0330 hrs.
As they say time and tide wait for no man and I needed to be in Arbroath by 1400 as their gate the inner harbour would be closing. I departed from a quiet Eyemouth one other visiting yacht was in the harbour, the Dutch guy, who had arrived the evening before. It's always a challenge going out of an unknown harbour at night. Through 'the casam' and out into a very, very dark night. Note to self: even though it is warm in the harbour put all your foulies on as it is colder out at sea.
One other boat could be seen in the distance and St Abb's Head Lighthouse flashed once in ten seconds. As the sky got lighter as dawn approached I could see it was going to be a damp grey morning. The wind, as ever was on the nose and and the instruments were reading 5 knots of true wind most of that would have been generated by me motoring along.
A few ships were spotted on AIS moving extremely slowly and then I was called up by a guard ship for a large survey vessel it all made sense. He politely requested that I give the survey ship a wide berth and I adjusted course to port by 10° for an hour and then returned to my original heading.
0900 hrs.
A zepher of wind and I rolled out the genoa to take advantage of it. Sadly, it was not to last and within the hour I had rolled it back and was back on the engine.
1200 hrs.
Approaching Arbroath and the sun poked its head out from the grey sky and it simultaneously got warm and busy! Lines and lines of pots, fishing boats checking the pots and two dredgers hard at work. I called the Harbourmaster up and was allocated a berth, set the boat up for port too, then called the dreger up to check that it was OK to pass by him and in I went.
Just as I was lining up to enter harbour the second dredger needed to exit to empty a load out at sea. With him safely behind me I entered beside the second, its huge bucket taking chunks out of the sea bed on his starboard side and me on the port.
Turned into the inner harbour and a chap was indicating that I should go to a pontoon that was starboard side to. Typical, I am now going to set everything up for both sides. After a quick reversal to give me time to get some fenders out I came alongside and the chap took my lines. He was the Harbourmaster and apologised as there was a last minute change of plans.
Exhausted, I had a quick wander round town and headed back to my bunk.
1900 hrs.
There was clearly something going on on the quay side and I popped my head up to see about 400 motorcyclists all showing off their bikes.
I decided to say a second night, I am beginning to see a pattern here. It gives me time to recuperate and see a little of the places I am visiting, especially as I use 'white diesel' and need to visit the local supermarket to top up my jerry cans. Arbroath has a reputation for smoked fish and one of the Instagrammers I follow suggested that I try a 'Smokie Pie'. An odd mix of the dry pastry crust of a traditional Scotch Pie with a fish filling.
The lazy jack has been mended, now the job of finding somebody to either go up the mast or haul me up the mast. Something that I hate doing.
Crew: Sandy Garrity
Trip Stats: Distance: XX nm, Under way: X h XX m, Average speed: X.XX knots, Maximum speed: X.XX knots.
Weather: Inshore waters forecast to 12 miles offshore 01:00 (UTC+1) on Thu 19 Aug 2021 to 01:00 (UTC+1) on Fri 20 Aug 2021
Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed
24 hour forecast: Variable 3 or less, occasionally 4 at first. Slight, occasionally moderate at first near Rattray Head, becoming smooth at times in central and southern areas. Occasional drizzle in south, showers in north. Good, occasionally poor in south.
