Meryl´s first sailing lesson, May 29th
Keen to get the sails out for the first time this season, we arrived on a dull Saturday afternoon. As Sea Ghost had not been lifted out, a healthy barnacle growth had adopted Sea Ghost´s hull as a comfortable home. We came better prepared this time and a Dutch how was used to scrape the unwanted guests off. While scraping the hull I hit the depth sounder mount and saw it twist a little. This had consequences later.
Out with the harbour launch operator
The harbour launch operator wasn't busy (bored it more accurate) and he kindly offered Meryl & Timo a harbour trip in his dinghy.
May 30th
Sunday the sun came out in full glory but the wind was still in the NE and blowing an F5. Meryl & Timo played inside a fun game named Guantanamo Bayer, in which relatively innocent cuddly toys are blindfolded and renditioned. I believe some escaped later on and the United Nations were notified.
Prisoners of war
One hour before high water most of us on the West pontoon prepared to sail out. We managed to just nip outside but, as one by one other yachts ahead of us turned back, we followed suit. The lee shore was rather uncomfortable in the shallow waters.
Turning back in
Alternative entertainment was proposed by our neighbours of Idle Tide, Charles & Sue. They were going to tow us in their dinghy to Conwy Morfa beach. This was good fun, parents playing children. The other team was on average probably 35 years younger. We also enjoyed the dynamic game rules, which were new to me, but provides endless opportunities to the winning team.
Meryl & Timo in action playing rounders
On our return journey, the single outboard pulling 2 dinghies and 8 people, struggled against the half tide ebb. To avoid the main flow, Charles stayed close to the rocky shoreline. The outboard worked as a depth sensor providing an early warning system when we would hit any underwater rocks .... we did.
Obviously, the safety pin on the propeller broke, doing its job, but sort of leaving us to the mercy of the outgoing tide. Action was required and we managed to row ashore and climb the rocks to walk back to the harbour jetty. Some of us got wet in the process.
Seaghost seen from Carroussel of Hamble
Back on the boat Meryl discovered water under the cockpit, which usually indicates a leak. The leak was caused by the dislocation of the depth sensor due to excessive hull scraping activity the evening before. That evening, at low tide, a repair exercise took place, using an old glue kindly offered by Mike from Carrousel. When the water came back in, it all looked to be ok.
May 31st
The bank holiday Monday promised to be better. We woke up late (09:30) with the sun out again. As high water was around 13:50, we waited for the tide to provide some sailing waters. Therefore the morning was spent in Conwy for pleasantries.
Sorbets in town
But then, inevitably, 1.5 hours before high water, we rowed back to the pontoon to go out sailing, as this had been the purpose of the weekend.
Rowing back to the pontoon
At 13:55 we cast off and headed out to sea, with the plan to sail across Conwy sands and teach Meryl some basics. At 13:15 the outboard was switched off and we enjoyed a F3/4 from the SE, ideal for learning. Meryl wasn't overly keen to take the helm but she did it for about 1 hour and we went several times through the various courses against and with the wind.
Inside activity
Around 14:30 the depth sounder started to indicate less than 3 meters under the keel and we slowly headed back. We sailed into Conwy river at 14:45 and moored briefly along Jamalee with Gareth, Genevieve and Tilley.
Meryl sailing Sea Ghost
At 15:30 we were moored again against the pontoon. It was then noted that some water had seeped in through the depth sensor and what appeared to be water proof the night before was not quite so. The glue used was rather old and didn´t set much and it was basically its stickiness that kept the depth sounder sensor against the hull. So I woudl have to come back next weekend to try a more permanent solution, and hope Sea Ghost wouldn't sink in the meantime.
As we rowed ashore with all our luggage, Charles and family came back from a day out and found the harbour launch had already retired for the Sunday. I made another 2 trips in out Dinghy to ferry them across to the pontoon and back again against the current. That was enough exercise for the weekend.