Hartlepool to Scarborough. A good sail and a lumpy sea.

We were challenged by a fresh wind which our forecast had  suggested. More or less on the nose for much if the way. The original intention was to sail from Hartlepool to Scarborough, but the wind and sea state made such a passage unpalatable. As we were passing Whitby, we decided to stop off for lunch at Whitby hoping that the wind would move as planned while we were ashore. A case of any direction but the current one would be good!

So, I called Whitby on the radio while around 9 miles offshore to secure a berth for the short period we wanted, but they responded that  my previous berth had already been given away, but that I could wait until 1300 for the bridge into the marina to swing. A moment's lateral thought suggested the following strategy. We were currently too early to arrive at Whitby, as if we arrived before the next bridge swing, we would get sucked into the marina at 1300 swing when in fact we had no berth. So, if we tacked toward Whitby and arrived after 1300 and before the next bridge lift at 1700, then we could sit on the waiting pontoon, having safely missed the 1300 bridge swing, and before the 1700 one. This was a strategy which seemed to work well so we secured to the harbour wall, while we went and found ourselves some fish and chips which tasted very good indeed,

We all liked Whitby which felt like a Georgian or Victorian town...and Ian treated us to the best ice cream around.

Having announced our intention to leave the waiting pontoon, we duly left at around 1650 and  continued south towards Scarborough.

The town of Scarborough has a fine harbour, promenade and a castle. A quick tour to find a decent meal underlined our  impression that the town was a fine place to spend the night, once away from the amusement parks.

The forecast for the following day was grim, and predicted a a F5/6 strong wind on the nose which would whip up the sea into a moderate (up to 2.5m) sea state, over and through which we would have to uncomfortably motor for 10 hours, with much crashing and thrashing, without any respite or chance of refuge until we reached Grimsby, and I declared a weather break.  This was, remarkably, our first day lost to bad weather in the entire circumnavigation so far, as a provision for which I had loaded a full 50% extra. Our excellent evening meal, away from the amusement parks on the front, was the last which Ian and Jonty would have with us, as they were leaving the following day. If I stayed an extra day in Scarborough, then Ray decided that he too should leave to return home leaving me to do boat jobs on my own and catch up with much needed sleep.

The photo below is Ian and Jonty both sitting on the dolphin seats, each harnessed on with a safety line in what was a pretty lumpy ride. Jonty, on the weather bow would occasionally get wet by the sea being splashed aside and thrown back onto him by the 25 knot wind. Ian too tea while up there, served to him through the shower room hatch! 

Ian very much enjoyed sailing, as this photo shows.