Live from Lone Gerd

[Bruce Nicholls]

Next call was Isle of Bute where we anchored at Rothsay, being too big to enter the small harbour. After visiting Mount Stuart we moved on to anchor at Millport, Cumbrae. We then ventured further up the Clyde than we had been before to Rhu Marina, just below Faslane Nuclear submarine base. Although not the cheapest this was one of the best Marinas we have visited. It started well when marina staff came to help us moor and got even better when we enquired about the bus to Helensburgh for shopping. Don't bother with the bus, we will take you was the response, phone us up when you've shopped and we will fetch you back. Never have we had service like this. More usually we get vague instructions over the radio to a berth and then have to work it out ourselves. Here we met up with Sylvia's niece and family who were in Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games.

The wreck of the Sugar-boat off Helensburgh was of interest as we passed. This was the MV Captayannis, wrecked in a storm in January 1974 and never removed as her owners and their insurers could not be traced. The hull is amazingly complete 40 years later.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Captayannis

[Bruce Nicholls]

It was now August and wee needed to be back in Milford Haven by the start of September as we had the Channel Tunnel booked for our drive to Montenegro. So back to Cumbrae, then Arran and Portpatrick on the Mull of Galloway. Notable on this leg was passing the island of Ailsa Craig, where the granite for curling stones is found, wreathed in cloud on a flat calm sea.

[Bruce Nicholls]

Approaching the Isle of Man we passed a Viking ship under sail, something you don't see everyday. This was the Draken Harald Harfagre from Norway. They had just left Peel where we were heading, so we just missed two Vikikg ships together but separated by a millennia in design.

[Lynda Bradford]

Bruce, I have really enjoyed reading "Live from Lone Gerd" and hope you will continue to keep us updated this year on where Lone Gerd takes you. 

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

I entirely agree. Thank you, Bruce, for the wonderful updates and pictures.

[Alan Snelson]

Me too, it sounds like a fabulous adventure and I am quite envious.

[Bruce Nicholls]

We were storm bound in Peel in the Isle of Man for 2 weeks. We ended up the third boat in a 4 boat raft as more and more arrived and nobody left. Even the fishing fleet came in and did not leave till the day before us. Photo is before the fishing boats came in and rafted up on the opposite side of the harbour.

[Bruce Nicholls]

Whilst in the Isle of Man we explored this fascinating island using buses, the steam railway, electric railway and horse trams.

[Bruce Nicholls]

Electric railway

[Bruce Nicholls]

Next stop was Holyhead on Anglesey. From here we sailed to Fishguard for overnight in its sheltered anchorage. It was flat calm when we left Fishguard. By the time we reached St David's head things had livened up a bit causing us to go a fair bit out of our way to keep the sea off our beam and reduce the rolling somewhat. Finally we were in the sound at Milford Haven amongst the oil tankers in calm waters and soon in Milford Dock at our winter berth.

[Bruce Nicholls]

Due mainly to the terrible weather this year we have been mostly confined to our berth. Lone Gerd was in need of her bi-annual antifouling and new anodes. Research produced little in the way of boat yards with the facilities to lift our tonnage. Nothing near us in Wales, Liverpool have a 60 ton lift and Largs in Scotland a 70 tonne and that appeared to be it on the west coast. We had used a 60 tonne lift at Hamble for our pre purchase survey so it looked like it was Liverpool. Liverpool looked at photos of her in the Hamble 60 tonne lift and thought they could do it so we booked.

It would appear Lone Gerd has put on weight. Hamble weighed her at 54 tons in 2007. The 60 tonne lift at Liverpool could only lift her clear of the water before it gave up, not onto the quayside. Never mind they said, Fleetwood have a 75 tonne lift (which was news to us) and are only a few hours further north. A phone call later and we were booked.

 We elected to spend a week in Liverpool as neither of us had been their for many years. We were both impressed by the improvement in the city centre and docks area since our last visit. Well worth a visit.

Picking a suitable weather window we sailed for Fleetwood. This used to be a huge fishing port but now has no big boats operating out of it, unlike our current home port of Milford haven which has quite a fleet. The approach is also somewhat tricky through a narrow channel which is only navigable near high water. However we made it and in a few days were in the boatyard and busy with our scraping, caulking, painting and bolting on numerous anodes.

I mentioned Lone Gerd's weight gain. Eight years ago Hamble said 54 tons. Fleetwood weighed her at 59 tons. Have we really moved 4 tons of gear on board?

For our return we cruised south to Anglesey where we spent a few days anchored off Beaumaris in the Menai Straits where we met up with Sylvia's sister and husband with their boat and cruised together through the Menai Straits to Caernarfon. A week in Caernarfon and we were on our way again as we had to get back to prepare for our drive to Montenegro at the beginning of September.

[Bruce Nicholls]

Always worries Sylvia a bit this!

[Bruce Nicholls]

Menai Straits & Menai Bridge

[Bruce Nicholls]

At anchor Beaumaris, Menai Straits.

[June Ingram]

Thanks very much, Bruce, for all of the news and photos.  You certainly have been busy.  Lone Gerd is looking great and I'll bet she is  happy !