The start....................

I think I've finally sorted out this blogging lark......well, I think so anyway! My heroes on Hannah have shown me the way (thanks Mick & Bee), and it seems the best way to keep anyone who is interested up-to-date.

I wrote an article for The Macwester Owners Association which was published in their 'Journal'. It gives account of the journey from Sno' Rush's home at Quayside Marina in Southampton to Dover Marina. I actually won a prize for its content so I'm really proud of it. I'll inset it here to begin the story. 

Our first year as “Liveaboards".

By rights, we should be sunning ourselves on the deck of Sno’ Rush, moored fore and aft near Le Mole St Louis in Seté Marina. It’s a sunny 29°C there today, and where am I – dodging showers in Dover Marina!

I can’t complain really, we’ve had quite a good summer here on the Southeast coast, and I’ve just a hint of a suntan. But why are we here and not there? Simple – life is different as a “liveaboard”. However well a plan is made, it is not until the ball is actually rolling that the practicalities of retiring to a boat come to the fore. Anyway, this is our story so far.

The 'plan', was to retire from work and sail off to the Med via the French canals. The dream had been ours for about 15 years, during which time we had prepared the finances and most importantly, the kids, to our impending abandonment. The details of the route and the timing of the lock closures were done, the boat, although not in tip-top condition, was well prepared for the journey. We’d done a similar trip a few years before, up the Seine to Paris and back, so had some idea of the problems that arise. And, as Rod Heikell says, “……the power of thought and an iron determination can accomplish much more than a sluggish spirit in the ‘right’ boat” – and if the author of countless Mediterranean boating bibles says it, who are we to argue!

So, in August 2009, we packed our bags and moved onto the boat to begin the dream.  Sno’ Rush is a Hebridean, a 36’ 0” deck saloon ketch based on the Seaforth hull. Only two or three have ever been built so seeing another will be a rare treat. We’ve always known she was a good liveaboard, having a well-sized saloon, separate heads and galley with a good-sized double forecabin (master cabin the blurb calls it) and large separate aftercabin with twin berths. She is a motorsailer, as her 8½ tons displacement is a bit much for the ketch rig to move her anywhere near the ‘brisk’ category. I guess that’s why she was named Sno’ Rush (It’s No Rush). In fact, however much sail trimming I do, I can’t get her moving any quicker through the water than 3 knots in a f3 and 4kn in a f4. In a f5 I have to reduce sail as she starts to roll which gets more uncomfortable as the wind increases. By f6, I’m motorsailing again with short sails to stabilise her. She will take the stronger winds, as I found out by accident a couple of times in the Solent, but a f7 gusting 8 is such a horrible place to be when your rushing back from a rally.

Sno' Rush at Brighton

All things done, on 20 August we said our farewells to those at Quayside Marina in Southampton and cast off from the berth for the last time. We’d been there for 10 years and only just gained favour by the inner circle of local boat-owners. Since the season was coming to an end, the intention was to overwinter in Dover and continue over to Dunkerque at the start of the new season. Taking stops at Portsmouth, Littlehampton, Brighton and Eastbourne along the way seemed a sensible passage. As we slipped down Southampton Water on a balmy sun-drenched day, all was very much well with the world.

The optimism continued on the next leg, so much so that the stop at Littlehampton was disregarded in favour of making Brighton direct. Not much wind, but it was southwesterly and enough to fill the genoa to stop her rolling under power.

Ahh… Bohemian Brighton! We’ve moored there a few times over the years and always enjoyed it. The marina is hemmed in from the Channel by a large retaining sea wall and is amid a large residential and retail complex. And, there is an Asda 10 minutes walk from the boat! The town centre is a short bus-ride away and is, coming from a large city ourselves, always vibrant and refreshing. We like it at Brighton, and so our thoughts turned to over-wintering there instead. The mooring rates at Dover were slightly cheaper and had the added advantage of a free 10 amp electrical supply. But then, when we visited Dover by car, it seemed a bit quiet and, well, boring. So, with little resistance from Hil, we booked our place for the winter period, and made plans for the grandkids to stay during the half-term holidays. The life of living aboard now started in earnest.

We’d converted to boat-life quite easily, doing those little chores that need to be done to make life liveable. Different rules and regimes to follow, all different to that of a homeowner. What is fascinating, and something I hadn’t considered, is how easy it is to spend cash in those idle times, the afternoon coffee and cakes at the café, the extra visit to the cinema to relieve the monotony, that extra tool to fix the ‘thingy’ that I didn’t need but wanted ‘just in case’. Anyway the grandkids came, and brought with them an 'Indian Summer', and the news that another grandchild was on the way. Great news, but another change in plan to consider.

Aerial View of Brighton Marina.

We didn’t actually liveaboard over winter. The intention always was to spend Christmas and New Year at home anyway, but we gave up early in December to seek the warm fires and ease of living at home. If you remember, November brought the high winds and gales to the South Coast. It was then that Brighton Marina took on a totally different aspect. That foreboding sea wall seemed far less a protector when the gales bustled in. We were moored near to the Marina office about 250 feet from the sea wall that rose to a good 50 ft above MHWS. In high winds, the sea would hit the wall and throw a plume of water in the air which, irrespective of the wind direction, always seemed to shower Sno’ Rush with seawater (and sand…and sea shells et al). The tide also turned the hairpin entrance and picked up speed to cause Sno’ Rush to continually ‘snake’ in her berth. My wind meter recorded a f9 during this period, it may have been higher but it stopped working shortly after - obviously had enough. I felt the same way in the saloon below it. Hil missed these ‘treats’ as she says, having been back in Birmingham, and felt she’d missed out. I tried to convey the threat to life the hurricanes had provided, but I don’t think she believed me.

After the gales, the temperatures plummeted. Late November/early December nights saw me locked in the forecabin, fully clothed (with thermals) tucked under the duvet with a 2kw heater blowing. It had gone down to around 2°C overnight, with little prospect of daytime temperatures rising to more than 8°C. The only bright hope was that the free-to-air signal in the marina was brilliant for television reception – isn’t Jeremy Kyle good!  The electrical supply on the berth was limited to 16amps, allowing us 3.8kw for electrical items. We were using 2 oil-filled radiators, 1kw and 2kw output, and it didn’t take long to become tiresome to switch one of these off, or the fridge, to use the immersion, or microwave or kettle, bearing in mind that the battery charger was on constantly to supplement the 12v supply. Using the gas cooker, although an alternative heat source only served to produce more condensation, and we had enough of that with our own breaths. We have a blown air heating system operated by LPG but the heater died many years ago – amazing how many times I cursed my lack of forethought not finding a replacement. It was becoming a constant battle to keep the heat in, and cold out, so when Hil came back and sampled the conditions, it was quickly pointed out that life onboard was not very comfortable - so we headed back home to the warmth.

 And then there was fog.

We got back to Sno’ Rush early in March, which was opportune as the long cold spell lasted until after Hil's appointments leaving us free to move on from Brighton. The winter contract ended on 31 March and we didn’t really want to start paying the summer rates. The general plan was to move up the coast to Dover and cross to Dunkerque late in the season, then go down the canals to over-winter in Seté. So, at 1230 on 27 March 2010, we took advantage of a break in the weather and made for Sovereign Harbour at Eastbourne. A chilly and overcast passage lasting 5½ hours in light winds, but the slight swell made the 21Nm trip really enjoyable. We’ve done the journey once before and rounding Beachy Head to turn for Sovereign seems such a fulfilling end to passage, particularly as dusk is falling. After spending a day to ourselves in the lock-bound marina, we set off at 0500 on 29 March for Dover. The forecast was f3/4 gusting 5 and slight swell, but we were off before the 0600 Navtex forecast could confirm any changes. When it did come, we were 2 hours out and halfway between Sovereign and Dungeness - the conditions were set to deteriorate to f6/7 with fog at Dover. I think we both knew what the decision was going to be, even though we did discuss the option the option of continuing, in the probability that the fog would lift by the time we reached Dover. So, as there is nowhere else suitable in the area for us, we turned back to Sovereign. What took us two hours with tide, took 4 hours against it. At 1100 we were in the lock asking if our berth was still vacant.

 Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne

How fortune fails the faint hearted! The weather closed in on us with high winds, low temperatures and even hail stones the size of small pebbles. Sovereign is owned by Premier Marinas, the same as Brighton, but its location is much more protected from the elements. The lock stops all tides entering and the high residential buildings on three sides restrict most winds other than a southerly that has to climb the shorefront and lock-head. With a protected berth and a free 16amp supply we snuggled down to wait for another break in the weather. Although not at busy as Brighton, Sovereign has all the facilities to make an enforced stay really pleasant. We remember it from years ago as a half-completed complex and were surprised how it had grown. A small-scale Brighton, so everything is within a short walk – even the Asda.

We left Sovereign at 1000 on 07 April for the 44Nm passage to Dover. Again the winds fell light so it was a motorsail in a sloppy swell. The tide here is fortunate for anyone making the passage as Beachy Head causes a back eddy giving a couple of hours extra tide up-channel. It took 9¼ hours to reach Dover - a long slog when under engine. And with the wind picking up, it was brisk entrance into the port. I must admit that Dover isn’t as busy as I was led to believe. Yes, ferries coming and going and tankers using the traffic zones, but by keeping to the inshore track we had no worries at all. The way to the marina is via the Western Entrance whilst all the ferries use the Eastern Entrance. True, passenger liners are now using the Western Entrance but they are humungous, and well visible from the approaches as they tower above the outer wall. In any case, Dover Port Control monitor all the comings and goings and require all vessels to contact them when two miles out. It was a pleasure to turn in from the wind and chop to the tranquillity of the harbour.

 Dover Harbour from the Western Heights

Dover Marina comprises of three berthing areas of pontoons. The Tidal Harbour, which has 24-hour access, and the Granville and Wellington Docks, both of which have lock gates restricting access to HW ±1½ hours and HW ± 4 hours respectively. The Marina itself provides all the boating services you would ever need, and there is a chandler, bistro, Spar and retail shopping outlet close at hand, with Dover town centre only 15 minutes walk away. The shingle beach is only 5 minutes away, in the enclosed harbour, and hosts of waterborne activities form the athletic types – we just sunbathe.

We are in Wellington Dock and have now decided to over-winter here. A choice made after finding my beloved engine had a broken valve spring. I thought the head gasket had gone and only found it when I was stripping the engine down – I’m amazed nothing happened when we were motoring along the coast! Funny how many things you find need changing/repairing when you start fixing engines. Anyway, the jobs are gradually getting ticked off the list – I’ll never finish all of them, perhaps I’ll save one or two for when we’re in the Med!