Sailing Aphrodite

Peterhead

The day after my arrival the sun shone, people were swimming, canoeing and paddle boarding. The local sailing club and Sea Cadets were all out on the water in dinghies and small ribs. I was even able to get a bit of sunbathing done on deck. Hard to believe I was at 57° 30'N at it felt more like the south coast of England.

I spent several days in Peterhead to rest, reflect and consider my options for the next part of the trip as it was clear to me that going up to Orkney and back down the west coast was not feasible as I was taking much longer to recover from a passage, I was not sleeping well as things were racing through my head, the fog had been hard work, even with AIS, and I was deeply saddened by the outcome of the rescue south of Stonehaven. With the news that the Caledonian Canal was 'closed' for single handed sailors due to COVID leaving me with two options: a) find a crew member and go through the canal or b) turn the boat round and head back to Plymouth.

Reluctantly, I formulated a plan to call for help to get through the Caledonian Canal, then to resume the trip either single handed or with crew and posted a message on social media and waited. If there was no response I'd turn the boat round and head back.

Aphrodite's previous owners now live in Scotland and we discussed laying up the boat near them and resuming the trip in 2022, but I was concerned that COVID might increase again and with Scotland having stricter travel regulations than England I would be unable to visit the boat over the winter. They also had friends who might be able to crew for a while, but the more I thought about it the more I was convinced that heading back to Plymouth was the right call.

The morning following posting my plea for help Morris from SV Bora Bora back in Plymouth called me. He was coming up to help! In the time the call took I went from being extremely downhearted to delighted.

Several phone calls later discussing travel plans Morris then announced that he would be in Peterhead at 2300!

With about 10 minutes to pack he got from Saltash to Bristol Airport, caught a flight to Aberdeen then a bus to Peterhead. The travel gods were clearly on our side.

Morris sent a WhatsApp message from Bristol Airport saying there was some whisky on offer and should he buy some. About ten minutes later, 'oops it is for international travellers only'. The very least I could do was to get a bottle to welcome him.

Peterhead at 2300 in late August the bus station was like a ghost town it just lacked the brushwood rolling down the street, right on time a big yellow bus arrived at the station and Morris and a few people got off the bus. Was I glad to see him!

I had found the one remaining chippy open in town and we sat on a wall and ate a very late supper, headed back to the boat and cracked open a bottle and had a dram. Several quite large ones actually. We both slept soundly that night.

The following morning after a hearty breakfast we sat and went over the options. How much time was Morris able to give, what was the weather doing and what was the best way to utilize both. With northerlies set for the next few days and looking at timings of getting round to the Caledonian Canal and transit times the decision was agreed to to turn the boat round and head back to Plymouth and run the trip as a delivery, where you crack on and put miles under the keel. With the 'council of war' over we headed into town for supplies and lunch. Then back to the boat to do some route planning and to pay the marina fees.

We turned in for a early night as the plan was to do a long passage from Peterhead to Blyth in Northumberland.

Stonehaven to Peterhead

I woke early, hoping that the fenders had survived the night! They had indeed done their job. Climbed the vertical ladder to the pier and found the showers, spoke with the harbour master and paid for my night against the wall.

Against the wall at Stonehaven

As I got back to the boat the Stonehaven Sea Safari RIB was being prepped for a trip out and I got talking with the crew. How had the summer been with COVID. The skipper asked me what my plans were. I responded with round the UK, but was thinking about cutting through the Caledonian Canal as I was taking longer to recover from a day's sailing than expected. He replied that the Caledonian Canal was not allowing single handed yachts through because of COVID. That was not good news!

A second piece of news was that one of the guys picked up on the rescue yesterday had not survived the night. I was greatly saddened by that news as I was delighted when everybody had been picked up.

The RIB crew helped me with the lines and I returned to the boat, rather thoughtful.

0945 hrs
Departed Stonehaven into a thick fog, a flat sea and no wind. The engine was on again. The Met Office had the forecast right, I was in a F2, but these were very, very big fog patches. I was beginning to wonder if I just moved up the coast with my own personal fog patch.

1200 hrs
The fog had lifted, but still no wind but enjoying the ride up to Peterhead. Quite a few ships either entering or leaving Aberdeen on-route to the oil and gas platforms. More practice with collision avoidance, both with a hand bearing compass and using AIS on the chartplotter.

1700 hrs
Called Peterhead Harbour Control to get permission to enter the harbour, duly granted and watch out for another yacht approaching from the north.

1730 hrs
Tied up at the pontoon on a bright sunny evening. Several swimmers in the water, people on Standup Paddleboards and a few canoeists. Could this really be 57 30' North? It looked and felt more like the south of England.

Crew: Sandy Garrity

Trip Stats: Distance: 37.50 nm, Under way: 7 h 40 m, Avg speed: 4.84 knots, Max speed: 5.50 knots.

Sunrise: 0447 hrs Sunset: 1931 hrs

Weather: Inshore waters forecast to 12 miles offshore 01:00 (UTC+1) on Sun 22 Aug 2021 to 01:00 (UTC+1) on Mon 23 Aug 2021

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed

24 hour forecast: East or southeast, backing northeast then becoming variable later, 2 to 4. Slight, occasionally moderate at first in north. Occasional rain then drizzle, fog patches. Moderate or good, occasionally very poor.

Arbroath to Stonehaven

1145 hrs
For once a start at reasonable hour. On prepping the boat for departure and checking that the cooling water was coming out of the engine I noticed a single red rose in the water by the transom. Quietly commented to myself, 'that's odd' and departed the harbour.

1400 hrs
More thick fog, the Met Office got that right. The VHF sparked into life as a RIB had spotted a small overturned fishing cuddy with a guy on the hull and reports of two other guys in the water about 10 NM from my position. Little I could do as I was slow, but look out for swimmers in the water.

The chartplotter AIS showed that the RNLI were heading towards the scene at speed and I saw an All Weather boat pass me at about 30 knots.

1700 hrs
Arrived at Stonehaven having heard that three guys from the fishing cuddy had been located. My next problem was to get the boat alongside a vertical wall, never done this before!

The solution was to attach a midship line to the steps then climb the steps with two lines and attach them to just about anything!

All of the fenders were on the starboard side, a fender board is really needed on these type of harbours.

Alongside at Stonehaven

I retired back to the boat and watched the wall move backwards and forwards in relation to me and reflected on the day. I am not superstitious in any way and am a 'devout atheist', but found it really odd that I should spot that rose in the water and had watch the rescue unfold in front of me.

Crew: Sandy Garrity

Trip Stats: Distance: 30.7 nm, Under way: 6 h 42 m, Avg speed: 4.50 knots, Max speed: 6.00 knots.

Weather: Inshore waters forecast to 12 miles offshore 01:00 (UTC+1) on Sat 21 Aug 2021 to 01:00 (UTC+1) on Sun 22 Aug 2021

Rattray Head to Berwick upon Tweed

24 hour forecast: South or southeast 3 or 4, occasionally 5 at first, becoming variable 3 or less later. Slight or moderate. Rain at times, fog patches later. Moderate or good, becoming poor at times then occasionally very poor later.

Arbroath

I awoke to the sound of steady rain on the deck and the dredgers working away clearing the harbour. Headed to the marina 'crew room' that consists of a room with a cooker, a dining table, a small book swap library and showers. Why don't more marinas have a communal area for people to sit and chat?

Dredger at Arbroath

Once the morning ablutions were done it was off into town and explore. I had been recommended a 'Smokie Pie' by another boat the hunt for lunch, but did not need to go far as they were on sale just beyond the marina.

The Smokie Pie Shop

Lets just say I think Smokie Pies are an acquired taste and I can think of better ways of eating fish.

Just after lunch the phone rung and one of the Ocean Youth Trust South volunteers who was in the area asked if he could drop in and say hello. An hour later Mark arrived at the marina and I popped the kettle on.

I am quite sure that Mark did not expect to go up my mast when he called, but with two of is onboard and my fear of going up masts he was 'coerced' to going up and treading my lazyjack through its block.

Mark and Sandy at Arbroath

After more tea we headed off for a walk along the coast to look at the geomorphology of the area and I was introduced to 'geos', something that I'd not heard of before.

Eyemouth to Arbroath

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.