Ahhh, the excited anticipation together with a certain amount of trepidation was what occupied my thoughts when I awoke this morning. It wasn’t raining and it was time to set sail for the first time since buying the tug. What could be better!!
Bit windy but it’ll be fine. The forecast said as much so let’s go. Clear the bridge and make way for Gianti. All good so far as we motor out of the harbour past the 4 naval patrol boats that have lined the harbour wall to see us off. Oh bugger, Sarah, quick put the ensign out.
We’ll get out a bit then start getting the sails up. Helmsmanwoman, steer a course into the wind and I’ll try and hoist the mainsail. Damn this is hard work, only another 90% until fully hoisted. Sa, Sar, Sarah, how much further? Please say it’s nearly there. Nope, no where near, you have a reef in. I best take 5 minutes to recover, just keep steering into the wind.
Right then, headsail next. Let’s start to unfurl, whoa its set itself and its flapping like mad. “Sarah, wind it in a bit”, “ay”, “I said wind it in, there’s too much out”, “I can’t hear you”. Well with little fuss we quickly brought everything under control, without so much as a Paddington stare between us.
At this point a small patrol vessel rocked up alongside and requested us to switch to channel 8 on the VHF radio. We were heading into the live firing zone and guess what, today of all days they’d decided to do some firing! “Alter your course to 1300 for 7 miles then change course to blah blah blah” By this stage I’d glazed over and decided it was all too much like hard work. We acknowledged the message, altered course as requested then, when they were gone, turned in the opposite direction. Not into the firing range, no back towards the sanctuary of Weymouth harbour. A little later we heard them hailing their control and confirming that Gianti seemed to have chickened out. Damn right we did, it was all too much like hard work.
Let’s get home and we can get the 12:00 bridge lift. Well we arrived at one minute past 12 and sure enough the bridge keeper decided not to keep it open. Only two more hours to wait then.
It’ll all be better next time!!
Captain Mac
Our Big Boaty Adventure 
It’s a good job they didn’t spot that torpedo launcher you have just installed under the keal they would have been well scared man 😜
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A reef? Get over yourselves. Get the spinnaker up and see if you can dodge the bullets next time, that’ll soon hone your sailing skills. Did I tell you about the time I capsized in front of a nuclear submarine? Well, make yourselves comfortable…
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