Oyster News 52 - Oyster Yachts

covering of snow on the water. A couple were splashed on to the deck and lay unnoticed
for a while. When they die they stain the deck purple, the staining comes out with a little
washing. The offending creatures, although deceased can still sting, and were carefully
scooped up and committed to the deep.
Saturday 14th June. A minor drama. At 0600, it was discovered during a routine inspection,
that the pair of domestic alternator belts had given up and deposited themselves in the
engine bilge. Well, not bad for 600 hours of use. Jeff (engineer) could barely contain himself
after being told. Great something to fix at last! The repair was left for a few hours for the
engine to cool down. Jeff was unleashed and swooped with new belts and turbo-charged
spanners. Fifteen minutes later he had the belts fitted, the engine run up and the charging
tested. Jeff emerged from the engine room like a junkie who’d just administered his latest
fix. But it wasn’t over for him. Later, after dark, we discovered that the tri-colour bulb had
blown. We sailed with the navigation lights, less the steaming light, till Dartmouth. Jeff was
edgy, something else needed fixing. As if to make up for the greatest drama of the trip,
there was an amazing sunset.
Monday 16th June. Very little wind, motor sailed all night. As day broke, the sea was flat
calm. We were now over the Little Sole Bank (49º 23’ N, 006º 18’W) on the edge of the
continental shelf. Furled the Genoa as the wind had gone to almost nothing, motoring with
main only. The sky was a bit dark to the west with heavy rain shower paints on the radar.
We now had soundings, 162 metres. The closest we’d been to land for a week, but we
didn’t want to go there. This flashed Mike into a recital of an old navy song:
"We’ll rant and we’ll roar like true British sailors.
We’ll rant and we’ll roar upon the salt sea.
Until we strike soundings in the channel of old England..."
Great stuff. I could almost feel a Hornpipe coming on.
A TLANTIC DELIVERY
After lunch, we spotted some pilot whales. As we looked around we realised we were
surrounded by numerous pods or family groups of pilot whales and dolphins for as far
we could see. The engine was brought to a stop. As the boat fell quiet, several groups of
whales came to investigate the boat. So close, they were more or less against the hull,
close enough to touch. Jo took a direct hit from a spout as she leaned over the side.
As one group left, another would come alongside. Their high-pitched calls could be
clearly heard through the hull. A conservative estimate put the numbers at 100 plus
whales and about 20 dolphins. We moved gently among them for about an hour or so.
A fishing marker indicated that the tide was flowing eastwards. Perhaps the flow from
the deep ocean up onto the continental shelf made this area a good fishing ground. The
markers and the appearance of a number of fishing boats later in the day suggested that
this may be so.
Lizard Point was raised at 1200 Z, 15 miles to the north. The wind, westerly 6-7.
Crackerjack, goose winged averaging 9 knots. Great, we’d be in Dartmouth for a
pint tonight.
We were now in telephone range. Mike phoned fellow Tot Club member, Warrant Officer
Danny Maxwell at the Britannia Naval Collage for a berth for the night. No problem was the
reply to the Tot Club Chairman. Excellent. Jeff called his brother, Captain of HMS Edinburgh
no less! "Could we stop in at Portsmouth to see my brother. If he’s got time he’ll show us
round the ship". Too right mate!
Since we were now calling in to Portsmouth, Mike’s wheels began to turn. "I’ll phone David
Snelson. He’s a Tot Club member. We could have a Tot on The Edinburgh". Great idea! ...
Who’s David Snelson? "Oh he’s a Rear Admiral now, Commander in Chief of British
Maritime Forces; but he was only a Captain when I met him". Surely you can’t just invite an
admiral unannounced on to someone else’s ship! "Oh he’s not coming in an official
capacity, just as a Tot Club member". Yes, I’m sure Captain Robinson will see it that way!
However, discussing the affair later with Warrant Officer Danny Maxwell, brought us up to
speed on naval etiquette. Danny advised that Captain Robinson should definitely be
informed. Jeff phoned his brother at the earliest opportunity to ask his permission to invite
Admiral Snelson aboard for a Tot. Permission was of course granted, however, Captain
Robinson’s initial reaction is not recorded.
By 1900 the wind was falling light. The Dartmouth ETA and pint were getting further away.
At 1930, we started the engine and motor sailed. ETA and pint now steady, but it was close.
Crackerjack entered the River Dart at 2230, too late to go to the Britannia Naval College berth.
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