SEA BEAR

 

A sailing blog about a skipper and his yacht

July sailing

Jul 30, 2025

Fri 18th July

An old friend from way back who now lives in Australia was over so we agreed to meet up and go down to the boat for a few days. It would be nice to have some company instead of solo sailing.

 Arriving at Pin Mill in the  early eve we had a pint at the Butt & Oyster before heading out to the boat. Early morning saw us slipping the mooring and with a little breeze motoring down the Orwell. Out past Cliff Foot Buoy and all sail set and a gentle sail took up past Walton pier and down the Wallet to eventually enter the Colne. The recurring intermittent problem of no cooling water emerging from the engine on start up reared its ugly head again. We anchored under a slip of sail and then bare poles in the mouth of Pyefleet. An investigation revealed no faults, no blockages, impeller fine so all a bit baffling.

Sat

 Lots of rain overnight with some thunder and lightning, the forecast wasn’t great, unsettled wether and next morning was dreary with rain showers and heavy clouds so we stayed put for the day,

Sun

An overcast morning with drizzle and forecast of 2-4 SE winds with showers,

Hopefully we weighed anchor and set off. By the Colne Bar buoy it was raining hard and blowing 20 knots. We crossed the Spitway and turned  down towards Maplin towards West Swin. With poor visibility it would not be just a case of buoy hopping. My mistake whether from laziness or thinking I knew the area well enough, had been not to draw up a proper passage plan with courses, bearings and distances all noted down. I normally do this in a notebook or on a white board with a chart pen. In these conditions consulting the chart and course setting with rain smeared glasses was challenging. I made a note to myself not to skip proper planning in future it is time and effort rarely wasted. Hard on the wind we found that we could not hold the course and would need to short tack down the channel. We had been on the go 3 & half hours – it was still raining hard – showers I didn’t think they lasted this long. Anyway with conditions like this we would not reach the Medway, which had been the objective, in time. That plus the unreliability of the engine cooling water, we gave it best and turned around. Later returning to Pyefleet the cooling water problem was there again. Puzzling and annoying.

Mon

Lets visit the Blackwater was the thought so weighing the anchor under sail we exited the Colne and turned up the Blackwater. Shortly the wind deserted us so after a while of aimless drifting it was on with the engine – cooling water ok  this time. We anchored just before the Stone sailing club moorings.

Tue

Weighed anchor and ran down towards Bench Head buoy under just the Yankee and so up the Wallet. We might have made marginally better speed by using the main earlier but with the wind dead astern it was more relaxing with just a foresail and so no risk if an unintentional gybe. By Walton Pier with then wind more abeam we hoisted main and staysail and we sailed as far as Harwich Shelf. Here the wind died so on with the engine, thankfully no water cooling problem and we turned up the Stour to anchor at Ewerton Bay. That turned out to be a popular spot that evening.

Weds

A calm day so we  motored to Halfpenny Pier where we filled up with water, having run out. This involved filling jerry cans ashore but with 3 cans and two of us didn’t take to long. Afterwards we went for a wander around, I had never used the pier before. There was not really much to find in the town, barely any shops but we had a nice coffee followed by a fish & chip lunch and managed to get some fresh milk. Even though it was fairly calm day the chop on the outside of the pier was notable and I was glad we were on the inside.

Late afternoon we slipped away and motored back to the mooring.

Thurs

Tidied up the boat and around HW dinghied ashore and headed home.

Return from Newlyn

Jul 30, 2025

Newlyn early morning

After deciding to abandon the Jester Challenge I headed for Newyln under engine. I have always enjoyed visiting here and I had half a mind to look up an old a friend living in Penzanze. I thought that later I could maybe continue to either Ireland later or the Scilly Isles. 

Arriving off Newlyn I discovered via VHF that the harbour was full so I anchored off. Several other boats had to settle for this option too.

17th June Newlyn to Falmouth 30 miles 7 hours

After a peaceful night I woke early. Reviewing my options in the light of the forecast I decided me to set off back homewards over the other alternatives. Visiting the Scillies was slightly tempting but not if I had to mmotor there. So I upped anchor and started to retrace my steps. With a slack tide and calm conditions I could pass close whilst rounding the Lizard. I hoped for some breeze but there was none so it was a long motor all the way. There was a strange ship anchored off the Manacles I couldn’t decide on its purpose. A bit of a toss up whether to stop at the Helford river or not but I continued to Falmouth. I thought I might anchor off St Mawes but it felt a bit crowded so went across to anchor at Carrick Roads

The Lizard

18th June Falmouth to Plymouth 32 miles 8 hours 

Awoke to a flat calm so it turned out to be another day of motoring. A warm and sunny day but with little to report. I anchored in Cawsand Bay.

 

19-20th June Plymouth to Portland 97 miles 34 hours 

Awaked to a bit of chop in the anchorage caused by  an easterly wind. All sail set and off sailing. Later in the morning the wind had picked up and with the wind direction and all decided I would make better progress motor sailings so I handed the staysail and furled the yankee. Later with a better slant on the wind which had eased a little I was sailing again. Much later by Berry Head I turned Eastwards having decided not to stop at Brixham in the NE winds. So started the long slow process of tacking across Lyme Bay. Sunset came and then the dawn. Mid morning and the wind was blowing 20 to 24 knots condition were not pleasant. Eventually I was by my waypoint 3 miles south of Portland Bill and I could turn towards the East Shambles buoy. The presence of the Shambles Bank was clearly marked  by all the breaking waves- it looked nasty. Rounding the buoy I could head for Portland and gratefully dropped the hook in the harbour around 5.30 pm. The entry in the log book says That was tough.

 

Portland to Studland Bay

 Prior to setting off I dipped the fuel tank, it was about a quarter full. So I went across the marina. Sods law struck as I approached the wind had been light but it decided to blow up strong and start raining too. Made coming alongside the fuel berth tricky with the wind blowing me off. Of course once fuelled the wind dropped and rain stopped and the sun came out. We had about 13knots of easterly exiting Portland harbour but not too bad a slant to make for St Albans Head and then a change of course for Old Harry. Closing in top Studland Bay it looked reasonably calm and there were plenty of boats here. The Forecast was promising a wind change to S and the SW so I took a mooring here. My original plan if the easterly persisted was to go to Poole harbour but I was pleased to be spared the extra distance. Yes the wind did shift as forecast so we had a reasonable night.

 

Studland Bay to Osborne Bay

The morning was sunny with a blustery w wind. By the time the tied were suitable in the afternoon the sun had disappeared but with a blistery Sw wind of 15 – 20 knots I ran under just the yankee towards the N Channel and through the narrows at Hurst point. Once through the rough water there it was much calmer in the Solent and I was soon in Osborne Bay to anchor. It was blowing hard here 25 knots or so but there was a couple of other boats at anchor.

 

23rd June Osborne Bay

After listening to the forecast which was  W-NW 5-6 occ 7 at first I decided to stay put. It was a little bumpy with the wind shift but liveable with.

 

24th-25th June Osborne Bay to  Dover 97 miles 24 hrs

Forecast was for SW 4-6 but veering NW 2-4 later.

Accordingly I decided to remain at anchor for the day and set off much later when the wind had calmed. Working out the tides I aimed to buck the tide as far as the Loo Channel and pick up a favourable tide here. It meant a departure around  11pm so that is what I did.

There were quite a few big ships about but by keeping to the edge of the channel I kept out of their way. I had to cross to the other side of the channel in the vicinity of Horse Sand Fort but kept a good lookout and just had the ferry to Portsmouth to contend with, I didn’t realise they ran all night.

The Boulder Bank buoys were located successfuly and it was becoming light as a traveled down the Loo channel. Mid morning and Beachy Head was abeam. I decided to take the inshore route past Eastbourne. Somewhere off Hastings it was foggy but it later cleared. Later rounding Dungeness there was a weather warning over the VHF of severe thunderstorms and heavy rain. Indeed soon behind me and to the S there was vey ominous dark clouds which were split  by jagged lightning flashes. Forewarned I donned waterproofs and prepared for the worse. We did have some rain but it eased off and stopped just before I entered Dover harbour. In the dark I had difficulty spotting the lettering of the pontoons in the marina  but eventually I found my allotted pontoon and a fellow sailor helped with my lines for which I was thankful. It was midnight, it had been a long day.

 

26th June

Stayed in Dover to let the bad weather pass through.

windfarm support ship

27th June 48 miles 12 hours

Dover to Pinmill

Away from the pontoon in the late morning and after clearance from Dover authority out through the East Entrance. Wind was SW 4-5 but reckoned to maybe increase to 6 later. Running under a reefed main and yankee, midday and we were past Ramsgate and early afternoon we entered Foulgers Gat and passed through the wind farm. Saw a big container ship heading south down the Black Deep but it was well passed when we crossed that and then the Sunk. We turned to follow the Kings Channel and up to cross Goldmer Gat. By now the wind was getting a little fiesty so a second reef put in the main shortly followed by the third. The wind was now 24 – 25 knots, fairly shallow across the Gat, about 5 m under the keel, the wind and waves had stirred up the bottom , the sea was the colour of sand. Later coming into Felixstow the wind had dropped. With approaching dark I had decided to anchor in the Orwell rather than proceed to the mooring. I had left the dinghy on the mooring and thought that maybe the dinghy rope and mooring strop might be all tangled up, it would be easier to pick up the mooring and sort it out in daylight rather then in the dark. So I anchored under sail and could have a welcome cuppa and late dinner.

 

28th June

Next morning in calm conditions a short motor took me up river to my mooring. There was no tangle to sort out, all well. I had time to tidy up and sort out before going  ashore around high water and heading for home. I had been away for almost a month.

The Jester Challenge

Jul 28, 2025

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 2014. 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.

jesters pennant

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.

Hope Inn Newhaven

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.

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.

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

pint of Proper Job at Jolly Jacks

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

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