McLARENS BLOG 23RD AUGUST 2013.
LUNDY ISLAND, ENGLAND.
I am writing this blog on the back of Pilgrim…….I should say the stern, we are anchored at beautiful Lundy Island. We can see the Devon coastline in the distance, so we are definitely ‘ homeward bound.’
The last few days have been a mixture of highs and lows. We arrived in New Quay, (Wales) with concerns about lack of diesel, we also couldn’t continue with our trip because of head on winds. However New Quay bay was full of dolphins and much dolphin activity. It was great to go see dolphins playing in the bay, over a morning cup of tea.
We arrived in New Quay on the 21st of August and ended up staying two days, we were both suffering from cabin fever because we couldn’t go a shore, as the boat was anchored to far out, and it wouldn’t have been safe for Chris to row, in strong currents.
On the morning of the 22nd we did try to leave New Quay, but owing to wind against tide we decided not to risk sailing that day. However it was great to have dolphins swimming beside Pilgrim. ( In fact later that day I was speaking to a man who organizes trip boats for visitors to see the local sealife, and he said that that morning he just pointed to Pilgrim and said ‘ If you look out to the red boat, you will see a number of dolphins.’ It’s lovely to think that Pilgrim will appear in a number peoples holiday snaps.
On 23rd August we did manage to leave New Quay, without concern of lack of diesel as another boater informed as that someone did sell fuel to visiting sailors. So that was a relief!!
We had a great day sailings, the sun was shining, the tides were with us for most of the day. Sometimes we were travelling at 10 knots. We passed St. David’s Bay, and the Ramsey Sound, and making our way to Milford Haven. After an excellent days sailing we treated ourselves to a meal in the marina restaurant.
Yesterday morning we left Milford Haven at about midday, the weather was ,’variable’ ( The Coastguard safety, weather reports favourite word.)
a mixture of cloud and sunshine. It was great to see Lundy Island in the distance. Lundy is a marine conservation area, maintained by the Landmark Trust. There are a number of ruins on the island, revealing that people lived on the island hundreds of yeas ago. There is a church, but an attraction for people who love bird and dolphin watching. A frustration for us was that we couldn’t go onto the island, as we were just too far to row. But it is a beautiful place to anchor, and I’m sure we will be back.
McLARENS BLOG 26TH AUGUST 2013.
ST. IVES.
It is hard trying to make space to write blogs at this stage of the journey, as we concentrate on making our way back South-West. We are now in St. Ives after spending one night in Padstow. Once again because of high winds Chris, and Pilgrim and I were battling with ‘confused seas’, which made for an uncomfortable days sail. However we saw a number of Dolphins, who jumped through the water near us, and some even sailed alongside Pilgrim, which was amazing. REALLY BREATHTAKING.
As we sailed into Padstow harbour, which is small, we saw hundreds of people on the quayside, listening to a brass band. In sails Pilgrim, and I must admit I thought, if there was a situation to go wrong in our mooring manoeuvres this would be it, to give all these delightful people a good afternoons entertainment. However we moored against another boat without any mishap, such has our team work come on.
PILGRIM: Oh, please, you haven’t told them about the fact that you had to moor on a buoy, to wait for the tide, so you could enter the harbour, and that you shouted at the Skipper.
JEANETTE: No I didn’t.
PILGRIM: I think you did.......at one point while the Skipper was trying to tie a rope around the buoy he asked you to reverse twice and you responded, ‘I AM REVERSING!’
JEANETTE: Yes,
PILGRIM: And another thing, why do you always end up driving around the buoys about five times........their great big yellow things.....you always seem to miss them. No wonder the Skipper gets angry.
JEANETTE: Sorry.....this is my blog.
PILGRIM: Can I write the next one.
JEANETTE: Do you want to spend another eight years on dry dock, it can be arranged.
PILGRIM: OHHH.........that hurts.
This morning we left Padstow and we are sitting ‘on a buoy’ ( This time we managed it in one go.) in St. Ives. The sea was kind to us, it was lovely and hot, but because of the heat haze we didn’t see the coast to well, which was disappointing as the Cornish coastline is beautiful.
We saw dolphins again today, always so playful and graceful.
When we were Portpatrick Chris asked me what the highlight of this trip has been, I couldn’t answer. ( And will leave that for another blog.) Because I have a ‘Creation centred Spirituality’, I have enjoyed so much of the natural world which we have encountered, the seals, dolphins, porpoises, the deer on the Isle of Arran and, the amazing bird life.
This afternoon, I was flicking thorough ‘The Iona Worship book’ and came across this lovely meditation by Meister Eckhart, which I will finish this blog quoting.
Apprehend God in all things,
For God is in all things.
Every single creature is full of God
and is a book about God.
Every creature is a word of God.
If I spent enough time with the tiniest creature-
Even a caterpillar-
I would never have to prepare a sermon.
So full of God
Is every creature.
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