John's Travel Blogs

Category: BoatBlog

Blogging my travels in Lady Cindy, a 1965 Camper Nicolson 32 IV build number 069/1965/IV.

  • In Aberystwyth for the Winter

    I have moved the boat to Aberystwyth Marina on a 6 month winter mooring package a week earlier than planned. The weather has changed this week with a colder and windier outlook.

    When preparing to leave Aber laat week, i noticed a leaking fuel hose, I managed to find a replacement online.

    Leaking pressurised fuel line

    During the winter I have lots of plans for doing improvements based on my first 6 months experience living on the boat. I want to move the anchor winch further forward, improve interior storage spaces, lower the front V berth beds to give more headroom, make the table a drop sided one so i dont need to keep putting it away when not in use, I also want to get the boat lifted out for anti fouling and other hull maintenance

    I also have other things i want to do this winter. It’s Ffions birthday and driving test next month so today Ffion and I have a 3 day trip to Alton Towers planned, it should be a lot of fun plus great driving experience for Ffion with new unfamiliar roads and following SatNav.

    Ffion and her dad need help up at the field to do some work in the farm shed and they are also preparing for a house move.

    I want to restart developing some computer software etc which will eventually provide me with an income.

    I also want to do sone winter sailing to gain more experience before heading off to the Med.

    I think I have a very busy winter ahead of me 🙂

  • Summer coming to an end

    I have had a fantastic first summer living on Lady Cindy, the regular company of Ffion aboard made it special, we have had so much fun. Its not all been a bed of roses though, plans were made and changed all the time. Flexibility is an absolute must for this lifestyle. I have had diy jobs that i had to redo, some several times, until i got things right, i have had my low moments, but without them you would not appreciate the highs. I have done many miles of sailing (i will work out how far some day soon) sailed in lots of different conditions and got a good feel for how Lady Cindy handles and likes to be trimmed. I have spent time in New Quay talking to old friends and customers. Looking back on it, I definitely made the right choice for this lifestyle and looking forward to the next steps.

    So whats next? I am booked into Aberystwyth marina for six months and plan to use that time to refit the interior with better storage, lift the boat out of the water for hull maintenance and spend time with Ffion and other friends. Next April I will sail South via Southampton to say farewell to family there and then head South to the Med for the Summer.

    These are just random photos from my phone taken since I moved aboard that remind me of a few of the many things I have done…

  • Swansea

    I have sailed from New Quay to Swansea to see my eldest daughter and grandsons, I am now on my way back to New Quay.

    Towy Lock in Swansea

    On the way down I stopped at Fishguard and Milford Haven. The last and longest leg into Swansea was a bit touch and go because the Towy lock closed around 9.30pm which was my eta at one stage. Motoring and a turn of tide meant I eventually arrived with an hour to spare.

    It was great to spend time with family again, we went to a museum and had a meal.

    I am currently on the way back, I broke the Swansea to Milford Haven leg in two this time and caught a nice Thornback Ray while at anchor.

  • Keeping busy

    Since returning to New Quay I have spent as much time ashore as on the boat. I have spent a lot of time at Ffions house and their field where Ffion keeps her horses. I have been helping her dad by moving tons of ballast, dismantling a shed, moving swings etc.

    I have done some smaller jobs on the boat such as installing a rain collection and storage system including a pump and cockpit tap. It uses an old original tank at the back of the boat that I can also fill at marinas. I will use this water for washing and deck showers. Ffions dad gave me a gas cylinder so I have a more plentiful supply for cooking. Previously I only had two small cylinders in the cockpit which were not enough for liveaboard.

    There was some excitement in New Quay last week when somebody got stuck on rocks at target rock on the headland in New Quay. The Coastguard helicopter was called out to airlift him and his dog back to safety.

  • Stuck in marinas

    Due to northerly winds and now high winds, we have spent the last week first in Aberystwyth marina and now in Pwllheli marina. The forecast for the next two days are for 20knot plus winds so the plan is to stay till Saturday and then head back down to New Quay.

    The sail up to Pwllheli was actually a plan to sail to Caernarfon. Although the sailing was great with ideal winds for the direction we wanted to go, there was a big swell making the ride uncomfortable. Discretion being the greater part of valour, I decided to divert.

  • Storms, chores and chilling

    Due to northerly winds and a storm we are back in Aberystwyth but before then had a lovely day sailing with another friend.

    Rosie joined me for a day on the boat, we had variable winds so ended up motoring back but we also saw some dolphins and did some fishing.

    Unfortunately the uncomfortable swell at anchor in New Quay was making Ffion sick so when a storm blew in, we moved to Aberystwyth for some shelter. We are taking the opportunity to do some chores ashore and on the boat.

    We have been to Ffions parents house and the field where she keeps her horses and taken some drone footage, done laundry, helped with the shop VAT return, fixed a friends computer, sorted backups on Ffions phone, tablet and computer to free space, been shopping etc.

    We will stay here a few more days as we have appointments at the optician and then decide what’s next. We may sail to North Wales or may return to New Quay.

  • Back in New Quay

    After a week away in Milford Haven and Skomer Island we are back in New Quay. The forecast for the next few days is for a heat wave and little wind so the plan is to do some swimming and some jobs.

    Some of the highlights of the last week include: Dolphins, Puffins, Seals and Pysgod Wibbly Wobbly (Welsh for Jelly fish). We also did a lock to get into and out of Milford Haven marina and travelled through Ramsey Sound with 7-8 knots of current, surrounded by whirlpools. Much of the trip was done under motor as we have been becalmed more often than not but that’s a good excuse for loud music and listening to Ffion’s singing.

    Today we are off ashore to do a few jobs at home and do some driving plus we need to resupply.

  • Will the adventure continue – part 2 (About time 😂)

    Finally managed to do the second part revealing what I chose to do (even though you all probably already know due to John’s blog. Haha 🤣

    After thinking about the pros and cons of going back to Lady Cindy with John & Dotty and speaking to my friends and family I made the decision to return 🙂

    On Wednesday 7th John and Dotty came over to the house to help me with some jobs up in the field. Poor Dotty was also given a hair cut by myself but I am far from being a dog groomer. Haha 😂

    On Thursday we returned to Lady Cindy but due to not being aboard for some time I was a little bit wobbly but I quickly got my sea legs back. We chose to just relax so that I could take time getting used to being aboard again.

    On Monday we needed to go ashore to New Quay to get some more things for our trip and that’s when I went for an unintentional paddle. Haha 😂On approaching the Dock on the tender I offered to get into the shallow water to pull the tender closer to the steps because I was wearing shorts and John was wearing trousers  so I took my shoes and sock off, stepped out into the water and then fell over. Haha 😂 I’m glad it was a warm day because I didn’t get too cold but I did walk around New Quay dripping. Haha 😂

    When we returned to Lady Cindy I climbed aboard, lost my grip on the shoes I was carrying and one of them fell overboard so John kindly went to get it with the tender because it had started floating away. Haha 😂

    We planned to start making our way to Ireland on Monday but due to the change in weather we’ve ended up in Milford Haven for a couple of nights.On our journey we saw some dolphins which was amazing. They were swimming alongside the boat, changing sides, jumping out of the water and a variety of different things. We even saw a cow and a calf which was absolutely beautiful, the calf always stayed very close to its mother’s side.

    Also on our travels we also saw some puffins which was amazing, they were diving under the water and they flew very close to the surface of the water. We decided to give them a new name of  f**king chuffing puffins which has now stuck so everytime one of us mentions puffins the other one of us says “those f**king chuffing puffins.

  • To Ireland… or not

    We decided to take a trip over to Ireland for a few days, it would be my longest passage so far and first night sail on Lady Cindy. We set of with light winds but they were Westerly, the forecast was for North Westerly. The winds were variable but light so we motorsailed intermittently in the hope the winds would pick up. Overnight we had good wind but in the morning, just past Fishguard they died completely so on went the engine again.

    We named this one curly because it had a curl in the tip of it’s fin
    Dolphins escorting us away from New Quay

    I checked the updated wind forecast and it was obvious we were not going to be able to cross in the very light winds so decided to divert around St David’s Head to Milford Haven and reassess.

    In the distance I saw what looked like a half sunk boat drifting, I diverted to investigate and found a stand up paddle board, a radio call to the Coastguard revealed they had one reported missing the previous day that matched the description. They contacted the owners, who contacted us, and arranged for them to collect when we reached anchorage.

    We took the cut through Ramsey Sound but got caught out by the tidal race so had to pick up a mooring bouy to wait for the tide to turn. While there the paddleboard owners came to collect it an a trip boat skipper helped get it ashore. A quick Google search showed it was a very expensive board so no doubt they were pleased to get it back.

    After the wait, we had good winds all the way into Milford Haven and Dale anchorage. And saw lots of dolphins and Puffins on the way.

    Today we have had a chill out day but have been out in the tender fishing and caught some Pollock and found a nice beach for a barbecue later. Also done a few jobs on the boat.

  • A lot is happening

    I am still anchored in New Quay, braved a passing storm at anchor and have been deciding on what to do this winter.

    The Atlantic storm passed to the South through the English Channel but any Northerly winds can whip up a big swell in New Quay. I watched the forecast carefully in case it veered North, set a kedge anchor to hold the boat close to the waves and rode it out knowing it would be less than 24 hours to pass. It was a bit rolly and the main anchor slipped a few meters but the kedge caught it and we held in place. We survived 💪. I was awake most of the night and ready to move out to sea if needed.

    An Atlantic storm passing through to the South of me.
    The worst winds locally were Southerly so not an issue for me in New Quay

    I have two options this winter, either sail South to the med or the Canaries in October or shelter in the UK and work on the boat till the Spring and then sail South. I have got a quote from Aberystwyth marina to stay there 6 months from October and I think that is likely to be my choice. Its convenient, I can lift out for maintenance and I can get some boat interior changes done. I may even be able to find work locally to top up my funds.

    Ffion has been at home the last few days which has given us both time to step back and consider whether she should come back to stay on the boat for the summer. The decision is….. damn right yes, at least until one of us feels like throwing the other overboard, she is returning today.