Story 22

      The forecast for the weekend was good and Barrie talked me in to going with them for a last run of the season over to the Isle of Man. Trinculo was moored in Glasson Dock where she had been since being sailed back from Scotland a couple of weeks earlier. We arranged to meet in the Victory Public House at Glasson on the Thursday Evening. Chris and myself arrived to find them taking part in the Pub Quiz, I went to stow my gear onboard and then went back to the pub to take part in the quiz while Chris drove my car home. What can I say at least we did not come last. The Beacon Bitter and the pedigree were sampled and were on form. It was then back to the boat and sleep.

GLASSON Dock to Douglas (Isle of Man)
         We were up at seven and before eight we were at the lock to take us in to the outer harbour. By twenty to nine the harbour gate was open and we were moving down the river Lune towards Morecambe Bay. The weather was good in light winds and we crossed Morecambe Bay using the Engine, we were convinced it would be Engine all the way across to the Isle of Man. We set course for Douglas and passed between Walney Island and the Barrow Wind Farm. Once clear of the Cumbrian Coast, to our surprise we had twelve knots of wind, the sails were hoisted and the engine stopped. We were making seven knots and the tide was with us. We had a very pleasant sail for the next eight hours, though the visibility was not very good. I do not believe we realised just how poor it was until around five miles off the Isle of Man and we still could not see it. It was going dark and we called Douglas Harbour Control on the VHF to ask the time of the next Bridge lift, so we could enter the inner harbour. Seven Forty Five was the reply. As almost always happens when we arrive in Douglas,we were told to stand off in the Bay as the Ferry “Ben-My-cree” (Girl of my Heart) was about to leave. After hanging around for fifteen minutes and watching the Ferry depart we sailed up to the harbour entrance, dropped the sails and started the engine, then slowly made our way inside. After tying up to a fishing trawler for a short time, we on our way in to the inner harbour and tied up to the wall as instructed. It was food onboard and then out on the town.
          Once ashore our first port of call was the Saddle (Good Beer Guide) where the Okells was as ever excellent. Then on to the Bridge on the Quay which was a bit livelier and the beer quite good. The Railway was next on the list with only one Real Ale, which was not up to much. It was then on to the Douglas Bay Yacht Club until around one in the morning. We then made our way back to the boat and sleep.
         It was ten the following morning before we awoke and after brunch we made our way to the harbour office to pay our berthing fees of twenty four pounds for two nights and to find out the times for the bridge lift the following morning. Then we caught the Bus to Laxey (£3.50 return). From there the Electric Railway up Snae Fell (£8.00 return). The top of Snae Fell is the highest point on the island and on a clear day you can see five countries Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, and Northern Ireland, Well we certainly couldn’t, we could barely see the Irish Sea. There was a Hotel at the top, now only a Café we had a look round together with a look at the tram that had carried us up there. It was Tram number two and had been built in 1897. All joints on the wooden carriage were loose, which reduced the stresses while moving and is the main reason it has lasted so long. On returning to Laxey we had a look around the Blacksmiths and then caught the bus back to Douglas.
          On arrival back in Douglas we bought some Mushrooms and called for a pint in the Albert, which had a beer on which is brewed for the pub; a little sweet. So we sampled the Bushey’s Castletown. After food on board, it was out on the town again. We called at the Irish Bar, O’Connell’s to find the Beer poor (John Smiths) and pricey, this together with no entertainment had us move on after one. We then had a couple in the “Prospect” (Good Beer Guide) which is comfortable and fairly quiet, together with the beer being excellent. We then moved on to the Bridge on the Quay but were too late; it was closed. We had a last one in the Yacht Club. It was then back to Trinculo for Cheese and biscuits and bed.

DOUGLAS TO PIEL ISLAND (BARROW)
         We were up at nine and listened on the VHF to one boat after another informing Douglas Harbour Control that they intended leaving at the same time as us, nine forty five that morning. When the time came and the bridge lifted. We had to wait on our berth by the wall to let several boats pass before we could turn around and make our way out. Ten minutes later we were clear of the harbour with the mainsail up and on our course for Morecambe Bay. The wind was light from the South West and we were confident that once we were clear of the Island we would be able to sail. Alas, the best made plans of mice and men. The day was spent with the engine running and the wind remaining at around five knots, turns were took on watch and sleeping and it was late afternoon, as we almost at the Cumbrian Coast before we had enough wind to sail. We quickly sailed down the Barrow channel and round Walney Light when Piel Island came in to view. We had heard that, after being closed for some time we now had a new King of Piel. The buildings including the pub were undergoing restoration and covered in scaffolding. We picked up a mooring buoy for the night. Food, and our onboard supply of beer took a bit of a hammering.

PIEL ISLAND TO WARDLEYS CREEK (RIVER WYRE)
         We were up early and soon underway the wind had increased overnight and the sea a bit rough in the shallows of Morecambe Bay. After passing the shallowest area we cut across to the Lune Deep in fairly rough seas and winds in the high teens. As we approached the Lune Deep the Wyre Light came in to view and we set course for it. The wind was at twenty knots and the tide was in full flood when we entered the Wyre channel doing at times over nine knots over the ground. We reduced sail and slowed down a little, then slowed as we approached the Fleetwood shoreline. We watched for a moment the men clearing the last of Fleetwood Pier which had recently been destroyed by fire. We then moved passed Fleetwood’s Ro-Ro terminal and Docks as we made our way up river towards Wardley’s Creek. We arrived a little early as it was still two hours before high water. After hanging around for a while we moved in, only to find we were still a little early and got stuck in the mud, with the tide still rising we were soon off and back in the river. Our second attempt was more successful and we moved up the Creek towards our borrowed berth. We were about two thirds of the way up when we again touched bottom and stopped. After waiting around for ten minutes the tide lifted us and we moved nearer to our berth. There is always advice from the boat owners as we pass and this was no exception!! Five minutes later we were on the berth and spent the next hour trying to turn Trinculo around to make life easier when we have to move down to the Lift Out Area in a few weeks time. As we approached high water we gave up tied Trinculo up to our borrowed jetty. Our borrowed jetty belongs to John whose yacht Helvellyn was still on a mooring on the River. The next couple of hours were spent removing items of value from Trinculo such as the Radio, the Dinghy, and the Liferaft etc. It was then time to head for home.

                                                                                                                  Kevan


                   From                         To                                             Miles     Hours
26th Sep         Glasson Dock           Douglas Isle of Man                  62.9     11.00
28th Sep         Douglas                    Piel Island Barrow                    57.8       8.30
29th Sep         Piel Island                Wardleys Creek River Wyre      12.4       3.00

                                                                                         Totals 133.1     22.30