17/07/2009
Day 12 this is a big day for me as a personal achievement in my own mind as we as a team had been discussing cutting across the Caledonian Canal to make up some time, but the plan in my mind has always been to cover the top of Scotland, i had all readymade one compromise by running up the Menai Straights as we sat at the entrance i asked Pat if he was going round but his decision was to cut up the Menai Straights and as a team i respected his decision, but this has played on my mind ever since, so the option of cutting out the top of Scotland for me was never going to be.
VIEW OF CAPE WRATH
After been bitten to death by fly’s while packing up camp in the morning all i wanted to do was to get on the boat and get moving, we got away to Loch Alsh and started to get prepared, Pat gave Sunny a run down on the boat and equipment and most likely a quick note on me also and my determination. We looked to have a good window of weather to get moving but with Northerly winds it was never going to be a easy run and the mind was playing games with the thoughts of Cape Wrath, we headed out and everything was good until the turn into the wind and then we had just another 98miles of wind and waves, for anyone that races if you can imagine a average day at Watergate Bay with short period 3 to 4 foot waves and you are heading into this for what was 9 hours nonstop, at one point i did think what the hell am i doing but this whole thing is a mind game you have to control your senses to overcome the pain – fatigue – fear and emotion that build as the days go on. As i have said before anyone thinking of attempting this kind of thing, think long and hard and make sure you are mentally ready as well as physically.
SUNNY HEADING ROUND CAPE WRATH
Sunny and i were about 25 miles off Cape Wrath in heavy swell blowing 4 to 5 going through as many waves as over, when as protected as it could be the satellite navigation tripped out, this was just another thing on my mind but knowing we were to be landing in Durness which was as I remember from the last time i called in to the Coast Guard on the navigation screen approx 6 miles east of Cape Wrath, on our routine call to the coast guard at the point of rounding the lighthouse at Cape Wrath I informed Aberdeen that we had lost the navigation and they told me that on the entrance to Durness the land crew would be on the first beach bellow the camp site, sounds easy but believe me the coast line looks very different from the other side, for me personally to turn east at the top was a just a mind blowing experience, I know all of my family are behind me 100% even if they think there dad is a little mad, in things he gets up to but there is not a moment goes by that I don’t think about all of them and it is a great driving force for me.
We had a breather and called in to Aberdeen Coast Guard to give them a estimated position, they have to be along with all of the other Coast Guard members a fantastic team as to put up with a bunch of amateurs like us must take some patience but I would like to say a Great Thanks To All of you as all of this would not be possible without you willing help, and i would think on the other side we are probably keeping some of you amused with some of our conversations, I have so much on my mind I sometimes forget where I am going Aberdeen will have had a laugh at this I am sure.
Aberdeen Coast Guard guided us in to the correct beach with great clear instructions Thanks to all of you there from all of us.
We landed on the beach to be met as always by Mike and Phill, Pat came running down the beach to meet me with a big hug and hand shake, he would have been best pleased to be on land today as the 9 hour beating has taken the wind out of our sails, Sunny is suffering a little with a sore back I am a little fatigued but nothing a good night’s sleep won’t cure.
Just to keep us on our toes Mike informed us that due to pending weather tomorrow we needed to move the boats off the beach and get them another 5 miles further round to the only safe harbour for 60 miles and we only had 30 min to get there as the tide was running and the harbour dries, Charles the harbour owner had kindly given us permission to use his facility and while there he gave us a quick tour of the tanks, full of shell fish.
We got our boats tied up and then as a celebration for hitting the top and turning East we asked Charles if he could suggest a cheap B&B, a deal was done and to top it all Mike kindly offered to buy the celebratory Dinner a great sea food restaurant so we were really been spoilt after a hard day, many thanks to Andrew and Gillian Marsham at the Caberfeidh Guest House in Durness.
Tomorrow is to sort out the niggling cutting out of Zapcat 2 and to have a look at the sat-nav situation Phill and Sunny are as i am writing, down with the boats getting things sorted we suspect the cutting out to be a float problem in the carbs as this has happened before on our race engines I will try to get some more photos up on the web later today. Next stop Wick and you could say its downhill from here on but i suspect the North Sea will hold some surprises for us !