Well this is about three months late, however (mainly so we record it for posterity and memories) I thought I'd finally finish off this post, which dates from the start of August!
Having completed our final spell of adventure and with Hektor, Dan, and Henry having returned home, we sat down to work out the long list of jobs which several months of living onboard and sailing had inevitably generated. Kerrera is a very pleasant place to tackle chores whilst enjoying an amazing setting, set alongside the benefits of a very welcoming bar and (ridiculously good) restaurant.
Having made good friends on the island, we were very happy to be asked to help with a round-up of one of the local flocks of sheep which were due sheering. As a change from boat fixing and preparing Contour for her forthcoming hibernation, we rose early and having had some basic instruction had an amazing day exploring the island by quad bike, working with our friend Gill to gather the 200 odd sheep of her flock. It was a great way to get to know the island and amazing to watch Gill's trio of sheepdogs as they worked together to gather the flock. Marcus enjoyed the steep learning required to manage the quad over the rather challenging territory; occasionally somewhat entertaining / terrifying. Hazel was delighted to assist a lost lamb to rejoin the flock after it got stuck in the deep bracken - any excuse to hug a cute sheep! Look here to learn more about this amazing farm.
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| Kerrera Sound looking towards the Southern part of Oban |
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| The wonderful Gill of the indomitable 'Gill and Tim and Co' Kerrera crowd. |
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| A lot of fun |
We also managed some more good walking, running, and general exploring around the island, we also cracked on with the job list; deep cleaning, ensuring the boat was dry and secure, and ready for a few weeks on the mooring. The logistics of heading South were looking a little bit intimidating, after a few months it is surprising what you acquire! Our list of boat jobs was pleasingly short; servicing, cleaning up, etc - and leaving the boat ready for Marcus, Tim, and Liz to sneak in an extra cheeky sail later in the summer.
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| Contour snug on her mooring |
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| A sad farewell - for a bit. |
Inevitably, as well as drinking some fine Kerrera ale, sorting out our gear, and (rather busily) getting ready to head South, move house, and for Hazel to start her new job (Marcus had a little more time) this was a time for a bit of reflection. What had we learned since March about ourselves, our country, sailing, our boat, and our friends? In short - a lot! Some of it practical, some of it less so. A very hard list to write, so we have selected 10.
1 - Do it. In the big scheme of things, this was not a long time. Career impact and money might feel insurmountable, but we got over that VERY quickly. Doing this was a life changing decision.
2 - Having never spent more than two weeks together, we actually do get on, very well. We are a good team, and whilst (of course!) there were moments, they were few and far between and vastly outweighed by the good.
3 - The UK is a beautiful, varied, and endlessly fascinating place to sail; the weather is better than you think it is, the views are better, the people are nicer (hard to over-state this) and it repays the effort of time spent getting to know it.
4 - Our boat choice was good for the place and time of year. Contour is a heavy, simple boat with excellent sea-keeping abilities, a flexible sail plan, ok up-wind performance, space for friends, ample water and fuel, and a powerful, reliable engine. Was it slow when not much wind? Yes, but this was outweighed by the times we could confidently set out (and go fast!) when others might not, knowing that she (and we) could comfortably cope. (probably not a good choice for the Med!).
5 - Fit heating that gets around the whole boat if sailing in Scotland off season. Helps with drying stuff, and makes it more pleasant. Our heater was great for the main cabin but we could not get heat throughout the boat. (On the list).
6 - Sailing as a couple adds some pressures on longer coastal passages but this can be mitigated with some thinking ahead: - Good (duplicated) digital nav setup. - Pre-cook food. - Choose sail hoists with care based on forecast, and be conservative (not having roller-reefing). - Have an escape plan / alternatives planned before you go.
7 - A basic solar and wind-gen setup goes a long way. In five months, I don't think we had to start the engine just to charge batteries.
8 - Less is often more. We learned to scale down our ambition, and enjoy where we were.
9 - Swimming is always worthwhile once you have done it. Hazel internalised this, Marcus was a bit of a wimp.
10 - Marcus is best kept busy at all times, Hazel is a little better at being idle!
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| Tinkers! |
Follow our progress here.
