July 6th: Day two’s challenge was the North Channel – the 20 miles-wide body of water between Northern Ireland and Scotland, where spring tides flow up to 4.5 knots.  The more immediate challenge was the 0600 departure, which despite best efforts at waking up and having breakfast soon became a 0630 departure.

This left us five hours of ebb, just enough to get us on to the Scottish coastline and out of the influence of the afternoon’s strong flood. Continue reading →

Summer 2014 – five of us with limited to no experience of sailing together take a Sigma 33 “Obsession” from Dun Laoghaire, Ireland to Oban, Scotland.  Here’s how it started.

Three ways to fold a dinghy

A damp and dreary Friday evening.  After the optimism and excitement that always accompanies depositing a week’s worth of food shopping into the boat, we’re now in a car park looking morosely at the inflatable dinghy we’ve just packed into its bag.  Or almost packed into its bag.  It should be more symmetrical than that.  After attempt two, we decide it should be smaller than that.  Attempt three reaches “as good as it’s likely to get” standard.  We’re ready.  One more sleep. Continue reading →