Day 38 Passage 13 Arbroath to Stonehaven
Woke up to rain! Perry was fed up and said we're not moving!  After some convincing decided to call Acid Rain which had gone to Stonehaven day before.  They said they were still there and we could tie up to them.  This was better than all the way to Peterhead.  Set off at 11.15 - raining! Gradually wind picked up as well, and then it got very cold. Basically, yet another asful sail. Got in at 4.15 tied up to Acid Rain who was tied up against the wall.    We were absolutely soaked and very cold.  Heater on, so dried things and gradually thawed out.  As we were still not at high water there was no way to get Bertie ashore.  After about 3 hours, Perry managed to haul Bertie up the wall for his walk - all a bit shocking for him. Getting back aboard was just as traumatic - he is now passed out!  Tomorrow hopefully will be Peterhead.

Arbroath harbour

Perry and Bertie in Stonehaven

Stonehaven

Tied up to Acid Rain

Day 39 Passage 14 Stonehaven to Peterhead
We left Stonehaven at 4.30 and outside the harbour saw loads and loads of porpoises or dolphins - I don't know the difference.  It took ages to get a photo.  It was as usual a long and roly poly ride to Peterhead, and also very cold.  We are now happily tucked in in the marina, and the only doubt is about tomorrow as we are getting mixed information about the weather.

There really was a dolphon

told you so

and even closer -making the boat roll

interesting arch near Peterhead

Peterhead marina and beach which Bertie loved

Day 36 Passage 12 Eyemouth to Arbroath and Day 37

St Abbs Head

Isle of May

Arbroath harbour

Arrived in Eyemouth and moored onto a pontoon alongside harbour wall.  Harbour master very welcoming and the town has had some European money and Scottish money to help develop it.  It was interesting that they are trying very hard to attract business and tourists.

 Eyemouth Harbour - I am having trouble with the blog page at the moment,, but will continjue anyway.  Left Eyemouth Harbour yesterday morning and went on to Arbroath (yes the place of the Smokies).  Passed St Abbs Head en route (yes the one of the weather forecast). And also crossed Firth of Forth which had Isle of May stuck in the middle of it. (bit like this blog).  Arrived in Arbroath (which has a strange lock in system) and greeted by friendly harbour master and his singing dog (who apparently has a facebook page)

Arbroath welcome.  We are stilll in Arbroath today as the weather forecast yesterday didn't look too special.  Unfortunately, today has turned out fine and we are still here.  We are planning on moving on to Peterhead tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

Day 35 Passage 11 Amble to Eyemouth
Short term wifi here.  Weather incredibly calm so motored all the way.  Unfortunately we had a minor misshap.  The boiler let go of its hose and filled the bilges with 100 litres of water.  Perry has just finished making a full repair, so we are fine.  Sounds worse than it was, but we were both a bit fed up with it.

Anyway, left at 7.15 this morning, passing Lindisfarne, Holy Island and seeing loads of birds, including puffins who were incredibly difficult to photograph!

Farne islands

Holy Island/Lindisfarne

The best I could do capturing a puffin on the camera

Berie finally managed to worm his way on deck

We are now in Scotland and have also done over 500 miles.  Tomorrow should be Arbroath - but I must check the weather first.

Day 34
Still in Amble, but tomorrow we are leaving for Eyemouth (after we've checked the weather yet again) at about 0700.  Acid Rain decided to leave, heavier boat so doesn't get thrown about so much.

Acid Rain leaving Amble

Hope we meet up with them again.
Caught up with the shopping as we appeared to be eating our way through our supplies.  This afternoon decided to go for a walk along the river bank.  Headed towards the castle

Walkworth Castle from the river bank.

Took the photo of the castle just in case didn't make it all the way to the castle.  However, we did.....

Walkworth castke - worth the walk!

So now it's get ready for onward trip again.  I don't think Eyemouth has wifi in the harbour, so unlikely I can update until we get to Arbroath.

Day 32, Passage 10 and Day33
Started off really well.  Left Hartlepool at 0800, with very gentle breeze, followed by sunshine.  Left same time as Acid Rain.  Magic sailing.   And the wind was in the right direcction!  It picked up a bit and we were absolutely romping aling - then it died for a short while.

sailing alongside Acid Rain

Northumberland coastline

However, when the wind returned it was from the wrong direction and it had picked up in strength.  By the time we reached Amble it was blowing a F4/F5.  The only interesting features en route where when we were almost here - beaches and countryside looked lovely, as well as Coquet Island.

Coquet Island

Perry reckons he saw a puffin (apparently there are puffins here) and a couple of seals.  When we arrived in the mina, tied up, then after tea went for a lk round the very small town.  Very quant and very clean! Lots of civic pride here, which has been missing in many of the other places we've visited.

Day 33
Dawn was calm

Dawn at Amble marina

but now it is wet and windy.  We will be going into town later on to buy a pie.  Two butchers here and their speciality is pies!  Yum, yum just what Bertie and I are looking forward to.  Weather forecast indicates that we may be here for a couple of days.  Still I think I can survive on pies for a while.....

Day 31
Surprise, surprise we are stuck again.  On the forecast for today we decided that it was just taking too much of a risk to arrive at an unknown port with a force 5 behind us.  If the forecast had said it was dropping, we would have ventured out, but...... anyway M & S saved the day.  Bought some yummy food and we had a bit of a feast.  Just what we needed.

Let's see what the weather has in store for us tomorrow - hopefully we can move on to Amble - fingers crossed...

Day 28 Passage 8, Day 29 Passage 9 and Day 30

Just before giving an account, I'd like to show a picture of George's boat Star.  We were so long in Grimsby that we made lots of friends, and George was our pontoon neighbour.

George's boat

Day 28, passage 8 Grimsby to Scarborough
Finally left Grimsby at 0545.  It was pretty cold and dull but at least it was only a F2/3.  Went round Spurn Head easily - no big shiipping, and basically ate our way to Scarborough on a very boring and uneventful journey.  Although the sun came out, it was pretty cold for most of the way and there was a haze on the coastline which affected visibility.  Entrace was (thank goodness) easy and we were guided by the Scarborough Harbour Master - although I had a bit of a problem with his accent!  Met up with another couple who are also sailing round and left Grimsby at the same time as us.  Although it was sunny when we arrived, it soon got cold, and Bertie was pretty fed up after 12 hours of sailing.  Somewhere we sailed over the Greenwich Meridian line!

Scarborough castle

Scarborough from the harbour

Day 29 Passage 9 Scarborough to Hartlepool
Started off with an absolutely perfect day.  Watched sea birds having fun in their formation flying displays.  Tried identifying the makes but I think I need to get a better book!

Leaving Scarboroough

Acid Rain leaving at the same time as us

view of Whitby

Whitby

More of Whitby castle

Then after 3 hours, wind picked up and sailing was still good.  Then wind picked up again, and again, and again....somewhat more lively than we wanted!  Two reefs, then took main down, and opened up furling jib to not much more than a pocket handkerchief - still surging and going too fast.....  We finally arrived at Hartlepool Marina in a Force 6 - not what the weather forecast had said at all!

On one side this monstrosity

and on the other a windfarm all while a force 5 is blowing!

After 7 and a quarter hourse we were pretty tired, but had to lock into the marina and we were then given a berth - which was occupied.  Although we tied up on a pontoon, the wind by then was so strong that we were continuously being blown off the pontoon and looked as though we were heeled over - despite the hundreds of ropes we used!  We did eventually move (with help) to another designated mooring, which was less fraught.

Day 30 - we are a month into this now, but today we are not moving!  Our next move will be to Amble, probably tomorrow, but we won't undertake it until the weather is a bit more settled.  Just opened Bertie's second bag of dog good.  I think he's getting fat.