Wednesday morning saw our crews wake up to beautifully calm water, but a complete lack of wind. Therefore, in order to stay on schedule, our vessels were forced to depart under motor as they headed for Peterhead.

Soon after departure they were engulfed in fog, bringing progress to a crawl, our skippers using all their experience to keep Ashanti and Clearlake II on course and out of danger with so little visibility.

However all was not lost and the fog was soon cleared by a fantastic wind, ranging from force 4 to 5, and both yachts were hurtling along at a fair 11 knots. This meant that, despite the initial hold-up, our crews arrived in Peterhead with plenty of time to spare and with a forecast of fine weather and good wind there was plenty to still look forward to.

If you wish to support our crews on their voyage, and help Macmillan Cancer Support continue their vital work with those affected by cancer, please follow this link to our justgiving page:

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/premier-sailing

Thank you.

 

 

At 2200 on Monday night our crews set out for Arbroath on the second overnight sail of the round Britain sail 2019. With calm seas and a fair wind, at times reaching 20 knots, our crews made 7 knots speed, a fair pace for our two vessels on this trip so far!

Again the experience of our skippers was reassuring to the others on board, even those who have sailed at night before, as navigating at night is a challenge and it is always comforting to know there is someone to rely on to keep you on course. Our crews enjoyed more views of the Milky Way, with shooting stars aplenty and many warm cups of tea to keep them going.

On arrival in Arbroath, with Ashanti and Clearlake II safely moored, our hungry crews treated themselves to a bounty of famous Arbroath Smokies (traditional hot-smoked haddock) as reward for all their hard work, and as preparation for what is yet to come.

 

If you wish to support our crews on their voyage, and help Macmillan Cancer Support continue their vital work with those affected by cancer, please follow this link to our justgiving page:

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/premier-sailing

Thank you.

On a beautiful morning, our two new crews set off on the first day of the second leg of the sail4macmillan round Britain cruise. The conditions could not have been more perfect, with a fair wind, and in the right direction this time, and clear skies, Ashanti and Clearlake II departed under sail alone for the first time in a couple of days.

Heading for the Scottish border, the two vessels needed to anchor off Holy Island for a rest and a good meal in a location that would not look out of place in a travel brochure. Even though the views are beautiful, the stop had to be short-lived, as our yachts and their crews need to set off at 2200 for an overnight sail to Arbroath.

If you wish to support our crews on their voyage, and help Macmillan Cancer Support continue their vital work with those affected by cancer, please follow this link to our justgiving page:

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/premier-sailing

Thank you.

The final day of this leg would see Ashanti, Clearlake II and their crews set sail for Royal Quays marina in North Shields where Rob, the skipper of Ashanti, lived whilst a cadet in the merchant navy. With the weather holding up our yachts in Lowestoft, a night in Hartlepool had to be sacrificed in order to make it in time.

The weather was the best it has been so far, with beautiful clear skies and crystal waters a great setting for the final push. Keeping a keen eye open for lobster pots, which can snarl a propeller easily if ran over, our crews were treated to sightings of gannets, puffins, seals and even the odd porpoise came out to play! It is treats like these that remind everyone of the absolute joy that can be taken from being on the water, and this glorious Saturday was no exception.

Our crews were booked in for dinner at The Lock cafe in Royal Quays, and so needed to arrive in plenty of time to scrub up for their well earned celebration of their achievement. Many had never undertaken such a trip as this week before, and had faced challenges that they have never encountered before, and would take away a whole new view of sailing, as well as new skills and new friends.

If you wish to support our crews on their voyage, and help Macmillan Cancer Support continue their vital work with those affected by cancer, please follow this link to our justgiving page:

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/premier-sailing

Thank you.

 

What a difference a day makes!

 

As the sun rose on Thursday morning, it appeared that the weather had calmed and that our overnight passage to Whitby could go ahead. This was, for many of our crew, the first time an overnight sail had been attempted, however the skills and experience of our skippers meant that any nerves were quickly set aside and spirits were high as they left Lowestoft.

As the east coast passed by Ashanti and Clearlake II made steady progress throughout Thursday, although a northerly wind did mean motor-sailing for some portions, and soon they were in amongst the gas rigs and wind farms of the North Sea.

Night sailing provides a whole new dynamic to time on board. Our crews split into three-hour watches and took it in turns to keep their colleagues on course as they slept below. With minimal light pollution forty miles off shore, and with the clouds slowly clearing, the majesty of the Milky Way unfolded above our vessels with a clarity so rarely possible in the UK; one of our watches on Ashanti even saw the space station passing overhead!

The following morning, the skies were a clear blue and the waters were calm, and after a much-needed breakfast (cooking at a thirty degree angle is a challenge for the uninitiated!), our crews continued to eat up the miles. The first glimpse of our destination was the ruins of Whitby Abbey, its glorious Gothic arches looming over our crews from the clifftop (no wonder this place was the inspiration for Dracula) and soon our two yachts were expertly piloted through the narrow entrance of the harbour, where they would wait for the tide to come in enough for them to pass through the swing bridge into the Marina.

Both crews were tired and hungry after a 35 hour passage, and were soon tucking into the best fish and chips money can buy in one of the most beautiful port towns in the country, and alongside a replica of Captain Cook's HMS Endeavour as the sun set over the harbour.

If you wish to support our crews on their voyage, and help Macmillan Cancer Support continue their vital work with those affected by cancer, please follow this link to our justgiving page:

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/premier-sailing

Thank you.

As our crews woke up in Lowestoft on a rainy Wednesday morning, news of bad weather began to rear its ugly head. Although conditions were not too bad in our marina (a little rain will not stop our crews!) our destination of Whitby was a completely different story. This was to be the long passage of this leg, arriving in the afternoon of the following day, and a forecast of high winds and a huge swell meant the going would be rough and entrance to Whitby harbour would be treacherous.

With this in mind our two skippers, Rob and Ian, made the decision to stay another day and wait for calmer seas, safety always being paramount in such situations. However all was not lost, and a lovely afternoon was spent in the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club, and were joined for lunch by a group of local businesswomen, led by Wendy Hunt of Marine Safety Centre Ltd, who were more than generous in their donations to Macmillan as well as being superb company. This chance encounter buoyed our two crews, and reminded everyone of the importance of what they are doing and the much needed funds that they are raising.

If you wish to support our crews on their voyage, and help Macmillan Cancer Support continue their vital work with those affected by cancer, please follow this link to our justgiving page:

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/premier-sailing

Thank you.