Watch out in Feb for my photos of India and riding a 500cc Royal Enfield through a Tiger reserve, there is always something else to do......

Whilst I was sailing round the Uk there was another character doing it in a bit more challenging way, and via a lot more uncomfortable form of transport. have a look at http://www.clockwisekayak.com/. I've mentioned this guy before somewhere and I finally met him at his slideshow of his trip.  It was interesting to hear him talk about things I could relate to:-

The general nature of the CG weather forecasts - better to use other sources such as XC weather;
The feeling when you get back - this was work for a few months and a routine, settling down again isn't easy.  I don't know what John's next adventure is but mine is Motorcycling round Rajasthan next Feb 2013.

Well done John, never mind what the RNLI or anyone else says keep going for it.

Westerly Storm OD For Sale £36k ono

layout

saloon

galley

galley view aft

heads

saloon aft

saloon

saloon table

aft cabin view forward

Additional Specs, Equipment and Information: Boat Name Buffer Dimensions LOA: 33 ft 2 in Beam: 11 ft 7 in LWL: 27 ft 0 in Maximum Draft: 5 ft 6 in Engines Engine Brand: Volvo – rebuilt 2012 Engine(s) Total Power: 18 HP Engine Model: 2002 series Engine Type: Inboard Drive Type: Direct Drive Propeller: Folding propeller Cruising Speed: 5 knots Rope Cutter Accommodation Number of single berths: 2 Number of double berths: 2 Number of cabins: 2 Number of heads: 1 Electronics Raymarine  Depthsounder Raymarine Wind Instrument – with new masthead transducer fitted 2012 Raymarine Log-speedometer Raymarine Plotter A70 with integrated AIS Autopilot X 2 Compass x2 Garmin GPS – reconditioned and updated 2012 VHF CD player Navtex Easy 2012 Sails Battened mainsail – serviced 2012 Furling genoa serviced and new UV strip 2012 Storm jib serviced 2012 Spinnaker and gear Rigging Tiller Inside Equipment Manual bilge pump Electric Bilge pump Electrical Equipment Electrical Circuit: 12V 240 volt mains with battery charger Outside Equipment/Extras Teak cockpit Wind generator Vetus Anchor winch -2010 Sailomatic wind vane steering

Specification CONSTRUCTION GRP hull and deck (original gel coat) Lloyds cert Non slip paint on deck Cast iron fin keel Spade rudder stainless steel stock and tiller steering Teak rubbing strake Survey from 2010 available on request MECHANICAL Volvo Penta 2002 series 18HP 2 cylinder diesel engine – top end rebuild 2012 + new starter motor; rebuilt alternator, new exhaust elbow, new ignition key switch, quick release impeller, new fuses and solenoid Shaft drive to Gori 2 bladed folding propeller + spare fixed 2 blade prop Rope cutter fitted to shaft ELECTRICAL  Volvo 12V electrical system with 2 x Marine 12V batteries & isolator switches ( Switch new 2012) 240V shore power system with battery charger Rutland 913 Wind generator Marelec HRDX charge controller (wind gen) 2 x battery voltmeters 3 x 12V charger sockets (cigarette lighter type) 240V sockets SPARS & RIGGING Silver anodized Kemp mast and boom Masthead rigged – standing rigging replaced 2000 – inspected 2012 – emergency forestay added. Stackpack and lazyjacks ( Serviced and re stitched 2012) Rotostay furling system for genoa – new furling line and halyard diverter 2012 Strut type vang/ kicker 2 x self tailing Barlow genoa winches 2 x Barlow halyard winches Running rigging has been replaced as and when required 2 x new genoa sheets,, 3 new halyards plus dyneema and wire emergency forestay. Spinnaker pole and gear SAILS 2x  Mainsail with sliders ( one excellent, one worn but serviceable) Furling genoa with new UV strip ,plus  Jib with new UV strip ( both furl) Storm jib No. 2 genoa requires new UV strip but serviceable No. 3 genoa -serviceable DECK EQUIPMENT Double roller stem head fitting Vetus electric anchor windlass recently fitted Draining chain locker in forepeak with access from forward cabin 35lb CQR anchor with 60 meters of 8mm chain Fortress anchor with 10m chain and 50m rope NAVIGATIONAL EQUIPMENT Twin Plastimo bulkhead steering compasses Standard Horizon DSC VHF radio with cockpit speaker ( second non DSC VHF fitted in cockpit locker on separate stern mounted aerial) Raymarine A70 chart plotter – cockpit mounted (removable) with all uk charts Raymarine depth sounder – cockpit Raymarine speed/ log – cockpit Raymarine wind speed and direction – cockpit Garmin 152 GPS – chart table Simrad TP32 Autopilot Simrad TP10 Autopilot AIS engine linked to plotter (new 2012) H20 Lowerance hand held plotter with charts of UK and West Med. Navtex Easy.( New 2012) DOMESTIC Hot and cold pressurized water system – new pump 2012 Eberspacher diesel cabin heating ACCOMMODATION All upholstery renewed 2012 Headliner in good condition 6’1” headroom Aft cabin – good sized aft cabin to port aft with hanging locker Heads – to starboard aft with shower, sink & sea toilet Chart table - to starboard with seat and switch panel L shaped galley to port with fridge, sink, 2 burner cooker with oven and grill Main saloon – plenty of stowage lockers, 2 x settee berths, folding table with central stowage Forward cabin – sail stowage & water tans below 2 x V berths with infill, sink, locker. Note- wood work is in very good order, including floorboards.  Some marks bottom of companion way INVENTORY Kenwood CD / stereo Sprayhood and dodgers – very good condition – strengthened 2012 Outboard bracket in cockpit 2.6m dinghy with 5HP Mercury outboard Warps and fenders Teak cockpit table Teak cockpit gratings 2x Gas bottle Winch handles Boat hook x 3 (2 special buoy pick up hooks for singlehanded use) Adjustable storage Cradle ( can be dismantled for transporting) Winter cockpit cover 4 man Plastimo liferaft (2003) serviced 2012 in test until 04/2015 Fire blanket 3 x fire extinguishers (serviced 2012) Radar reflector Throwing line Lifering with cover and beacon Danbuoy Henderson manual bilge pump EPIRB Offshore flare pack new 2011 Also 10 metres of mooring chain and four anchor/mooring angels Fender Board Four life jackets (gas) good condition with harness Webbing Jackstays – fitted 2012 Crockery etc. Davies Plastic Sextant Plastimo hand bearing compass Various engine spares. Spare fuel cans 8 fenders Danbuoy and horseshoe with light. Emergency throwing line Anchor ball and Motoring cone COMMENTS The Storm has always been a popular Westerly model with 130 boats built between 1986 and 1989 and around 40 more built until production ceased in 1993. A fast boat that is suitable for cruising, club racing or shorthanded sailing, the Storm is a very versatile boat with good accommodation and plenty of stowage space. “Buffer” is a well equipped example of this model  and is in very good condition for her year, This boat was purchased and updated by her current owner for a specific cruise for charity round the UK. Completed Aug 2012) This included significant work on the engine. The boat would  be suitable for a first time buyer or inexperienced sailor but is also set up for singlehanded or shorhanded sailing.

Total sponsorship is £520 . Thanks to everyone. If I haven't named these people already:-
Scarboro harbour staff;
Handel Phillips
James Castle;
Shotley Marina
Dover marina
Oliver Carpenter
East Bourne marina
Bill and Cath from Testarosa
Freddie and Linda
Jim and Erlys
Malcolm Morling - great mechanic lives on a boat in Haslar marina

\The boat goes to Dickies of Bangor on Monday to be lifted out and put on brokerage. I am now looking for something else to play with and do somethibg silly

This is the best I can do to show the route and stops clockwise around the UK. I am not a techie so couldn't work out how to put in the detour down the Caledonia Canal and some of the corners are a bit trimmed down but , with all the tacking backwards and forwards in the headwinds it works out at just over 2600n/miles.

Many thanks to Ann and Nef Roberts for the cheque - I'll put it on the Just Giving site when I've totalled up all the rest.
Also thanks to Dave Dawson and the other "inmates" of the Cross Foxes at Nannerch for their donation.
Also Hafan Marina Pwhelli for their support and generosity.

Leaving Holyhead I had a great leasurely sail back to Conwy. helen had arranged to pick me up around 6pm which gave me time to tidy the boat and have a drink in the Mulberry. It was also nice to see John Day who took this final photo. It was John ( and Malc Armstrong) who saw us off on 20th April.
Its been approx 2600 miles  of which from Eastbourne to Conwy have been singlehanded. Add in the three Munros; some Coast Path walking ; and a bit of cycling. It was a great experience. many thanks to all that supported me - there's another £150 to go in the Sponsorship I'll mention all the names later ( They're on the boat and I am now at Home again.

Holyhead was a short stop but I was please to be able to put Buffer alongside GMC Oakmere the sail training boat I used to skipper - this was a case of Little and Large

Bardsey with the mist rolling in from the sea....

The trip up from Milford wasn't going to be straight to North Wales but to Fishguard. Having left Dale early and negotiated my way round the Bishop Rocks I decided to go for it and to miss out Fishguard. This gave me an estaimated time of arrival in Abersoch as being around 3.00am but we were going well and it was a nice day.  I actually got the anchor  down at 1.00am but was glad to get into bed. The trip up was accompanied by much loud music and many dolphines - probably one of the best days.

The next day I went into Pwhelli for a proper rest and met Helen for a fish and chip dinner  - I know how to treat a girl.  Helen actually stayed the night and slept well but wouldn't accompany me on to Holyhead. Itw as great to see her.

I set off from Pwhelli a little later than I'd planned - Pwhelli has a shallow entrance and I'd planned to push the mud to get out early for the tide North as I still had 58 mile to go and the winds were very light.
As I got out to Bardsey I saw the mist rolling round the island and it gradually disappeared from view. The next ten hours were spent crawling along in thick fog  - straining to hear noises of other vessels and keenly watching the plotters for contacts.  My thanks to the pilot of the Diving vessel Protector - it just missed me! I'd seen it on the plotter and tried to call it a number of times as it was on a converging course . It was doing 14knots and I was doing 3knots. It was also the give way vessel. Protector totally ignored me and I had to  take what avoiding action I could.  I never saw the vessel properly but heard it and felt its wash as it steamed past me across my bows - still at 14knots. I'd like to think it did know I was there but somehow doubt it.

The next vessel to emerge from the mist was a ferry - we both knew we were in close proximity and the ferry moved over a bit for me but it was still spooky seeing it come through the mist.

I was glad when the mist lifted just as I was approaching Holyhead breakwater. I was then pleased to get along side for some hot food and a drink - I was soaked from the fog.

More dolphines near Milford.

 Dale

 Skokholm. Bird Sanctury

As the trip up to North Wales is a fair way I'd decided to call in at Milford for a short stop for a sleep and so I could cook a reasonable meal. Milford is the best harbour for refuge I can think of as there is always a corner to provide a yacht with a quiet spot. I know its industrialised with the terminals but its still a great place

Once the weather had cleared I headed for Milford Haven. Winds were light to start with and then went to the North ( typically on the nose again.) It was a long day which started at 7.00 am and finished at anchor in Dale  - Milford  at 10pm.  The trip across the Bristol Channel was in Good weather and I saw loads of Dolphins, a basking shark and loads of birds

After Landsend I went to Padstow where I stayed for five days due to the weather. It was time well spent as I met new friends and had a chance to hire a bike and ride the camel Trail up to Bodmin.  I also had chance to call in at Rick Steins for a meal.  Padstow has a few Rick Steins outlets and the town has developed into a harbour surrounded by food and drink outlets. Its a nice place and is successfully "busy".

Can't say I was impressed by Steins meal. I appreciate his arguement that we should value good food - and I do- but costs were very high for food that wasn't that impressive.
Thanks to Freddie, Linda , Jim and Erlys for taking me under their wing. Great sailors from South Wales

Over the next few days I'll fill out the blog with what happened in the last week of Buffer's trip. But the main thing to say is that at 14.55hrs today Buffer crossed her outward track and completed her circumnavigation of the mainland of  the Uk. She is now in Conwy and I am at home. Plenty to say and lots of photos to add + donations to acknowledge.  Many thanks to those that have supported this trip ...monies will go to Hope House Childrens Hospice.

Landsend getting nearer

After Salcombe and Falmouth I moved onto Penzance instead of Newlyn . they are actually next door to each other and both give a good starting point to get round Landsend.  This bit of sea is full of rocks and strong currents. To hit the tides right to get me round the last corner before home it meant an early start. I set off at 3.30 am and had to get the gate keeper of the marina to open the exit for me. I then had a long and lumpy sail round to Padstow. I did try to get as near in a possible to see the Landsend Hotel and hope the photos in the next post do this leg justice.
Padstow is a really nice place - again a bit difficult to get into as the channel dries out to virtually nothing.  Another advantage was the opportunity to try Rick Steins restaurant.  Bit naive of me as there is the Rick Stein cafe; the Rick Stein Deli; the Rick Stein Fish shop etc etc.  I managed to get into the main restaurant and had a meal which was a little underwhelming and enormously priced. But then Mr Stein says we need to pay more for quality!! I will not be going back.

 Bill from Conwy in Salcombe

 Catherine

 Falmouth

 Eddystone lighthouse from seaward ( on a calm day)

 HMS Bulwark

 Plus Helicopter

 Portland Bill - close in!

Salcombe
Sorry they're not all in order but you get the drift of the week.  The only down side is the lack of company on board  - I've read most of the books and the CD collection is now wearing out.  Never mind great week over all - now off to see the sights of falmouth