Wandering Canuck

Not the most pleasant reason for being here, but Scarborough has lots to see. I made my way (very slowly) from Whitby, where the issues in engine cooling went from concerning to critical. I had changed the main impeller in Whitby, on the advice of the local experts, and thought that would solve the problems. Not so: in fact, the main engine heat exchanger has failed, with a combination of long standing corrosion, over-wintering deposits , and sudden disruption of those sediments. In short, rebuild the heat exchanger- and it is made in Europe, by an unknown (no makers’ mark, number plate or identification…). So, I await the local experts’ advice and assistance.

I’ve been able to ring with the locals on a wonderful ring of 10, and they push the envelope! First ring in three new methods last night at practice. Nothing like a challenge.

I have explored the local castle- prominent on the headland, with commanding views, the town, and many nooks and crannies on the boat that deserved attention. Not exciting, but likely helps to prevent issues later…

Long time since last posting, but much happened- and Scottish internet connects are difficult!

I travelled across the Caledonian Canal which follows the Great Glen- a geological rift valley, filled with very narrow, long and very deep lakes. The start is at Fort William.

Ben Nevis, the highest point in the UK

The canal uses these deep lakes, connecting them with canal segments, and locks. The canal was quite busy with two boat rental companies that cater to families and groups. Being August, lots of families taking advantage of school holidays. Many very unfamiliar with boating (and no license nor training required!), means that there is lots of drama as these people navigate along the canals and through the locks!

There are also many gongoozlers (spectators) along the lock flights, and they are also much amused with the attempts of people to use the locks. Locks in Scotland are all manned and operated by canal staff, so very different than England.

Loch Ness, in the Great Glen, as part of the Caledonian Canal

a Scottish castle ruin, one of hundreds seen along the waterways- both inland (Loch Ness) and coastal

The weather wasn’t very summer-ish, so lots of rain, cool temperatures and windy days.

Fort George, guarding the entrance to Moray Firth and access to Inverness

I then made my way to Inverness at the end of the canal, and picked up a couple of very kind people (Chris and Nick Seager) who agreed to cruise along the Moray Firth with me.

still an active military base

Despite unsettled, and rather rough weather,we made our way to Buckie harbour, where we overnighted in a commercial dock, between a service platform, and a guard ship. Quite intimidating for a little boat like this one!

an amazing Fresnel lens used in lighthouses, to intensify a gas light to allow visibility to 20 miles

the oldest Scottish lighthouse at Fraserburgh: now the site of the Scottish Lighthouse museum. An amazing place, with the accumulators for the foghorn at the base

another amazing fresnel lens. They say on a lake of liquid mercury to allow easy rotation. This one is double flash.

the foghorn at Fraserburgh, now disused (as are all foghorns in the UK). I REALLY wanted to hear it honk!

the needle eye, a natural arch along the coast

Then, on to Whitehills, with a lovely little harbour just west of Banff. We toured around Banff, and has a good day there. Then, on around the corner at Fraserborough, to Peterhead, where Chris and Nick left me to return to the sunny south.

I was there for a few days, trying to identify cooling issues with the boat, to no avail. I gingerly made my way south to Stonehaven, where I enjoyed being immersed in their harbour festival. A small village party on the harbout front, with raft races, a sea cadet demonstration on their dinghies, and sandcastle building. Arbroath was next, with (finally!) a boatyard to assist with the issues. Steve also joined me there, and we enjoyed Arbroath smokies (smoked haddock) while fixing the cooling issues.

Overnight in Dunbar (on the south of the Firth of Forth), after a good day from Arbroath. My first mooring in a shallow harbour where I was resting on the sandy bottom at low tide. Then, on to Eyemouth, where we are awaiting tides, weather, and opening times, to continue south. My last Scottish harbour.

Isle of Man

We made our way from Whitehaven in Cumbria on the northwestern English shore, to Peel on the west coast of the Isle of Man. This was an ‘interesting’ trip, partly because we tried on Saturday and returned to Whitehaven as the seas were uncomfortably rough given our direction of travel, especially given we had an 8h journey. However, Sunday morning was much more benign, and we had a good day- made even better as the seas continued to moderate through the day. This was my first journey where there was a period where we couldn’t see land at all. The sea mist, and haze contributed!

We made landfall at the northern tip of the Isle of Man, and were impressed by the lush greens of the hillsides. Arriving in Peel Harbour, we were part of a grand parade of more than 20 boats coming and going in the first opening of the tidal harbour gate

the ruins of Peel castle and St. German’s cathedral, on St. Patrick’s Isle

and swing bridge. This was ‘enhanced’ with about a dozen kayaks along one side of the narrow channel, and many kids jumping off the quay on the other. The busiest traffic I have encountered! We made it to our mooring without major mishap, though we received the wrong directions from a ‘helpful’ person on the pontoon, and had to make our way against traffic to get to the assigned berth.

We spent the day exploring Peel, and the castle/cathedral ruins on St. Patrick’s Isle, at the mouth of the harbour. Peel is a city, because it has a cathedral. The Cathedral of St. German’s replaces the one in the castle, and is the seat of the Diocese of Sodor and Man, which is the smallest diocese in the Church of England.

Peel from the harbour

North west England

We set sail from Liverpool mid-day because of the tides and the lock. We used the ebb tide (water moving down channel and out to sea), to help us along, and headed out the Mersey dodging the many large vessels sharing the channel.

We then headed northwards along the coast, noting the tower and large amusement park of Blackpool. The way was a little bumpy, but we persevered and made it with about 2cm clearance to the sands, across the bar at the entrance to Fleetwood. A night in a nice little harbour, on an swinging buoy, and then an early exit to allow a little more water (and a calmer skipper), in the exit further north.

Fleetwood harbour from our swinging mooring

We enjoyed the views of wind farms, gas platforms, and dolphins, seals, and countless waterbirds of all sorts.Rounding the prominent St. Bees Head, we made our way with a following sea and light winds.

candlestick ventilation stack, and pit head, for the Wellington pit coal mine beside Whitehaven harbour

observation tower at the old quay harbour entrance in Whitehaven

Whitehaven outer harbour

keeping watch for further American invasion!

Then, into Whitehaven, which is a very old harbour and once one of Britain’s largest. Coal, mined at the harbour mouth, and easy access to the rest of the Cumbrian minerals, made this a very important (and wealthy) area in its day. The site of the only invasion of Britain for hunderds of years, the American, John Paul Jones made an ill-fated attempt to disrupt the port. Quite famous here, but not an effective invasion, even in its day! Today, revitalized, the harbour has a large marina, and lots of commercial boats servicing the wind farms and the gas wells. There is also a fishing fleet, so lots of boat movements.

Liverpool

We have been in Liverpool for 3 weeks. The weather has been unpleasant to really nasty, and the seas very lumpy as a result. We have explored Liverpool quite a bit, and I’ve had a good chance to ring some of the heaviest bells anywhere.

We set off for London for several days and explored the Royal Albert Hall with a guided tour, and then spent lots of time at the Victoria and Albert Museum complex. We stayed in a B&B in the Harrow area so had a chance to ‘enjoy’ the challenges of the London Tube. Nothing nasty, just really crowded at times.

We then set off towards Lincoln, where we met our friends Nick and Chris on their narrowboat ‘Pendragon’. I have shared many moments with them throughout the past years, and it was good to be back on a canal in a narrowboat again, even for just overnight, tied up alongside.

Back to Liverpool, restocking all ready for the weather that looks promising, if we can get out through the tidal lock. We are on our way to Fleetwood, north of Blackpool.

the largest, heaviest, and highest peal of bells in the world, including the second largest bell in Britain (Great George) in the center of the picture

interior of the Catholic Metropolitain Cathedral with ethereal blue light from the stained glass

Exterior of Liverpool Cathedral, the largest in Britain

interior of the vast Liverpool Cathedral. Amazing reverb time for music.