I am sort of committed to setting off to sail on me tod around mainland Britain on 1st June and am, as usual already feeling apprehensive about it. I wonder why I do this sailing lark. I know I will be stressed and scared at times, will miss my sleep, miss friends and family, even miss driving my car. Why can't I stay well within my comfort zone like most old codgers do? That TV programme "Coast" is partly to blame with it's seductive cinematography. I watch it and think "I want to be there!"
Today I should be doing an engine service but am disabled by lassitude. I have a meeting at 2pm anyway so it's too late now to get all oily.
Assuming my old barky is in reasonable nick, the first problem in getting this voyage under way is that my berth in sunny Preston is 15 miles from the sea. To reach the restless ocean means negotiating the exit lock at high water and because the channel is not lit there is only one chance each day to do this. Once in the river it is then a sweaty nervous rush to get past Lytham and across the bar before the tide falls too far.The river dries completely at low water. The bar is not marked and the deep water channel has a dog leg in it which used to be marked by two tiny buoys about the size of yoghourt cartons, virtually invisible. Even these are gone now and I have to rely entirely on GPS waypoints. The river entrance lies between Blackpool and Southport and is a wide and featureless, in thick weather when visibility is poor there are no visual clues at all to help the trembling navigator.
Why am I posting this? Two reasons: I like reliving my experiences in print and a few people have expressed interest in how I get on in sailing around our beautiful islands. The plan is to head north first. If I am not in Orkney by midsummer, the project will be in jeopardy and I may have to admit defeat and return via the Caledonian Canal. I need some moderate winds from the south for the first two weeks of June. I live in hope!