I joined the 120 year old Gaff ketch Bessie Ellen on Saturday 16th Sept 2023 in the port of La Coruna in Galicia, Northern Spain boasting the worlds only operational Roman lighthouse, Torre de Hércules. Leaving the port port in the late afternoon we were escorted by a pod of around 20 dolphins.
The night was very warm and when I came on watch at 04:00 there was a lightning storm off in the distance maybe 25 miles away. we were mostly motor sailing but eventually we turned the engine off and averaged about 5 knots as we headed for Camaret-sur-Mer in France, across the Bay of Biscay. We had to find somewhere to have our passports stamped before leaving the Schengen area. We managed some good sailing with a lumpy sea and later spotted Tres Hombres in the distance and we hoped to get to port before the looming storm arrived. We motored through the night ahead of the storm. It was pretty tough at times but we eventually reached a safe bay at Camaret-sur-Mer dropping anchor at about 01:00. The next day we had to go the nearest customs office in Brest to get our passports checked out. The customs office was due to close at 12:00 and we had a half hour slot on a berth so it was a mad rush but we just made it. We then motored back to Camaret-sur-Mer and I helmed the ship out of Brest harbour and most of the way towards our berth for the night. The storm finally arrived so we spent another night in port.
On Thursday we left port at 03:00 to catch the tidet my watch started at 04:00 where I took the helm. It was a challenging passage out between mainland and some islands with strong winds forcing me to steer hard to starboard just to stay on course. With heavy rain and strong winds it was at this point the forestay suddenly snapped free with an almighty bang as one of the original cast iron fixings snapped. we almost lost the foresail but also had to get the mainsail down and stowed quickly to ease the pressure on the main mast. We set up a temporary fix for the forestay but in reality that was the end of our sailing, we couldn’t risk setting the mainsail and potentially demasting the ship. We motored through the night eventually dropping anchor in Newlyn bay.
On Saturday we left Newlyn at 03:00 I came on watch qt 04:00 and helmed for most of the morning round Lands End keep close to the coast and motored north in a race to get into the Bristol channel before the incoming storm hit. We dropped anchor neat Watchet just along from Minehead after midnight. On Monday we raised anchor at early with the plan to cross the estuary to Barry Island to meet the pilot. Got a message they were going to meet us later that expected. Took our time across the very choppy water and I had to take the helm to keep a steady course. Pilot eventually arrived and took control and we headed up the channel. And into the lock at Sharpness pootled along the canal for a bit and moored on a pontoon at Purton. Unfortunately the Bessie Ellen couldn’t go further up the canal to her home bert at Gloucester due to the dredging of the canal not having been done, the skipper was not happy.
Voyage stats: 11 days on board, 36 night hours and 710 nautical miles