Julian Megson Ocean Ventures

This weekend I took a friend sailing. The forecast was for winds up to a force 7 so I knew we were going to be in for an exciting sail.  I’ve sailed in gale force winds and once with winds gusting to over 60 knots, so I wasn’t expecting to feel too intimidated by the conditions.  But as always I had that little knot in the stomach, which I think shows a healthy respect for the sea. That said I ignored it and went for it anyway.  My friend Richard has only been sailing a few times so it was very brave of him to go.  It’s important that a skipper should look out for the welfare of his crew – I interpret this as, keep smiling no matter what!

For the first few hours the wind was blowing at just over 20 knots. We were heeling over nicely as we sailed close hauled under full canvas. I just love it when the toe rail (or in this case the side deck) goes under water as the boat heels and drives it’s way through the oncoming waves. Sometimes the bow would dig in and spray would cascade over the deck and into the cockpit – fantastic!

In the afternoon we found ourselves only a couple of hours from Piel Island. I’ve anchored there before and it offers good shelter, so we decided to head over, chuck out the anchor and have a bite to eat. The trouble with stopping and climbing out of your wet Oil Skins is that it’s hard to get going again. But to make it back to Fleetwood in time for the lock gate opening we had to get a move on.

Whilst we were at anchor, the wind had picked up. To leave Piel you have to sail up a buoyed channel. You must avoid the temptation to cut the corner because the sea is very shallow on either side – Morecambe Bay dries out at low tide. The wind was on the nose so we had to motor against nearly 30 knots of wind to the fairway buoy – It took an hour to motor 2 miles!

At last we were able to bare away and hoist the sails. With the wind on our beam our speed picked up instantly and we were flying. In no time at all the fairway marker which took us so long to get to had long gone. We were surfing in waves of 3 and 4 meters and with the wind at nearly 30 knots, Ragamuffin came alive! Richard and I could not stop smiling.

I find it frustrating sometimes that I don’t live near the coast. I can’t just jump on the boat when the wind is right. But now and again I hit it just perfect, like today. I live for days like these, the joy just fills me up I’m fit to burst! At one point I forgot Richard was there and I was caught red handed patting the boat! I think I even said “good girl Ragamuffin” – a bit embarrassing, but I don’t care.  I love my little boat and on days like this, I’m reminded exactly why.