GSC Forum

In the spirit of all things club style I thought I would add my trip report for a read. Please enjoy.

New to all this sailing in huge tidal water we arrived after two previous weekends being cancelled. However with weather reports of 20kn winds we had decided enough was enough and we in Little Hog would be going. Advice warmly received from the various members and read on to see if you were right.

0900hrs we are launched quickly and smoothly with the new tractor, Thanks to the launch crew it was effortless with a final farewell from Mick. Grey Eagle had already been launched. We shouted ahoy and exchanged greetings etc and began the trip. The two of us in 18 footers.

Sails up from the beginning in a force 4/5 and we were soon at River Lune Buoy. The sea state was moderate to rough and in 18footer that’s big. The wind was South Easterly so we able to establish a training run but with surfing as well they did not mix so switched to gybing. We headed for Halfway which we could see every time we got the top of the swell. Yes you were right the swell is not set and comes from everywhere, occasionally breaking on Little Hog and giving us splash. Looking back we could sea Grey Eagle and we thought we where glad we where not in that yacht???? We made one mistake polishing of a big packet of prawn cocktail skips to the feel ill in the rough conditions.

We eventually arrived at Halfway and headed down the Walney Channel, this was easy to navigate. Arriving at Piel Moorings 16.15hrs and had to decide on a mooring, tough decision with so many unoccupied. We decided on a drying mooring, on advise and had a mixed views on this one, great whilst drying but with the swell a bit of a rough on landing. Walked round Piel had a pint or too, caught up with Grey Eagle, Brian. Exchanged stories of survival and I definitely experience the biggest wave. Piel is a lovely place if not a bit small and nice bar owners. You were right overnight it was the washing machine, and not much sleep,

Woke up early to streak lighting and strong winds. Poked my head out of the hatch to notice Grey Eagle had made her way home. That has to be worthy of a mention it was torrid weather. We left the mooring to go round the corner for some shelter to eat breakfast, Bacon Butties all round.

We decided on advice to go up to Barrow, an industrial environment. This was easy with the wind as the tide was with us. Moored up in Barrow for a short spell to have our sandwiches, beware the tide it drags you to the swing bridge. Tacked all the way back to Piel. Wind against tide with a force 6, especially between Piel and Roa. This was impressive with Little Hog dealing with it very well. This was the roughest sailing we have done in Little Hog with the bow crashing through waves. I lost my footing and crashed to the port side on a heel. My lad, James, loving it, and Debbie busy with the genoa with the hundreds of tacks we did. Don't think she looked up to see what was going on. Then there was me going wooh hoow bring it on.

We arrived back at Piel. I went fishing with my lad in the tender in too huge storms, it was wet wet wet. We then went onto Piel and had a pint or too and walk round the island. When we returned to Little Hog for our evening meal, OK Chili & rice, and the weather just disappeared. The water turned to glass, the sun set with a red sky, the wildlife second to non I have seen. Listened to the weather report and it mentioned FOG, I was thinking at this point can I have all the experiences in one trip.

We decided to play it safe and leave one hour before low tide O5.00hrs, well I got up set the sails on the mooring in a force 3/4 and headed up the channel, what a morning the sky moody and the sun trying to break through which it finally did. The wind blew us straight up the channel. We arrived at the wind farm and headed for Blackpool tower as suggested. GOOD TIP. As we sailed with an easterly over our port side I spotted the fog clouds and changed heading to Fleetwood Fairway, we headed for the factory and chimney, this worked well for us. We arrived at the Lune Channel and the next scare. We were chased and over taken by a huge ferry. We put in a tack and then another to take the bow waves head on. All went well but remember just how quick these things are.

We arrived at River Lune and anchored and fished for an hour or so. Battled to release the anchor. We were on are way back. This time the wind went and we resorted to power back to GSC. Plover Scar is very hard to pick out from a distance. Taking a baring we headed for the gap in hills which led to Plover.

We moored on a buoy and had a call from Merlin on my Handheld, shocked “How do I reply?” remember the training this was the first time I had use VHF for real but soon back to the slipway where we were guided on to the trailer by a different crew. Once again thanks to the helpers it does make life easier.

Little Hog washed, I showered and we were on our way home.

A great trip, a massive adventure, and when are we off again!!!!

PS My Wife Debbie enjoyed the experience so our sailing adventures continue.

Hi, If you are keen to go there is a club race (very friendly and informal) a week on saturday. There should be a good turnout. All you need is a handicap number which, if you don't have one contact Mike Swarbrick who may be able to help or if there is an owner's association for your boat they could possibly know. Even if you don't race it's worth going for the"crack". Hope to see you there, Brian.(Yacht Triagos.)

What a great tale. I'm sooo glad all the family loved it. Just imagine how good it will be with some proper weather.
It is interesting to hear from someone talking about a Peil trip with fresh eyes so to speak.
Before you set off I told Debbie that she would be able to see land all the way there..... I forgot to mention that was without a big swell! So could you see land?
Chris

It's nice to hear how others do the trips. Well done.

Did you catch any fish? Wait until the bass are there then you can fight the seals for them.

Thanks for the kind words.

To answer some of the questions

We caught no fish probably too early.

Our Handicap from my review is 1102, whatever that means. Unlikely to make the 17th May for the race trip.

Sailing Ullwater soon and will publish another trip report then, however this will never be the same as it was after sailing Morecombe Bay.

We could see land most of the trip in among the waves. Points that were difficult to see were Halfway Shoal & Lune Channel & Plover Scar. I will produce some pilotage notes for other members to review and possible publish for others over time. This should capture the advise of other members and will be coupled with my experience.

The biggest scare was the ferry and how quick they are on top of you,plus they do not look like they are heading the way you percieve from sea level, I was not prepared for this. I was headling striaght across the channel under sail travelling about 2-3knts. My mesage to new sailers in areas of large vessels is like the training says keep out side the navigation channels and cross at 90 degrees if you have to and put your engine on if less than 5 knots. Until you get use to the speeds involved. Can I suggest that all experienced sailors in club pass on the warnings to others, I am reminded of the Ouso, God Bless their souls.


Other than that what a trip of extremes and we still can not believe we have done this at the moment, as I am sure you all must have been there.

Hi John, as you mentioned I set off for Glasson on Sunday morning knowing it was likely to get a bit on the wet side. I left Piel at 0630 to make sure I had plenty of time to get back for high tide.
I had moved to a deeper mooring to ensure I could leave early but had been woken at 12.00 on Saturday night thinking I was in a washing machine!
Grey Eagle was being tossed about by the tide and the wind. Not much sleep was had from then on.

Anyway, lacking sleep and single handed I put a couple of reefs in the mainsail and set off. Everything was fine until I got towards Lightning knoll when I could see massive storm clouds approaching. i lowered the sails and started the engine. As i turned onto a SE heading the lightning started and the seas started getting up.
Torrential rain followed and visibility dropped to 100metres. The good thing about the rain it flattens the waves.
At times like this you wish someone else was in the boat as well. Getting a drink or food was impossible.
This storm passed to be quickly followed by two more. The bad weather persisted until about 10.00pm. I was joined by a 30 footer heading towards Glasson. It was smashing it,s way through the waves while my Eagle 525 rode most of them.
As the weather cleared i started to get a view of the coast and set a course for home. The seas were much kinder here on.
I arrived back at Glasson SC and after getting the boat out of the water and spending an hour tidying the mess, i jumped into a much needed shower.
I can honestly say it was not the most enjoyable sail I have had but it certainly tested me.

Its not the most comfortable place when there is any East in the wind is it. You could go a little further down the channel oppsite Roa sailing club where it is calmer and there are some moorings. If seldom seen towers horizontal bar is covered with water there is no need to go up the channel to Lightning knoll as there is enough water to make a course for Fleetwood from Walney lighthouse. Has any one got a photo of Seldom seen they could put on here? In the image below the red/yellow line is our track, we left Piel about 4hrs before H.W Misty who draws around 6ft also went along this track