Yesterday I did something interesting.
I planned a long passage on a fictitious RYA map, from Dunbarton Marina to Victoria Marina.
I worked out it was 39 nautical miles and would take 2 and a half hours. (not long really, but long enough for me)
During the plotting, where I was working out Dead Reckoning positions and then Estimated Positions allowing for the tidal streams and rates, I had to avoid the nasty rocks at Clearwater Bay :? , avoid sailing through the Army offshore Firing Range (always advisable :D ) , plot to miss the Rip Tides at West Point :o and being careful to not venture into the Restricted Government Zone :?: .
Then, after crossing the frickin big shipping lane at Victoria, had to line up to enter through the Southern Gates and finally the skipper asked for a Magnetic Course to Steer.
I gave 68M and GUESS WHAT? I was right.
I could have jumped up and hugged him. :)
I restrained myself admirably, but the grin was enormous. :D
Pauline x ;)
Well done, Pauline ! I went through all that a year ago, thought I was doing really well. Reading your post I've realized how much I've forgotten already :oops: Time for the winter refit - of my memory :lol:
Okay.....an update......
Final assessment on the theory side of things tonight.
4/5 questions on passage planning.
:?
Bit nervous cos in the practice last week when the very first question asked for a plot using 3 landmarks, I just held my plotter over the chart and froze..... didn't have a clue where to start......My brain kickstarted itself eventually, but I lost precious time for the next questions.
We've done some more homework this week and hopefully tonight will see us go through with a 'pass'.
Fingers crossed. :?: :|
Next week, we are visiting a coastguard station as a final course treat. Apparently, if nothing is 'doing' at the time, one of us will make a 999 call to the coastguards so that we see what happens in real life when they get a call. All exciting stuff, but just need to get over tonight..... :o
Pauline x ;)
Took the final Assessment Paper last night for the Day Skipper theory...and......WE PASSED. :D YAY! :D
Peter assessed the papers as they were being done and just after the class, so we were able to hang about and all go to the pub together for a celebratory drink.
We both now have our theory certificates sitting proudly on the mantleshelf.
Roll on April 7th, when we launch ourselves off Shotley in a 34ft something and spend a week on the waters around Essex and Suffolk.
I will, as mentioned, be sharing this boat for 6 days with 4 blokes.....deep joy! :?
Still...it's all in a good cause, keeps Ray very happy and earns me thousands of brownie points, which, I believe, will go towards a very nice piece of jewellry on my birthday!! :P
(I'm not daft ladies...there's always the other side!) ;)
I'm actually feeling more 'boaty' than I've felt in years and we're really sorry to have missed the AGM this year.
But Ray is talking about jean and Bill's trip to Denmark......I can see extra brownie points just waiting to be earned.
We'll see!!
Hugs from Pauline...who is wrapped in a warm happy cloud cos I never thought I'd get through the course!
Pauline x ;)
Well done to both of you!
Will you please try to attend as many rallies as you possibly can - one day all these gps chartplotters are going to go down and it would be really good to have you guys around when it happens!
Cheers
Mike
Hello Mike....I detect a wee hint of sarcasm (nicely meant of course) ;) in your post...but nothing can deter my enthusiasm because I now have an update.......
Last week, Ray and I did our Day Skipper Practical. 5 Days on a Hanse 34 footer all around the East Coast.
Yes....I know....who, in their right minds would do a DS Practical, in April, around the East Coast. :o
Answer.....us. 8-)
See....I was promised the Practical in the warm, balmy, hot conditions of the Ionian Sea around Greece. Lovely.........
But no, it seems that the Med is non tidal and we wanted (read... Ray wanted) a tidal pass. :roll:
To say I was dreading it was the understatement of the year. They call me fairweather Pauline (well, they don't, but you get my drift) and I'm used to sitting on deck, looking like a sunbathing holidaymaker with a glass of wine. If the Met report said anything above F2, I wouldn't go! Simples!
Let's just say I'm the wrong end of the 50 age scale and it was the first time in my Life that I had bought thermal underwear! :o
But Ray insisted, he made me buy sailing boots, gloves, and a hat...me...in a hat...(unheard of!!)....also insisting on a fleece and some warm legging/trouser things. I chose Helly Hansen cos I liked the name and now have a big HH emblazoned down my leg (when I'm wearing them!)
But with all the kit on, already feeling the size of a polar bear, I needed a huge coat to actually be able to do it up. I tried on all the Helly ones to no avail and ended up having to take a seat and coming over all unnecessary on being told the price of the one that fitted nicely........ a Musto which was ....wait for it...£300, but was in the sale for £220. She assured me it was an 'Offshore' Coat. I looked for the gold lining but it was missing!!
When I saw the bill all I could think about was the beautiful earrings I could have purchased for that amount, (which may even have had some sparkly stones) but Ray was adamant that earrings wouldn't keep me warm out at sea, so that was that!
We joined the boat on the Sunday night at Shotley Marina, running with Britannia Sailing School, Peter Harry as Skipper.
Ladies.....I was sharing the boat with 4 men and I only knew one of them! :o
Yes....I know you all understand how I felt! :?
Armed with sleeping bags (I haven't used one since I was a Girl Guide) we prepared the double berth which we had been given cos we were a couple.
The next day, all trussed up with a life jacket on for added discomfort....off we went.
The wind was 4/5 and the sea state wasn't how I like it....not by a long, very long way.
During mid morning I went down to plot a fix and became amazingly seasick. I can't remember ever being sick when we sailed previously, but then I wasn't used to those conditions.
Skip understood I wanted to die, so he left me to watch and learn and during the afternoon I spent most of my time super gluing my lips together to stop the screams as the boat heeled over with the sails for all the world about to dip in the water....and ...yes, there was a reef in!
When we arrived at the next harbour, all I wanted to do was leave. I was just an hour from home.
But........us Brits are made of sterner stuff than that, plus the fact that doing this course was earning me enough brownie points with Ray to ensure a holiday in America......(Yay!) ...so I was determined to stick it out.
And I did.
Ladies...I have to say that I was soooo far out of my comfort zone I didn't recognise myself, but am I glad I stuck it out. :D
The skip was great.. :) ..didn't shout when I made rip roaring mistakes, :oops: showed/explained to me how to do something repeatedly until it stuck and allowed me to take things at my own pace.
One of my proudest moments was steering the boat into the lock and stopping it before it hit the end, all in control, the guys jumping out to tie up and then taking it round to the moorings. I had never done that before.
For the rest of the week, the weather, wind and rain didn't improve....but I did!
I must have thanked Ray a dozen times for insisting that I buy all the correct clothing...even if my coat doesn't fashionably match my trousers.
All the passages were.....well let's say 'spirited', and the night passage was....dark... OMG....but soooo exciting!
BUT...by the end of the week, on the last day when the wind was F5/6, with no reefs in (although we could have done with one) there I was, one of the tacking duo, the Hanse heeled right over and me loving the exhilaration of it all! 8-)
The guys were totally supportive throughout and SUCH a good laugh. We joked and giggled our way through the whole week and became firm friends.
Ray and I both passed. YAY!! :D
It has to be said that just because one has passed a driving theory test and the driving test itself, doesn't make one the world's best driver.
And I am well aware that the same can be said of Day Skipper.
There is sooo much more I have to learn and I need loads more experience on board.
But...it's a start.
Pauline x ;)
Very well done to you both for sticking with it and keeping chipper after it. As you may have read and seen the magazine photo , we sailed back from the Ore to Shotley last year and hit quite a squall. having been through adversity can help you realise that you will manage again somehow....only if you HAVE to......first rule avoid bad weather if you can !
Roly Simpson
(PS Im sure Mike wasnt being sarcastic....we do get deskilled in navigation pretty quick ...but its nice to know that it is there somewhere in the back ground).
Hope to see you on the water. Solent and Plymouth rallies will have something for all levels of experience and weather conditions.
Following the highly positive AGM meeting 'Down South' we came home itching to get into the water aboard Snowflake. As newbies we have decided to go on a 5 day RYA skipper course + VHF.
Scotsail is based a Largs Marina on the west coast of Scotland. On the site there are many facilities including chandlery sales workshops and club/mooring/hospitality. I have spoken to several people from these various organisations within Largs Haven Marina about the dilemma facing Mac owners with the abandonment of the uk by Macgregor and Co. I am in discussion with Scotsail to produce a promo video for utube uk. This will begin with setting up a 'new MacGregor 26M mast, rig and sails and the inaugural launch of a new boat (something not apparently done to date). I hope this might spark some interest and gathering of thoughts within the UK which may deliver a UK hub for Mac owners. I will post again our first sustained sailing experience on the Skipper course. Nail biting stuff as its in two weeks and the weather is not improving!!!! john.jennings (Snowflake)