blog
how's it going?
This page is where I'll post details
on the days sail. But I
shall also use it to vent my anguish as we prepare the boat for the big
off.
3rd July 2008
Subject: Hard decisions and West!
I always said that I was intending on heading to Wick and then waiting to see if the weather wil let me cary on round the top. But the weather up in Scotland has been awful. Basically there was a band of strong wind on the south east and west coast, a band of force 6 to 7 wind accross the Firth of Forth was acting as a barrier, preventing me from gettingout of Eyemouth.
The sail from Amble to Eyemouth was one of the best on the trip. I took a chance with the weather, the MET office Inshore forecast was for a Force 5 to 6, but other forecasts were for lighter. It was a fantastic sail and loved every minute of it.
I set off from Eyemouth bound for Stonehaven (60 miles) the next day, chancing the weather again, but sadly it quickly became obvious I wasn't going to be able to make it in one piece, so I retreated back to eyemouth. My parents came accross to visit, but intead of stay in eyemouth we headed back across Scotland and visited my grandparents for an over night. It was great to spend a night in a bed, but I was desperate to get back as the next day, Sunday, was a slightly better forecast, still not great though. I decided that I had to chance it again.
To say I was nervous would be an understatement, I didn't sleep very well the night before, the wind howling through the rigging didn't fill me with confidence. In the end it was okayish, not great but I survived, which is better than I was expecting the night before! It was really rough and the wind was slightly more forward than I'd like. But as I sailed along the coast towards Stonehaven I forgot about ebing cold and wet, it was just staggeringly beautiful. Stonehaven itself was possibly my most ideal harbour as well, so rustic and traditional!
The sail from Stonehaven to Peterhead was a long boring slog. The wind had seriously increased and the guys I left with from Stonehaven recorded over 30 knots at points with waves over 2 metres! In climbing it's best not to look down, in sailing you should never look behind you as the sight of waves towering above you can really scare even the hardiest of sailors Before I left Stonehaven the Harbour master told me 3 guys on a westerly were about to leave for Peterhead. I left first and it didn't take long for the guys to catch me up, but as they past they took some fantastic, near professional, pics which you can hopefully find in the pics/vids section. I know they're probably readingthis and please get in touch as remember your names, mainly because shortly after telling me who you all were I was handed a glass of whisky! That nightI got drunk for the first time in a longgggggg time, well a couple of weeks but for me that's a decade! It didn't help I hadn't eaten all day due to nerves again! Can the guys that plastered me withf scotlands finestsingle malt and cheap tescos whisky mixed with diet coke, please feel free to get in touch, want to credit you personally for getting me slougtered and for the photos
The next day I had a horrendous hangover, my head killed. Luckily it was blowing 25 + knots again and I needed flat calm to get round Ratty head to turn West. By now though the reality of the crap weather hit hard, I wasn't even going to be able to get to Wick without getting battered to bits and as I was now starting to get behind schedule I had no option oter than to head through the canal. I had really hoped to suprise everybody bing round the top. But you must remember two things, one the round britian power boat racent through the canal and that I've learnt Scotland really isn't in Britain. You can argue all you want about it, buScotland share's nothing with England. When a foreign boat arrives in a new country they must fly the flag of the country the are entering in the rigging, for boats arriving in Britain foreigners must fly an ensign with the union flag in the corner, but everybody, including me fly flie a little st Andrews flag. But enough politics.
I've just sail from Peterhead and am now mid way through the Murray Firth heading for the Caledonian Canal which I should be entering tomorrow night/Friday morning. It was a nice sail, Selkie really kicked up her heals and we were doing an average of 7 knots for an hour and did 8 knots for quite along time! But then it turned slightly more on the nose,first real experience of having loads of wind on the nose! But she handled it fantastic!
I must go to be, has been a long day! thanks for reading and please donate vie www.justgiving.com/bombayduck2008
thanks alot,
als x
p.s. a big thankyou to whitehills for giving me a free mooring, the mooring fees will be donated to the charities.
24th June 2008
Subject: Infernal weather
Damn weather! It's been a case of sail for a day spend 2 in port recently. The North of England has had strong winds, 60+knots a couple of days ago when I was in Sunderland. I left Sunderland yesterday and arrived in Amble, about 30 miles north of Newcastle, was a very rough ride as the huge swell from the storms was still around. I could of left this mornig as there was a brief weather window to get me to eyemouth, however Amble is so nice and quaint I'm stll here! I'm complaining about he weather but I've basically sacrafised a day to be here. However the weather forecast has been saying 6 to 7 for tomorrow so I would of been stuck in eyemouth, but I got internet here and nice people so decided to stay!
I've met a fair few people sailing around Britain, a guy called Martin is sailing his J90 (30 foot fast racing yacht) He's been following along with me, although he decided to go onto eyemouth today.
The trip from Oswold to AMble has been great. The 160 mile trip fom Lowestoft to Whitby was long and tough, but a great testing ground, hopefully I'll never have to do that sort of distance again.
Whitby wasa really nice little town, but it was here my engine finally packed up. I borrowed Martins 3 HP engine as we headed to Sunderland, however the wind and waves were horrendous so we headed into Hartlepool where my dad came with a new engine. I don't like to talk about it, but the brand new ouboard did briefly fall into the marina! Was a horrible feeling watching that brand new engine dissappear into the depths of the 4 metre deep marina!
I was hoping to be in Inverness or even Peterhead by now, which are still a good 4/5 days away. Despite being behind schedule the weather looks good for the next couple of days and by making a few (if not big) short cuts I could still be back in Southampton for August 1st.
I was broughtup a pround scotsman and I just can't wait to get to Scotland, it's only 40 miles away but 30 knots of wind are stopping me for hte minute. My parent are going to come and follow me this weekend as I'm the closest fro home I'll be all trip in reality so should be good.
Thank you for checking ou the site, I'm really sorry it hasn't been updated recently but internet is really hard to find. I asked somebody in Sunderland for somewhere that does WiFi and they just replied with a blank face! And please all donateto the justgiving site: www.justgiving.com/bombayduck2008
Thanks alot,
als x
spiderman :evil:
12th June 2008
Subject: I'm 21! and sorry for lack of update!
Hey!
I've had very litle internet access over the past 12 days, it's rediculous, I had thought every marina had free WiFi. In the Almanac a marina will advertise WiFi but then charge £5 for half an hour!!!! Funnily enough I've now got internet access, on a train!
It was my 21st on Tuesday (June 10th) so I went up to Edinburgh to meet family and my amazing girlfriend who manages to hide her frustrations of me doing this veyr wel, will be another month till i plan to se either heather or my family, but this is part of the experience and challenge for me.
The first couple of days were nothing like I'd planned. The weather has been crap, I was hoping to be nearer if not in Scotland by now, but the wind is constantly on the nose and either 25 kntos or nothing. This isn't normal for the time of year! My engine broke as I crossed the Thames, so I've been forced into Southwold for a week. The weather now looks like it's perfect strength but still on the nose, I might well have to wait till beginning of next week to leave. The next leg is big, I'm planning to push/test myself by sailing over 150 miles from Lowestoft to Whitbyin onego, probably going to be over 24 hours of sailing.
The week running upto leaving was so hectc it's un beleivable, the weather was horrendous as well. I think the weather gods are trying to tell me something! I would like to take the time to thank all my friends for their help and support as well as the leaving party on the friday! But I would like to say a huge thankyou to the MDL Marina Shamrock Quay, who, with out their assistance I would of had real poblems, and might not of even be able to leave. so a BIG thankyou to Shamrock Quay and all it's staff, if you're in the Solent, it's definatlyworth popping in!
The weather's not looking good, if my engine's fixed I shall be setting sail from Soutwold heading to Lowestoft with a crap wind forcast, however it'll be good testing ground. But the weather's not looking good for this weekend. I could be in Lowestoft for a couple of days! So if you're around pop by the lowestoft cruising club, who have made my stay extremely welcome in Southwold.
Thanks alot and please don't hestate to email me: alasdai@alsboden.co.uk
25th May 2008
Subject: 1 week to go, so much to do, so much done!
It's the oddest feeling, in exactly a weeks time I'm going to be bashing along the English Channel. But can't wiat. How ever the weather is looking awful for the first couple of days!!!!
MAJOR NEWS: NEW SPONSOR! Lochaber Watersports has just signed up as a new sponsor. It's fantastic news, and just in time!
I've
finished my exams now, which is great, but it's been stopping me from
preparing. Now I got a hectic 5/6 days ahead of me while I get
everything tesed and I get out fr a bit of testing.
More to come this week.
als x
2nd May 2008
Subject: Selkie is in Southampton!
She's here and before I proceed I would like to thank 3 people/companies, Maiden Marine in Bowness on Windermere have been amazing, they helped collect her, demast her and crane her out of the water, so a big thank you to everybody from Maden Marine, everybodies first stop if you're lookng for help with sailing on windermere. I'm proud to say they're now a genoa sponsor! (see sponsors page) Next is Chris from Southampton oat towing that brought her down here, fantastic service if anybody wants a boat towed any where in the orld pretty much! And finally a huge thank you to Shamrock Quay who have been fantastic help and have provided me a mooring for the next month, which will make a huge difference to this trip. they're also now a genoa sponsor.
The next month is going to be hectic to say the least. The todo list is huge but I can't wait to get on with it. There's a team of people who've been shackled in to putting their blood sweat and tears into her!
I hate to end on a sad note, but a couple of weeks ago I heard that a friend of my parents, Bill, passed away. Bill was an exceptional man, but most of all he was one of my few conections to the sea. My mum famously gave a massive groan when Bill gave me a huge stack of sailing magazines dating back as far as the early 80s. He used to own a Cornish crabber, a 24 foot gaff rigged classic styled boat on winderemere. Most off all I will miss the sailing talks I had with bill about boats and trips he'd done. Every christmas my parents organised a small dinner party and i looked forward most of all to these talks with Bill Below is a picture of me, sat at a computer during such a boxing day dinner. Spookily I was actuly planning the trip on the computer in this photo!
The memory I will have most of Bill is when I sailed my little mirror down to the south of windermere. It was champaigne sailing conditions, clear blue sky and a lovely warm sun with a good steady southerly wind. Aout half way down I noticed an tanned sail gaff rigged boat, Bill. I sailed up to him to say hi. He was sailing with his beloved wife Diana. After a quick chat he leaned over, picked up a can of beer and said "fancy a beer", sadly my mirror didn't give memuch oppurtunity to drink while tacking upwind. My parents visited Bill before he passed away and Diana remembered the encounter. Bill came out of his dazed sleep, slowly turned over and quietly said: "like ships passing in the night"
Rest in Peace Bill and I'm sure you'll help me round britain, just avoid taking me via Africa!
als x
25th March 2008
Subject: Yacht Racing academy.......again!
Last year I was successfull enough to make it through to the brutal GBR Yacht Racing Academy selections where 100 applicats was whittled down to 30 sailors who went on to complete a 2 week training camp where we were up everymorning at 0630 to be beasted by an ex SBS officer!
But for some reasons I'm back again this year! It's all great training for my round britain. My close friends will be impressed to hear I am not in the pub with most of the guys, I amwriting sponsorship proposals and endless lists of equipment!
The day I left kendal, the local paper, Westmorland Gazette, published an article about my trip. It was fantastic they got on my side. Am really happy with the article, however there are some issues as ever, namely with how we got the name "bombayduck" please go to the bombayduck site and see the reason mine and gus's charity site is called bombayduck. The article is amazing and well worth a read, please click here to view it in all it's glory!
Thanks alot for reading, things are coming along nicely!
als x
15th March 2008
Subject: what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" is something I've started to live by. When ever we train for rowing we do a 2 kilometer test on a rowing machine, it's tough, we learn how far we can push ourselves, the next time we do a test we know how much are bodies can take so we push that little harder. It doesn't kill us, it makes us stronger.
Well my test is tomorrow. I'm going to sail the length of Windermere, 10 miles, 10 times! This is tough, it's over 150 miles and could take between 24 and 50 hours. It's not like sailing at sea, 150 miles is fairly straight forward, you set the sails and could do nothing to them for the entire trip. Meaning you could theoretically get some decent sleep, not on Windermere the wind is so unusual the wind can turn 180 degrees in seconds. I can't simply put my sails up and have a nice sleep, because I'll have to tack the boat after 20 minutes! It's going to be harder than anything I've ever done before and altough very nervous I can't wait!
Pictures and a video will be posted here as soon as I get back.
Thanks alot for reading,
als x
12th March 2008
Subject: back home and he work really begins!
The past 6 weeks have been full on at uni, I haven't had any time to spare which has sadly meant this campaign has been fairly slow, but I'm glad to say it's all the go now!
I came back home to where the boat is moored, but sadly this "storm" has meant I've been unable to canoe out to where the boat is moored. However I've been working no stop on paper work and plans for when the weather does relent.
I have finalised my proposal which can be downloaded here It's got a bit of info that u guys might find interesting.
I have hit a major problem, basically the trailer I was promised is not available! So I am now running round cumbria looking for a trailer!
As things unfold I shall keep updating this page!
thanks alot,
als x
Subject: First post
I’ve just spent the past 2 weeks thinking of nothing but this trip,
I’ve been
running through everything from logistics to equipment and have
produced dozens
of route ideas. But finally it’s all done! The next couple of months
are going
to be extra tough now!
As I say somewhere on the site, this is something I've planned almost
as soon
as I learnt to sail. Instead of school work littering my desk I used to
scribble down my plans to sail around
Next on my agenda is the London Boat Show. I have a whole list of
equipment I
need and am hoping to pick up some bargains at the boat show.
The next couple of months are going to be tough; I am still the
president of
the university rowing club and am still the yacht recreational captain
of the
sailing club. On top of all that I am still involved in Bombay duck, a
fundraising campaign I'm
proud to be part. which is run by my friend Gus. We have numerous fund
raising
events throughout the year; please do check out the website
and facebook
search our facebook group.
I shall update when ever something big happens, be it little or large.
I’m now embarking
on the long hunt for sponsorship.
Time to sleep!
Thanks a lot,
als x
