Vicar's last sailing blog

VICARS BLOG 13^TH SEPTEMBER  2013.

MARGATE OLD TOWN,

KENT.

Well, it’s just nine days since we sailed Pilgrim into Chatham. ( Although she is now moored on a buoy in the middle of the Medway very near Hoo Ness, where  we were all blessed by the Bishop of Rochester.)

It’s taken me a while to get down to writing this blog, at the end of an amazing three month adventure. Towards the end of the trip, I experienced so many emotions, sadness that a journey which was a year in the planning was coming to an end, a great respect for a boat that had sat eight years in dry dock that had been a perfect boat, a companion, and a home. (Pilgrim, in rough seas proved she was an extraordinary boat.) I was also looking forward to family and friends I hadn’t seen for three months. Over the last week there has also been a sense of anti-climax, as we get back to ‘normal’, after a trip that we had been planning for so long.

We visited so many inspiring shrines, churches, communities, that when towards the end of the trip, Chris asked me what my favourite place we had visited was I couldn’t say, each one had given me something in different ways.

Another important aspect of the trip that was unexpected was being made aware of various issues facing coastal towns, the sea being a main source of employment and tourism. For example, when we were in Newlyn, Cornwall, I saw a poster advertising a service of blessing of the fishing fleet. After details of the service, was a comment which made me think, ‘ when you buy a piece of cod, you also buy a fishermans life.’  I love fish, but have often complained about the price. After seeing that Fisherman go out in dangerous sea conditions I think again before having a moan. Chris and I would listen to the shipping forecast and if we didn’t like the sound of the force of the wind or the condition of the sea, we would often decide to stay put in harbour but Fisherman have little choice. In the early morning (if I was up) I would watch the Fisherman come into harbour after a nights at sea, they would then work a couple of hours preparing the catch for market, and then cleaning up their boats for the next trip.

I have also come back from the trip with enormous respect for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, men and women who volunteer to come to the aid of those in difficulty at sea. While we were in Dunbar Harbour, the Dunbar lifeboat was called out four times in two days. We also heard during our trip, lifeboats called out to assist, a man who had run out of Petrol, the lifeboat crew came out to accompany him into harbour, a crew called out as a woman was having a miscarriage at sea, and a diver who had resurfaced to soon.

In harbours and ports around Britain I became aware of those organizations that minister to those at sea, The Mission to Seafarers and The Fishermans Mission. TFM, I was particularly interested to discover supports wives who have lost their husband at sea, and also pay for fisherman to receive Physiotherapy after injury at work. Both organizations have an important role in the spiritual and social care of those who work in the Fishing and nautical industries and services.

So as well, as this being a spiritual journey, I learnt so much about our coastal communities.

Chris and I also felt we wanted nature, to be so much more a part of our life, after this trip. I bought myself a pair of Binoculars and spent a lot of time Bird watching,    I now have a greater appreciation of our Britain’s amazing wildlife.

We started off with a desire to visit Celtic shrines around Britain, but the spiritual element became so much bigger, as we visited Findhorn ( Eclectic Creation centred eco-community.........I refuse to call this community ‘new age’, as it encompassed so much of a Christian ethos.) and Holy Isle, where Buddhists have their centre, for World Peace, and run retreats but are also doing so much god environmental work on the island.

So in so many ways, the journey.......pilgrimage has finished. Or has it? In so many ways this is just the beginning.......let’s face it, life is a pilgrimage. There were some places on the journey that I would like to have visited but for one reason or another it just wasn’t possible.

Chris and I want to return to Holy Island (with Nelson) for a week, there is a very tangible holiness about the place. While there I would like to visit the Farne Islands where St. Cuthbert died. ( A link here with the RNLI in that it was around the Farne Islands that Grace Darling and her Father rowed out in rough seas to rescue survivors of a shipwreck, which in later years inspired the establishment of the organization.)

Because of a growing fascination with islands, I have already been looking at the websites of Lundy and Bardsey Islands.

Bardsey Island, the site of an ancient religious community  today continues to be a place of spiritual pilgrimage as well as a conservation area.

Lundy Island again a place of conservation and natural interest but also an Island that appeals because the cottages that tourists stay in are quite primitive, in that there are no televisions or radios to save energy, and after a certain time of night lights are turned off, for light people have to rely on oil lamps. For me this sounds bliss.

So now I draw this final sailing blog to a close, I was reminded what the spiritual writer Margaret Silf writes in her book ‘All at sea with God’ about the role of the anchor that it has to be strong enough to hold the boat down in any kind of terrain. But also it has to be able to hold the boat in a sea that is calm or a bit more vigorous. (I remembering anchoring and having many sleepless nights, when the wind was wiping up the sea, making Pilgrim move up and down to an endless motion. No matter how uncomfortable I felt I knew we were relying on the anchor holding us down.)

Silf goes onto to talk about the relevance of the image of the anchor in the spiritual journey. “The only trouble is they can throw down roots! We need the still point of rest and restoration that our anchor offers, but we also need to be able to let go of the mooring and set sail again. We must let go of every signpost and journey on. We cannot be ‘established.’

I hope that in the spiritual journey I am never ‘at home’ comfortable with where I am. When Chris and I were sailing I would often have a nervous feeling, not knowing what the sea would be like. Each day there was a sense of unknowing, which wasn’t always comfortable, but I was exhilarated and nervous at the same time. Basically I knew I WAS ALIVE! This is what I feel the spiritual journey should be like; we hopefully are courageous enough to face the UNKNOWN, which can be slightly UNNERVING, mostly EXILARATING, but always LIFEGIVING.

Margaret Silf quotes a prayer that was written by Archbishop Helder Camara, that describes this so well.

Pilgrim

When your ship

Long moored in harbour

Gives you the illusion

Of being a house;

When your ship begins to Put down roots

In the stagnant water by the quay

PUT OUT TO SEA!

Save your boat’s journeying soul

And your own Pilgrim soul,

Cost what it may!

Journey's End (Skipper)

Journey ends or more accurately, Pilgrim’s progress is finished for now but journeys never end they continue in a different way.

We reach Chatham marina after almost 11 and a half hours. We left Dungeness after anchoring for the night as the sun was rising and entered Medway as the sun was beginning to set.  73.5 miles, the longest distance we have travelled in one day.

The day before we left Brighton and beforee that, Yarmouth on the Isle of White, and fought the tide for 3 hours until it changed in our favour. 

The tides have been Neaps so not too strong but any tide against us is energy spent and fuel used in our case as the wind was nonexistent at times.  We had a good day but passing Dungeness was a bumpy ride and light was fading so we anchored in the lee of lighthouse for protection against the South West swell.  Wind was light so the night was calm.  We had great luck to see the Clipper Yachts racing, these are yachts with amateur crews sailing around the world in identical boats.

The last week has been a race for us to get Pilgrim home and ourselves as we wanted to finish this trip cleanly rather than returning to move Pilgrim in a few weeks from a port on the South coast.

Tears have been flowing abundantly as we pass each headland, Beachy Head, Dungeness, North Foreland and so on.  We wanted to go into Ramsgate as this is where Pilgrim was stuck for 8 years on land.  She, Pilgrim is now once again a boat and we have a relationship with her.  On Wednesday evening we moved Pilgrim to her new moorings with Hoo Ness Yacht Club.  As I lowered the ensign Jeanette was very emotional.  Once you live on a boat or other vessel for 3 months you form a relationship and become connected. 

Jeanette is going to write very soon but for now thank you for reading and I hope you have enjoyed these blogs and following us around the coast.

Skipper's Update to our present position.

Quick update as we have been making great headway in this marvellous High pressure system which has brought moderate wind and very calm conditions so we have sailed, motored and motorsailed!! By this I mean if the wind is very light we leave up the head sail to motor as the boat is more stable.

Here is a summary of our last week.

Lundy to Padstow (Rough conditions)

Padstow to St. Ives 34nm (calm conditions began to take affect)

St. Ives around Lands End inside Longships light house to Newlyn  30nm. Left at 0430 to get correct tidal gate.  Visted St. Micheal’s Mount later in the day.  Very emotional day to reach such a significant point.

Newlyn to Fowey 50nm

Fowey to Salcombe 39nm

Salcombe to Lyme Regis 50nm

Lyme Regis to Yarmouth 63nm (rounded Portland Bill by the inner route to avoid the strong race which produces very confused sea.  Lovely to pass another significant headland and marker.  Also passed the Needles into the Isle of White.

Today we hope to reach one of the South Coast seaside resorts. Possibly Shoreham/ Brighton or Newhaven.

Skipper's thoughts

To leave or not to leave!!!

A skipper has the hardest choices to make.  Using the weather forecast to judge the safest route to travel, the potential sea conditions around the coast, especially in open water extended passages and avoiding navigational dangers.  When  we left Milford Haven to cross to Lunday the passage plan was provisional until we reached the mouth of the Haven and a few miles out to sea as I wanted to judge the swell in the Bristol Channel although the weather forecast said “slight or moderate” meaning up to about 2.5m waves.  The boat is solid but her crew are human and we are the weak link.  Long passages can be exhausting and demand navigation, helming, and making hot drinks often to keep up crew moral and strength.   The swell was uncomfortable but not undoable. We were actually following a boat half our size.  We reached Lunday in good time but once we were committed we had to make for the anchorage or turn back in enough time to reach a safe port.  The wind was SW so the anchorage would be a haven but had the wind changed to NE, as possibly suggested by the Met Office we would need to get to the other side of the island, but the swell might prevent us staying at anchor.  It’s always a gamble to weigh up all the factors and to go.  Overnight at anchor, the wind got up to Force 5 and built the swell in the Bristol Channel and our sleep was like trying to get comfortable on a roller coaster for 4 hours.  We had to stay another day as there are few havens on the Devon and Cornwall coasts within reach and it is a lee shore in the prevailing winds .  We wanted to get to Padstow but if conditions worsen then we would be stuck to find a shelter from the NW wind. Keeping safe but also taking some calculated risks is a lesson I continually have to remind myself to do, not just as the skipper but in life.  When we did set off for Padstow the confused sea was very uncomfortable and took a lot of energy on the helm.  The day before, passengers had got off the Lundy ferry looking grey with seasickness so we realised it was not going to be easy.   I calculated that the wind had been slowly decreasing so the swell should be within our capacities.  We did however get to Pastow in the afternoon but aching all over with the constant movement of the boat.  When I saw the harbour with the numerous  eating places and pubs it was a very welcome break after 2 nights at anchor.  Curry sauce over chips was a delight!!!!!!!!!!

We are now in Newlyn having rounded Cape Cornwall.  We went inside Longships Lighthouse as the weather and conditions were very favourable. 

A major point in our journey, NOW it will be EASTWARDS ALL THE WAY>>>>>>>>>

St.Ives

McLARENS   BLOG 23^RD 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 21^st 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 22^nd 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 23^rd 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 26^TH 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.  

  

Vicar's blog 19th August

McLARENS BLOG MONDAY 19^TH AUGUST 2013.

TRWYN PORTH DINLLAEN, WALES.

This trip has certainly been full of challenges, spending three months living in a confined space, me having to learn basic sailing skills, Chris and I taking Pilgrim through locks on the Crinan Canal, sailing in different sea conditions. But we reached our hardest challenge, when we left Isle of Man, Port Erin, to make for HolyHead Wales, we left at 7.50am and were still sailing through the night……..this was meant to be a days sailing!!!!!!

But the sea was choppy, a South West wind, Force 5-7, visibility poor. We fought the force of the sea all day, as it was getting near dusk we thought we could see our destination, then it got dark. Pilgrim was riding the waves which swept over her bow, and then would come crashing against the wheelhouse, we would be clinging on, with the weight of our bodies against the way the boat was swaying. I became more frightened…….as it got dark and later, I just curled up and started crying. There was no harbour near us we just had to keep going…….even though the sea was not taking us anywhere. I turned my back to the windows I couldn’t bear to see the height of the waves and Pilgrim being battered by the sea. I reached a black moment when Chris put a safety harness to our life jackets. I was in this state for many hours. Then I looked at Chris and knew he was ‘rooting for me’ but he was actually in so many ways alone.

At some point I pulled myself together, I remember looking at the clock on my mobile at about 1.30am, I think it was about that time that I became a crewmember again, and started telling Chris what I could see while he did the co-ordinates to plan a course. Eventually we did begin to see lights in the distance, although it took hours to see the lights become towns.

We finally sailed into an anchorage at six o’clock in the morning, just as it was getting light. We had arrived in Anglesey near the Menai Straits.

Despite the fact that we had been up all night we were up drinking tea at eight-thirty next morning. The sun was shining, we decided to have a day’s rest. Throughout the trip, Chris has tried fishing with a line, he decided to get the line, after seeing what was movement on the water, which was definitely fish, he quickly retrieved his line from the cabin and caught us five mackerel, which made a wonderful supper.

Later that afternoon, we sailed along the Menai Straits, into Caernafon. When we walked around the town it was lovely to hear people speaking welsh.

On Sunday morning (18^th) Chris and I didn’t get to visit a church, but we did say Morning Prayer.  We thought it appropriate that we read Marks account of Jesus calming the storm. (Mark 5. 35-41) I must admit that I related in a way I never have before, to the disciples saying to Jesus ‘Don’t you care that we drown.’

When Chris and I were riding the waves in the Irish Sea that night I did say to Chris, ‘At what point do you call the Coastguard.’ He responded by saying, ‘ I know what you mean, but that is a last resort.’ As a sailor, he knew he had to rely on his own skills to get through, and he had the confidence. It was my own lack of experience as a sailor that made me fearful. After talking to other people we have met in Marinas our experience was not unique. And is all part of the challenge and risk of sailing.

I have mentioned the word ‘risk’ in this blog a number of times. Risk was part of this trip, even before we set sail. It was a risk to buy a boat that had been sitting in dry dock for eight years. It was a risk to keep working on Pilgrim making her seaworthy, when we were let down by those we had employed to work on her, it was a risk to continue with the project when we were the victims of ‘boatyard politics.’ After a period of work not going ahead, we decided on a day off, to do some work on her anyway, only to get a phone call as we were replacing paneling, from Chris’ brother to inform us his Father had died.

Two days before we were due to be blessed by the Bishop of Rochester, the mast went up. The night before we were due to meet the Bishop, we were sailing Pilgrim down to Hoo Ness Marina, which is where we were due to meet family, friends and members of our Church, for the blessing.

At times I would want to give up, even days before we were due to set sail, I was texting Chris full of doubt as to whether we would actually ever be going to sea.  It was only Chris’ tenacity and faith in the Project, which made it happen.

RISK
RISK
RISK

Risk, so often in life we try to avoid it. Risk makes us fearful, unsure of ourselves. Risk means we may fail, be laughed at. Risk may leave us feeling stupid. Risk takes us out of our comfort zone.

Some years ago Chris and I came across a poem by William Arthur Ward, we have both pinned it above our desk, and has continued to inspire us since we first heard it.

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.

To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.

To reach for another is to risk involvement.

To expose your ideas, your dreams, before a crowd is to risk their loss.

To love is to risk not being loved in return.

To live is to risk dying.

To believe is to risk despair.

To try is to risk failure.

But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.

The people who risk nothing, do nothing, have nothing, are nothing.

They may avoid suffering and sorrow, but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love, live.

Chained by their attitudes they are slaves; they have forfeited their freedom.

Only a person who risks is free.

The Quakers talk about living the faith journey ‘adventurously,’ adventures can be risky, that’s what makes them exciting. But as Christians we have a God who is constantly with us, and so we shouldn’t fear the risk of the unknown.

As I write this I am aware of a slight irony, in that because of being taken off course and ending up in a part of Wales that we never intended to visit and have got behind schedule. But I do know that God has blessed us on this Pilgrimage, he brought us through the rough passage of Wednesday night and we will trust him in the final two weeks of our trip, we don’t know the details of our final destination at present. We are hoping the weather, winds, tides, will allow us to make headway.

But I will say this, in the past I’ve waxed lyrical about the spirituality of sailing,……………but the reality is very different!

One of the books Chris and I brought with us was At Sea with God, written by Margaret Silf. A book in which the parallels of sailing and spirituality are explored. I found this wonderful passage, which really spoke to me.

‘Perhaps the destination is nothing more, or less, than the ocean of God’s love with its potential to transform us from the partialness of who we are now into the fullness of all creation into which we are being called. To live a life of faith is to trust the journey and to shape our choices in favour of the spiral that leads to life.’

   

  

Skipper

Skipper’s Log UTC 1720 Saturday 17^th 2013-08-17

You may have heard from Jeanette on Facebook that we had a bad passage down the Irish Sea.!!  We are at rest after what can only be described as exhausting and quite terrifying for Jeanette who hasn’t experience open sea on a 12m yacht.  I was very impressed by her lack of seasickness in general but when you are in fear for your life and very very anxious one would expect sickness.  At one point Jeanette suggested we call the RNLI and I reassured her we were safe and in no immediate danger. The RNLI is not there to accompany frighten sailors but to rescue when life is in danger.  Had one of us been injured or the boat was compromised due to water intake or dis-masted then one can call the RNLI.  In our circumstances, they would have only accompanied us to a safe port.  It was frightening but not dangerous with a 12m steel blue water boat capable of crossing oceans.

We left the Isle of Man at 0750 Thursday and reach Anglesey 22 hours later!!!!!!!! 0620 Friday. The South West wind drove us towards Cumbria.  The large waves kept us from going South West and we needed to get into the lee (behind) Anglesey to protect us from the wind.  The wind was force 5-7 went up to 34 knots, near gale at one point and the boat went backwards. The boat speed was painfully slow and we did not want to do night sailing but once you are in the situation the choice has gone.  When we reached a safe anchorage we had hot chocolate and went to bed. Amazingly, the same day we went into the Menai Strait at 1500 and had a wonderful sunshine sail.  What a crazy weather world we live in.  Even caught 5 mackerel with a line over the side of the boat. Supper was very nice with a slice of lemon.

The passage reminded me of a cartoon with a group of 3 sailors after a long sea passage, 2 sailors walking towards a pub and a third walking towards a church.  When the third sailor is asked by his friends where he’s going he says, “I’ve got a promise to keep I made out at sea”.  The sea must have made many a believer.  According to my reading, John Newton who wrote Amazing Grace was converted at sea in a storm.  When I asked Jeanette if she had prayed on our trip down the Irish Sea, she said “many times that God would keep us safe”.

Hope you can see the chart of our journey, Jeanette is going to put it on a wall.