Thursday 1 October 2009

Another action packed Day at Sea







Today we had an early start after being woken at 5:30am. We had a bowl of cereal, then put on our oil-skins and went up on deck. Paul, Stefan and Andy, helped raise the anchor. Then the engine was put into gear and we motored away from Peil Island down the channel, guided by lots of red and green buoys and the slow sun rise.
Mary steered at first, and then Chris had a go. The waves, however, were growing around us and with them brought only one seasickness. Stefan again!
Joe then attempted steering for the first time and was excellent, keeping the waves behind us and pushing up our speed to over 10 knots. Abhinav then also tried steering for the first time, and steered a shortcut, using Blackpool Tower as a landmark to aim for. He then also in the deepest waters of our trip-over 50 meters.
We then headed over towards Heysham Power Station, constantly looking for the buoys that marked the entrance to the river Lune and Glasson Dock. We passed another ship at anchor also waiting to enter the harbor. Her name was Ben Allen. We continued up the Lune in calm waters and a Pilot boat passed by us, ready to assist the Ben Allen. Then a really weird wave similar to a bore wave (but in the wrong direction) formed with the tide, as we sailed by.
Mary then performed the sharp turn into the lower basin of Glasson Dock, where a true and helpful Lancastrian, the harbor master, assisted us in mooring up. This is where we were to wait for the lock to be readied, for our ascent into the upper basin. The Ben Allen then came into the basin with only less than a foot to spare on the sea walls.
We then ascended the lock, after the Ben Allen had performed a turn. The ascent took only a few minutes, with Mary still at the helm in control of everything going on. After leaving the lock we swung Tenacity round and moored her at her berth in the Harbor basin.
After a long morning we ate an early lunch in the sunshine on deck. We had jacket potatoes with left over Spaghetti Bolognaise and Cheese and Beans. Then Paul washed all the oil–skins and hung them to dry, whilst the others went on a fishing expedition, with the success of a few bites for Stefan, Peter and Abhinav. Then the baking commenced with Mary and Paul making Tiffin cake. After some free time on deck, dinner was put under way, Matthew and Abhinav cooking the curry, Abhinav chopping up the raw chicken and peppers, and Matthew chopping up the onions and cooking the curry. Dinner was to be Chicken Korma with rice and naan bread, followed by Tiffin Cake. After the ‘feast’ everyone began to get changed for bed – the end of another action packed day and a great trip!

By Paul Greenhalgh, Abhinav Kumar and Stefan Smaczylo

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