Back Home Again!

Well lets see - set my alarm for a 05:30am call. Still half asleep. Just missed a close call with the Norwegian anchored on my bow, I'm feeling relieved and lucky when I'm caught off guard by a gust. My clear exit suddenly vanishes as everyone swings on their anchor and I cant bear away quick enough with my mainsail full. Suddenly I'm feeling sick ... Bang!

Luckily it wasn't as bad as it felt and sounded. I've cracked a rib where the gunnel flexed and the cat lost some gel coat. I reanchored in deeper water and the owner came over. I paid a small amount for them to get it fixed and went on my way bound for Deshaise, Guadaloupe 50nm away.

After making an average speed of 6kn across the channel, ten hours later I'm barely making 2kn and scratching for wind in the lee of Guadaloupe - I never learn!

Making the anchorage in daylight is no longer possible. I finally get there around 10pm and despite it being straight forward and pretty safe, I'm still pissed off about the collision earlier. Sod it, I'm staying at sea!

The wind is now about 15-20kn and more easterly than I was expecting. I'm pointing at around 10-15 deg T meaning I can probably make English Harbour saving myself another horrible sail from Jolly Harbour. The last time it took me 11 hours so it's a sail worth not having to do unless required.

Short story, double reefed mainsail and reefed staysail (first time ever) and I'm still making 5kn over big bumpy seas. Sleeping on the egg timer doing 20 minute watches avoids most of the soakings as there is a lot of water over the boat. First light I can make out the Pillars of Hercules and one tack to remove the staysail reef sees me sailing into English Harbour at around 7am.

Anchor down in the usual spot (in the 'swamps') ... I'm home. Fade to Black!

Portsmouth Dominica

Well folks Im still alive after my first all night sail in a while. It was a bit of a shock to the system but I soon fell into old habits and arrived in Dominica. With the islands being pretty busy this time of year, I slept on the old faithful egg timer doing 20 minute sleeps between watches and while I was knackered on my arrival that was mainly due to not sleeping (or eating & drinking) when I should or could.

I checked out of Jolly harbour the day before leaving and was able to 'blag' not paying over a year of owed cruising permits, this must have saved me at least 200ec (50 quid).

The same day I also used my spare time wisely and rigged up my Sea Pikey A.I.S system as per the days of old in Doris.

It works to a range of about 2nm but I'll tinker with it to improve it. At least I have an alarm that should wake me up if any commercial shipping comes close.

I also re-fixed the old faithful dinghy...

I weighed anchor and left under sail around 0730. 2 reefs in the mainsail and my small jib, completely under canvassed I still romped along with the wind off the port quarter at around 5kn before adding the staysail making over 6kn+.

Making superb time I stupidly expected to arrive in Portsmouth harbour in Dominica around first light, that was until the wind machine stopped dead just after 2300. I was romping along, felt a slight gust and then nothing - dead calm.

Then it started, the boat started rocking and the sails started banging. As any sailor knows this is worse than any other known form of mental torture!

I had deliberately tried to stay out of the known wind shadow of Guadaloupe by staying at least 8nm offshore, without success. The last time this happened in Doris I had an engine to turn on - not this time. Ok that's a bit of a lie. I could see the end of Guadaloupe in front of me and decided that if I sat on the back of the boat I might be able to keep my outboard in the water for most of the time despite the swell to get me moving.

Twenty minutes later and with an arm that felt like it had been dislocated the silence was deafening, all except my screaming at the useless piece of $£%^& that calls itself an outboard!!!! Sod it, I'll wait and go to sleep... ten minutes later I'm back on deck armed with various tools and a can of WD40. Despite the boat rocking from gunnel to gunnel I never lost anything (other than my temper) over the side. Finally the sweet sound of a 4HP outboard filled the air.

Needless to say I made the end of Guadaloupe just as it was getting light using both sails and engine. Then the wind filled in and got stronger ... and stronger. In went a reef, and stronger ... the waves grew and next thing I knew i was beating against 30kn+ winds in 2m+ steep messy waves with double reefed mainsail and staysail. I got soaked to the skin. Slowly layer after layer of salt dried on me in the hot sun and I felt knackered and shitty. I had committed the cardinal sin of spending too much time looking after the boat and not looking after myself with the three essentials - food, drink and sleep.

In the waves progress to windward was very slow and frustrating and I was worried that I wasn't going to make the anchorage in day light (I hate arriving at night).
As the waters got flatter my pointing improved and I soon came into Portsmouth around 1700. Such was the wind I sailed in the last approach under mainsail alone while I dropped the staysail and readied the anchor, dropping it at the north end of the bay almost right in front of the Purple Turtle bar.

I tidied the boat and pretty much passed out for the night. The next morning I ached like I'd just come out of a heavy gym session. Sleeping for most of the day before venturing ashore to clear in. I have actually cleared both in and out having 14 days stay. Cost 6ec (~£1.50), slightly cheaper than Antigua!

Anyways, Im alive and well. The 'others' (Ben, Rosa & Armanella) are heading this way.

Stay tuned...

Haul Out - Feb 2011

KATLA is 4 SALE!

KATLA is 4 SALE!

26ft Wooden Gaff Cutter £13,000.00 GBP o.n.o British registered, VAT Paid & Lying English Harbour, Antigua.

All other info can be found on this Blog with the addition of:

1 x Brand new 4hp Long Shaft 4 Stroke outboard engine being fitted.

And the addition of a King Size bed being installed.

All she needs is a coat of paint and varnish to look pretty again and shes ready to cruise.

Viewing by appointment only. Owner resides aboard.

MOBILE: 001 268 723 6646 (Antigua)

EMAIL: simondowlut@gmail.com

Happy New Years

Yes this Pikey is still very much alive and kicking....

Hoping that you all had a wicked Xmas & New Years ... I did (from what I've been told)!

Dave from Brighton is over here for the next month and I am writing this from an Internet bar in St Martin after a few days island hopping north from Antigua.

Antigua English Harbour -> Antigua Jolly Harbour -> Nevis -> St Kitts -> (Becalmed off of Saba) -> St Martin ... who knows?

Dave has been loving it with Scurfing (towed longboard) in English Harbour and Water Skiing & Wake Boarding in Jolly Harbour.

I'll post a proper update soon.

Belated festive snogs, kisses & cuddles to you all ... !!!

Swallowed the Hook

A quick update for you guys...

I intended to leave early this week but typically the forcast told of no wind. Sure enough after two days of absolutely no wind and another of rain all day I still havent left Antigua. To be honest I just cant get stoked about sailing around the Caribbean on my own.

I have been spending far to much time in the local bar and looking to start a new career as a cocktail waiter - work permit allowing. Also, Dave from Brighton is thinking about coming out to visit in December so that would be a good time to set sail.

On a positive side, I have found a new heavy weather stom Trysail for an absolute bargain and been given a another sail from which I can make a storm jib. The boat is basically ready for a Transat back to the UK.

Pitty Im not ...

Almost Ready ...

Ok, another post I know you have all been waiting for... So whats new?

Well, I am still moored alongside James & 'the Taj'. I have been generally passing the time playing guitar, reading and some socialising. That and doing small jobs on the boat. Today Jess' dad arrives and I thought it only proper that I finally get my hair cut, so its no more looking like Earl and back to Prison grade one.

She is generally all sorted out with only a few remaining jobs that are purely cosmetic and can be done at my leisure while at anchor. I actually enjoy working on the boat and learning new skills, something I wasn't really able (or needed) to do on Doris.

Big changes include, getting the two 7ah batteries (yes thats 7ah and not a typo - they are tiny!) charged up using the small solar panel. I now have internal lights (LED - my anchor light I bought out with me) and can now charge up rechargeable batteries and run GPS etc In fact the only thing I can't do is charge my laptop. Is spending about $1000us just to charge my laptop really worth it? hmmn?...

I have just got my Mainsail and Staysail back from the sail loft after having a 3rd reef put in the main and a deep reef in the Staysail ($300us), so I should now be fine in a storm. I'm still interested in either making or 'obtaining' a proper Storm Jib and Trysail but they can wait for now. I have been all over the rigging and replaced everything that looked vaguely dodgy and I think the rig is now 'bomb proof'. I do however, need to 'obtain' some blocks for the running backstays. They are not needed due to the oversize rear stays but would be good to have in a real blow or even in case of a shroud breaking at sea.

I have also decided to take the plunge and (insanely) swapped my outboard engine for a large oar (sweep) from Veracity. So now I am engine-less and need to perfect the art of sculling & rowing Katla pretty quickly! I have also decided to prepare and keep ready a very long length of warp so that in the event of becoming becalmed in any current I can drop anchor in really deep water especially close to land such as between the islands.

I know its an inane swap, but I hated the look of it bolted on the back and it had seen better days. It will run again I'm sure, but if I ever really needed it in a hurry I couldn't fully rely on it and sailing with an unreliable engine is almost as bad as sailing without one anyway in my head. If I feel naked without an engine I will pick up a sparkly new one along the way. It will be a good challenge learning to sail 'as God intended', providing I don't end up over a reef or generally bouncing off other boats in the busy anchorages.

So, now Katla is basically ready (not sure I am) and the plan is to set off shortly, first retracing my steps towards St Martin, via Nevis and Saba etc... After that who knows where, the BVIs or back here for Christmas with my fellow Sea Pikeys.

The season is just starting and the anchorage is slowly getting busier. It will be good to have a few people around but in some ways its a shame the tranquillity is going to be shattered. Maybe Ill search for my own little anchorage somewhere off the beaten track ... who knows.

Stay tuned ...