We had a lovely night on board, slept so well, despite wind and rough water. Patrick got up once in the night and added an extra line as just one was taking a lot of strain. We were also moored up on the outside berth and the ferries coming into East Cowes did create a bit of wake. But after having spent so many years on the hard, or tied up in the marina, these movements were very welcome - we had missed this!!
With “boat life” setting in and “land life” miles away, we stumbled out of bed after 10h30 am - just to make the obligatory Baileys coffee and to decide what we wanted to do for the day. We got so far as deciding to have a second cup of Bailey’s coffee and that was as far as proper plans went.
We did eventually have a quick shower and dressed warmly to join friends for brunch in town. We got a table at Jolliffes Eatery. The old building was beautiful and according to the staff, the original building was a bootmaking business established in 1853 and went on to make the shoes for the Royal Family. The building is also frequented by a little ghost named Ursula, who haunts some of the properties in the area. For more info I could check out the Cowes Ghost Map, but I thought I would rather not know any more than I did already.
We wandered around Cowes for a few hours, marvelling at the old buildings and quaint shops (and avoiding any potential ghosts).
A phone call later in the afternoon confirmed that another group of friends had made their way over the Solent and were coming into Cowes - the more the merrier !! It was a rougher crossing for them than what we had experienced the previous day but we soon got the boat tied up and warmed them up with large Baileys coffees. (We fortunately have a large supply).
We had a lovely curry later that evening (thank you Spice Central), followed by a few drinks on board. The evening drew to a close with nostalgic tales of our various adventures and mishaps over the years together and how much we looked forward to a different year following the one we had just been through.
Off to Cowes, Isle of Wight to see out 2021 : day 1
After 3 years of working on her, we finally got to spend a few days and nights away, on board Deux Poissons. We set off from Fareham on Wednesday 29th December 2021 at a little after 06h30 heading for Cowes, Isle of Wight. With forecasted South Westerly winds of 25 knots, gusting to 30, and fog, we were ready to test both the boat and ourselves. Conditions were as predicted, but the fog cleared a little and we had visibility of about 3 miles across the Solent. We headed towards Ryde and the lee of the island, so it wasn't too bad for a first time out there since 2018! Once outside of Portsmouth Harbour we averaged about 6.2 knots and made it to Cowes in a about two and half hours. We got the boat settled in / tied up and set off to explore Cowes and enjoy a much deserved and celebratory beer.
The last time we were in Cowes it was towards the end of summer, years ago, and the whole place was pretty busy. Today, mid-winter, cold and drizzly it was considerably different but still as pretty as I remember.
Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina, facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east bank. It has been home for international yacht racing since 1815 and known for the world's oldest regular regatta, Cowes Week, which occurs annually in the first week of August. There is plenty else to do and visit here; Osborne House is a former residence of the British royal family and a popular tourist attraction, there are a few museums and I managed to find the location of the Isle of Wight Distillery and home of Mermaid Gin!! Not too far from Cowes and a quick bus ride there and back.
But for today we planned to stay local. A couple of friends had confirmed that they will make their way over to Cowes to join us, but with the wind picking up both today and tomorrow, we thought to just wait to hear what their plans were.
We found the perfect place to do just that. The Union Inn Pub was warm and cozy. The fire was blazing, the beer was delicious and it was the perfect way to start our holiday.
But we had been up since 6 o’clock that morning, and we needed to find some food. We wandered back up the high street and found a table at The Coast Bar and Dining Room. The pizzas were delicious (Patrick had fig, goats cheese and honey!!) and the beers here were just as good.
Finished with lunch and on the way back to the boat, we were tempted by the promises made by Cowes Ale House = Mulled Cider to warm us up (add Rum as a choice) = yes please !! A delicious and warming drink (and promises fulfilled) which went down really well. Luckily and before it got too “messy”, we got a call from one group of friends to say they were coming into Cowes, having made the crossing in some horrible wet and choppy weather. Reluctantly we said goodbye to the Ale House with promises to return soon.
Mike and Anne on Tekoa arrived not too bedraggled after a rough sail over. Once they were all secured and tied up, we spent a bit of time catching up. Then off to grab some fish and chips for dinner, a few more drinks to celebrate something and then off to bed.
It had been a good day. We felt exhausted and with the wind and the rocking boat, I was sure I was going to sleep well.
Time to get away for a few days
After a lovely Christmas with the family, we packed up the necessary (ice maker) and the unnecessary (watches/clocks) and prepared for our “first” trip on the boat. She now has a complete new engine (well completely reconditioned) and almost a completely new steel hull. New electrical system and new navigation set up. It could be that WE are the only “old” things on the boat now!! We have been working solidly on her for almost 3 years and it was hard to believe that the last time we left Portsmouth was in September 2018.
We spent the day on the boat, mostly cleaning - there was plenty to be done. But she cleaned up beautifully. We dusted off the bicycles and tested those out too (well mostly tested ourselves using them - all good, but not sure how I will feel climbing “back into the saddle” tomorrow.
Got into bed early to watch a movie. We have added a shelf at the end of our bed for a laptop as we won’t be installing a TV in the the boat. Couple of glasses of wine (to test the ice maker) and an early night - blame the bike ride !!
Tested all the navigation lights
We are hoping and planning to spend some time away on the boat between Christmas and New Year as it has been 3 years since we have done this. Over the months and years one of the many things that we have had done is a complete replacement of the electrical system. We tested the navigation lights this weekend and looks good to go - anchor, steaming, port and starboard lights all working !!
Adding more lights
We needed to replace the original (70’s era) 12v light above the hand basin in the toilet area. It was tricky as we are restricted in the size and also the positioning of the light. It needed to be waterproof as our toilet area is also our shower room and everything gets wet ! It also had to be LED as this light if often used and anything else would drain the batteries. We found a light that met requirements for size and look but needed to be modified to 12v and LED.
Patrick used some impressive skills and patience and a positive outcome….
Adapting and changing plans
The dream is to slowly make our way thorough Europe, along the rives and canals. We plan to enjoy towns and villages and spend time with locals learning about their lives. With the pandemic still having such an impact and everything so unpredictable, we have decided to give it some time to settle down. Instead we will explore all the history and beauty closer to home. We will make our way up the East Coast, spend some time going up the Thames to Oxford and back down. Up the coast and into the Norfolk Broads. We plan to move slowly back down and by May 2023 we will cross over the English Channel and start our European adventure.
Not on the boat, but still doing boat work
Our existing navigation system comprises a compass and a Raymarine ST6000 autopilot !!
Needless to say, this needed to be upgraded. We needed a system that will allow us to use electronic charts, for both UK coast and inland waterways of Europe as well as the coast of the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. We also needed a more effective way to use the autopilot and a safer way to navigate the busy European waterways.
Nothing better than a hot shower
After a long day out on the boat, there is nothing better than a shower. Whether to cool off after a hot day out on the water or to warm up after a freezing cold day. Or even to clean up after a day of grinding, sanding, painting, fitting etc (much of our lives at the moment). The shower on the boat is a pleasure. The only problem is that the water runs directly into the bilges in the forepeak, where we sleep. The bilge pump has to work hard to pump out litres of soapy water and not always successfully. All in all the whole set up is not ideal, especially if we have guests stay on board. So we fitted a sump with pump, replaced the old hoses and had a new shower tray made. Sounds simple, but in true boating fashion - nothing is easy and a day set aside to finish off the engine ended up being a “shower day” - no regrets though !
Deck Problems
We bought Deux Poisson with a vision in mind. Travelling through the canals and rivers of Europe enjoying the scenery and culture (and all that came with it). So we loved the idea of being on the deck (fore and aft) while underway. But this meant doing some hard work to make our vision and dreams come true.
Painting Day and other bits
We took advantage of a beautiful (chilly) spring weekend to do some essential boat work .. another round of deck paint, some electrical testing of the rev counter, fitting boards into the engine bay.
A quick flash-back to the foredeck over the years…. It had slowly deteriorated and all the hard work had paid off.