LaterEarlier |
Our original plan for this year’s sailing had been to head out of Bristol and meander our way via Wales and Ireland to Scotland, finally leaving Aremiti in Oban for the winter. But the pandemic put paid to that. However, as a matter of pure luck, Aremiti has been berthed in Bristol over last winter - for the first time in many years – and was therefore available for the perfect socially distanced holiday. Initially all harbours and marinas were closed, but once things started opening up, we decided on a mini-cruise to the Scillies – which was one of the highlights of last year’s travels. We hadn’t expected to return there, but were more than happy to take the opportunity to go back. However, what we thought was going to be a gentle outing didn’t go quite to plan, as we packed in enough experiences – good and bad – as we might have had over a whole summer. It’s a long way to the Scillies from Bristol – about 190 miles each way with
very few ports of refuge, and we decided to take it easy, not having any
particular timescale. By the time we were ready to leave the forecast was
near perfect for the trip down – that is to say very little wind -
infinitely preferable to the prevailing south-westerly on the nose all the
way. We left our berth in Bristol marina at 7am on 5 August – on a spring
tide. Bristol locks are opened for just two hours before high water and our
departure was slightly complicated by the fact that the timing of high water
co-incided not only with the time of the embargo on bridge openings during
the morning rush hour, but also the fact that this was a ‘stopgate’ tide –
when the water level in the river rises higher than the water in the
harbour, requiring junction lock to be closed until the water level falls. Sailing in the Bristol Channel is all about the tides. So the following morning we departed on the 10.30 lock to pick up a full outgoing tide for the first leg of the trip. There was no wind and in mist and drizzle not much to see – but sluicing between the Holms at 10.9 knots was very satisfying! We could just about make out the vast construction site of Hinkley Point Power station as we headed towards Porlock Bay arriving mid afternoon to anchor and wait out the adverse tide. 38 miles in 5 hours. Rather than rushing off on the next ebb for a night sail, we stayed put until the following morning which dawned hot, sunny - and windless. The next leg was 76 miles down to Padstow and a major objective, We enjoyed a reasonable night’s sleep – the buoy lost interest in us after a bit, giving us a quieter time. The fog had gone in the morning, but still no wind as we got away just after 6.30 for the final leg of 62 miles to the Scillies. All was going perfectly until about the halfway point, towards the tip of Cornwall off Pendeen Lighthouse on a very unforgiving coast, when the engine started making strange noises and then lost all power. Luckily the sea state was very calm, though it did look as if the fog might be returning. Without any wind we drifted gently as Chris first checked the engine which appeared OK, then the prop which seemed clear. On checking the fuel filter he found that fuel wasn’t flowing from the tank. We always leave the tank full over winter and the gauge showed full when we left. To make a physical check Chris removed the filler cap - and found that the tube leading into the tank had delaminated and was dropping debris into the fuel, presumably causing the blockage. We realised that even if we could get the engine started again the same thing was likely to happen. There was nothing we could do about it there but no wind to get anywhere else. There seemed no other option but to call the coastguard – our first time ever. The Sennen lifeboat was already out rescuing canoeists, so the St Ives lifeboat was called. As the problem could potentially mean taking out the fuel tank – a very major structural job, we mentioned that ideally we needed to get to Newlyn, but were told we would be taken to ‘the nearest safe haven’ likely to be St Ives. This surfing beach didn’t sound like much of a safe haven but we weren’t in a position to argue. The lifeboat duly arrived and with very little discussion, we were hooked up for
the 3 hour tow back the way we had come, to St Ives. Given insufficient wind to sail to anywhere else, we narrowed down 3 options:
Through Penzance harbour we were put in touch with a workboat tug skipper who was prepared to set off for us immediately. Interestingly we encountered the coxswain of the lifeboat on the quay before we set off. He was somewhat mortified that he had not entirely understood the situation and said that had he realised the nature of the repairs required, he would not have regarded St Ives as a safe haven - anchored on a lee shore with forecast worsening conditions, but would have had us taken to Newlyn. Our second tow, all around the tip of Cornwall went without incident and was almost relaxing in a weird sort of way as we passed the familiar landmarks – the mine workings, Long Ships, Lands End, Lamorna Cove, Mousehole …. The skipper was supremely professional and deposited us in Penzance harbour right below the engineering workshops with utmost delicacy and skill. Over the next couple of days the fuel tank was drained and examined with the use of an endoscope and debris removed and the primary filter unit replaced. We left Penzance in thick fog, but this soon cleared as we set out again for the
Scillies and the passage was without incident. We were still without any
wind, so the 34 mile passage provided a good test for the fuel system. Down in the far south west, we didn’t experience the extreme weather we heard about on news of the rest of the UK - heatwaves, thunderstorms and torrential rain. Our weather was very calm, pleasantly warm and sunny with just the two foggy patches. It wasn’t a long visit, but so delightful and relaxing it felt quite timeless…. However, having noted a large fleet of yachts on Marine Traffic leaving the Scillies the previous day and with forecasts of an approaching storm, it seemed prudent to head back to the mainland. Infuriatingly, given the amount of wind on its way, we had very little for the 12 hour/67 mile passage, and arrived into Padstow harbour at 1730 – into the thick of the tourist mayhem.
We were feeling very pleased with ourselves as we approached Porlock, although
the wind had dropped and we were motoring along the north Devon coast in
darkness. Then just after midnight, with under 2 miles to go, the engine
stopped. Déjà vu! There was just enough of an offshore breeze to sail into
the bay to anchor. Although the holding there isn’t very reliable, the
anchor held and we were safe. This was quite a blow to put it mildly! After
the many hours of motoring around the windless Scillies and the passage to
Padstow, we had regained our trust that all was well. However a check
revealed the same problem as last time – a blockage in the fuel line. Chris
was able to clear this and change the filter, whereupon the engine started
up as if nothing had happened. However, we didn’t feel it was prudent, with an engine that might cut out at any time, to set off across to Avonmouth and up the Avon into Bristol. The passage is only a couple of hours, but if both wind and engine failed half-way up the river we’d be in serious difficulties in such tidal waters. So before making this final short leg, Chris fitted a back-up fuel tank which we could switch to immediately in the event of another blockage from the main tank. We were all set to go until - a final sting in the tail - Junction Bridge in Bristol – one of the two that have to be swung for yachts to enter the harbour – broke down. It has now been repaired and we enjoyed a perfect passage up the river to take Aremiti back to her berth in Bristol Marina – after her trip of 444 nautical miles. Following these experiences it is apparent that the fuel system, put in with the new engine seven years ago, and which has performed flawlessly since then, was not fitted with the pipes of the correct standard. These have now been replaced, but the tank itself needs further inspection to ensure that there is no more debris to block the system. Something to look forward to over the winter! |