a little later and had a good look around Wight Mistress, especially at her ‘’behind the mast’ mainsail furling system. He lives close by and is a very experienced sailor. Knowing the typical needs of seafarers, especially after a bit of a long-ish trip (and both in our 70s) Charles is a brilliant engineer and fix-it person and he is keen to fit a furling system to his mainsail, so allow him to continue sailing well into his 9th decade. We talked things Fisher and had a hot drink and then Charles very kindly took us to the supermarket to stock up on essentials (y’know, chocolate, biscuits, tea bags, cake and a few other bits and pieces.)

    Dropping us off outside the yacht club (The one way system in Lowestoft is horrendous) we accidentally bumped into a low flying ice cream parlour on the front.
    Fighting off the shy talks, we braved the sunshine and view and consumed our ice creams. There was one young’un standing there, giving us the shy-talk version of the ‘evil eye’ (they really don’t teach their young to beg in a nice way, do they?) We ignored the little darling.

    Spurred on by the overnighter, which we did with comparative ease, we decided that the next leg would be Ramsgate (72 miles, crossing the Thames Estuary) just another long day really), where Mike is joining us again and where Steve and Mike are heading off to see an old navy mate, Dick Joy, who now lives in Maurice House, the Royal British Legion (RBL) home in Broadstairs.

    We went into the yacht club with Kel and Jackie, had drinks and dinner with them and nice chat. However, with the prospect of an early start tomorrow, we made our farewells quite early we headed off to bed and set a couple of alarms for the morning. Just before settling down, and with the wind howling, Kel came by and asked us if we were really going to set sail in THAT? Our reply was that we reserved the right to decide in the morning, and we went to bed.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip
    WM in her berth at RN&SYC
    WM in her berth at RN&SYC

    Sun 23 Aug, Arrived Lowestoft

    August 23 in England ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    We arrived in Lowestoft the following day at 1715, 28 hours 20 minutes after leaving Scarborough. The marina is well protected if with a bit of the swell through the entrance.
    The curved coast around Norfolk goes on FOR EVER!!!

    Moored in the marina owned by the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club, our friend and fellow Fisher owner Charles Morland contacted us. Charles lives close by and is a very experienced sailor. Charles is a brilliant engineer and fix-it person and he is keen to fit a furling system to his mainsail, and he wanted to see how our set up work. A furling mainsail will help him to continue sailing well into his 9th decade. Delighted, we invited Charles onboard in the morning.

    Just after securing alongside, chap happened along to admire Wight Mistress (like so many folk do.) Anyway, a bit of a natter and we ended up in the bar (big surprise) for just a couple of glasses of something, then pulled stumps and stumbled back for well-earned kip. We might have eaten something, but as I write this after the fact, neither of us can remember.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip
    Wight Mistress on Marine Traffic
    Wight Mistress on Marine Traffic

    Sat 22 Aug Overnight Passage #1

    August 22 in England ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Scarborough to Lowestoft (140 miles)

    After tummies full of fish n chips and a good night’s kip, we spent breakfast discussing our plans made for the trip down to Grimsby and on to Wells-Next-the-Sea, with the tides, tidal streams, entry times, exit times, lock times and so on.
    We did a lot of playing with the numbers and then went with our gut feelings when Barbara said ‘shall we just go direct to Lowestoft?’ Deliberations showed a 140 mile voyage which would take 28 hours at 5 knots, making a day and a night at sea. We had deliberately avoided overnight sailing so far, out of choice, but the additional call of home drew us inexorably (and very quickly) to the agreement to get underway and ‘just do it.’

    1235 saw us depart Scarborough. Filey and Flamborough headlands seemed to take an age to wave goodbye to us but eventually we were suitably offshore (Starlink conveniently acknowledged this and cut the connection for a while.)

    The wonderful things about sailing overnight, especially when the wind and sea are a bit nicer is that we could enjoy the sunset, the night sky, and the amazing lights of the wind farms as we passed through the wide channels between them.

    The North Sea is absolutely awash with derelict rigs and wind farms and all the associated paraphernalia that supports them. Plenty of marker buoys flashing white lights Morse * * - (U = You are standing into danger) marking the dying remnants of a bygone era. Plenty to navigate by and keep safe.

    When I mentioned the wind and sea being ‘nicer’ call that not enough wind to maintain our 5knots Mean Line of Advance (MLA) so we motored most of it……again) BUT it was a comfortable night.

    We arrived in Lowestoft the following day at 1715, 28 hours 20 minutes after leaving Scarborough. The curved coast around Norfolk goes on FOR EVER!!! Moored in the marina owned by the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club, our friend and fellow Fisher owner Charles Morland contacted us. Charles lives close by and is a very experienced sailor. Knowing the typical needs of seafarers, especially after a bit of a long-ish trip (and both in our 70s) he very kindly offered to run us to the supermarket to stock up on essentials (y’know, chocolate, biscuits, tea bags, cake and a few other bits and pieces.) Charles is a brilliant engineer and fix-it person and he is keen to fit a furling system to his mainsail, so allow him to continue sailing well into his 9th decade. Delighted, we invited Charles onboard in the morning.

    Just after securing alongside, chap happened along to admire Wight Mistress (like so many folk do.) Anyway, a bit of a natter and we ended up in the bar (big surprise) for just a couple of glasses of something, then pulled stumps and stumbled back for well-earned kip. We might have eaten something, but as I write this after the fact, neither of us can remember.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Fri 21 Aug, Lumpy Run South

    August 21 in England ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    To take advantage of the southbound tidal stream and the winds from the north, we departed Hartlepoole just before 0700. A well lumpy swell, estimated 2m+ with sea abaft the beam and a Chesapeake Bay Reef again, we aimed for Whitby (25miles ish.) By the time we got close to Whitby, we called the Harbour office on the phone to ask them what the swell was like across the harbour entrance. They reported the swell was large and across the harbour entrance and that none of the fishing vessels were going out today. Command decision took us further south to Scarborough where we arrived at 1430. Parked astern of us is a Dutchman and a German and they are both heading across the North Sea to Denhelder tomorrow, a trip of approximately 55 hours. They are really hoping that the swell will have eased down and the winds will be slightly more agreeable. It looks like the weather might abate a bit tomorrow, but we will reassess in the morning. If all things are good, we may aim for Grimsby next. Now, breakfast!! Speaking of which, after a nap (becoming essential) we wandered ashore for fish n chips. The one recommended by the harbourmaster had a café (closed) and the chippy was queued out into the street. We found ‘The Golden Grid’. Excellent fish n chips. Move over Rick Stein 🤣. Watching weather, may stay a second night and do the tourist thing. tomorrow. Off to bed.Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip
    LionheartLionheart

    Thur 20 Aug, Staying Put in Hartlepool

    August 20 in England ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    There is a F6 blowing outside and heavy showers persisting down, so we have decided to have a rest day and catch up with things like the blog, sleep, chilling etc.
    This morning while on a ‘constitutional’ Steve observed the Hartlepool Lifeboat being hoisted out of the water. Beautiful vessel.

    Moored next to us is a red yacht called ‘LIONHEART.’ Built from scratch over 21 years by owner Norman Brown, she is 42 ½ ft overall and has a ‘double wishbone A frame main mast and a similar mizzen mast, both made of carbon fibre. She has all kinds of mod cons and Norman plans to have her completed by the end of the summer, with the target of sailing her to South Georgia. What a project!!    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Wed 19 Aug, Tourists in Hartlepool

    August 19 in England ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Spent the day exploring the Royal Naval Museum and HMS TRINCOMALEE over in the corner of the marina and short walk from Wight Mistress.

    https://www.royalnavymuseums.org.uk/visit-us/ha…

    If you ever come to Hartlepool, please do come and look at these; the folk looking after both the museum and the ship are doing a superb job. Very friendly AND they give discount on entry for Veteran IDs and Blue Light cards. The Hartlepool Museum is on the same site and access is free. Very interesting. We also found out why folk from Hartlepool are called ‘Monkey Hangers!’

    People from Hartlepool are called "monkey hangers" because of a local legend from the Napoleonic Wars. A French ship wrecked off the coast, and the only survivor was a pet monkey wearing a French military uniform. Because locals had never seen a Frenchman or a monkey before, they held a trial and accused the animal of being a French spy, eventually hanging it on the beach

    It seems the local rugby club has a soft toy monkey, called H’Angus, who is hung from their goal posts before a match.

    Moored next to the museum is a paddle steamer called WINGFIELD CASTLE. She looks quite sad and delapidated and we understand there is a team engaged in bringing her back to her former glory. Not sure of her future but we really hope she is presented as beautifully as HMS TRINCOMALEE, who, by the way, is afloat in her dock.

    On our wander around the marina we chanced upon another vintage vessel called ‘Watchful’ She is now a restaurant but during the Second World War she was active during Operation Dynamo, the extraction of the army from the Dunkirk beaches.

    Found a bar and sat in the sunshine for a couple of hours, watching the world go by.
    Hartlepool has a lovely marina – we haven’t ventured further out yet.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    18 Aug, Sunderland to Hartlepool

    August 18 in England ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Ba feeling better today so, making use of the afternoon tides thus allowing us a lie in, we headed off on a Chesapeake Bay Reef (just a headsail) sail down to Hartlepool. Trying to decide whether to listen to ‘Dead Goode’ or read ‘Ghost of a Chance’ while helming. Hmmm! Answers on a postcard. Authors Adrian Cousins and Jodi Taylor have been our constant companions since departing the Isle of Wight in April.
    Cracking on, knocking the numbers off our latitude with attitude.
    Arrived in Hartlepool Marina entrance channel at exactly 1630, as advised by the marina staff (phone call before leaving Sunderland) they told us there was 1.7 metres in the channel, effectively across a beach, and that we needed to follow the sectored light into the lock. Very accurate. One of our sounders is calibrated to read from the bottom of the keel (so 0.0m = aground) and our draught is 1.5 metres, so we were chuffed to observe 0.2m under the keel in the channel. Result!!!

    A really lovely afternoon sail down the coast. This place has a nice feel to it. The people are friendly and helpful. We aim to stay tomorrow and visit HMS TRINCOMALEE and the RN Museum, both just across the marina from us.

    We are moored next to a yacht called ‘Lionheart’ who looks like she has been T-boned at some stage. She also has a very odd looking sailing rig.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Mon 17 Aug A Day off in Sunderland

    August 17 in England ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    After the 60 miler yesterday we both felt the need for a break. A short trek to Tesco allowed us to victual ship.
    In the marina there is a lovely restaurant called Marina Vista that does primarily Italian food. Great food, lovely view.
    Poor Ba was still feeling a bit crook with this manflu thing not letting up, so we called it a night and crashed out, tummies full. Let’s see how we are tomorrow.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip
    Lindisfarne Abbey
    Lindisfarne AbbeyBamburgh Castle

    Sun 16 Aug Heading on South

    August 16 in England ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Woke up at 0600 and, armed with cups of tea and the urge to press on,
    a look at the weather encouraged us to slip and proceed, with a target of Sunderland, about 60 miles.
    Once underway and past Lindisfarne/Bamburgh Castle, B went to bed to have a kip, still feeling 💩.
    Pressed on and according to the navigational plan, picked up the favourable tidal stream just past Amble. Motored all the way but made Sunderland from flash to bang, including a stop alongside for fuel, in exactly 12 hours. Both a bit weary so we intend swapping an early start in the morning for a full day and a second night here in Sunderland Marina before a short hop to Hartlepool, where we want to visit HMS TRINCOMALEE and the Royal Naval Museum.
    Good progress made.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Sat 15 Aug, Edinburgh Tourists

    August 15 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Said farewell to Mike this morning. Mike is heading home; we may see him again soon. Hopped on train to Edinburgh to do the tourist thing Did the Big Bus ‘blue route’ which took us to Leith where we hopped off and spent over 2 hours onboard HM Royal Yacht Britannia. Lovely visit. Back to Waverly and caught the Big Bus ‘red route’ to do the inner bits of the city. With the Edinburgh Fringe in full flow the city was absolutely throbbing, as was the Newcastle train both ways from Berwick.
    Poor Barbara picked up a nasty ‘man-flu’ bug and is medicated.
    Back onboard for a good night’s kip.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Fri 14 Aug Dundee to Berwick

    August 14 in England ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Long day, early start, arrived after lunch, half sail half motored.
    Phone call to Harbour Commission allocated alongside berth. On arrival the harbourmaster had us raft up on a lightweight plastic sail cruiser. When questioned he told us the chap on the phone ‘knows nothing about boats.’ Left hand right hand etc.Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Thur 13 Aug Tourists in Dundee

    August 13 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    Today was the chance to dash around Dundee. Our targets were RRS DISCOVERY, HMS UNICORN and the Submarine Memorial. All suitably visited, we hopped back on the bus back to Tayport Marina.
    Tayport is a nice village with a couple of pubs and the marina, which is run by a team of volunteers. While a 20 minute or so bus ride from Dundee, it is a lovely place to moor safely.Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Wed 12 Aug Stonehaven to Dundee

    August 12 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Nice start, even though the wind was coming from where we wanted to go, again. So we did so for a couple of hours and then we motored the rest of it but we did get about half an hour of nice Sailing on the way into the River Tay before coming alongside in Tayport Marina.

    The tidal streams in the Tay are quite brutal, so if you ever decided to sail in there, pay particular attention or you will either go backwards or just stand still.
    Fortunately for us the numbers worked and we whizzed up to Tayport marina on the south side of the Tay and secured in time to get a meal and a few beers ashore.
    There is a really superb Indian restaurant on the upper floor of the Bell Rock Inn in Tayport. Very friendly and absolutely exquisite food

    A very lovely Marina run by the locals. No electricity for the pontoons the sound, there is freshwater and shower & toilets.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Mon 10 Aug Buses

    August 10 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    The run back from Dundee to Peterhead via Aberdeen, on buses! More buses, same story in reverse. got back to Peterhead in time to go to Aldi and get some provisions (including beernwinestuff.) Back onboard for a lovely bolognese meal and a few beers before retiring at a civilised hour.Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Sun 9 Aug, Dundee and a Rockie Concert

    August 9 in Scotland ⋅ 🌬 18 °C

    We had wanted to get to Dundee for the weekend but it was a step too far so, having decided to stop in Peterhead.
    Stagecoach seems to be the only company that services Peterhead. No trains or other buses. So it was £12 and change on the Stagecoach to get from Peterhead to Aberdeen (33 miles), then the Flix bus from Aberdeen to Dundee (66 miles) was £4 and change each. Go figure!!
    Anyway we met up with Mike in a pub in town, had lunch, found hotel and wandered off to Gilfillan Memorial Church for the Rock Choir concert, raising funds for the church.
    The Rock Choir was from south Hampshire and the leader, Jan, is from Dundee, hence the connection. The concert raised over £2000 for the church and was enormous fun. The after party at a local performing arts hub was as much fun again, and we retired to our hotel room quite late.
    Lovely day.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Sat 8 Aug, Quiet Day in Peterhead

    August 8 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    What a strange place! Barbara got ‘Wandah’ our portable twin tub washing machine dhobyingdid a pile of dhobying. Armed with the trusty heaving line, the upper deck resembled an oriental (can we still say that?) laundry. Suitably laundered, we ‘wandah’d ashore into Peterhead for a look around.
    There are 2 churches in Peterhead and the town centre nestles between them. First pub had a very loud karaoke (in the afternoon!). Had a pint then found a ‘Spoons’. No loud music, comfy chairs, all good.
    Probably a ‘Spoons’ meal then back onboard to stow the dhobying and an early night.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Fri 7 Aug Exit Moray Firth

    August 7 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Whitehills to Peterhead

    Early start out of Whitehills this morning. The swell has subsided and we have favourable winds. Under sail and making good progress, we did have to reef a bit
    After being underway about 4 hours we passed Fraserburgh, effectively saying farewell to the Moray Firth and starting to knock points off our latitude.
    Enjoying the sail…. Having departed at 0735 and sailed all the way, the wind came round to on the nose and subsided just as we pulled level with Peterhead. We had decided to press on to Stonehaven – a total of 70 miles, but we turned into Peterhead, alongside and shutdown exactly 8 hours after leaving and sailing pretty much all the way - hoorah! - and are staying here the weekend. (Whitehills to Stonehaven, another 36 miles, which meant at least another 7-8 hours and probably burning diesel all the way.)

    We will be catching the bus to Aberdeen and bus or train down to Dundee on Sunday to go and see our friend Mike in a Rock Choir concert in the evening. As a precaution we have booked a room for the night as there is an after concert party too.

    So, the story will restart with favourable tidal stream on Tuesday but a report on the weekend’s activities will be included at some stage.

    Quiet night onboard tonight and restful day tomorrow.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip

    Thur 6 Aug, Lossie-Whitehills

    August 6 in Scotland ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Bit of a lazy start this morning. Wind is still blowing a F6, so we will monitor it closely and decide what to do. One optiion is a 23 mile nip along the coast to Whitehills, something we are considering for later on today perhaps.

    A bit of blue sky up there and scudding clouds are whizzing by (as seen through the forepeak hatch (shut and clipped) while sipping a second cup of tea at nearly 0900!

    1455 After watching the strong winds ease, we departed Lossiemouth and motor-sailed all the way to Whitehills. Big sea after the blow, it was quite a bumpy ride. Arrived at Whitehills at 1910
    Heavy swell across a narrow, shallow an very short entrance followed by a tight turn to port into the outer basin. Quite focussing getting in there.
    Big thankyou to Nick for the intel video on Whitehills entry, very helpful 👍👍
    We t to find the pub. The Seafield Arms was pleasant and friendly. After deciding to make an early start tomorrow, we finished our drinks and wandered back to Wight Mistress.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip
    Departing Wick
    Departing WickTucked up in LossiemouthAaaand, it's raining in LossiePub close byOnce in past the breakers

    Wed 5 Aug Escaped Wick

    August 5 in Scotland ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    Escaped Wick, motored to Lossiemouth

    After the blow yesterday we departed Wick just before lunchtime. Of course, after the F7 the Moray Firth had an interesting swell running but no flippin’ wind. Motored for 8 hours. The swell across the entrance to Lossiemouth made for a challenging entry, while watching the ‘Hawaii 5-0-esque’ breakers on the sandy beach quite close to our port side as we shimmied in at a jaunty angle. The video from the webcam, courtesy of our friend Mike, shows us pottering in as if nothing had happened, but if you look closely…… really closely, you will see us both heaving sighs of relief 🤣. For the navigation-minded, there are two head marks (showing as red lights in transit on the charts) in transit on heading 292T, however they were not lit; against the mirk we couldn’t make them out until after we got through the entrance. Hmmm! Anyway, the visitor pontoons (there are 3 available) were inside, immediately left after entering and tucked in under the sea wall. Visitor pack and key was left for us in the box at the gate. The Steamboat Inn, just across the harbour, didn’t do food but it seems the norm in Scotland to allow take-out food to be brought in and consumed while drinking in said premises, a great idea for both businesses.
    Let’s see what tomorrow brings…    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip
    A murky day in Wick
    A murky day in WickWaves coming over the harbour wall

    Tue 4 Aug, Holed up in Wick

    August 4 in Scotland ⋅ 🌧 13 °C

    So very glad we crossed the Pentland Firth yesterday. The wind got up over night and is blowing a steady F6-7 here in Wick Harbour ( gusting 31 knots plus at times.) Also the wind is quite chilly. Just added extra mooring line aft and observed other boat owners doing the same thing. Hunkered down til it blows through, possibly not out of here til Thursday, which then delays the rest of our plans.

    Hey ho!. Can't really complain, this is the first bad weather since we left the Crinan Canal on Thur 2 June. Still, we have started the run south.

    Update, wind now reached one knot short of Gale Force 8 (33kts), blowing a hooley and the waves are coming over the outer wall of the harbour.

    This enforced stop is giving us time to chill and relax, catching up with projects and blog etc. We have had an amazing time of it since departing Island Harbour 117 days ago.    Read more

  • Wight Mistress’s Round Britain Trip
    High Point on Hoy in the Morning Sun
    High Point on Hoy in the Morning SunFish farmBye bye Stromness, on our way southFerry Hamnavoe departs Stromness astern of usFish FarmsFish FarmsPentland Firth in light airsCantick Head and Switha, starting the FirthQuick look around south of Duncansby Head

    Mon 3 Aug, Day 116 - Starting the Run South

    August 3 in Scotland ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Return Match with the Pentland Firth

    Departed Stromness at 0600 to make the correct time between the islands of Swona and Stroma to catch slack water and then the east-going flood tidal stream. As a note, the tidal streams for the Pentland Firth are predicted based upon Tides for Dover, as are many other areas of the UK. Interestingly enough we discovered the tides at Muckle Skerry match those of Dover. We just love the names of all these places.

    We motored past Hoy Sound (the western entrance to Scapa Flow), the islands of Graemsay, Cava, Rysa Little, Fara, Flotta and South Walls. The island of Hoy was, of course, in the background all the time. As we passed between Cantick Head on South Walls and the island of Switha, the engine went off and we sailed all the way across the Pentland Firth. Some interesting swirls of water, even when the tidal stream was close to slack water, demonstrated to us in no uncertain terms that the Pentland Firth must be treated with great care and respect.

    Made it to the gap between Swona and Stroma about 6 minutes earlier than planned, and we then aimed for a point 1M east of Duncansby Head for a peaceful rounding, while being whooshed down with the flood tide all the way to Wick.
    Arrived at Wick at HW slack and made a peaceful entry into the harbour.

    Poor Barbara managed to pick up some kind of coldy fluey bug thing on our last day on Orkney, so today she stood her watches and harbour duties, but slept quite a lot. We hope she feels better tomorrow for the run down to Lossiemouth.    Read more