2nd Channel Crossing

I was bound and determined to make the 2nd cross in the daylight and Plymouth is a deep water port, so there are no tide issues to deal with.

The cross involves 2 tide changes, so that's essentially a wash, except that the French side has a great deal more current around Cherbourg, where we were headed for.

And the plan would have worked perfectly if we had gotten the dinghy deflated the night before...

My main plan this time was to come close to the separation zone between Cherbourg and the Isle of Wight as the ships have to enter and leave lanes (5 nm wide), so they are concentrated and easier to “deal” with.

Plus there is a 5 nm strip between the lanes where you can catch your breath and get ready for the next line of ships (East bound in this case).

I took a picture of the chart plotter screen that shows (little) Severance in between the lanes, the red arrows are all the ships entering and leaving the zone (I was staying just on the West edge of it).

The picture was taken at night...so I didn't quite achieve the daylight crossing goal.

Anyway, this route took some extra miles, but I liked the strategy enough to pay that price.

After getting through the traffic tide was starting to go against us and we ducked into Alderney and dropped the hook for the night to await the next tide.

One more successful cross!!!

P.S. I'm leaving out the fact that our autopilot wasn't working, it was colder than hell out, I wrapped myself in a sleeping bag when I steered, perhaps late September isn't the best time to be making a cross, but at least we were headed South!

Oct 29th - Tim Glass Update

I just spoke to Tim Glass and he sounds great and say's he's just fine...what a relief!!! He had high blood pressure and was not aware of it, so let's all be careful about that.

Hope to see him and Madeline in the New Year, somewhere warmer I truly hope!

- Scott

The Plan Changes!

OK, it may appear that there is no plan, and thus no way to change it, but my original intent was to sail down the West coast of France for a bit, and then cross the Bay of Biscay to Spain and round the corner into the Med.

My parents where spending some time in Morocco (you never know where they will go next) and suggested we meet in Paris for a week.

I figured I'd find a spot to leave the boat and take a train or fly there.

But then people started to suggest I take a canal there...who knew that was possible?!

The idea too intriguing to let go of and, after a (light) bit of research the new plan was to hatched to visit Paris via boat and travel to the Med via the French canal system.

Onward!!!

Plymouth Summary

Funny how life turns out, but I pulled (or limped) into Plymouth with some significant boat problems and thoughts of spending a week or maybe more there to get Armando his Yachtmaster.

A month (or so) later, we left.

Way beyond, out of plan, or not....this journey has a start and end point, but one done with a wide brush stroke.

The experience in Plymouth was tremendously mixed, I was cold a lot, stressed out over boat issues, overstretched trying to get a Yachtmaster certificate, but a lot of really good things transpired, most of which related to all the people I met.

Being in one place for that long lets you to get to know people and experience things.

I'm up in the air about Plymouth itself, interesting place, bombed out in WWII, not very nicely rebuilt but with a great marine facilities in Mountbatten.

But meeting Tim (Glass) and hanging out with him allowed me to understand England way more than I could have otherwise.

Getting the boat problems straightened out with a really competent engineering staff was so important to the trip (and my emotional well being) that I was able to keep going...which is what this all seems to be about.

Yachtmaster and the Plymouth Sailing School turned out to be a tremendous learning experience, I can't say enough about, even though I had never heard about it prior to this trip and kind of hooked in as a side thing.

And sailing in this area is just something you have to do to understand.

People that sail here are really to be respected....I feel like I came here, did my bit and left with a lot of respect for these yachtsmen, you will never find more knowledgeable seaman anywhere.

I spent my UK “budget” on Plymouth, when we were done I needed to head out and didn't get to all the places in England I'd hoped to get to.

But I would not have traded our weekend in Cornwall with Madeline for the world, or all the Yachtmaster experiences I had there, or getting to know Tim Glass...in the end spending a month or so there was all for the good!

Teat's Hill

You should see what they name their tunnels!!!

Pictures of Gipsy Moth

Madeline's Tale of Woe – A Gesture of Empathy

When nice people like Madeline (think Jan Breedlove – bless her heart!) see someone make a fool of themselves they feel compelled to share an embarrassing moment from their own lives.

In the hopes of starting a blog response of “tales of embarrassment” (come on...I know there are some great ones you'd love to share!) I will relay the one Madeline told us.

Whilst on a trip to the US (California I believe) Madeline and a girl friend rented a “Huge American Car” (at first I thought of a Crown Vic, but I would bet it was something along the lines of a Malibu).

The immediate problem that they faced was that it had an automatic transmission!!!!!!

Madeline's friend refused to even try to drive this thing, so Madeline ended up as the driver.

Things were going fine until she stopped for a light facing up hill. She reached for the handbrake and pure panic set in when she found none (OK, maybe it was a Crown Vic after all)!

Traffic built up behind her, the light changed and she didn't have a clue how to get herself out of this jam....she had to keep her foot on the brake or risk smashing into the car behind her!

So, she had her friend get out and run to the car behind her to ask if anyone knew where the handbrake on the damn car was!

Somehow, the person behind gave them a quick lesson on automatic transmissions and they were able to get underway.

And that's her embarrassing story...a blond unable to drive an automatic transmission (sorry about that one blog readers...please forgive me!) and she held up traffic for 3 minutes.

I wish that were my life's most traumatic moment, I seem to have much better ones (and I encourage people to share theirs)!

But I give her credit for displaying empathy, now I just wish people at the marina would stop avoiding me...

News on Tim

I just learned today (Oct 21) that Tim Glass suffered a stroke 2 weeks ago. I don't have all the details, but he spent 2 weeks in the hospital and has now returned to his home in Suffix. Madeline said that he is recovering well and his speech is fine now. I hope to speak with him soon and just wish him the best for a speedy and full recovery.

-- Scott

Are You All Right?

It's the question you never want to hear...typically it means you're upside down in your car (hanging from the shoulder harness) or you've just had a spectacular Wide World of Sports moment on a ski hill, you're trying to regain focus and breath and there's a group of people (with fear in their eyes) peering down at you.

It happened first in Brest. Keith was getting ready to pour drinks when he looked me over and asked “Are You All Right”?

I gave myself as best a look over as I could, I was in a 4 day old shirt and hadn't shaved in a bit, the swelling in my mashed finger was well under control, my limp (ankle) was imperceptible and I was doing my best to exude an air of confidence...so I was fairly certain a near stranger couldn't discern I was in way over my head.

So I decided to take the offensive “Why would you ask me such a thing...isn't it totally obvious to you that I'm just fine dammit!?”

Poor Keith (a nice, polite Brit...an accountant if memory serves me correctly), but he recovered and poured warm gin and tonics (the French haven't invented ice yet and the Brits don't seem to mind), I passed on the tonic as it dilutes the gin.

The next time was in Plymouth when Tim, who was fully apprised of my condition and issues, inquired “Are You All Right?”

OK, we'd become friends and it's nice to have someone express concern, so I gave him a 10 minute run down on how I felt I was turning a corner, even though the Yachtmaster deal was turning into a major hassle, my boat was soon to be torn apart, I was out of stove fuel, we were getting beaten apart by waves and wind on our mooring, I was cold, not sleeping well...you get the picture.

Tim looked a bit quizzical and not all that reassured.

2 days later he asked me again and this time I shortened things up and tried to sound more upbeat, the last thing I wanted was to get involved with some well-meaning social services group and either get held for observation or put on some heavy meds.

Then a casual acquaintance in a pub asked “Are You All Right?” and that did it. Apparently I was in a nation of amateur psychologists, I gave him a distinct brush off and started babbling to a total stranger to my left, not enough to turn me off pubs but give me a break!

And then, on Saturday morning on our weekend at Madeline's, basking in warm sunshine after a good night's sleep in a real house, with a cup of coffee in my hand and great plans for the day sweet Madeline (of all people) looked at me...”Are You All Right?”!!!!!!

I almost did a Danny Thomas coffee spit when it finally dawned on me, “Are You All Right?” is British for “How Are Ya?”...and the answer is “Just Fine Thanks...And You?”!

Apparently I hadn't learned anything in the 70's when the blacks at university started avoiding me (how was a kid from the burb's supposed to know “What's Happening?” is “Hello!” and not “What Are Your Sorry Ass Plans for this Weekend?”).

Anyway, I had to confess this faux pas to Madeline, who laughed until she cried, often covering her mouth with one hand as an expression of pure empathetic embarrassment!

She said she would never be able to ask that again without thinking of me (poor dear girl)!

I decided to get through my remaining days in the UK with my strategy for France, smile when someone speaks to you and say “Je ne parle pas Anglais!”, which turns out to be quite true.

And, if you are ever in Cornwall and a lovely blond woman asks “How Are Ya?”, you'll know the background!

P.S. Keith – I hope someday you stumble across this blog....sorry mate!!!

For the Dot Watchers

For those of you (like me) who were wondering what the heck Scott was doing hanging out in the middle of nowhere without moving for so long (I figured it was a particularly good vinyard with a generous vintor), it turns out that the satellite tracking system is not working.

It has not been tracking since Oct 10th. I'm sure this caused Pat to wonder since her husband Jim (of the bad poetry fame) was on board during from Oct 7 - 14.

So, they are making better progress towards the sea than it would appear. So, know that he is moving, and since I am paying monthly for the service - we will make sure that it is working soon.

- Posted by Diane for Diane :)

Weekend at Madeline's

Tim Glass had told his friend Madeline about a crazy American and Brazilian he was hanging out with and she expressed an interest in meeting with us.

So, we were invited to dinner on a Friday (the one my boat went back in the water on) and told to bring sleeping bags so we could all enjoy some vino without having to drive back home.

Meeting Madeline turned out to be one of those once-in-a-million encounters; she is just one of the most charming, lovely people you could hope to meet.


Madeline has a wonderful house in Saltash, Cornwall (just outside of Plymouth). After a week of living in a parking lot (prior to that we were on a very rough mooring) I can't tell you how nice it was to be in a house in front of a wood stove.

Dinner was a great lasagna, with good wine and company.

I didn't last long that evening and fell asleep on my bed in front of the stove, what a great change from my “normal” circumstances.

Apparently Madeline is not a fine judge of character, or perhaps is just a loving sole that takes in strays, but the plan to “home” on Saturday changed to “Why don't we go travel the Moors, have lunch in a pub and return here for dinner?”

No arm twisting was required and we traveled up to a well known hill with a top of the world view of Cornwall and Plymouth.

Tim is a font of knowledge and filled us in on the history of what we were seeing and provided me with an understandable interpretation of cloud formations and weather patterns.

The pub lunch was great, I learned what a Moor was and we returned that afternoon to cook the roast beef and Yorkshire pudding dinner that we had “schemed” up.

But then Tim, a like minded soul that never fails to turn on a dime, pointed out that the sun was shining, it was perfect for a barbecue and that we really should do the roast and Yorkshire on Sunday!

And that's what we did, had a wonderful barbecue, lots of beer and wine, some people stopped by, Madeline genuinely was thrilled to have guests stay a second day and completely take over her house and kitchen and again I had a deep slumber on a wonderful bed in her home!

Tim needed to return to the Mountbatten for a morning shift at the Boathouse, and we returned to Severance to make sure it hadn't sunk (we had left the boat immediately after launch and tie up).

I figured I would put in the 4 hours on studying (intense) for the upcoming Yatchmaster deal, but I believe I settled on a nap.

When Tim was done we went back to Madeline's (I'm not kidding, she really wanted us to, she reminds me of an early Lori Wickman before she spent all those years working with me and made a few steps toward having an “edge”!).

So back to Madeline's we went and Tim taught me how to do Yorkshire pudding. We had a fine meal and, I believe, left Madeline that night...I truly hope she has recovered from her time in my presence!

I will be after both Madeline and Tim until they come and visit Diane and me in our home in Florida.

Posted by Diane For Scott

Dickie B's Solves a Vexing Problem!

Sailboats require rigging to hold the mast up, and the side attachment points are called chainplates.

Severance has the type that are straight stainless steel “bar stock” that go from the inside of the cabin right up through the deck, very strong, straightforward and completely prone to “leaks” (think major rainfall).

(Interpretation from Diane: Think 40 foot waves crashing over the bow!)

I had new chainplates made prior to the trip, as rudders and rig failures rate as the really big bummers of many a trip, but I had them made to the same design.

Over the years I've tried every caulking known to man and I finally realized (after a wet crossing) that the design was flawed from the get go and only a new one would work.

I was introduced to Richard (Dickie B) and told that, if there was anything I needed done, they could do it.

His facility is doing the complete refit of Chicester's yacht Gypsy Moth.

Anyway, I designed a chainplate modification, drew it up (I did, after all, get a “D” in drafting back in 7th grade...there seems to be a constant theme to my formal education) and presented myself to Dickie and his welder Dave.

To their credit, they looked over my skillful (read crude) “blueprint” and didn't break into laughter, I was feeling really smart at that point.

Then Richard asked if I wanted my idea implemented, or if I wanted my problem solved...it meant that not only did they understand the unsolvable problem but that they had addressed it in some other fashion that I had not come up with!!!!

A smart person would, at that point, ask them to explain two things....how did they know about this problem and how the hell did they solve it?

I deserve great credit as I asked both questions and found out why Richard (Dickie B) has his own complete outfitting business.

Richard had devised a solution, he built a cap that fits over the chainplate (see the picture) and is put on with copious amounts of caulk.

And damn if it doesn't work!!!

He's using that on all the chainplates on Gypsy Moth (I only have 2).

He has a number of major outfitting jobs underway. I really appreciate that he and his staff took the time to take on a very small project, even thought this was a very big problem for me.

Once again I would say that, if you have a boat in need of anything and you're in or around the UK, I would head for Mountbatten to get things done, Dickie B's is staffed and equipped to take on major refits, but will also work with any yachtsman in need....I'm really thankful for that!

Posted by Diane For Scott

Mountbatten Boathouse – More work on the boat!

After Merv (the Magician) did his magic with the transmission (2 bearings were replaced but everything else checked out) and I had reinstalled it, Gavin (the owner and a 1st rate engineer himself) came down to check out the alignment.

I watched him shake his head a few times and I asked the quintessential question “If this were your boat, what would you do?”.

I listened for a bit, stopped him and asked the essential question “When would you be able to fit this work in?”.

And so, once again on this journey, the boat was lifted and we were living in a parking lot again, climbing a ladder just to get home!

But, this time it was for about 10 days, and it rained, and it was cold, and the parking lot was full of mud, gravel and puddles, and I was tired, stressed, wondering what the hell I had gotten myself into (which is when I through myself into the 6 day intensive Yachtmaster theory course which had hours of exercises to be completed each evening...presumable around the dining room table near a crackling fireplace!).

Kim was assigned to the project as he had some experience with shafts and alignment (as in shafts of several feet in diameter on Navy ships!).

Kim is an exceptional engineer and he put my mind at ease “When I'm done you won't have any problems!”.




He pulled the shaft for inspection (it didn't pass and they got a new one) and redid the motor mount attachment points, cleverly cutting slots, inserting backing plates which he drilled and tapped. Before it was impossible to really align the mounts as you couldn't access the bolt heads....did I mention he was smart?

Merv was consulting on the project....I was really in good hands and I knew it.

Kim replaced the packing gland and the bearing behind it (both had gone oval). The bearing has a grease fitting now and a greaser, so it can now be properly lubricated.

He did some other work, shortening the packing gland fitting so the shaft can now slide back further, making it much easier to get the transmission out.

The shaft strut was aligned, with a new backing plate, the engine alignment (now possible) was done (spot on I was assured) and the boat was set and ready to go!

Kim was very kind to us as he did put the engine back in place every night, I was very grateful that I could at least move around inside our cold boat and not have to navigate around a Myanmar 3gm30 every evening!

Once back in the water, everything checked out and I can't convey how happy I am to have a working drive train!!!

If your travels take you anywhere near Plymouth and you have boat problems I would highly recommend the Mountbatten Boathouse.

I should mention that they are a full chandlery also, I obtained quite a bit of stuff there and really enjoyed bantering with their staff...really great place.

Posted by Diane For Scott

Plymouth Sailing School and Yachtmaster

The RYA (Royal Yachting Association) offers various levels of certification, their Offshore and Ocean are essentially captain's licenses and have a wide acceptance throughout the world.

Armando's goal is to become a working captain, so he needed this certification and I had agreed to stop somewhere in the UK for a week or so to make that possible....I figured I'd attempt to get one also since we would be spending some down time on it.

Once we really started looking into it, the “week or so” was completely unrealistic.

But, as it turned out, Mountbatten is home to the Plymouth Sailing School, run by Richard Brown and son (Richard Jr.).

Richard really help us out, offering to do as much or as little as was required to assess our needs and get us ready for the exam.

He's an RYA instructor of instructors...but completely down to earth.

He held an unscheduled day long session (for just the two of us) for our radio certification (a prerequisite for the Yachtmaster certification)

We ended up taking a 6 day intensive course in theory at the school (which Armando aced and I quickly fell hopelessly behind in).

Richard was able to get Armando on one of his boats with an instructor (several days into a 1 week on the water course...there had been 2 cancellations). I tagged along on most days to observe.

At the end of the on the water class a Yachtmaster examiner boarded the boat and spent one evening and a morning putting Armando (and 1 other student) through an on-the-water practical examination (I observed the evening session).

Armando was awarded his certification (the other student was not), which is really quite an accomplishment.

I scheduled an exam to take place on my boat several days later, figuring I would take the weekend to catch up what I hadn't done in the theory class (like all the exercises...in my defense I was pretty busy with boat stuff and totally burned out), take the boat out to check out all the work that had just been completed and scope out all the spots the examiner might direct me to take him to.

Anyway, read Weekend at Madeline's (coming soon to a blog near you!) to find out how I really spent my “exam prep time”!

My examiner boarded the boat in the late afternoon and put me through the paces, I was happy to be doing the exam in my boat. I failed to impress him with my spotty answers to all the material I had planned to bone up on over the weekend, but he passed me with the comment that “You're not the perfect candidate, but then no one is. I cases of doubt we're told to ask whether we would send our children out sailing with you, and I would, you're very safe”! I then had to promise I would learn all my fog signals and leave the UK within 1 week....we were off the next day!!!

I will say that I really gained a lot of knowledge from going through the Yachtmaster process. It was really a good experience since it was coupled with all the sailing we've done in the tidal waters of the Channel, much would be lost if you took this training in a less arduous sailing area. The training is really all about safety in one of the toughest areas to sail in the world....if you get your Yatchmaster there I think it really means something.

I can't say enough good things about Richard and Richard Jr at the Plymouth Sailing School. I would not have gotten the certification had I not had their assistance.

I would highly recommend the Plymouth Sailing School to anyone that is pursuing any of the RYA certifications.

Posted by Diane For Scott

A Word of Explanation from Diane

Many of you have noted that Severance seems to be plowing through land right now. I have received many emails and calls from curious people about why Severance seems to be land bound.

That will all be explained in time, but right now I just received a new batch of blogs from the "Traveler" and they do not even take us out of England. All in good time!!

I will release them one at a time and hopefully when they are all published Scott will come up with an explanation of how he came to be in the center of France. Visiting the famous vineyards, no doubt.