2003 - Under 7 bridges

2003 - Under seven bridges – and the English Channel revisited

Menai to Milford Haven

Our cruising in 2003 was never going to have quite the thrill of our 2002 Atlantic crossing but I did want to do something that was at least a bit different if possible. It had been many years since I sailed in the Solent where I used to have a mooring and where I sailed so often in the yachts of the Armed Services. I had a hankering to go down there and have a look around again to see what had changed. I also have a brother and a daughter and three grandchildren in the area as well as many friends, and Ann’s son Christopher is in the area too. Also it would mostly new ground for Ann. So that was our destination decided – and of course we could go on to northern France as well. I hoped that a long held minor ambition might be achieved on the way by sailing under the Severn Bridges. An almost logical extension was a decision to leave the boat in St Katharine’s Haven in London for this winter. So that was the plan… Ha!

Faustina II is a Bowman 40 – and we love her. She’s sturdy, comfortable, sea kindly and she sails pretty well to windward, despite having only a 1.5m draught, and the lead sheel keel keeps her pretty stiff. She was well equipped for the round-Atlantic trip and so probably rather over equipped for shorter voyages in UK waters. For example we had little use for the water maker this year but the bimini helped to keep not only the sun off our heads (and we did get a lot of sun) but also the rain! We have set her up for short handed sailing by geriatrics and it’s all been very successful. We have three means of auto piloting to ensure us maximum freedom from the tyranny of steering. No, she is NOT for sale – yet!

We were to leave on 19 May but that date soon went adrift. We had the builders in at home! What started as a relatively minor job to provide a revamped bathroom became an almost complete rewiring job (all the upstairs floorboards up), the front of the house and the stables re-rendered, 5 new chimney stacks and much much more – not to mention redecorating. Our departure date kept slipping and it was not until 29 June that two harassed people finally boarded Faustina II at Portaferry ready for the off. We had dinner at the Portaferry SC (highly recommended) ready to leave next day. And leave we did, at 0645, into an ENE 5. It was very unpleasant out in the Irish Sea and after a nasty hour or so we decided that if this was fun, it wasn’t for us. We turned back and went to anchor in Audley’s Road near Strangford. Much better, and another day for ‘post-builder’ relaxation.

We got off again next day. We had intended to visit the Isle of Man to meet friends but the wind was kinder and the sea was calmer and so we made straight for Puffin Island at the north end of the Menai Straits, about 85 miles away. We arrived at 2100 and an hour or so later we anchored off Beaumaris. Next day we launched Buttercup, our RIB, and went into Beaumaris to get supplies and to explore but we had to get back to the boat by 1200 in order to get through the Swellies at slack HW. The Swellies are notoriously dangerous rocks with fast water moving past them in narrow channels. They are crossed by two bridges - Telford’s graceful Menai suspension bridge of 1826 and the Britannia rail/road arch bridge that replaced Stephenson’s original tubular bridge after it was destroyed by fire in 1970. At slack HW it’s easy enough and we passed safely through, despite my total failure to see the leading marks under the Britannia Bridge that Ann could see and was entreating me to observe! Anyway, that was the first two of the seven bridges done.

We anchored for lunch a mile or so away near a monument to Admiral Nelson. Later we took Buttercup (with its 15hp engine)back under the bridges while the tide was in full ebb and saw just how fast the tidal stream is through there. After an afternoon relaxing in the sun surrounded by the wonderful pastoral scenery we motored down towards Caernarfon and found a strong looking mooring for the night about a mile from the town. TG we had the mooring – the tide flowed loudly past us at such speed during the night that I doubt I would have trusted the anchor.

At 0600 next day we used the last of the ebb to sail past Caernarfon Castle and out of the Straits but we then anchored until 1030 to await a sufficient rise of tide to get us over the bar. We then set off for Abersoch on an indifferent day, passing thro’ Bardsey Island Sound and inside Tudwal Island. At Abersoch we anchored but idleness allowed us to feel no impulse to launch Buttercup and go ashore. Next morning we were away at 0400 (ugh!) to use the tide and with all plain sail and the engine turning over gently we made our way across Cardigan Bay, outside the Bishops and Clerks (as the tide was wrong for the inside passage), between Skomer and Stokholm Islands and into Milford Haven to anchor in Dale Bay by 1700. I like Dale – it’s easy to get to and well protected in any weather and these days they even have a large pontoon anchored offshore for visitors to moor alongside. Very civilised.

Next day we had a ‘day off’ and confined our activities to a very pleasant motor past the oil terminals of Milford Haven, under the 1975 Neyland Road Bridge (bridge number 3) and on up the River Cleddau for several miles until the water became a bit too shallow for us. It’s a beautiful river with a mixture of woods and meadows along the shore. Astonishingly we were stopped en route by police in a launch who, having seen that we came from Belfast, turned around to come after us, sent two officers on board who did a cursory inspection and required us to complete pink forms with our details. They claimed that anti-terrorist laws allowed them to do this when ‘a border within the UK’ is crossed. I asked them how many cars crossing the Severn Bridges between England and Wales were stopped for this purpose! They were very pleasant – and, we guessed, bored too. We returned to Dale for the night where we had to decide, should we go up the Severn estuary to Gloucester (original plan), or go straight to Devon.

Puffin Island at the north end of the Menai Straits

Thomas Telford's Suspension Bridge. Bridge #1 on our voyage

The Britannia bridge. Bridge # 2

The Plas Menai Sailing Centre near Caernarfon

F2 in the lock to Swansea docks and marina

Under the Second River Crossing. Bridge # 4

Under the original Severn road bridge. Bridge # 5

The lock into the Sharpness Canal from the R. Severn.

Moored overnight on the Sharpness Canal

John at the WWT Centre at Slimbridge

The R Severn from the banks of the Sharpness Canal

The Clifton suspension bridge over the R Avon

Up the River Severn to Gloucester and Bristol

The Severn won and so early next morning we set off to Swansea and locked in to spend the night in the splendid new marina there, doing our laundry and going to the cinema. Then on up the Severn, now having to take note of the sand banks, to the marina at Penarth (Cardiff) – again new, excellent and entered via a huge lock into the barrage. Friends came with their two children to visit and we took them for a sail for a mile or so across the barrage water to Cardiff where we had a Chinese dinner.

Next day, 8 July, we sailed up-river in moderate visibility to pass under the Severn bridges, en route to the Sharpness canal and Gloucester. This was a high activity day. We contacted the Sharpness canal people who advised that arriving an hour before HW at the their lock would be ideal. Their HW is an hour after HW at the bridges, and it takes about an hour to travel from the bridges to the lock. I compromised and aimed to reach the bridges at HW-1½ (the bridge). I had been using a chart plotter until now (what a Godsend and how lazy they make you!) but I had no computer chart beyond the first bridge and I was back to the paper chart with GPS, eyeball and HB compass. The first bridge reached is properly called the Second Severn Crossing. It opened in 1996 and carries the M4. The second is the Severn Bridge - that one was opened 30 years earlier and carries the M48. The tidal stream swept us along at great speed under both the bridges. After the second one the channel does a sharp dogleg to port quite close to the shore, near where the old Severn ferry used to dock at Beachley, before it turns once again to head upstream. I missed the turn as I didn’t go to Port hard enough and we went right over the sand bank. However it didn’t matter, the water level was high and there was in fact ample depth – probably right across the river’s width. Nevertheless one tries to follow the proper route! It’s all adequately buoyed and there are some transits but you do have to look well ahead and be careful not to be swept off line. The mud makes the water a thick chocolate colour. (That was 5 bridges done).

We reached the entrance to the Sharpness canal without incident and the dock master gave us clear instructions. They were locking a freighter out and we would then go in – and so it happened. It was all very easy but the dock’s walls were THICK with mud. We should have covered the fenders with black bin bags as it later took me some time to clean the mud off the fender socks. Once into the canal we paid the canal dues, which for us were £40 for in and out of the lock that we had come through and £23 for a week’s canal license - nothing else to pay for moorings etc. Two men then went off to open the huge swing railway bridge that crosses the canal about a mile from the lock beyond Sharpness docks. They did this very cheerfully, by hand, and after only a short delay we set off up the canal. It is 16 miles long, has 16 bridges, and it takes about 3 hours to reach Gloucester. It’s a really pleasant and restful 3 hours. The bridge opening is very good; as you go through one, the bridge master telephones the next one, so that generally they are ready for you and the bridge swings open as you arrive. Open Sesame! Most of the traffic is Narrow Boats. A 40 ft yacht is a rarity and we attracted more than the usual amount of interest and greetings. We moored alongside in Gloucester docks feeling very pleased with ourselves for having made it safely!

Apart from the cathedral, where we spent a couple of hours being shown round, there is not too much to see in Gloucester but it was of general interest to me as I used to live not far away in my youth. However after lunch the next day we left and made our way back along the canal. It is very rural and pretty. You pass villages with their churches (some below canal level) and near to Sharpness the canal passes alongside the Severn, about a mile away, but probably 30 feet or so higher than it. In the late afternoon we moored by the canal edge with the keel stuck in the mud about a metre from the bank (no springs necessary) and had a pleasant evening with some Narrow Boaters that we had met earlier. It was a very quiet night. We watched grebes busy in the reeds and saw the occasional owl flying by. Tranquil.

There are several places on the canal with a pub and a shop and next morning we stopped at one in order to visit the WWT Centre at Slimbridge. It’s only about a mile from the canal and gave us an interesting diversion for three hours. It was not the best time of the year to visit but there were enough birds of different varieties to make it worthwhile. We reached Sharpness by late lunchtime and were told that the lock would be opened for us at 1515. Our Narrow Boat friends were coming through too – they had booked a pilot to take them downstream to Portishead, our destination that day. We all locked out but the Narrow Boats didn’t leave, as the forecast wind of 20 kts against the tide was deemed unsafe for them. We had an uneventful trip downstream, although it was quite rough near the bridges. We made good speed with the gathering ebb under us and we reached and locked into the new marina at Portishead at 1945.

Next day was my birthday (I seem to have one in every log I write!) and several telephone messages came in. We found the mobile phone endlessly useful and comforting and were very rarely out of signal range. We also used the Internet facilities found in all libraries (usually free), and we did so again here in Portishead. There is an excellent Waitrose near the marina and they agreed to deliver our supplies – a service that they hadn’t properly started at that time but intended to provide soon. We were happy to be a test case.

We locked out after lunch with four Narrow Boats, including our two friends who had arrived in the early morning, and motored the two miles up the Severn to the entrance of the River Avon.

They had left the lock before us but we overtook them quite soon and led the way up the Avon towards Bristol. Here were our last two bridges; firstly the 1974 motorway bridge carrying the M5, and then as we approached Bristol, majestically and improbably, Brunel’s stunning 1864 Clifton Suspension bridge crossing some 73 metres above us. Shortly after that we reached the Cumberland basin with its lock into the Bristol ‘Floating Dock’ and a swing road bridge. (Incidentally there can be a rise of tide here of 9.4 metres!) We were quite quickly locked in but, because it was rush hour, they couldn’t open the swing bridge and stop the traffic until about 90 minutes later. The Narrow Boats went on. Once through we were lucky to get a space in the secure Bristol marina. Vandalism can be a problem elsewhere in the docks - we saw a small launch being jumped on and its canvas work damaged by some youths.

We spent the next day in Bristol and met my sister who lives fairly nearby. We visited the lovely St Mary’s Church, Redcliffe and inevitably went shopping in the city. Then next day, Sunday, we were up at 0500, locked out and made our way down to Avonmouth where we arrived at 0730, which was also HW. We carried the ebb down the Severn and by the time we passed between Flat Holm and Steep Holm islands we were travelling at over 12 knots across the ground. The navigation was not difficult (really at any stage) but it is really essential to know always where you are as the sand banks do lurk on either side and there is a tendency to get swept off one’s preferred line by the swirling tidal stream. At 1100 there was enough wind from the east to allow me to deploy the Cruising Chute and we held that until 1300 when the wind went round and came in strongly from the south. At 1630 we reached the Bideford FWB and made our way gingerly in through the channel that leads into Appledore where we took a spare RNLI mooring buoy. Again TG, as the tide passes through the harbour at great speed and we felt secure on the buoy in a way that would have been impossible with an anchor. We didn’t launch Buttercup because of the water’s speed and so, sadly, didn’t go ashore.

SW England to the Solent

Next morning we moved SW along the coast to Padstow, but we were there too early and so we anchored in a bay 2 miles to the north until 1700 when there was sufficient depth of tide to allow us to cross the bar of the River Camel. The harbour was crowded with yachts and fishing boats but we were found a slot alongside two other yachts and had a good evening ashore. It’s a pretty place but very touristy. We tried to get into Rick Stein’s café but there was NO chance!

We slipped at 0600 next morning and ran smack into a dense wall of fog just outside the harbour entrance. A fisherman coming in said not to worry, as it was clear a few hundred yards on – and happily so it was. We crossed the bar and set off to the SW for Land’s End. The tide began to help us and at 1100, in murky visibility, we passed the Wra rock and around Land’s End passing inside the Longships LH rocks. Once around and heading east past the Runnel Stone the tide was against us, but by the time we had reached the Lizard it had turned and we made good progress past Black Head and then north past the Manacles and into the Helford River, where we took a mooring at 1840.

The forecast next day was for heavy rain and W5-7. We decided to stay for the day. After a quiet morning on board we launched Buttercup and she took us to some NT gardens that Ann wanted to see and then to Helford where we had a short walk. We had oggies (Cornish Pasties) for supper – really good! Next morning we went the few miles round to Falmouth and moored in the town visitors’ marina, which is not expensive and is close to the town and to the new National Maritime Museum that we wanted to visit. After doing our laundry next day we went to the museum. We both found it rather a disappointment. It contains a number of well-known small boats and dinghies and some interesting displays but overall it is a fine building with not enough in it to make a visit really satisfying – we thought. In the marina we were delighted to meet John and Rosie C cruising to the Scillies in Tresillian IV.

We went on to Fowey next day and that evening met Derek and Gilly McC and some friends ashore in their rented holiday house. Then next day (Sun 20 Jul) we went on to Dartmouth with a brisk S6 pushing us along with two reefs in the Main. We rounded Start Point and went close inshore where we anchored for a short lunch break before passing along the Bee Sands etc and entering Dartmouth. We were offered a berth alongside a pontoon in midstream that did us very well. I had previously convinced myself that mooring in Dartmouth was expensive but I was wrong. The charges were modest and the staff very helpful.

On the following day, having given the boat a good cleaning, we took Buttercup up the River Dart to Totnes where we had a good lunch in sunshine at the ‘Steam Packet Inn’. It’s a lovely run of about 5 or 6 miles through varied scenery and our RIB provided the ideal conveyance. In fact we went on beyond Totnes for a mile or more until we came to a weir – and went aground! That evening we met Brian S (brother of the late Billy S (ICC)) who brought a pile of charts that we had agreed to return to Arthur O in NI. He kindly took us to his home at Stoke Gabriel where we were given dinner by Anne his wife. Next morning we took the steam train from Kingswear (opposite Dartmouth) to Paignton where we met Brian again. We had lunch at the Steam Packet Inn in Totnes again (well the food was good!) and then went on to Dartington House where we met Anne S. Briefly, Dartington House is a privately set up artistic inspirational and educational establishment. The house is old and the grounds are superb. We looked around both for a couple of hours in glorious sunshine before we were returned to Paignton to catch the steam train back to Kingswear and the boat.

II will gloss over the next few weeks. They were spent in and around the Solent and Chichester harbour. We met relations and friends and I explored and revisited many old haunts such as Beaulieu River, Newtown Creek, Bembridge, Porchester Castle and so on and so on. The weather was good and we enjoyed it all. The only down side is that the area is coming down with boats. The numbers are truly staggering to those of us more used to Irish waters. TG that they don’t all come out of the marinas at the same time – if they did one could probably walk across the Solent from deck to deck. Cowes Week was on while we were there and we went up the River Medina to see where all the boats went at night! When we needed a marina we used the very good Haslar Marina just inside Portsmouth harbour entrance but whenever possible, as is our usual preference, we anchored. The marina cost us £30 per night with power but the anchoring can been done for free in the lower Beaulieu and in Chichester harbour – both lovely places to stop - and for only a few pounds in places like Newtown Creek. Ann’s son, Chris Bunting (ICC), his wife Claire and 3-year old daughter spent a night on board with us in Chichester harbour. Ann and I visited Portsmouth Docks to go over the Victory and to see the Mary Rose. The actual Mary Rose is a disappointment as it is hard to see through very cloudy glass and fine spray but the associated exhibition is excellent. A huge new millennium structure is being built in Portsmouth that will have a spinnaker type of appearance. It already dominates the skyline from many miles away. The whole Solent area provides wonderful sailing at all levels – but there ARE a lot of boats about.

The fog bank as we left Padstow

John walking in Helford

Start Point

Dartmouth town and chuirch

John overlooking the River Dart towards Kingswear

Darlington House and grounds

Braye harbour on Alderney

The Seigneur''s house and garden

Dixcart Bay Hotel

Hunting for shells with the tide off Herm

F2 dried out in St Helier marina

John walking on St Helier

The LH at Iles Chausey

The anchorage off Grand Ile

Ile Tathouhi, St Vaasr la Houhue

To France, The Channel Islands - and then home to NI

Then on Thu 7 Aug we crossed the Channel to Cherbourg. We had actually left Beaulieu for a ‘doddle’ to Newtown Creek but en route I decided that the weather today was likely to be more favourable for our crossing than tomorrow. So we stopped in mid Solent, hauled Buttercup aboard and set off past Hurst Castle and the Needles. The wind was WSW and quite light and I set all plain sail, later adding a bit of engine to keep the speed up. We soon ran into fog but the radar helped to keep out of trouble. We reached Cherbourg in very poor vis at 2045 and anchored just outside the marina (which one can do for free). Having Buttercup we don’t really gain any advantage from a marina provided we can anchor in good shelter. The harbour foghorn continued all night.

Next day we did the usual stocking up of wine and other essentials from the huge Carrefour hypermarket nearby. At HW±3 hrs it is possible to take the RIB through the inner harbour very close to the store, which helps greatly get the wine boxes aboard. By chance we met my brother who was in a yacht with friends and that led to a very good dinner at the Café de Paris restaurant. We were surprised to find the locals coming to the end of their meals while we were just starting – and it was only later than we realised that we had not altered our clocks to local time.

Next morning we went into the marina to top up the water tanks and then left Cherbourg harbour via the west entrance and made our way in poor vis towards Cap de la Hague. We were doing over 10 kts across the ground with the tide under us. We entered Braye harbour in Alderney at 1300. Lots of mooring buoys have been laid since I was last there and the whole bay is useable. However they were all occupied and we anchored until a buoy became vacant – for which we were charged an outrageous £12! No water, no power and about ½ mile from the landing jetty which itself was hard to get at because of the numbers of inflatables around it. A Customs officer (he had no uniform) gave us a form to complete as we had now left the EU. Later we went ashore and walked up the hill to St Annes and then along to the east to return to the jetty via the long beach to the south of the harbour. It was a lovely sunny day and it was a pretty and interesting walk. We ate on board.

Next day (Sun 10 Aug) we went to Sark. This involved going through the Swinge, a much easier exercise with the chart plotter than it was in the old days with a hand-bearing compass. There was no wind and it was still rather misty. En route I went off in Buttercup, leaving Ann on board, to take some photos of the boat.

I remembered, fondly from 30 years ago, anchoring in Dixcart Bay on the east coast of Sark in the company of two or maybe three boats. We got there now to find more than 30 boats anchored. The only available alternative was to anchor in the neighbouring and rather more exposed Derrible Bay with only a mere 10 boats for company. How things have changed. That evening we went ashore via Dixcart Bay and found the island’s interior largely unchanged – and as delightful as it ever was.

Next morning we went ashore again and hired bicycles. With these we puffed our way around most of the island’s roads and to its extremities. It was sunny but the vis was so poor that no other islands were in sight. A walk around the Seigneur’s garden was well worthwhile, as were the various short walks we did to reach the cliffs. We arrived an hour too early for lunch at the Dixcart Bay Hotel (guess what? - we were still on French time!) but we sat for a while recalling a visit there years ago with Patrick and Mary. It really is a lovely island. Back on the beach we found Buttercup very high up the beach and we had to get help to get her back to the water. We went for a little ‘explore’ with her around the headland and on our return came across a small yacht that had floated free of her poorly laid anchor and was off on a solo jaunt. We tied alongside her and took her back to Derrible Bay. We re-set her anchor and returned to Faustina. I don’t know whether the French owner ever realised that he was now anchored in a different place and with a lot more rope out.

We spent the next day in St Peter Port marina (£16 incl. power) and took on fuel and shopping and an evening meal ashore. Next day we went to Herm and anchored off the famous Shell Beach. We landed on that with Buttercup but there really aren’t many shells left! The daily sweep by hordes of visitors has taken them all. However later, when the tide had gone down I went exploring around the newly exposed islets (which are extensive in that area) and soon found small beaches that abounded with shells of all sorts. I collected Ann who spent an hour or more happily beachcombing for shells and she found some real beauties. The rising tide forced us off in the end and we returned to the boat. Incidentally this was yet another occasion when we were grateful for the 15hp outboard – the tide stream was so swift that I doubt that a 2hp OBM would have enabled progress to have been made against it especially when we were exploring a mile or more from the boat. We spent the night back in Derrible Bay at anchor.

I had intended to go from there to Iles Chausey (of which more later) but I realised that there was now a huge Spring tide and without local knowledge this wasn’t the ideal time to visit. Instead we decided that a spell in Jersey would be preferable, leaving the visit to Iles Chausey for the Neap tides in a week’s time. However we remained in Sark that day as the weather was horrible and there seemed to no point is going. It became a bit rolly, especially at HW, but it was a good decision.

So next day we went St Helier. It was a bumpy voyage and the last stretch from the Courbière LH to St Helier was a hard slog against the tide. We got there at last and went straight into the marina. We stayed there on the island for three complete days, exploring by bus and walking at first and then hiring a car for a day. There is a lot to do and see. Our visit coincided with the Battle of Flowers but this seems to be a dwindling attraction and the poor weather kept us away. The marina has a drying grid and I used this to check our propeller. (We have a Brunton Autoprop, which is really excellent, but we did have a big problem earlier in the year that was very satisfactorily resolved by the makers. Anyone who would like details should contact me.)

Finally we set off to Iles Chausey. It’s a group of one inhabited island with lots of smaller islands nearby (that get to be much bigger islands when the tide goes down!). It lies to the east of the Plateau de Minquieres (the Minkies). The rise and fall of the tides are huge and so deciding where to anchor is important. It’s takes a leap of imagination to realise that even if you anchor in 10 metres at HW you may dry out at LW. There is a Sound through the islands where some trots have been laid and we gratefully moored alongside a similar sized boat. It was ok at Neap tides but it would not have done at Springs. We went ashore on Grande Ile (which is pretty small!) to explore and to exercise. There are about 50 inhabitants, but they are joined every day by several hundred trippers that arrive at about 1100 and leave in the evening. Some of the old houses appear to be sort of Youth Hostels – very basic accommodation. Next day we were forced to move as a very large motor cruiser came alongside us and completely blocked our view. I took the opportunity to pass gingerly through the northern passage from the Sound (not feasible around LW) and then swing around to the west to anchor for the night in a small bay on the south of the island.

From Iles Chausey we returned to Cherbourg via the Alderney race, and then on past the immensely tall Barfleur LH to St Vaast la Hougue. We again anchored off but used Buttercup to explore the town and the nearby coastal fort on Ile de Tatihou. Then it was back across the Channel again to the Solent where we cruised around exploring for a few days. At the end of the month Ann had to return home to look after the house and cat, leaving me to sail alone for a month, at the end of which I was to go to London and leave Faustina II for the winter. In practice this didn’t happen. I couldn’t decide what to do but, because I like an aim, I felt I had to GO somewhere. However I first had a weekend with my daughter and her family.

It happened then that fresh easterlies set in and so I sailed off to the west and after a couple of days realised that I was on my way back home to NI. The Met office kept threatening big winds several days ahead and so I resolved to get on quickly before they arrived. My main ‘legs’ were an overnighter from Dartmouth to the Dale in Milford Haven (with a two-hour stop-off in Plymouth to have lunch with friends) and then, after a long night’s sleep, another overnighter from Milford Haven to Portaferry. I had intended to stop at Arklow but the wind warnings were becoming dire so I went on to Wicklow. But by then the tide was with me and so I went on to Dun Laoghaire and then straight on to Portaferry. I arrived back on Sun 7 Sep and the winds never became very strong after all. Inevitably the plan to winter in London has been shelved – but I’m pleased to have Faustina II near home so that I can ‘play’ with her over the winter months!