Thursday, 25 April 2013
Getting ready to go off again
We aim to be off sailing again as soon as possible after Helen finishes work in July. We went down to the boat in April to get her ready and to fit proper bow and stern netting to make it easier in the Med for bow and stern too moorings (something that would not have figured much in our original plans). No definite plans yet on where we will go but the basic options are Greece or Spain via the Balearics (we are told there are plenty of anchorages in the Balearics).
Picture above is of the new netting beam and netting in the bow. Unfortunately the roller reefing is in a direct line between the existing anchor roller and a putative roller on the netting beam so we are going to make a removable flap in the netting to allow the anchor to be deployed from the existing roller and see how we get on.
Tuesday, 19 June 2012
Quick update
We are still ashore. A trip to the boat coincided with gales so no sailing; however, we had a car with us and had a memorable trip into the Pyrenees staying at a lovely village called Cucugnon (if I have spelt it correctly) close to 2 of the old Cathar forts.
To curb our sailing withdrawal symptoms we have now acquired a low maintenance sailing dinghy to use until we get back to sailing Mango.
To curb our sailing withdrawal symptoms we have now acquired a low maintenance sailing dinghy to use until we get back to sailing Mango.
Saturday, 5 November 2011
Going through the tricky bits
No photos of going up a lock or through a really narrow bridge as we were always too busy. Below are photos of going into a downhill lock and the Libron sluice which is a similar width to the lock entrances.
Some pics from recent weeks
 |
| Lock on staircase near Bezier filling |
 |
| Looking toward the Pyrenees after leaving Agde |
 |
| Getting ready to leave Agde |
 |
| Our first view of the Mediterranean |
 |
| Motoring down the Herault passed Agde to get the mast raised |
 |
| Typical view on the canals |
 |
| Laid up for the winter, note the anchoring! |
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
Out of the water
In a strong and increasing wind Mango was taken out of the water today.
The wind made it more tricky that it would have been as we had to
extricate ourselves from a tight berth in the process of which the bows
got blown off in the opposite direction to that which we needed to go so
we had to turn her round; but all went well and the yard did a very
professional job of getting us out of the water and on to the hard standing.
This is the 3rd southerly gale we have had since arriving in Gruissan
and like the others it looks as if it will last a couple of days. The
forecast said rain but fortunately it has not materialised as when it
rained a couple of days ago did so torrentially for 2 days. The
southerly gales seem to be related to high pressures in the Med and low
pressures crossing the atlantic rather than, as we are used to in the
UK, a low pressure system crossing us.
As a safeguard against her being moved by the gales Mango is tied down
to a huge concrete block plus some 5 and 10 ltr containers filled with
water. We have scrubbed off the hulls and found where the antifouling
got rubbed off whilst we were going through the canals. Other than the
antifouling the only damage from going through the canals is some
scrapes on the gunnels and bows so we are feeling quite pleased with
ourselves.
The air tempreature is still high so with the wind everything we wash is
drying off really quickly. When ever we feel fed up with the wind we
only have to think what it has often been like in the UK even in the
summer: windy wet and cold.
Our cruising is now on hold until next year.
The wind made it more tricky that it would have been as we had to
extricate ourselves from a tight berth in the process of which the bows
got blown off in the opposite direction to that which we needed to go so
we had to turn her round; but all went well and the yard did a very
professional job of getting us out of the water and on to the hard standing.
This is the 3rd southerly gale we have had since arriving in Gruissan
and like the others it looks as if it will last a couple of days. The
forecast said rain but fortunately it has not materialised as when it
rained a couple of days ago did so torrentially for 2 days. The
southerly gales seem to be related to high pressures in the Med and low
pressures crossing the atlantic rather than, as we are used to in the
UK, a low pressure system crossing us.
As a safeguard against her being moved by the gales Mango is tied down
to a huge concrete block plus some 5 and 10 ltr containers filled with
water. We have scrubbed off the hulls and found where the antifouling
got rubbed off whilst we were going through the canals. Other than the
antifouling the only damage from going through the canals is some
scrapes on the gunnels and bows so we are feeling quite pleased with
ourselves.
The air tempreature is still high so with the wind everything we wash is
drying off really quickly. When ever we feel fed up with the wind we
only have to think what it has often been like in the UK even in the
summer: windy wet and cold.
Our cruising is now on hold until next year.
Saturday, 22 October 2011
In the Mediterranean
On the 20th we left the canal at last and got our mast put back up by a
very obliging yard, Port Nautic, in Grau d'Agde on the Herault. This is
only the second time we have put the mast up with the tabernacle and it
was a bit fraught as we could not get the pin in to the mast step until
we eased the shrouds and released the mast from the tabernacle, it is
all a learning curve.
The following day we woke up to next to no wind (it was blowing quite
hard the day before)and frost on deck, which is apparently quite normal
when there has been a cloudless night. We manoeuvred Mango out of the
craning area and took her down to the public quay where we fitted the
mainsail, tidied up and then left the Herault heading south.
Our destination was Gruissan and we had a lovely sail there in a gentle
westerly wind which made it a fetch. The sky was cloudless all day, the
visibility fantastic and the water warm, a great introduction to the
Mediterranean. The visibility was so good we could almost see our
destination and there were tremendous views of the mountains behind the
coast. We put out the fishing lines but had no luck despite (or because
of) seeing what looked like a small school of dolphins feeding.
We sailed in to Gruissan harbour at about 1615. Gruissan is one of the
resorts built on the coast but looks OK and looks to have a lot of
wooded hills around it. We are hoping to base Mango here, but it turns
out that we may be the wrong size to fit in the marina, too wide for a
monohull berth and too short for one of their multihull berths.
Hopefully we'll find out if there is space for us in a couple of days
The forecast is for very strong winds on Monday so we will be here until
they drop off.
very obliging yard, Port Nautic, in Grau d'Agde on the Herault. This is
only the second time we have put the mast up with the tabernacle and it
was a bit fraught as we could not get the pin in to the mast step until
we eased the shrouds and released the mast from the tabernacle, it is
all a learning curve.
The following day we woke up to next to no wind (it was blowing quite
hard the day before)and frost on deck, which is apparently quite normal
when there has been a cloudless night. We manoeuvred Mango out of the
craning area and took her down to the public quay where we fitted the
mainsail, tidied up and then left the Herault heading south.
Our destination was Gruissan and we had a lovely sail there in a gentle
westerly wind which made it a fetch. The sky was cloudless all day, the
visibility fantastic and the water warm, a great introduction to the
Mediterranean. The visibility was so good we could almost see our
destination and there were tremendous views of the mountains behind the
coast. We put out the fishing lines but had no luck despite (or because
of) seeing what looked like a small school of dolphins feeding.
We sailed in to Gruissan harbour at about 1615. Gruissan is one of the
resorts built on the coast but looks OK and looks to have a lot of
wooded hills around it. We are hoping to base Mango here, but it turns
out that we may be the wrong size to fit in the marina, too wide for a
monohull berth and too short for one of their multihull berths.
Hopefully we'll find out if there is space for us in a couple of days
The forecast is for very strong winds on Monday so we will be here until
they drop off.
Wednesday, 19 October 2011
Agde
We got to Agde at the weekend and have spent the last few days sorting out where we go next. We had hoped to go in to Marseillan in the etang de Thau as we could get there regardless of the weather, but they were full so we have requested a berth in Gruissan and arranged to get the mast put up tomorrow on the river Herault down stream from Agde.
The fly in the ointment is the weather, a front is sweeping over us tonight and there will be strong winds until Friday and it looks as if it may be unsettled after that. Gruissan is only 18 nm from the river mouth but we really don't want our first sail after putting the mast up to be in dodgy weather!
We have liked the look of Agede, though we have not spent much time there yet as we have been cycling to Marseillan and down the Herault to investigate our options. The old part of Agde feels very much the medieval town with narrow twisted streets and towering houses, very few of which are upright! We had a very pleasant meal on the river front.
The fly in the ointment is the weather, a front is sweeping over us tonight and there will be strong winds until Friday and it looks as if it may be unsettled after that. Gruissan is only 18 nm from the river mouth but we really don't want our first sail after putting the mast up to be in dodgy weather!
We have liked the look of Agede, though we have not spent much time there yet as we have been cycling to Marseillan and down the Herault to investigate our options. The old part of Agde feels very much the medieval town with narrow twisted streets and towering houses, very few of which are upright! We had a very pleasant meal on the river front.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)