From London to London: how we circumnavigated Europe, by Ed and Sue Kelly
Sue and Ed Kelly’s voyage is subtitled 6,200 miles, 494 days, 74 locks, two new engines and one snake. It took them via the swollen Rhine River, Main River, and through Eastern Europe via the Danube and Canal of Death to the Black Sea, Bosporus Straits, Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles, Aegean and Mediterranean and back by Biscay and the English Channel to their starting point at St Katherine’s Dock.
In July 2013 Paul and family cruised the stunning North Brittany coastline between Paimpol and Roscoff. The brief for the trip was to cross over from Poole, spend time ashore in as many places as possible, and return their Ovni, "Little Wing", safely to her home berth, all in the space of a three week break from work. They discovered a wonderful cruising ground with a great variety of idyllic, tranquil islands, small bustling harbours and winding rivers.
The call of the Far North: preparations for a transit of the Northwest Passage, by Jimmy Cornell
As Jimmy prepares for a transit of the Northwest Passage, he tells us about preparing boat, equipment and crew for high latitude sailing, based on lessons from his voyages to Antarctica, Alaska and Spitsbergen; and about designing a new Aventura for the trip in summer 2014, which will be the first stage of a planned fourth circumnavigation with the Blue Planet Odyssey.
As you sail past the O2 “Dome” or fly over it on the cable-car, look to the opposite bank and you will see the site of the largest private dock in Europe, the birthplaces of the hydraulic crane and the modern lighthouse, the yards where “bad buoys were made good” and HMS Warrior was launched, and the wharf where Brunel’s first steamship had her engine installed.
For the first time in about 10 years, we are holding a Burns Night celebration at CA House this coming January, reviving a fine old tradition complete with recitations and song.
Rob Gibson, author of the RYA Sail Trim Handbook for Cruisers, will pass on his huge experience in racing, cruising and sail training. Whether it’s thrashing across an ocean or a day sail to a country pub , good sail trim will get you there faster, in greater comfort and with more pleasure.
Rob will demonstrate the essentials of rig set up and talk about sail sets and their use; upwind sailing; trade wind sailing and other topics.
Lots of us dream of the day we can leave work and lawn mowing behind us and sail off into the sunset, and lots of Cruising Association members do just that.
There’s a lot to think about before you cast off. What do you do about your home: rent or sell? How will you keep in touch with family and friends? What about health care abroad and insurance outside of local UK waters? Can you access your bank account securely?
Then there is preparing the boat, and yourselves, for living aboard and longer distance cruising.
Taking the Stress out of Single and Short-Handed Sailing, with Duncan Wells
Duncan is an RYA Instructor, Principal of Westview Sailing, and a features writer for Yachting Monthly. There is something for everyone from master mariners to novices in his talk, which is full of practical ideas delivered with humour.
