The Golden Cloud

I wasn't expecting that!

2013-06-18T17:31:00.003+01:00

So i just wanted a nice quite sail home, raise a bit of money for charity and then quietly sneak up the river medina and watch the isle of wight fesitval with some friends.... thats all i wanted from this trip

DAILY MAIL

WESTERN MAIL

BBC RADIO

BBC ONLINE

ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY PRESS

ISLE OF WIGHT RADIO
SOLENT NEWS AGENCY

ISLE OF WIGHT ONLINE

Media hype?

I can see why celebs always complain haha!

So I've just spent he last half an hour replying to the derogatory comments on the Daily Mail to save my face abit. As well as to correct the standard inaccuracy in a media article.

But it is lovely and quite exciting, and thankyou to all the people who have congratulated and said lovely things its very kind.

That said I'm abit annoyed tho that these media moguls couldn't make the effort to just put in one sentence of "I'm raising money for the RNLI and isle of wight Blind donate here...." its not that hard come on...

Isle of Wight County Press

2013-06-09T16:50:00.001+01:00

As many of you may have seen, this weeks county press has a big spread about my return!

In other news i spent a few more hours on Newport Quay working with The Solent News agency as they prepared an article to offer to national newspapers and press. I must admit i really enjoyed the photoshoot, and i will upload the photos as soon as i get them.

The Golden Cloud is now settling into her new life as a boat of pleasure. In the last week a fishing trip with dad off the needles (30mackerel, 12dogfish, 1garfjsh)

then another one with Megan Lawler,

another with Adam Lovegrove and Zoe Lovegrove (9mackerel),

a bbq with my sister, brother in law and nephew,

a fishing trip with Den (2 mackerel 1 pollock)

And a sail to Bucklers Hard on the beaulie river (4 mackerel enroute) ....

I could get used to this new life!!! Although i appear to be catching less fish each time i go out!!! Lets hope I've not caught all the fish!!!

Were walking with the blind!!

2013-05-31T15:46:00.001+01:00

Please note title should be sung in the style of walking in the air, in a simular high pitch to Aled Jones.

So today back on the lovely isle of wight i went Walking with the Isle of Wight Society for the Blind. This is a great project where local visually impared people are taken out into nature for a lovely walk enjoying the isle of wights fantastic scenery.

This project is one of the things that has helped my dad the most as it gives him time to get out the house, enjoy the landscape, meet other similarly impaired people and more than anything realise that even though sight is gone, you can still achieve alot!

Today mel, the groups leader, had us walk from Compton farm, up towards Mottistone, and back along Afton down before returning on the route via the Freshwater Bay Golf Club. From there we were refreshed by the Sun Inn at Hulverstone.

This is the second time ive joined a walk with the blind and i must admit even as a fully sighted and able 23 yr old they are great fun. The routes planned give a range of terrain, scenery, and environment both surrounding and underfoot. While the company is second to none!

Added to this last night i attended a crew night and launch with the Cowes Rnli. The guys there were grateful for my fundraising, very helpful and keen to show me around! I only wish i lived a life settled enough to give some time to them!

So all in all further evidence that i've raised money enroute for a worthy cause!

With that in mind i'm glad to announce that we've finally got a online giving site can now be found at ...

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/wales2wight

Please donate if you can

Thankyou

2013-05-30T16:33:00.002+01:00

This is just a quick update to all people invloved. I'm now successfully on my new Mooring at the Folly Inn, Newport Harbour, Isle of Wight, after completing my at times grueling journey from Ynyslas Boatyard, Mid- Wales.

The Final distance on the GPS was 460nm completed in 120hours (to the minute) giving an average speed of just shy of 4knots.

The Highlights of the journey for me (other than the obvious arrival) were the Dolphins in the Bristol Channel (Video update to come), the time in Harbour with Billy and Rachel in Fishguard and Rounding Lands End on my late Grandpa's birthday.

The Low's included the unfortunate engine troubles of Aberaeron where I was almost willing to give away the boat, and setting off for Lands End after 4 hours sleep after the 26hour journey from Solva to St Ives.

In total the cloud burnt 70l of diesel, amazingly efficient compared the engine was in use most of the way due to unfavorable winds. Indeed it was cheaper to get home (fuel wise) by the boat than it would have been to get train and ferry tickets!

I will never forget the amazing times I've had, the brilliant people I've met and I'm incredibly Grateful to everyone who made it possible.

Please enjoy this short thank you message to all (if i've missed you i'm sorry but I could only record a 10min message max!)

There will be an update shortly regarding the Virgin Money Giving site for all who can give, and Video blog and Photo updates.

Joe

@goldencloud24
http://www.iwsightconcern.org.uk/about.shtml

http://rnli.org/donateorbecomeamember/Pages/default.aspx

Quick Update

2013-05-27T15:37:00.001+01:00

Just a Quicky...

I'm Safely tied up on the Quay in Yarmouth Harbour, Isle of Wight. 500 miles completed. Tomorrow I take my father (who is partially sighted due to loosing his sight with MS and is the reason I raise money for the Blind Society as they help him so much) who will join me for my final leg from Yarmouth to my new mooring at the Folly Inn, The River Medina, Newport Harbour.

Tomorrow evening I will bring my laptops etc home and upload all the various video blogs and photos on the website for you all to browse.

Apparently I was on Isle of Wight Radio this morning! keep listening out I hear Estelle of the IW Blind has tried to organise lots of Media attention!

Speak soon

Joe

Tweet update

2013-05-26T03:13:00.001+01:00

Just left hall sands at start point, near dartmouth cornwall, bound for swanage dorset, tonight i will see the needles lighthouse light... 85miles to portland cottage (home)

http://yfrog.us/9hquyqmhibropkjmiyxpvcooz

Taking her home

2013-05-23T18:53:00.001+01:00

And so i'm safely anchored in the helford passage. Riding out the tempest that blows outside with the hathes battened down. If ur wondering the location of my blogs solva>here i did some video diarys but unfortunately i've not got the internet atm to upload them... Fingers crossed i find somewhere soon!

So yesterday i made passage up the Helford Passage and then went up Gweek Creek. The passage to gweek is shallow (0.8m reading on depth sounder many times) and seemed to take forever. Its also incredibly narrow and when you get there there is but a 45min high water when this boat would float at hw on a neap like we had yesterday.

I also found out it is near on impossible in a high wind once you ground once. And at about 50m from the quay i nearly turned back.

Basically as i passed the seal sanctuary one of my 3keels grounded. With the strong winds this rounded me arse to wind and thus facing the wrong way. So i attempted to manover up river in reverse as the channel wasnt wide enough to turn. Grounded. Got off and saw a lady on a houseboat appearing to wave me to the channel on the opposite side of the boatyard to what i was expecting. I listened to this advice grounded and swar. Upon looking at her with binoculars she was actually holding the back stay of her boat whilst smoking. Not waving. And although she like a mermaid had wooed me onto the rocks... She wasn't a looker!!! So then i started to reverse back, to then find my kayak which id been towing had moved in such a way that the painter found the prop! A 12mm braided rope is no match for a sabb and soon my kayak was free to float off downstream. I made hot persuit and caught her. I then made a final assault at gweek, if id fail that would be it. Luckily i made it!

And what a spot, the yard still designs and builds fantastic traditional craft, and has everything onsite. Added to that there is every type of boat one could imagine on the quay and all sorts of fab people to chat too... Like ynyslas but bigger!!!

I was however soon whisked away as my step grandmother rosemary had sent her carer to collect me and bring me over. To be honest i wasnt ready but was glad to go and see granny rosemary once more.

In the evening i returned to the yard and went round talking to all the various boats in the yard. Even getting offered a 43ft ferro concrete cutter! For £1500 Quite glad with the cloud i walked away but i wish id had that offer when i first needed a live aboard!

Next day and an early wake up to try and prepare the boat to see granny rosemary once more now joined by my auntie susie and family. They kindly took me along to fwb in Truro who after queing sometime gave me all the bolts and nuts i need for the engine for free!!! Very kind bloke!!!

From there too Falmouth to get fuel via Penryn where we drove past the waterfront sheds where Golden Cloud was built... Not quite as pretty as gweek but nostalgic none the less!!

Then arrived back to Gweek and in a mad dash now late for the tide we spun the boat. Took a few photos and then I was off back down the river!

I quickly spun into Porth Navas and too my grandpa's old quay enroute to the anchorage and dually got soaked in a sudden squally hail shower... God bless british summertime!!!

Tomorrow i prep the boat for another trip before and early night and leaving at dawn for Salcombe - Devon, before stopping Lulworth sunday and finally fingers crossed if weather permits making landfall at Alum Bay, Isle of Wight on Monday Afternoon!!!

Land ho

2013-05-20T01:39:00.001+01:00

Just a quick update for followers, fretters and friends. Im 8nm From st ives and approaching fast! Been a long 26 hour 108 nm passage direct from solva via jack sound but lovely weather and wildlife. Will give full update tomorrow after tieing up and good sleep!

How to Feel at Home

2013-05-17T20:42:00.004+01:00

Talk About being made to feel at home!

And so I arrived into the lovely town of Solva, as the tide filled in I reached the quay. After an hours wait for enough tide to make my way up to the cheaper "Sand Quay" I was greeted by a local gent and his wife walking the quay on a lovely sunny evening. They were incredibly kind and helpful, giving advice on where to go and who to see, they even offered me to come to thier home and dry my clothes... They'd only known me 10 minutes!!!

I declined their home but took up their offer of help re-mooring at Sand Quay. Nothing was too much to them! Something I would soon find is a common piece of being a person in Solva!

Settled on the Quay and completely knackered by my day at sea I fell asleep before I could tidy the boat, and didn't wake up till well into the morning!

Once up I followed the advice and made my way to the Cafe on the Quay run by Solva Boat Owners Club. Well what a lovely place! Tea and exquist cakes galore, amazing views across the harbour and incredibly reasonably priced. Once again they did everything they could to help me and offered me ten times more than that! While there I got chatting to the Solva Stitch and Bitch Club. This group of lovely ladies meet up to knit and natter, and sell their produce to raise funds for charity! Once again they were incredibly interested in everything and gave a generous donation to the Charity Causes.

After the chat I started working on sorting myself out the replacement laptop and getting my phone repaired. Basically attacking Ebay and Apple store from all angles. Sadly I was reminded in this experience of why I changed phones and why one has a laptop... using a dodgy old phone with poor signal makes getting stuff sorted near on impossible. To try to make situations better I Made my way to the Harbour Inn, I had lunch while taking advantage of their wifi and enjoying the advice from locals and staff. In all honesty they were lucky to not get hit with my absolutely useless old phone so stressed I was with it repeatedly crashing. So I ordered apple crumble to make me feel better!

Crumble devoured, and permission to get the replacement laptop delivered to the pub I headed back to the Cafe. Seeing me stressing I was offered other peoples phones to borrow, an Ipad, and a lovely cup of tea. (behind electronic failures the biggest expediture on this trip has probably been tea!) They also gave me a Ice Cream tub to make into a shaking tin for the Charities. Finally I called my Technophobe mother who with together we managed to order the new laptop ... Congratulations mum!

Releaved I returned to the Boat and made a board to put on the quay with the shake tin explaining the boat and the charity's and where I'm going. I hung this by the boat before returning to the Cafe for more lovely tea.

In the evening I shaved and showered (for what seemed the first time in ages) and put on my gladrags before heading off to my 4th Ship inn (if you include the ship and castle Aber) for the Quiz with one of the ladies of the Stitch and Bitch. I was gladly welcomed into their winning quiz team and introduced to more incredibly friendly and helpful people of Solva (for a small village its full of such people!) Sadly we finished just off first place and won nothing on the raffle but it was lovely to meet all the people. The landlord also made a big effort to help me find crew for the trip.

Back to bed and again slept like a log.

In the morning I ran up the hill and jumped onto the Haverfordwest bus. In Haverfordwest I headed to the Station. Off to Cardiff to repair/replace the phone and see my old friend Toby. At Haverfordwest Station I met someone who's kindness and enjoyable conversations gave Solva and Aberaeron a run for their money. With a hour wait between Bus and Train I went to The Platform One Diner, a lovely small cafe run by a great bloke, who once again helped in anyway he could, and donated to the charitys. A Big Breakfast inside and a lovely cuppa tea, then onto the train to Cardiff. Enroute I route planned the tides and bearings round to St Ives... God its a long way! I'm so excited!

Into Cardiff and I had a fab conversation with a girl in the street who was herself raising money for Dogs for the Blind... Shame I don't have any money to give her! Then to the Apple store where I was informed Water damage was the cause (THE PHONE WAS RUSTY INSIDE! They must use rubbish metal compared how much an iphone costs) and it was £140 (that mums kindly lent me) to replace it... I think it will be in the I-Dry permanently now!

In the evening I caught the train back to Porth Cawl to meet Toby. We went out to the Waterfront Pub on the seafront, and had a lovely dinner with England staring me straight in the face, and incredibly close, it only excited me more for the voyage ahead! Back on the train in the morning back to Haverfordwest - where I popped back in to meet my new friends at Platform One, who seemed incredibly pleased to see me, before dashing back to Solva.

Back in Solva I hopefully dropped into the Harbour Inn to see if the Laptop had arrived in time for me to catch the next tide, alas it had not. Not deterred I headed back to the boat and finally met the Harbour Master! And not to disappoint he fitted the Solva formula of a lovely person only too willing to help, He even gave me a discount on the very reasonable harbour fees. After working out with the harbour master what my best plans were i ran back to the Harbour inn to see if my laptop was around just in time for the end of the tide. It had but by the time I was back I realised I was about half an hour too late to meet the tide at Skomer's Jack Sound and so I have to wait another day.

And so the rest of the day I spent in the Quay Cafe setting up the new laptop for the route ahead just finding enough dongle signal to download the nessasary bits and bobs. Through the afternoon I talked to various passers by and cafe patrons getting numerous generous donations and lovely conversations. A great conversation came from one couple of Milford on Sea - New Forest, another who knew Freshwater Isle of Wight incredibly well, and the generous and lovely Lesley and Howard. Then I said my goodbyes to the lady who runs the Cafe who gave me another big donation for the charitys,

In the evening I returned to the Harbour Inn for a big filling Dinner feeling it apt to pay them back as much as I could for their help in the acquiring the laptop before an early night and preparing for my departure in the morning.

Can this Gorgeous, Lovely village of Pembrokshire be surpassed by what I find in Cornwall? I hope so but somehow I doubt it.

Fishguard to Solva

2013-05-17T09:20:00.001+01:00

Sorry for the slow reply, and sorry for lack of pictures atm in this blog, i'm sending it off phone so people dont worry.

Safely into the port of solva awaiting spares and repairs before continueing to st ives cornwall.

So the days passage from Fishguard started bright and breezy. A fresh wind off the land we (myself and Mick Ynyslas's friend Bill... Equipped with a lovely trumpet!) set our sails as we rounded Fishguard north breakwater. We zoomed a lot faster than expected up to Strumble head making 4.5kn. Then as we hit the tidal races and different winds of Strumble the boat stalled. All our joy for earlier speed made us arrive early for the tide. For the best part of an hour we sat at the head beating into a head tide making lots of speed through the water but nothing over ground on the gps.

The sea here was very confused and in a sudden sway the kettle flew off and attacked the laptop. Laptop no 2 now dead. So so-far 2 laptops an iphone and a gps murdered by the helpless sea.

After what seemed an eternity the tide loosened its grip and we watched as out speed over the ground gradually rose 0kn. 0.5kn 1kn and then we were free and flying at 3 to 5kn!

Half way to st davids head with Bill (who informed me before we left he couldn't sleep at sea) fast asleep i had my first collision course situation. A fishing boat steamed straight across our path, me being the give way vessel and realising a by the book alteration to starboard would just worsen situations altered course to port, and kept checking with binoculars. The boat acted disturbingly, sailing at me and occasionally round in circles. Un sure if there was even people onboard as i could see no one, i approached with caution (incase the fisherman had been dragged overboard by his pots, blew horns (startling Bill) and finally someone popped up it appears they were only looking for pots not where they left them. So onto st davids we went.

Enroute in the monotony of this sail i had the joy of being joined by gannets. These big majestic birds, who wear a superhero like eye make up, followed us for large parts of the coast. Gorgeous!

Then the final approach to Ramsey, a gaff cutter passed us on a northerly passage looking very beaten with sailed heavily reefed, a marine weather forecast with force 10's for st davids head and south, and knowing we were an hour late for the perfect tide so the sound would be running fast... We entered with much trepidation.

The sky grew darker as we rounded st davids head, the infamous numerous rocks, reefs, bishops, clerks and bitches rose through the drizzle, i looked down at the gps speedo, although the engine was taking us at 3kn we were doing 6 with tide and rising.

Passing the head the seas grew huge and confused we had commanding views from above wave peaks suddenly cut to a few meters in the troughs. This high sea was short lived as we made our way into the sound the sea calmed but the tide raced.

2 lifeboats waited at anchor on the edge of the sound (did they know something we didn't, had my worried mum phoned in advance) we started to really fly, we sped past the infamous bitches at 8kn with the engine barely past tick over, here the tide funnelled raced further, sog for a moment hit 10kn, standing waves formed in the current. I spotted a gap in the waves to slow waters, we went for it.

At this moment on our starboard bow a porpoise rose, riding the waves it swam for us an rose on the otherside! Almost instantaneously a gannet was diving for fish in the turbulent waters. Apparently they dislocate there wings to dive at such a speed, this hardly surprising as the speed was phenomenal! Gleaming white comets!

I made the call that Solva was far enough for me and so we began our inshore passage to port. Bill got us to circle a few times first as he wanted a closer look at a fishing boat plying its trade. Basically with unbelievable local know how and seamanship he gained speed on an edie of the big tidal race then darted round the bitches to carry on up the coast against the current... Fair play!

We dodged a plethora of barely marked lobster pots as we approached the rocks that marked Solva. Now low tide here we slowly navigated into the harbour mouth and almost immediately ground on the sandy bottom. Anchors away, the second rowed out on the kayak, we made tea and ate lunch.glad to be safe. I radioed Milford Haven Coastguard to tell we'd made it safely into the harbour mouth, to which they told me i "must get in before the impending strong winds". After a blast on his trumpet Bill went ashore, sat on my lap in the kayak and said his goodbyes.

As afternoon became evening, i slowly edged up the channel. On the final bend before safety i ground on only 1 of the 3 keels. The wind then spun me 180 and with such a small channel to turn i had no choice but to reverse up to the quay... What a sight i must have been!!

Safely tied alongside and day complete i soon crashed to sleep. God i was knackered!

Farewell Fishguard?

2013-05-13T22:31:00.001+01:00

Firstly sorry for the wait on the new blogs, basically it's hard to tell myself readers of this would want to read about "and so I slept till midday, went to coop and tied on a bit of cargo net whilst leaning against the wall" god being storm bound when your on an adventure like this is dire!

And so I'm making my final preparations to leave Fishguard, It's been too long although I really like this town now... I've had a great time!

Mind you at sea for 18 days, 16 of which have had force 6 or higher in the forecast (plus a few 9's)... what a May this has been!

Tomorrow however forecast gratefully says West or SW 3/4... Thank god

Sadly however the forecast for St Davids Head and South which is where i'm planning to be tomorrow evening says ".... becoming 8 later" Fingers crossed thats just in the Scilly Isles (where that forecast region goes to)

So ideally tomorrow evening i will write to you from Milford Haven, but in all honesty I expect I will go through Ramsey Sound, admire the puffins and then go into the darling harbour of Solva, I went as a child and I still have the scars to prove it! (I basically in desperation to catch a mullet tried to chase em up a slate bed harbour into a net... caught no mullet, cut open my foot)

I'm really looking forward to tomorrows trip which although technically challenging with strong and complex tidal systems, and the infamous Ramsey Sound. Infamous for it's beauty, its wildlife and tidal currents and whirlpools... and a pretty set of rocks right in the way kindly called "the bitches"

Since I last spoke the "plastics" (a name for some reason they didnt find as appealing as i'd hoped) of Stu and Sarah have departed onwards on their trip round the uk... If you'd like to hear some more interesting sailing stories from a much better and better prepared boat i'd highly reccomend their blog at http://www.roundbritainwithabottleofscotch.com/

They heading northward, with a much larger boat could continue when the winds were meerly force 7 while i waited for a 4/5!

Before I left they kindly agree'd to let me study (and copy) their extensive library of pilot books, something I will no doubt be grateful for in the long run... bloody expensive those things. They're a lovely couple and I learnt alot from them Fingers crossed when we both make it back to the Solent we can meet up once more!

So as they handed my tyres back and sailed off into the sunset I went back down below, with Rachel now gone too, I collapsed knackered and relieved It's lovely to have friends about but some own time is lovely too... and in the confines of a boat with 1 extra onboard or someone just on the quay (even the passers by) it can be a life with no privacy or me time.

I must admit I had a fab time with Rachel. We played beach football, boules, mud fights, long walks and it was great fun. Shes bloody crazy mind... swimming in the harbour on high water when the waters only 9 degrees!

On her final night to try to pay her back for "coming on a sailing weekend" with it all being in the harbour, we weighed anchor and sailed off round the coast to visit a little harbour/bay of Aber Hesgwm. With the strong cold winds I left the sails down for ease and let Rachel take the helm which she did with great skill and enjoyment, dodging the lobster pots which seemed to be everywhere some only marked with tennis balls!!

On her final morning we walked in the general direction of strumble head but only made a cairn where we could see it. God I was glad not to be at sea that day god it was windy! Lovely countryside here tho!

Since I've worked away at further preperations for sea on the cloud, various bits of Cargo net and altering bits and bobs etc. I must admit I feel more ready for sea than ever before, but we'll see tomorrow.... You can never be fully prepared!

Tomorrow Bill - A friend of Mick's, arrives at dawn and we sail for Strumble Head to catch the outgoing tide to shoot down to Ramsey... Fingers crossed the stories of this coasts beauty come true!

A full blog should be expected tomorrow with pictures and stories of a eventful trip!

Fishguard day 4/5

2013-05-11T02:00:00.001+01:00

On the 4th day i was woken by Billy preparing to leave. It's a long walk to the Train station, and I had said i'd walk with... however, Billy said I was ok to go back to sleep... and who was I to argue!

As the day progressed I got to work with various little tasks about town, abit of food shopping, looking if the chandlerers could mend my faulty radio, going for a swim. In the Afternoon I came back to the quay to find Golden Cloud being bashed into the Quay wall with the ferocious wind which had started early... Awaiting the arrival of the new Crew in Rachel Parker, I tried to wait as long as possible, until a final bang put me over the edge. Soon we were untied and ready to leave. Just as I prepared a lovely albeit Plastic yacht came in behind me. Seeing the boats majestic beauty i offered my tyres to protect her hull... they were gladly taken!

Underwater Rubbish now wanted by a second boat of much higher standards!

I then walked the cloud up into the corner of the harbour and with one stout push pushed her nose in and her bum out. A shot of the engine reversed me out in magnificent professionalism. Soon I was across the bay and anchoring in my new little cove... a sandy beach in the lee of Fishguard town still within the harbour. As evening came in I rigged up the 3 anchors and a pully from the kayak to shore, so as Rachel could pull herself across if required.

Soon a large majestic old working boat arrived, I believe I later found out to be an East Coast Smack, we'd seen it out in the bay sheltering for some time but tonight they were staying on the Quay wall... I'm glad i'd moved off wouldnt like to be near that!!!

So, safely anchored, I tootled over to the quay and met the friends on the "plastic" boat, who although half way thru dinner welcomed me in with open arms and a can of cider. Once dinner was finished we all jumped aboard the big old ship and had a nosey. Sarah and Stu of "plastic" seemed to know the people of the old wooden boat, Sarah having history in old old wooden ships. Just as i'd settled down in the brilliant scenery of the old boat I got a txt from Rachel saying she'd be in Fishguard soon so I ran back to the boat and prepared dinner.

Soon she was on the kayak and pully system and Aboard. Tuna Curry for dinner and a game of Monopoly (which i won by £1500) and an early night.

In the morning we woke to the boat drying out on the beach. We then donned our survival suits and headed up to town to see the sights of fishguard.

We looked like right pillocks but had big smiles on our faces and warm dry clothes... unlike the rest of Fishguard.

First we went up to the Town Hall to use the toilets, before going through the town Market ...apparently looking inappropriately dressed...

Rachel getting out the boat in her Muck Boots... Majestically

From the market we went to a little cafe called "The Pantry" for brunch. The couple who run it were fantastically kind and friendly, while they and other customers seemed very interested in our journey. We wrote oue postcards for family and friends, before getting ready to leave after lovely tea and pastys. On realising we'd made quite a puddle in the shop we appologised profusely and left.

From here we walked on to Goodwick to try to sort out train tickets for rachel's return trip. You wouldnt believe how bad the weather was walking across the
open Goodwick Marsh area. Horizontal Monsoonal Rains. On the plus side we found a small helterskelter which in our onezie suits and the torrential rain was super speedy!!

Miserable Goodwick

And so we trudged down to the ferry terminal only to find that u cannot buy or pick up tickets for trains in fishguard, only in Haverford West - 15 miles away! Not really an option when ur on foot/boat.

So back we went towards the boat. we stopped at tesco for supplies befpre we split - Rachel to go swimming me back to the boat - and almost instantly the day changed dramatically to significantly better weather! Thank God for that!

Rachel with food in the rain

I can see clearly now the rain has gone

The old old wooden ship

The Plastic Boat on the Quay

GC on her beach

In the afternoon Rachel Returned (swimming pool was booked) and so she went for a kayak around the coast instead, while i got on with some maintenance work on the boat. Big thankyou to Ally Evans here who gave an old wet suit for use as seals on GC but so far unused for purpose it fitted rachel for her kayak!

As evening came i collected up my chart work materials and we headed off to the Ship Inn once more, meeting Stu and Sarah enroute to chat through leg to Milford. The Guys lent me thier pilot book and we settled down to a beverage, with a lovely chat to add to it with the fab people who were also frequenting the bar. As 1030 came we finished off our drinks and Rachel anf i headed back to GC. Unfortunatly when we arrived we found that the tide was too low for the kayak and too high to walk across, so we trudged up the hill to the Royal Oak pub in upper town for a nice half and some (very salty) crisps...

Another great day and time for bed.

Nos da

Fishguard Day 3 WW

2013-05-09T11:10:00.000+01:00

Golden Cloud - Fishguard, Pembrokeshire

I feel sooo tired, my feet are warn and my eyes are struggling to stay open. But a glass of Golden Nectar and Billy's chipper conversation returns the smile to my face.

Tonight we dine in The Fishguard Bay Hotel... a lovely Edwardian country manor hotel, not by choice but because every eatery from The Golden Cloud in Lowertown to this establishment 3 miles away is not serving food.

Fishguard Bay Hotel

This evening is also the last night I spend with Billy Whitehouse, he's crewed for me for a few days and its be fantastic, some of the best days of my life. The First 24 hrs with the disappointment of missing the morning tide and the high seas was very hard. But the Un-timetabled Fantastic time we've had seeing Fishguard has been second to none!

This morning we woke on our gorgeous desert beach, the sound of the boat scratching the bed rose me and I adjusted the lines so we didn't land ontop of a discarded oil barrel (despite being deserted 3 tyres and a barrel sat beneath the waves. I did my best to clean and up cycle taking the tyres as fenders for the boat)

Two Tyres fished from the sea

Once the tide receded far enough to paddle ashore I sloshed ashore and set a small fire and cooked billy and I fried eggs. After this we set to work doing some painting on the boat, and cleaning the mud/seaweed slime off the hull. Billy did an ace job of painting the name to the side I didn't get chance to do the other day. While i painted the toe rail and washed the hull. I must say she looked fantastic in the sun, azure waters with her flags and bunting.

Once the tide returned we sailed over to Fishguard ferry harbour to see if it was easily possible to drop billy off for his train tomorrow. Sailing over Goodwick sands we made use of the moveable design Sonar transducer rig, me and Mick designed. Basically instead of bolting the transducer in the hull or on the back of the boat i lashed it to a pole so when entering shallow areas u can hold it at the front of the boat so you know its shallow before you hit it. Were as traditional fixed sonars are normally further back and so only tell you once you've hit!

After this we sailed back into Lower town harbour, and moored up, once again with a anchor and a bow line to try to keep me off the wall, the afternoons high winds showed this was time well spent.

Once we'd rigged up and settled down it was soon time for dinner and so me and billy set off for town. Knowing The Ship of lower town only did Drink we continued up the hill. 11 pubs either closed, for sail, not serving food and a 3 mile walk later we made it to The Fishguard Bay Hotel. Here we joined hoards of pensioners on a coach trip from Great Yarmouth to relax in its once regal surroundings. At the bar we asked if they were still serving food, as the barman stuttered we cried our sob story to make sure we wouldnt have to walk back to the boat with heads hung low to get a tin from the bilge. Luckily he obliged

A lovely walk back along the sea front and back down to the sleepy quayside of lower town to relax once more.

Stay Classy Planet Earth

Joe

P.s. One story i forgot to say from aberaeron: On the afternoon when billy first arrived we were standing beside a street waiting for a gap in traffic. all of a sudden a elderly lady thrust her arm into mine and took me across the road saying "here you look like u were once a boy scout, take an old dear across the road" when i hesitated with a car about to hit us she pulled me on "they pay enough road tax they'll stop for us" .... priceless

Fishguard Day 2

2013-05-08T09:49:00.003+01:00

Last night I left you as we settled down to a supper of winkles and limpets.
RECIPIE:
Add limpets and Winkles to a heavy pan of boiling water.
Boil for a minute or so then take off heat and allow to cool.
Pick Limpets out of shells, finely chop (5mm cubes) and put in a bowl of water
Squeeze the limpets under the water,and rinse until water is clear
Remove winkles from shells using a needle. Add white section to bowl of limpets throw the "door" (small plasticey bit) and the brown "poo" spiral.

in a seperate pan melt butter and on a high heat add garlic, and onions, fry till golden brown, add herbs and prepared winkles and limpets

Enjoy

The results were as expected. Both Tasted Fantastic, Winkles the best flavour and texture, Limpets ok taste (mainly from sauce) but texture was like pencil rubber. the act of pulling the winkle morcel out of the shell was also most enjoyable.

As darkness fell a me and billy were chatting out on the foredeck, then all of a sudden the boat in a matter of a second went from horizontal to healing 45degrees. Panicing somewhat with fear it could have been a keel break we removed everything from down below and checked the keel bolts etc, while getting the "Expandy Foam and Condom" hull repair kit out. Fortunatly we had no leaks to find.
We found the ropes to the quay very tight, even at this angle we were hanging significantly. In attempt to aleviate the strain we rigged up some extra ropes from the winches to the quay and tighened them up. with it about low tide we decided it best to go below and watch a film until the boat came afloat again.

At 2 am she started to float, so i got billy to stand on the quay while i loosened off the ropes. If a keel had broke she would now all but capsize with water gushing in the broken hull. If the actual issue was she was hanging on the quay and had deeper water on the side away from the quay then she would float and I would only be able to rock her within a range of angle and that range wouldnt change as the 3 keels hit bottom. Thankfully the latter was true. After a final check of what we could see of the keels over the side and inside the bilges of the hull we put the floor back in and retired for the night.

Morning came and I went up on deck early while there was still water to try to rig a side anchor to aleviate the issue. With a bit of advice from a local fisherman and help from billy once i'd got him up, i was soon off the wall, and found the old girl sitting level when the tide next receeded.

Then Billy and I set about a bit of an exploration of Fishguard Town... I'm not sure if we actually found the town of a side settlement but what we did find was lovely, all bar it all being shut for bankholiday! After a hearty breakfast in the only cafe open we headed back to the cloud and a lovely conversation with a lady who had been at the same high school as me a few moons ago, and her friends.

The Deserted Streets of Fishguard

After this we set off up the other hill of Fishguard to the remenants of the Fishguard Fort. From here we looked across the stunning views of the bay and all the little headlands and coves. Billy and i then decended the jagged cliff and made are way back to the boat via the gorgeous all be it rocky shore.

Then as the tide returned Billy went off caving on the kayak while I set about trying to sort a bit more wiring on board.

As minutes turned into an hour or so I decided to go back onto the quay to check how the old boy was doing. I looked up into the bay to see Billy Swimming alongside the Kayak, he waved at me quite happily! I didn't quite know if this was stiff upper lip so I ran back to the boat threw off the lines and went to his aid...."Your the Roger Johnson of Kayaking!" To be fair to him i should have re-repaired the crack in the hull after the kayak blew across ynyslas boatyard a month or so ago. The lack of a decent repair made the kayak had become unstable due to a hull full of water and the last straw was the wake off a powerboat. Although I looked the part with the RNLI flags, Billy fairplay had swum best part of half a mile before i "rescued" him.

From here we sailed across to a small cove we'd scoped earlier in the day and triple anchored to keep us in the safe water as the tide receeded. The fishing lines went out overboard and we sat there joyous at how lucky we were to be in such a place.

In the evening I cooked up Mussels from the Harbour Wall (Soak in clean water with a bit of salt and a bit of oats for 6 hours changing the water 3 times, trying to break the mussel open by twisting at each water change, removing beard on first water change, remove barnacles by scraping off with other barnacled mussels, in a heavy pan fry onions and garlic, put in the cleaned mussels add a glass of red wine and herbsput lid on an steam for a few minutes)

We sat eating the mussels on the back deck in the sunshine throwing the shells back to the sea. Much to our ammusement the seagulls kept trying to eat the empty shes and were then very disgruntled when the shells were empty.

As the day drew to a close we kayaked the 3m from the boat to shore and set a fire on the beach, we sat watching the fire and swapping manly stories until about midnight, by which point the boat had dried out and we got back onboard for bed barely getting our toes wet.

Another Great day in Fishguard, What will tomorrow bring?

Fishguard - A town of 2 sides

2013-05-05T21:29:00.001+01:00

Fishguard - A town of 2 Sides.
And so the morning we woke rocking about in the swell just off Goodwick Sands infront of the Ferry terminal. As i got up and did some of the final checks on the engine i should have done the night before I got thinking, this is really not a lovely little welsh town, I hope we can leave soon.
Soon Billy was up and we had plenty of tide. After a potato, tuna and peppers curry, we raised anchor and prepared to go. We started to pootle accross to the Vistors moorings of Fishguard "lower town" the more traditional port of the town. As we left almost instantly a hoard of dragon boats swung into the bay excatly across our route. I got billy to ease off the throttle to save us cutting up the race, while i tidied the anchor up front.
As we came into Lower Town Harbour we saw the plethora of gorgeous coves and caves surrounding it, and a sleepy little town behind it. Sadly the boat race ment our mooring was taken up by dragon boats, so we pulled up a swing mooring while watching the next race come to its finish. While on the mooring we charged the batterys off the engine and got to work on painting the Blog Website on the decks to hopefully get some punters to help the charity causes via the website.
While billy painted in the afternoon i went for a kayak around the bay. The Caves were awesome to behold, some many meters deep. I stopped many times im amazement at how lucky I was too be there. Enroute i picked up a good few limpets and periwinkles to make a bit of a foraged dinner.
I raced the final race of the dragon boats back into the harbour on my kayak, needless to say they won and won well. Once back alongside the boat we got ourselves prepared and as the dragon boats cleared away we set ourselves onto the mooring on the harbour wall for the night.
I spent the evening sat legs danging off the kayak painting the name on the bow of the boat before me and billy retired to "The Ship" pub in the old village... a very old worldly and lovely pub...
What a lovely pub, a lovely afternoon, and how lucky we are that we moved from Modern fishguard to Old Fishguard!
Nos Da
Joe

Too Fishguard

2013-05-05T12:00:00.003+01:00

The Golden Cloud 5/5/13 Fishguard Pembrokeshire
90 miles down, ~410 to go.
At 2am Yesterday morning Billy and I made our final preperations and set sail for Fishguard, hoping in the kindest way possible to never see Aberaeron again! However, our excitement was shortlived as we soon found the sea far too rough and a teething problem with the engine again! I knew i could work round this issue, but feeling both tired and not prepared to go into a big sea with only hand start on the engine we tightened up the ropes back on Aberaeron Quay. Not to be detered at first light, after a quick stop to the bakery, we started on some more niggling improvements to the boat and by the time the tide returned, we couldnt be more ready. So at 1445 we slipped lines for what would be the final time in both Aberaeron and Ceredigion, and we set off for Fishguard.
The trip is a reasonably long one but doesn't have any significant navigational hazards, our biggest issue was a mountianous and choppy sea, and strong winds straight on the nose. We prepared sail but in the end these stayed lashed down and we ended up motoring the whole way. We just wouldn't have made enough headroom to make it worth while.
Along the route we were stalked by an incredibly interested flock of guilmots, and one seagull who took a shining to our fishing line... i'm so glad he didnt go for it, needless to say we soon brought it back in. The grace, ease and speed of these proffesional sea goers was a signt to behold, we only wished to mimic them in any way.
As we came to Newquay Head we discussed very quickly that this was the last possible safe haven before Newport (in spitting distance of Fishguard) as Cardigan Harbour had said they were too dangerous to enter. The conversation was Swift.... LETS DO IT!
Soon we sped past, a good few miles offshore, the coastal settlement and MOD test firing range at Aberporth, where i'm sure i spotted a dolphin as billy was sick. Then the first and testing manouver of a refuel at sea. I knew she would make it on one tank but i didn't want another air lock or RNLI call out! So big jerry out, and siphon tube was the order of the day to avoid splashing too much.... Let me tell you know, Desiel Burps are not nice. As sun set we rounded Cardigan Island with giant waves smashing into the coast visible even to us miles off shore. Then as darkness fell Billy spotted Strumble Head Lighthouse and soon Fishguard Harbour lights. Billy masterfully helmed through the big seas, amazing as it was only his first time. While I cat napped between navigating and writing the log. Every time I awoke we were nearer to our destination more lights on the coast were visible and Billy without the aid of seeing the charts was bang on course.
And a lovely supprise as Strumble became a shimmer over the top of a suiluet of the hills of Fishguard. A wonderful fireworks display in Cardigan! Something tells me they didnt want me to harbour their!
As we passed the final headland and officially entered Fishguard Bay the seas and winds calmed around us leaving us oncourse and ontime for my predicted midnight entry. Then on the horizon a beacon of light to steal our thunder, The Stena Line Fishguard-Rosslare ferry was on the horizon and gaining on us fast! I altered our route to take us outside where i thought he'd go and added a bit more speed to make sure we rounded the harbour wall before he did, and thus into saftey.
Soon he was right upon us but we were inside the calm waters of the harbour and preparing to anchor in GoodWick sands. Radio conversations with the Harbour Master and Milford Coastguard to check we were safe insued, before we made the final approaches. It nearly got very hairy here as the mainly unlit harbour (inc. unlit bouys, boats and pontoons) soon caught us out even tho we looked as hard as we could. A half submerged pallet attached to a bouy caught on the bow, neither of us had seen it, luckily it glanced off us and the masterfully added Skeg from the previous owner pushed it's rope away from our prop. We rounded up into the wind and dropped anchor. Successfully in fishguard. Our and my longest leg so far, a brilliant test for the engine and a successful journey. Weather doesnt look ace today or tomorrow, and with Strumble and St Davids Head our next leg I think we'll seak the haven of Fishguard Old Town tonight and continue working on the boat.
In other news I recieved a wadge of donations to the charitable cause from Aberaeron under the impressive flags of the RNLI and Isle of Wight Blind Society. Fingers crossed we can muster some more from fishguard. Just Giving Page should be up and running soon, but thier not making it easy for the IOW Blind Society to join... sounds like its a "charity website" only for the big boys!
As they say in Greenland (but probably don't spell it like this) Ka-shult-ta!
(means cheers)
Joe

Preperation to Continue

2013-05-05T11:54:00.003+01:00

The Golden Cloud 3/5/13 - Aberaeron MidWales -
60 miles down, ~440 to go.
And So after the madness of the last few days finally I feel prepared to go again. The issue with the cloud's engine turned out to be significantly more minor than originally realised, although the trouble shooting of the engine and fuel system has lead to significant improvements in the engines running and has given me confidence in both the engine and myself.
In my week in Aberaeron (instead of the 12 hours originally planned) has been fantastic, the weather has been great, and the towns folk (especially those of the Yacht Club and the Grandparents of Heather O'rourke) have been fantastic. Not a moment seemed to go by on that mooring where there wasnt some well wisher or sailor wishing me thier best and offering any assistance possible. It just shows how much the sea can bring us together.
And so as i sit in an Arriva bus enroute back from Cardiff after passing my Naval fitness and medical, I am filled with great excitement for the forthcoming week. Billy Whitehouse is crewing with me for a few days, the forecast is sunny, and hopefully the wind isnt as brisk as forecast so we can safely make Cornwall by the week's end.
Mind you, my engine blues continue... The Bus has stopped on the hard shoulder of the M4, "serious engine overheat" maybe i'm just bad luck for these things!!!
Sadly my internets not great but next time i find an Internet Cafe there will be a few photos to put up!
Bon Voyage
Joe

P.S. This Trip is no longer raising funds for Surfers Against Sewage.

The RNLI "Rescue" video

2013-05-02T16:22:00.003+01:00

This made me chuckle alot!

Apparently I was "Unable" to get into Aberaeron due to broken engine... Reality was yes the engine was down, but I was already tacking into harbour and felt ok with doing this. I had radioed Milford Haven in the morning so when i Updated them to say i was heading back with engines down thier words were...
"Please confirm engine down, sailing back to aberaeron over"
"Correct over"
"Well, Newquay inshore lifeboat is out on exercise on the moment, if you don't mind it would be a great help to them if they could practise towing and it would make us happier if they took you back to harbour, over"
"Well as you asked so nicely, over"

To which Newquay ILB came to assist, although i was fine on my own.

Anyways thats by the by... Here's the video they've put up... and Please help the cause and donate to them if you can...

Joe

http://rnli.org/Pages/Video-Details.aspx?VideoItemID=xnffYYcI

http://rnli.org/donateorbecomeamember/Pages/default.aspx

Journey Update

2013-04-29T11:56:00.001+01:00

To all who are following the travels of the Golden Cloud.

You may have heard on the grape vine that somethings happened, you may have not.

Basically the Journey Ynyslas Mid Wales, to Newport, Isle of Wight (~500nm) started early with a perfect weather window coming to the welsh coast. An opportunity too good to miss I took it. I left Ynyslas on April 25th, and The Dovey Estuary on the morning of the 26th with Harry Toland as crew for the first leg.

We successfully navigated heavy seas and the dangers of Aberdovey Bar, Borth/Ynyslas Sands, Wallog Sarn, Castle Rocks, and Aberystwyth Bar getting into Aber Marina for 11am. After a day of sorting out bits and bobs that had been shown up by the first passage I headed again south on the 27th of april this time towards Aberaeron will Ally Evans as crew. Successfully docking up at about 11am again I planned an overnight stop here before heading onto Fishguard as my first single handed and longest leg so far (30nm). On the morning of the 28th I untied at 7.45am and headed into open sea.

About 200ft from the harbour entrance my infamously "indestructible, reliable" engine stopped. I locked autohelm for offshore and raised sails and heaved too, before trying to find the issue. Unable to rectify the issue I turned back toward aberaeron and radioed Milford Coastguard informing them i wouldn't make Fishguard as i'd told them i would in the morning, and I would be returning into Aberaeron under sail as my engines had died. I told them i was comfortable entering the harbour under sail and it was not a Mayday or a Pan Pan

Milford Coastguard said that Newquay RNLI were on a training exercise anyway and would like to offer me a tow as it would help in training. Who was i to refuse!

Safely back along side in the evening Mick from Ynyslas boatyard came into help rectify the issues and we found issues in the fuel system and the gasket. Unable to get her running again I called the SABB dealer in Teignmouth on the morning of the 29th who has advised me on how to rectify the issue.

I have been kindly offered accomodation with family friends and i'm well. However my phone, and laptop have water damage and as such I am unable to reply to any calls or texts.

If you would like to contact me please use my facebook, twitter or email me at joeberpearce@yahoo.co.uk

As with before I aim to raise money for the good causes you see above in my blog. In light of the help the RNLI gave me yesterday I urge you to help this valuable life saving volunteer service. To do so please visit https://rnli.org/donateorbecomeamember/Pages/One-off-Donation.aspx

Many thanks for everyones concern and advice.

Joe

Summer Adventure - Update

2013-03-07T08:32:00.001+00:00

The Golden Cloud - 07/03/2013

I have made a decision to move the start date for the round the uk sail for Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Isle of Wight Society for the Blind, Multiple Sclerosis Society (IoW Branch), and Surfers Against Sewage, with beach cleans to next year to give more time to organise charity, sponsor, council, harbour, and boat logistics.

The original May 1st start date is fast approaching, and with the potential size and fundraising potential of the project I feel it would not do it justice to rush it now and not do all we planned.

This said, during summer (probably May-June and Sept-Oct) I still plan to have some practise runs of the event, likely to involve a few beach cleans, and a passage perhaps Aberystwyth to Isle of Wight, or to West Coast of Scotland or something along those lines to check everything is in order on the boat.

Those who have offered to be crew this year, if you're still available it would be ace if you could join for practise sails this summer, and please keep in contact with regards to next year.

If you have been helping with sponsorships and permissions please forward this message (or something along the same lines) to anyone you have contacted to inform them of the change. We may find that people who have turned us down for this year, we could be top of the pile for sponsorship next year!

Summer 2013 Plan

2013-02-26T12:01:00.000+00:00

The Golden Cloud 26/2/13

What a busy few week's its been since I returned from the land of Ice, and ice, and ice, and oh a bit more ice.

On return from Greenland I decided that this summer me and The Cloud would be going on an adventure. Over a nice cup of tea with a good friend Billy Whitehouse, and then numerous phone calls to charity's and sponsors a plan slowly formulated, and its one I'm now very excited to announce.

Summary: 2300 Mile Anti-Clockwise Lap of the UK leaving 1st of May, doing beach cleans every overnight stop (aim 1000 bags of rubbish) raising funds for Surfers against Sewage, RNLI, Isle of Wight Society for the Blind and The Multiple Sclerosis Society.

On the 1st of May 2013, The Golden Cloud will depart Ynyslas, and after stopping off in Aberdovey, will head South to do a 2300 nautical mile of the United Kingdom, in an anti-clockwise direction. The route according to passage planning software would take 35 days of direct sailing with a vessel profile similar to golden cloud. However, the plan is not to rush this and enjoy the journey as much as the destination. We plan to do 20-50 miles (~4-7 hours) sailing a day, taking advantage of the best weather and tidal conditions, and staying at anchor when it's not ideal.

The Giants Causeway
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Giant's_Causeway_-_geograph.org.uk_-_133.jpg

The Route plan includes natural beauties like The Scilly Isles, various gorgeous estuaries, Ramsey and Skomer Islands, The White Cliffs of Dover, the North West of Scotland, and the The Giants Causeway to name but a few.

Seeing the Puffin's of Skomer Island
http://www.coolplaces.co.uk/places/uk/wales/pembrokeshire/st-davids/1596-skomer-island

It also takes in Every Capital of the UK (Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, Belfast) as well as the City's of Bristol, Falmouth, Plymouth, Poole, Southampton, Portsmouth, Brighton, Dover, Newcastle, Liverpool, Bangor etc.

A personal highlight will be sailing under Tower Bridge
Source http://www.travlang.com/blog/category/london-travel-guide/

The journey will give us a chance to see this beautiful nation of ours from angles we've never seen it before.

As per normal on the Cloud the journey will be planned as Sustainable, Low Cost and Eco-friendly as possible.

The plan is to live off the sea, fish and forage where possible, we'll even try to grow some veg and mushrooms in the limited space onboard. The plan is to sail everywhere as much as possible without using the motor unless absolutely nessasary (emergency's and tight harbour manoeuvring). All our electric will come from a small solar panel on deck. I'm even looking into changing the motor to a electric one that runs off the panel!

Its planned that we will moor in little bays and harbours instead of marinas and ports, as there is increasing evidence that large marinas are unsustainable, and huge point sources of pollution from oil in bilge pumps, antifoul paints, sewage from sea toilets and litter. We will reduce our impact in this way because the boat has no sea-toilet, all garbage will be recycled where possible and binned, and we will be careful in the use of antifoul paints and bilge pumps. Added to this the anchoring in open bays and smaller harbours means any pollution from us will be a more dilute source and thus more easily dealt with by nature.

We wanted to give something back as part of the trip ans so we decided that we would collect sea-rubbish, an ever increasing plight on the coastal beauty of the world (we even saw it in Greenland!)

After talking to Surfers against Sewage we have decided to do a beach clean at every overnight stop and aim to collect 1000+ bags of rubbish. We want to do this to add to the cause, but also to make our trip a positive one for the environment, making it better after we leave than when we arrive, and to highlight the issue of sea rubbish to a wider audience.

Beach Litter Picture
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2009/apr/08/waste-marine-life

Added to this we aim to raise money for the RNLI for their work for seafarers, The Isle of Wight Society for the Blind and The Multiple Sclerosis Society for the help they gave my dad when he lost his sight with MS a few years ago, and Surfers against Sewage for there work cleaning up the coast.

http://rnli.org

http://www.iwsightconcern.org.uk/

http://www.wight-ms.org.uk/

http://www.sas.org.uk

http://www.muckbootcompany.com

And in the past few hours I can gladly announce the 1st Commercial Sponsor for the Project "The Muckboot Company". The Company are supplying the crew with their specialist, hard wearing neopreyne boots. In Greenland we wore Muckboots for sailing was very impressed, hence going to Muckboot for sponsorship.

And so the next step! Well were currently looking for crew and sponsorship (personal and commercial) for the journey. A just giving site will be set up shortly after we have discussed things through with the charitys. If you would like to become part of the crew, want to help with your local beach clean, want to help out in the organisation, or have any ideas or offers for sponsorship, Please send me an email on joeberpearce@yahoo.co.uk

Looking forward to a Great Summer!

Greenland

2013-02-10T13:14:00.002+00:00

Greenland

The Golden Cloud 10/2/2013

And so on came 3 months in Greenland. I arrived with 3 gentlemen from ITN News producing for Channel 4 about the recent low sea ice and high melt of the Arctic Ocean and Greenland. It was a fantastic experience for my first few days as not only did it take the focus off me but also it meant it was all recorded for showing friends and family when I got home!

Channel 4 News Footage (via youtube)

Sailing in the High Arctic is something quite amazing, through the 500 odd miles I clocked up on the 47ft Gambo, the 3m rib and the 4m hovercraft we cruised through gigantic ice sculptures the size of towerblocks, and hugh pads of sea ice. Temperatures down to -29°c added to by icy cold winds off the ice sheet, and the towering Store and Lille Glaciers, the brightly coloured Inuit settlements delicately placed on stunning mountainsides, the quietness of the long winter night. It is defiantly something I’ll never forget.

Arctic Fox

2 arctic hares (photo: James Killingbeck)

I saw the beautiful Arctic Fox, Arctic Hare’s bouncing off on a ridge above the ice sheet as we went to check time-lapse cameras above the glaciers, striking white Tarmagan flying up from the snow, a Minke Whale diving just infront of the Gambo, as well as our gorgeous and cuddly Greenlandic Dogs (like husky’s) Ukioq (means winter in Greenlandic), Nuliaq (means wife, she was an old moody female so fitting), Tornalique (sort of means spot the dog :P), and Qoorka who we never found what his name meant but he was a lovely cuddly mess!

Ukioq (photo: Alex Baubin)

Nuliaq

One of my best memories of my time in Greenland was taking a walk along a snow covered ridge with Ukioq, I fell into a snow drift up to my shoulders. Whilst I rolled out to try to get my legs back from the snow, young Ukioq jumped down onto my chest to save himself from jumping in the snow too, he then proceeded to roll up and fall asleep on me. I thought that was taking it abit far, and we had plenty of walking still to do, so I tossed him back into the drift and walked on! He stared up quite confused, but then gleefully ran on.

Another was of the fantastic Northern Lights we had during the deep dark winter, one night with them gleaming and dancing like never before in Green and shades of red and i think even purple, I got out my sleeping bag on the deck in minus sixteen and watched them till I fell to sleep. The skys out there were stunning, the stars so clear, the moon glistening at times all “day” and all night, and shooting stars flying almost constantly. On the journey back to civilisation I think I may have even seen a supernova (star exploding). Looking up at the stars one suddenly blew up, sending a bright white flash across the darkness, and almost as quickly as it started it was gone. Speaking to friends who think they know science and astronomy they tell me a supernova would have taken longer than the seconds of this, but perhaps it was a shooting star heading straight towards me. Either way it was pretty special.

In Early January it was time to come back, and so we got the Hovercraft out and sped across the sea ice toward the replacement crew. After a few days of failed attempts we finally, safely met up, and back I went. It was quite overwhelming getting back to the Tiny fishing settlement of Ikerasak, after 3 months only seeing Cpt. Nolwenn and crewmate Alex, so many people! so many houses! Then onto the Metropolis of the tiny Uummannaq Settlement, and then the Citadel of Ililusat with its 4000 inhabitants! Every step back to normal civilisation was quite intense but also taught me what I’d learnt about even more than before wanting to live simple, live sustainable, and live resourcefully with what I have, that I didn’t need capitalistic, buy now think later anymore. For the last 4 months I’d washed myself and my clothes using a saucepan on a small hob, rinsing in seawater. Every drop of drinking water from November mined from icebergs, every ounce of food even fresh veg and eggs had been brought with us, so I’d learnt of how to ration and eat reasonably, how to store food for a long period (admittedly in an environment like a freezer). So back to the Golden Cloud I go with new knowledge of how its done!

Now as I know its what everyone wants to see... Pictures

Midday in the winter night!

Warning Sled Dogs

Planking in Illulisat Icefjord

Alex and Nolwenn on the Hovercraft

Base Camp

Capt. Nolwenn

Windows from the inside

The Arrival of the Food Container

View across the sea ice.... notice wolffish skin drying

Working in Base Camp (Photo: James Killingbeck)

The Sea Ice First Forming

Going Fishing in the ice (Photo James Killingbeck)

Ukioq looking over the anchorage (Photo James Killingbeck)

Ukioq in the Snow (Photo James Killingbeck)

Frozen Ice Waterfall (Photo James Killingbeck)

Gambo pre seaice (Photo James Killingbeck)

Ukioq the crazy puppy (Photo James Killingbeck)

Me on an iceberg (Photo James Killingbeck)

Me helming gambo infront of store (Photo James Killingbeck)

The icebergs at sea (photo Alex Baubin)

Kayaking infront of Ikerasak (Photo James Killingbeck)

Ikerasak Harbour (Photo James Killingbeck)

Whale Meat (Photo James Killingbeck)

The ice in Lille/Store Fjords

Me infront of the ice sheet (Photo James Killingbeck)

Dr Alun Hubbard walking across a frozen lake (Photo James Killingbeck)

Ukioq on the Kayak (Photo James Killingbeck)

Gambo in the frozen anchorage (Photo James Killingbeck)

Santa's holiday house

Lille (little) glacier

Gambo anchored off Ikerasak (Photo James Killingbeck)

Me taking C4 out to film (Photo James Killingbeck)

The Fish drying in rigging and ice

C4 filming

c4 news team

Kangerlussuaq Airport sign post

Vietnam type Bell Utility Helicopters we used (yes i did listen to Jimmy Hendrix on my ipod whilst on this)

The ice in Lille fjord

The Very James Bond looking plane at Kanger

Me at Illilisat Airport

Me with precious onions (Photo Alex Baubin)

Sea ice forming

Ice ice baby (Photo Alex Baubin)

Fingers of ice coming down the mountians

The town of Uummannaq

Ukioq

Lille Outlet Glacier (Lille means little!)

Store Outlet Glacier (store quite rightly means big)

Boat at anchor (Photo: Alun Hubbard)

Ukioq near lille

The Anchorage

Gambo at Store

Pretty Berg

Up the mast

Ikerasak

Up the mast

Iceberg

Underwater ice

Ice in store fjord

Failed star jump

Alex attacked by dogs

Ikerasak Harbour ... dog sleds on the harbour

Notice seal blood in fishermans boat

Cpt. James Killingbeck

Nolwenn mending hovercraft

The Crew Swap

Alex and Nolwen

Some pirates i made

Captain and Academic Nolwenn

Frozen breath in my beard

The wolf fish i made pants from

First sight of gambo in Uummannaq harbour

Me at helm (Photo Alex Baubin)

Singing with Soul

Come Fly With Me

2013-02-04T12:01:00.000+00:00

Come Fly With Me!

The Golden Cloud 03/02/2014

Flying down the motorways of Denmark we started to realise that time was running out. We had about the same amount of driving to do as time before our flight and we hadnt slept properly for 24hrs. Enroute we decided to try our luck in the town of Arhus for a ferry to cut the corner to the island with Copenhagen. On arrival we found the ferry not too dear, and one leaving that evening, added to that as a cargo ferry you got a Free Cup of Coffee, and so into Alun’s primordial soup of a thermos flask went 2 free coffee’s!

With a few hours before the ferry Alun and I made our way into the town centre, and via chatting up the receptionist, we both had 15minutes in the most gorgeous Hotel toilets I’ve ever seen, in the Gold, Brass and Marble encrusted Royal Hotel.

After this we walked the gorgeous streets between stunning old buildings, and then downgraded slightly and went to McDonalds for dinner and free wifi!

Back to the van and we waited till our mid night ferry by cleaning the van and swapping gear from bag to bag to even everyone out to 20kg for the Flight to Greenland.

I was amazed to find how little alun took with him, but little was I to know how much he stored in a container in Uummannaq, another in Kangerlussuaq, on Gambo and at Uummannaq Polar Institute, and his reputation for travelling over-light, for example once camping on an ice sheet with a childs sleeping bag!

Cleaning out and packing the van on the dock of the bay

We boarded the ferry to find ourselves the only non-commercial people onboard, I went upstairs to stretch my legs while Alun went to sleep in the van. Upstairs I found only one member of staff who seemed incredibly amazed to see anyone walking upstairs on the ferry, I think I startled her quite badly! For a while she even followed me, I think checking I wasn’t a ghost!

I then found a lovely sofa and slept till we arrived on the otherside. After allowing the boystrous lorrys to get off the ferry first, we drove on through the darkness, to make a final assault on Copenhagen!

We were definitely parked on the front right corner beneath those lorrys

I soon returned to my slumber only waking as Alun parked the van in a random suburb of Copenhagen (I eventually found out it was the street on of Aber Uni’s Doctors had once lived in, and thus he felt he could trust the neighbourhood). Soon we were back asleep for the 2hours before we had to get the train to the airport.

And so we jogged from the van left in this sneaky suburb... the bikes were unlocked so we presumed we could trust it.... and jumped onto the first train.

About 5 minutes later we arrived at Copenhagen Central, this big bussling central station gave us little clue of where to go but we soon found a platform. Here we were told by a couple of people that the train was running very late and we should get the metro. Having no idea where to get the metro from we waited for the late train.

Alun Confused by Copenhagen Central's dissy lights!

And then we were there at the airport. We sat down sadly the cafe's weren't open in time for breakfast, and I had a coke while Alun raided the Duty Free for the Winter's supply of alcohol! As we approached our departure gate we met up with Tom Clarke of ITN News and his film crew. They were joining us in Greenland for the first week to make a special report for C4 News. We said our hello's and then boarded the plane....

To be continued!

Das Fun Fun Fun of Das Autobahn

2013-02-03T12:51:00.001+00:00

Das Fun Fun Fun of Das Autobahn!
The Golden Cloud 03/02/2013

Flying down the Autobahn, Alun and I were singing Kaiser Chiefs and “Da Fun Fun Fun of DAS AUTOBAHN” (our cover of the Kraftwerk song) at the top of our lungs. We had only a handful of miles to the German-Danish Border (and safety?). Suddenly it looked like our game was up. An unmarked police car sped past us, slowed down, then lit up and pulled us in. The sharply dressed plain clothed officer walked up to the window and as Alun wound it down, said in an almost perfect Middle Class English Accent “Good Morning” “Good morning officer, I’m sorry was I going too fast” Alun responded trying to act the innocent, but dobbing himself in! “Oh no no not at all, just a routine check” to which Alun responded in an comically surprised tone “Oh… :S Oh, Great!”

The officer after questioning and checking our papers, looked over Alun’s shoulder at the suspicoulsy large load in the boot. “Whats in the back” he probed. “Ahhh, Yes, I was wondering when you’d ask. Were going on a expedition in the North, its our food for the next few months!” Rather confused the officer asked “For the winter!?! May I have a look?” “Most Certainly” Alun said, obviously looking forward to the officers surprise when he opened the boot.

“Wow that’s a lot of food” staring at the too the roof, 2 tonne, mountain of food, [Kicking Wheel] “looks heavy” “Yes yes it is… Could I interest you in a pringle to lighten the load?” Alun joked “Ha. Ha. Ha. [in a very short german laugh] no I’m ok. Please get in the vehicle” To which Alun attempted to get into the backseat of the police car. “No! Your Car”…“Everything is ok … Good Luck”

The overladen axel of the van

Finally the Danish Border!

Gleefully we escaped and made for Alborg, humming the tune of the Great Escape.

Not Far to Aalborg

And so on we went up through the bland North German and the boring monotony of the Danish Landscape. We tried to brake the meloncoly by playing “spot the turbine parts” as wind turbine blades, towers, and hubs were zooming past us on the motorway from the factory. I eventually won this game as I was first to spot the massive Turbine Part Holding Bay at Alborg Docks… I think I won by thousands.

A small part of the turbine holding bay!

The joy of winning the turbine game was soon bettered by the feeling of job-done as we drove into the carpark of Royal Arctic Lines container port. They sorted out our papers in a jiffy (signing the container as Danish food to make export easier. We were then led by a floating container (our mini container on a forklift reversing away from us in a way that we could only see a flying container) to a open barn where we got to work unpacking the van and packing the container.

The flying container

And so started an excellent game of rugby pass practise with 2 tonnes of food! Amazingly our hands survived and we only dropped one tin. The Joy in Alun’s face as he finally shut the container door was worth every ounce of effort!

The food mountian

Aluns Joyous Moment

On goes the clip!

Then before we had time to breath we were off again heading to Copenhagen with only 18hrs till check in closed on our flight and 15 hours driving still to do. Before leaving Alborg we picked up a breakfast/lunch/dinner from a service station of Cheese, Danish Rye Bread, and Hotdogs. It was soooooooooo good.

Enroute we decided to try our luck in the town of Arhus for a ferry to cut the corner to the island with Copenhagen. On arrival we found the ferry not too dear, and one leaving that evening, added to that as a cargo ferry you got a Free Cup of Coffee, and so into Alun’s primordial soup of a thermos flask went 2 free coffee’s!

Cutting the corner on the ferry

(To be continued....)

What a Difference a Day Makes!

2013-01-27T18:53:00.000+00:00

What a Difference a Day Makes!

The Golden Cloud 27/01/2013

So you may all be wondering why I dragged out a 4 month wait between the last blog and this one. Well I’ve been terribly busy!

In September 2012, Lloyd of the boatyard offered me a chance I felt too good to refuse. Golden Cloud, no matter how much we’ve gone through, with her 5ft8 max headroom is kind of too small. Lloyd himself had a 30ft Snapdragon for sale. It came with 6ft2 headroom, a toilet, 2 double beds, and shower. Seemed too good to be true. Lloyd offered me a fantastic price and a good deal on part exchange. Added to this because of his knowledge that I couldn’t leave the boatyard without his help, he said I could buy “Ob-la-dee” in instalments but could move in straight away!.

Ob La Dee is the big red one in the river

So on a Sunny Wednesday morning, after thinking it all over, I called up Lloyd and said I’d like to go ahead with buying ObLaDee. So started an amazing series of events.

At Lunch time I went to speak to a good friend (Nathan Thomas) to tell him the news. During this conversation Dr Alun Hubbard (of BBC Frozen Planet, and Operation Iceberg fame) overheard, and wanted to give me his 10ounces of advice.

Alun himself could be seen as a familiar face, and a knowledgeable one. As my 1^st year degree tutor he told me during a congratulatory meeting after getting very high results in exams “Joe you obviously don’t have enough fun, Go out get drunk more often!”, I went from a 92% average grade at this point to a 67% final grade in my degree so I obviously follow his advice intently!

Alun has owned the 47ft Sailing Research Vessel Gambo for a little while now, and was one of my first ports of call when I needed advice on getting Golden Cloud. His words in December 2011 were… “A boat is a hole in the ocean that you fill with money” and after hearing what Golden Cloud was like “You can’t polish a turd”. Spurred on by his positive tone I went ahead and brought Golden Cloud. His advice was now again coming at the operative moment.

It was however, not quite as I expected. His words were “If you want to go to Istanbul in a Yacht, take a few months out, join me in Greenland on my research vessel for the winter!”

It was an opportunity of seeing Greenland and learning a lot on boats… I couldn’t resist.

Soon I found myself on a train to Keswick in the Lake District. I was off to buy expedition clothes spending my boat upgrade kitty in the process. Later I met my parents to clear out Golden Cloud, and tell Lloyd…“For now I can’t buy your boat!”

Half packed bag full of gear!

3 days later I was in a van with Alun driving from the Cash and Carry in Aberystwyth to the Container dock in Alborg, Denmark. I manically searched the internet on my phone, in attempt to learn how to fill in a Customs Export Form in time for Dover. Between the M25 and the dock I cracked it and we were on our way.

Over weighed wheel axis!

At Dover

Next day I woke up near just outside Anderlecht, the van’s axel struggling under the load was wearing the bearings in a eery squeeling grinding sound woke me. It was now also my turn to drive. So it seemed a perfect opportunity for Alun to inform me about the issue with the Brakes… Brake hard and they jam open (not braking), you have to brake slowly, and/or engine brake (in an Automatic!)… Great for the first time driving on the wrong side of the road! We had 20 hours left to get to the container port, offload the van into the container, then get to Copenhagen Airport to fly to Greenland at 9am the next morning, I’d best get going.

With only a handful of miles to go before the German-Denmark Border (sounds corny I know!) with Alun back at the wheel it looked like our game was up…. (Continued in Next Blog)