Ta ta Scotland

I've learnt recently that I'm leaving.  I heard people on board saying that my new owners are going to move me to Cowes, apparently it's slightly warmer most of the time and probably drier too.

Not only will I look forward to that, but that I'll have company, often.  Rather than watching others come & go with their owners on board, mine will not be far away and I can visit places new to me most weekends !  A passage plan has been drawn up and is currently being worked through to finalise as much detail as is possible, but already I'm excited.

I leave my home for the past 4 years and pass all the familiar islands down the Clyde and push on to Belfast, well Bangor actually
just upstream enabling my crew to visit whilst I take a rest.  Then when they’ve had their fill of the culture, I’m heading to Douglas on the Isle of Man and looking forward to showing off in the harbour there.  Apparently there’s a bridge which will have to be lifted to let me in !

From there I’m to head to another city in Ireland, Dublin, well again just outside in a marina called Dun Laoghaire, but close enough to catch the fast transport directly into town.  In here I have two days to rest and will be prepared for yet more travel south, hope I have enough sun cream !  Apparently there’s a crew change, two are returning to their homes and I’m to take on board four more.  I’m to hug the east coast just passed Wexford to Kilmore Quay in a quieter spot away from the Holyhead to Rosslare ferry’s and the traffic separation zone close by.  Don’t think I’ve ever seen one of those !

From here there’s a long, well for me, 28-30 hour crossing of the Celtic Sea, taking me round Lands End to Penzance.  My knowledge of this place is where pirates came from, I heard in the news they’ve since moved now thank goodness.  From here I’m to go to Plymouth Weymouth and then to my new home at Cowes.  Two whole weeks of exploring, I’m so looking forward to this !

Enterprise

Is a J class yacht, designed by Starling Burgess for Harold S Vanederbilt in 1930, to successfully defend the America's cup.  The hull was double skinned, and she had a duralimun mast 16'2" long and made with about 80,000-100,000 rivets.  One crew member's job was to keep the mast repaired.  The mast weighed 4,000lbs.  These boats were very expensive and carried huge crews