SEA BEAR

 

A sailing blog about a skipper and his yacht

The Jester Challenge

Aug 27, 2025

Jester's pennant

Jester's pennant

I had been thinking for some while in taking part in the Jester Challenge. If you don’t know this a single handed event for skippers of small boats under 30 feet who want to test their skill and self-reliance, a uniquely successful experiment in singlehanded ocean sailing.
https://jesterchallenge.org/
I had wanted to take part the previous year as the objective was the Azores but circumstances prevented me. This year’s objective was Baltimore in Ireland. I was in two minds about it but my best friend encourage me so I thought I would give it a go. It would be good to re-visit Ireland because I had not been back since my circumnavigation of Ireland in 2004. From Sea Bear’s base to the start in Plymouth was between 260 – 300 miles depending on the route so that would be some challenge in it’s own right.

1st June Pin Mill to Small Downs 65 miles 17 hours
Left the mooring at 6.45 taking the ebb down the Orwell. Clear of the docks hoisted the main and headed down the Medusa channel and then Goldmer Gat for the Kings Channel which we tacked down. The wind had freshened so the yankee was furled and a 2nd reef put in the main. We took the Little Sunk crossing of the sands and across the Black Deep to enter Foulgers Gat. The wind headed us before the exit so I thought to motor the last bit. Only trouble was no cooling water exiting the exhaust. Thinking it might be a blockage in the inlet I unscrewed the top of the filter only for fumble fingers to drop it into the bilge – whoops. Now the bilge is deep and dark – no chance of fishing it out. As a temporary measure a wooden bung was used and I kept the engine cover off to keep my eye on it.
All the tacking had slowed us down so by now the tide had turned so it was slow progress and it was gone midnight when I anchored at the Small Downs. Getting into the anchorage in the dark was made less stressful as I had a track in the plotter from a previous visit.

2nd -3rd June Small Downs to Newhaven 86 miles 25 hours
No need for a very early start, weighed anchor and made sail with a gentle NW wind.
Some time later was passing Dover and the wind was increasing so a reef put in the main and some yankee furled. By late afternoon we were past Dungeness. A long slow night passage followed, many long tacks and a bumpy sea making it impossible to cook. By dawn we passed the red buoy Royal Sovreign and then later past Beachy Head. I had to wait to enter Newhaven for a ferry to exit. The visitors pontoon was full but a marina staff directed me to a vacant finger berth. I was shattered and after making secure retired to my bunk.

Newhaven
The weather was unsettled for a few days with SW 4-6. It gave me the opportunity to recover. I also managed to locate and fish out the screw top of the water inlet from the bilges. Determined to not lose it in the bilges again I drilled a hole through one of the tops “ears”, fixed a loop through this with seizing wire and then could keep it on a leash.

 

Hope Inn Newhaven

Hope Inn Newhaven

8th June Newhaven to Osborne Bay 61 miles 17 hours
An improving forecast allowed me to get away from Newhaven. The weather still was not ideal, visibility a little murky so my plan was to take the outer route around Outer Owens. Entering the Solent I crossed the deep water channel and then followed the island shore to enter and anchor at Osbourne Bay. My first visit here and slightly fooled by the flatness of the bays bed, and in the dark my first attempt left me too far out, too near the channel. But easily rectified by creeping closer in.

9th June Osborne Bay to Studland Bay 24 miles 6 hrs
Weighed anchor and off to Yarmouth. I needed to refuel and I must say I found the fuel berth at Yarmouth very easy to use. Then off to Hurst Castle and take the North Channel out of the Solent. Into Studland bay, my first visit here. For some reason I struggled to pick up a mooring buoy, it is not as if I don’t get enough practice with my own mooring.

10th June Studland to Portland 23 miles 7hrs 30 mins
Had a SW of 20 to 25 knots so 2 reefs in main and a partly furled Yankee. First tack well to the south of St Albans Head to clear the overfalls. By the afternoon was wind was easing so gradually shook out the reefs and then a couple of miles of the entrance to Portland harbour with ever decreasing wind and being headed I started the engine, entered Portland harbour and anchored. I was hailed by another fellow entrant who recognised my boat name from the entrants list. We had a bit of a gam about strategy for rounding the Bill. He had tried that morning but turned back. He was going to leave that night to try again

11th Portland to Plymouth 76 miles 19 hours
A reasonable forecast at last, variable 3 becoming E 4-6 later.
I had planed to head out for the East Shambles before heading for the bill. However condition were very benign and suddenly there were hoards of boats heading out and I went for W Shambles instead. It was indeed very calm and just spoilt by a nasty fog bank which reduced visibility for a nervous time.
Fortunately it soon cleared and the Bill rounded in near perfect conditions. There were 20 other sails in sight.
I decided to make use of the forecast Easterlies and make it a long haul to Plymouth direct rather than call in at Brixham, anyway the anchorage there would not be good in an Easterly. The wind was very variable for the passage so I at times I resorted to the engine. My course took me way off shore so it was not until late eve that I had sight of a hazy coastline.
Shortly before passing Start Point light I had the company of a dolphin pod, always a delight.
Much later the wind did indeed blow strong and rain arrived too. After the Mewstone I handed the sails and ran up the eastern channel to finally anchor in Jennycliff Bay with some relief at about 4 in the morning.

12th June Plymouth
The rain continued through the morning but around 1.30 it had stopped and the wind eased so I upped anchor and went into Mayflower marina, the meeting up point for the Jesters.

Refreshment in Plymouth

Refreshment in Plymouth

13th – 14th June
Reprovisioned the boat, did some washing, organised charts for the next leg and attended the skippers briefing and dinner.

15th June Start of Jesters Plymouth to Newlyn
I left the marina around 11 to be ready for the Jesters Start off the breakwater at 12. Good to see so many- 25 small boats setting off together.
It was blowing about 18 knots from SW so I had 1 reef in the main, it felt about right. With this wind direction I knew it would be hard tacking to make progress westwards.
Later that afternoon the Eddystone light and Hands Deep cardinal were off to port. Later that evening the winds fell light and by nightfall and time to switch on the navigation lights there was barely any wind. I could just see the loom of the Lizard light way off the starboard bow.
The night was worrying, no wind, no steerage way, the sails slatting about. I was almost far enough out to be in the shipping lane off the Lizard. I could see the lights of several ships not very far off but there was little I could do about it. Jester rules, such as they are, preclude use of engine except in an emergency, so a sleepless and worrying night.
Dawn came with little change, not even past the Lizard yet and the plotter showed I had been going backwards with the tide. The forecast was not optimistic. A big blocking high was sat over the Scilly Isles so very little likelihood of much wind.
Around 1pm with no progress for 12 or more hours and little prospect of wind I decided to abandon.
I was not alone, after the event I discovered that of the 25 starters from Plymouth 12 had also given up and some of the finishers had used their engines at some point.

 

track off lizard

track off lizard

Back afloat

May 27, 2025

Misty morning at Pin Mill

Misty morning at Pin Mill

Sea Bear was back in the water by late April so I drove down to the boatyard with the inflatable. My rigid tender, the cub was being repainted.  I had not been able to do so earlier because of the cold wet weather. First thing off coarse at the yard was to inflate the dinghy but horror on horror I had the pump and the hose but not the fitting to connect to the valves. Much cursing of myself for not checking. There was not many people about but I walked up to the yard where some folks were working on their boats. good fortune and the first  asked said they had a pump they would lend but didn’t know if the fitting was the correct one. Bur yes it was so the dinghy successfully inflated and pump returned with many thanks.

 Later I was alongside Sea Bear on her mooring and all gear transfered aboard. All was fine and it felt good to be back.

 The following morning I had a few  fitting out jobs to finish off, including refitting the jack stays and the new running back stays. This meant a trip up the mast, but with a calm, the chop of yesterday had gone so no problem there. I tied to start the engine but it wouldn’t – strange as it had always been a good starter. Then I remembered I had filled new fuel filter and even noted in my work book that the engine would need the fuel system bleeding. That soon done the engine was up and running.

Later I motored down river and once at Felixstowe could sail out towards Red Rocks turned around a little short and headed back, a gentle easy sail with light winds.

This time at the boat we didn’t go very far. With a high pressure system stuck just to the NE of UK, most of the country had sun and warmth but on the East coast yes we had the sunshine but also  cold E NE winds mostly very light and long calms. I didn’t fancy having to motor to go anywhere so stayed local. I did visit Hampton water for an overnight and also anchored up the Stour. But the forecast was for strengthening NE’s, not my favoured winds  so I returned home

Some sailing in August

Aug 20, 2024

I drove down to Pin mIll in the afternoon and after prepping and launching the dinghy I had a welcome half pint of Mosiac at the Butt and Oyster before rowing out to Sea Bear and boarding early eve. Time for a cuppa and cook some tea. It had been and hot and sunny day but it clouded over later and there where was a few spots of rain

Some more rain overnight but it had cleared by morning which I spent swabbing down the cockpit and decks to clear the bird droppings. Midday saw me making sail and running down the river with a very light breeze. In long reach we were becalmed so on with the engine after a while, Breeze back by Collimer so tacked down to the Orwell bouy and there turned around and ran back up the river under a 10k SE and so back to the mooring.

Next day was sunny but with a strong SW, about F6. Somehow I didn’t fancy battling the wind so pottered about the boat tidying and sorting. Always worth delving into the deepest depths of the lockers to refresh the memory of what and where you have aboard. I know some do this with lists.

In the night there was strong winds and rain with the wind veering to the NW. By morning it had eased so slipped the mooring, We ran down to Collimer where the wind deserted us. Motored out towards Harwich Shelf, wind returned  and  now with main, yankee and staysail set headed out past the Pitching Ground. Here I turned around, back in past Harwich and turned up the Stour. Here I  anchored in Copperas Bay opposite the wood in about 5 m. I love this spot to anchor, wooded and peaceful and compared to the Orwell very little traffic.

In the night I heard some splashing, venturing on deck there was a seal in the dinghy. Damm that means it will be swamped in the morning. That dawned sunny and windless. Amazing how many buckets of water the dinghy holds and hard work lowering the bucket on a rope, hoisting and emptying.  Once the water level is some way down I could carefully lower myself into the dinghy and finishing bailing out, but still half full of water it is pretty unstable and would be so easy to dip a gunwale under.

It was calm, hot and sunny all day, there was a little breeze late afternoon for a while but decided to stay put. I wasn’t in the mood for motoring.That evening, not fancying a return visit of the seal I hoisted the cub out of the water and set it on deck. Not too hard a task using the main halyard and the mast mounted winch. Actually it is another point in favour of having the the main hoist at the mast rather than led into the cockpit so it can be used for tasks such as this.

With a light breeze the next day I set sail, slow progress down past Harwich and out towards Medussa. Somewhat sort of this we were becalmed so I turned around and headed for home. It was a mixture of motoring, motorsailing, and some sailing with many tacks eventually saw us back up the Orwell and on the mooring.

The cub hoisted on deck

The cub hoisted on deck

A trip to the Roach

Aug 1, 2024

Up early to catch the ebb and motored off down the river, no wind at first but the boat felt livelier after the scrub. Hoisted the main by Orwell buoy and by Harwich Shelf we had yankee and staysail set and  the engine was off. By and by we were past Walton pier, out to the Wallet buoys and our first tack of the day. The sun was out the winds light, all very pleasant and the tide about to turn in my favour. Sometime later just short of the Spitway the wind died so back to motoring but not for long, crossing the Spitway the wind returned and more strongly 17 to 18 knots. Somehow I let my attention slip, no excuse really but it was windy and bouncy, I should have put a reef in, slowed things down, took more care. I  missed the turn down to the Whitaker and found myself by Maplin entrance, oops. Mistake rectified by a little backtracking and off down the Whitaker channel. This was hard going hard on the wind and had to pinch at times to keep in the channel. Eventually we were in the Crouch and then I turned into the Roach and dropped anchor in Quay reach. 44 nmiles and 10 hours.

Quay reach anchorage R Roach

Quay reach anchorage R Roach

Perhaps not surprisingly next day I felt tired. I had a late breakfast of bacon and eggs and then fell asleep in the cockpit. A sign to take it easy so I did remaining at anchor all day. Next day dawned sunny and fine again but little wind so I motored up the river to Paglesham. Here I picked up a vacant mooring, inflated the dinghy and rowed ashore by Shuttlewood’s boatyard. The old black timber shed is now gone, damaged beyond repair by winters gales. A walk along an unmade lane soon took me the fine old weatherboarded pub of the Plough and Sail. Very pleasant to sit in the sun and sample some good ale, Wallasea Wench brewed by George’s was particularly fine as was Malden Gold from the Mighty Oak Brewery. The inner man satisfied I returned to the boat to enjoy the peace and serenity of this spot up the river.

Plough & Sail

Plough & Sail

The following day back down the Roach and I turned up the Crouch running under just the yankee. The Crouch was almost eerily quiet, hardly any boats moving and so many vacant mooring buoys opposite Burnham. I ran up as far as Cliff Foot where I anchored awhile deciding to proceed no further. Later I returned to the Roach and anchored in Quay reach, this time across the other side as the wind was from the NE.

Sod’s law of course meant that the wind had switched to the NE for my journey back up the Whitaker. I left early and at hour there was just a breath of wind so motoring with it on the nose was not so bad.  Passing Whitaker no5 I headed over to the Swallowtail and followed this up to the Spitway. The wind had gradually built to about 12 – 15 knots so at last I could sail.  Abeam wind across the Spitway then tacking up the Wallet, at least it is wide so long tacks. By Stone Banks the wind had increased to 17- 20 knots. Closing in on Felixstowe I dowsed the staysail, partly for control, partly for better visibility forward in these crowded waters. One of the benefits of the yankee is its high cut foot  much easier to see under than a genoa. The wind past the docks is always fickle and suddenly it went from 20 knots to none. On with the engine but then there was the shriek of the water alarm from the engine so I stopped the engine. Fortunately or well timed arrival meant a flood tide up the river so after it carried us pass the Orwell Buoy I headed towards the bank and dropped the anchor. I quick prod cleared any blockage in the water inlet but I thought to check the impellor whilst at it and yes cracks in the vanes so I replaced that with my last spare. I sailed back to the mooring just using the engine for the last  manoeuvre to pick up the mooring. Put the boat to bed and next morning rowed ashore and went home.

A scrub for Sea Bear

Jul 25, 2024

Sea Bear on scubbing posts

Sea Bear on scubbing posts

An early morning drive followed by a row out in the cub took me out to the boat. Fouling seemed particularly bad this year and Sea Bear had  been very sluggish on the last trip. I thought it was time for a bottom scrub. I had originally planed to do this via a swim but  two things persuaded me against the idea. Firstly the water was quite choppy in the afternoon and past experience had showed me this made the task difficult and unpleasant or should I say even more difficult and unpleasant.  Secondly the water in the Orwell is so murky that you cannot see what you are doing. Ok only thing then  was to utilise the scrubbing post on Pin Mill hard. Accordingly just before high water next day find me manoeuvering alongside the posts and making secure, a tricky business single handed but we managed. Then come the nervous wait for the tide to ebb, adjusting the lines and ensuring that the boat sits upright on her keel, ideally with a very slight lean into the posts. As soon as the water was low enough, on with the wet suit and overboard to start the scrub. It is best to have water to brush off as you scrub still it is a bit of a race  to get it all down before you are left high and dry. Surprisingly the weed wasn’t too bad but there were lots of small barnacles and the prop was very badly fouled with barnacles and growth. Looked liked the antifoul hadn’t worked on that at all. Job done time, for tea and dinner and then a little nap waiting for the tide to return. It was around 3.15 am when we were afloat again, time to free the boat for its multitude of securing lines and motor  back out the mooring. It was a very dark night so great care needed to avoid all the other moored boats and spot the pick up buoy. I always prefer to do this without a torch which I find spoils one’s night vision but it does make it tricky. Safely done and so to bed.