In 2013 the OGA celebrated its 50th anniversary with a ‘Round Britain Challenge’ incorporating many events around the UK and Ireland.

A fleet of gaff-rigged, classic and traditional boats completed a circumnavigation of the UK, participating in events at many ports and harbours on their way, joined by groups of local boats and culminating in a gathering of over 200 boats in Cowes.

The map below provides links to the ports and harbours visited by participating boats. Select the sailing boats, anchors or champagne glasses to find out about passage of vessels, home ports and party venues. Where possible, there are links to blogs and other information from the map pins.

With more boats preparing to depart from the Netherlands and another joining the fleet from the Swale, the fog-bound crews in Dover set sail on the early tide, heading west, while one East Coast boat has taken a detour to Dieppe to find the sunshine.

At last, the fog lifted over Dover enabling ‘Witch’, ‘Mary Ritchie’ and ‘Vlieter’ to depart on the early tide at 0400 on 26 April. ‘Witch’ had intended to push on west towards Newhaven, or even Brighton, but after trouble with the gaff saddle and loss of the halyard they had to go into Eastbourne under power, where they join up again with ‘Mary Ritchie’ and ‘Vlieter’.

Whilst they were fog-bound in Dover, ‘Bonify’, on her French sojourn, was enjoying sunshine and porpoises, but sadly no wind. Whilst motoring the 50 miles from Boulogne to Dieppe, across a sea calm as a mill-pond, skipper and crew are able to don shorts and tan their lily-white legs. Skipper and crew are enjoying a few days exploring Dieppe.

We hear another English boat has joined the fleet. ‘Bonita’, built in Cumbria in 1888, set sail from the Swale at 0600 on 26 April and, after a fast sail to Ramsgate, lay becalmed between the notorious Goodwin sands and the Kent coast before sailing on towards Eastbourne.

Across the North Sea, ‘Windflower’ and ‘Windbreker’, two more Dutch boats, are preparing to leave this weekend. ‘Cine Mara’, ‘Morgaine’ and ‘Raven’ also plan to leave Flushing in company with ‘Leonora III’ departing Stellendam, all heading for Nieuport, Belgium before crossing to the south coast of England.

Many gaffers on the OGA Round Britain Challenge, 2013 reported large schools of dolphin. More than many remember spotting in previous years.

There seem to be two main types. The first is a smaller creature, about three feet long, playing around as a group in the wake of our boats, weaving and diving at high speed. They come in very close and suprise us by brushing the hull as they swim in and out of the bow wave.

But there are also larger pink-breasted dolphin, five or six feet long who when alone leap about a lot, making quite a noise of their splashes. Tending to keep a safe distance from the hull, they remain with the boat for ten, twenty or more minutes, even up to an hour, before disappearing as suddenly as they arrive.

When sighted in large numbers these larger porpoises often appeared to be hunting as a group, meandering about as if sweeping an area for any signs of a fish meal. Many of us have seen such schools off Lands End and across the Bristol Channel.

All this suggests plenty of fish for the hunting and we wondered if the exceptional cold water had brought fish down from the colder North Atlantic with the dolphin following in their path. Are there any experts out there who may know the answer?

The Northern Ireland Old Gaffers Association (NIOGA) Committee decided that the OGA Round Britain Challenge fleet’s stopover in Belfast would be a relaxing one. At close to the half way mark, they thought crews would like a rest from sailing, and contacted the relevant authorities to organise a range of activities to make the RBC stay a memorable one. We bring an extract from Peter Lyons’ full report of the weekend which sees skippers and crews exploring this historic city and having great fun.

Boats started arriving on Tuesday, and by Friday afternoon Belfast’s Abercorn Basin Marina was full of gaffers.

The first group of RBC crew members set out at 1700 on the first of two complimentary Blue Badge tours of the Harbour Commissioners’ Offices. Something a little bit special. Opened in 1847, this magnificent building and its contents present an impressive catalogue of Belfast’s maritime heritage. Afterwards the crews were treated to drinks and canapés, prepared by Irene Aston, Carol Laird and Alison Lyon and were all formally welcomed to Belfast by NIOGA Commodore Alan Aston, Association President Mike Shaw and NI Area President Peter Chambers. Everyone agreed that this was a great start to the Belfast weekend.

Saturday found many of the crews visiting Titanic Belfast, the iconic building with exhibitions commemorating Belfast’s ship-building past and the story of the White Star Line’s ill-fated ship built in Belfast’s Harland and Wolff yard. Others opted for the open-top bus tours of the City, made all the more enjoyable in the warm sunshine – a very pleasant change from the often grey Belfast skies.

After a marvellous cocktail party for all the crews on the pontoons, generously hosted by the crew of ‘Annabel J’, we made our way to ‘SS Nomadic’. Built in 1911 by Harland and Wolff, ‘Nomadic’ ferried passengers embarking in Cherbourg to ‘RMS Titanic’. She returned to Belfast four years ago where this, the last White Star Line vessel in existence, was carefully restored to her original condition, once again by Harland and Wolff. She opened to the public just one week before our OGA RBC fleet arrived in Belfast and we were privileged to have been given permission, compliments of the Nomadic Trust, to hold the first official function aboard ‘Nomadic’, probably for 60 years or so.

We were mightily entertained by a superb local band. Generously sponsored by Whale Pumps, the aptly named ‘Red Hot Riveters’ were joined on occasions by some of the more talented sailors, much to everyone’s delight. We had the run of the ship and felt very much at home, thoroughly enjoying the exhibitions and, above decks, the late evening sunshine.

1200 on Sunday found the Lagan Boat Company’s, ‘Joyce II’, pick up 35 assorted crewmembers in the Marina ferrying them the three miles up the River Lagan to the Cutter’s Wharf, for a barbecue. The Company’s owner, Derek Booker, guided us along the River telling tales of the City’s colourful history. The remaining 35 arrived by open top London bus after a drive through Belfast. We had a great afternoon in glorious sunshine.

Our last evening together was spent aboard the Lagan Legacy barge ‘Confiance’, a Dutch Barge, housing a maritime museum and an auditorium, now permanently moored on the River Lagan waterfront. All the crews had been primed that this was a self-entertainment evening; we were not to be disappointed.

On Friday, a group of new visitors had had been warmly welcomed to Belfast; on Sunday night a group of new friends were bade a fond farewell and fair winds for the rest of their passage.

Many thanks to our sponsors, Belfast Harbour, Whale Pumps and Nomadic Trust, particularly, to all of those who attended our Belfast party and made it so memorable.

It feels pretty lonely catching up with the OGA Round Britain Challenge fleet after a week ‘back at work’ in the ‘big smoke’ of London. Ben Collins reflects on his return to Holyhead, to cross the Irish Sea to Belfast, after a week back in the ‘real world’ of work. His update is illustrated with more digital brushwork of the fleet enjoying the sunshine, moored alongside the magnificent Titanic Belfast.

Arriving on the London train in Holyhead, a week after the rest of the fleet had moved on, can leave one feeling a bit lonely. Are we still a part of it? Will we be re-accepted into the fold when we catch up with the action in Belfast?

Going to sea takes some adjustment. The wind, the tide and currents, high water Dover, UTC and the weather forecast move centre stage, shunting aside and trivialising yesterday’s concerns about meetings, agendas, telephone calls, emails and timetables.

Perhaps you have to be out of it for a bit to know what it is, this Old Gaffers Round Britain Challenge. We cluster together in harbours, have a long winding route to follow and are keen to keep moving on. Our boats travel sometimes together, sometimes alone, as we all make our own tracks through the coastal waters. There are challenges a-plenty when you have milestones to reach, headlands to conquer, lighthouses to pass with harbours to find and towns to meet up in.

Days of headwinds speckled with gales hold us all back as we all hunker down under lashings of rain, tied to swaying pontoons on creaking warps. Then the winds moderate and some make a dash for it, in the cold chill of night through the spewing waves while others stay in a pub, merry enough, wisely waiting for a better tomorrow.

Motors to fix, rigging to trim, wood to fasten and clothes to wash, life goes on in the travelling Old Gaffers ‘village’. Then the winds are gone and the June sun is aflame as we travel the glassy Irish Sea, watching dolphins and basking sharks wallow in our wake.

It’s all to do with living with the elements. Pilgrimage it surely is, only without the tattered sack-cloth and worn leather sandals. Our garb is red and blue, with bright yellow hoods and salt-stained boots. Didn’t pilgrims carry pitchforks for support and safety, pushing up hills and fending off demons, marking their way and planting their flags at hilltop camps?

Well, we have our pitchfork too, as the OGA pennant flies aloft in a show of collective pride. Our travelling speed is the same as the pilgrims. We travel a whimsical world where nothing happens if you plan too much, the best things come when you don’ t seek them, and people enjoy each others’ company for just being human, sitting together, pulling together, eating together, drinking and singing together.

But enough of the nonsense! We’ve cast off now. Back in it, we leave Holyhead for Belfast as the sun rises over the Skerries, 04.50 am. We’re looking forward to meeting up again with ‘Windflower’, ‘Moon River’ and ‘Bonify’ as well as the rest of the fleet.

The wind is up and we sail all day and into the night to cover the distance. With the blue mountains of Ireland 40 miles abeam, its slow progress, this catching up, but its doing things slowly that helps you ‘get it’, along with guillemots, gannets and dolphin to entertain us en route.

Heading north with deteriorating weather again, skippers plan their routes through the Western Isles and ‘over the top’ to the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland or through the Caledonian Canal. In this update we bring Ben’s reflections on the weekend in Belfast and passage from Campbeltown to Tarbert, passing mist-clad mountains of the Isle of Arran.

As the fleet scatters after leaving Belfast to sail their chosen routes through the Western Isles, skippers head north to the Outer Hebrides thence to Orkney and Shetland or make passage for Oban and Fort William to enter the Caledonian Canal and pass through the Great Glen to reach the North Sea at Inverness.

The next stop for boats going ’round the top’ is Stornoway, and Sail Stornoway 2013 are preparing another great party weekend on Lewis. ‘Naiad’ has already arrived with ‘Bonita’ and ‘Tantina II’ following close behind while ‘Windbreker’ is in Plockton.

‘Witch’ features in this month’s Classic Boat Magazine, out on 13 June, and has now left Gigha, where she was built in 1898, heading towards Oban. Read about a day on Islay, with a visit to the distillery, for skipper and crew of ‘Toucando‘.

‘Annabel J’, ‘Vlieter’, ‘Syene’ and ‘Bonify’ reach Tarbert, to take the Crinan Canal route before joining the other party this weekend at Loch Melfort, south of Oban. Built in 1809 to provide safe passage from Ardrishaig on Loch Fyne to Crinan, ‘the most beautiful shortcut in the world’ at just nine miles long, avoids the route around the long peninsula, famed by Paul McCartney, Mull of Kintyre.

Ben reflects on the weekend in Belfast and the passage to Tarbert

I’m sitting in the windy rain in the cockpit, travelling north in Kilbrannon Sound, Scotland wondering where the Irish sunshine went! It’s a misty muggy Scotland as we leave Campbeltown on the Mull of Kintyre and it seems a million miles from the heat Belfast.

That city was a pleasant surprise. People keen to move on in peace, out for their Sunday walk along the newly built harbour frontage. The Round Britain Challenge fleet had a very warm welcome in Belfast in perfect sunshine. The Sunday evening ‘home grown’ Gaffers concert (bring your own song and bottle) on the old Dutch barge up the river was a delight. We each got to have five minutes of fame, delighting the audience, with the Dutch crew from Cine Mara bringing us all to tears!

Two days later it’s cold, very cold, as we make our way reaching northwards into the Western Isles. The fleet is scattered and we’re with the small group aiming for the Crinan Canal. There’s been some strong sailing to get here as the wind in these lochs and sounds swirls about. Off the north end of Arran the sea was spiky and disturbed, with waves from two different directions colliding and kicking up a fuss tossing us about like a toy boat. The wind puffing first one way and then the next as it curled round the Arran mountains, force 6 with stronger gusts! We reduced our over-pressed sails one minute and then in the next we had to start the engine to get control in the slack lee of a plummeting cliff edge, sails limp, boat pitching in the a slopping liquid maze. So this is the extra dimension of loch-bound sailing!

Not for the faint-hearted, this raw beauty. Blue hills rise into grey mists, tiny white houses nestle in clusters at the water’s edge. Green fields hug the low lying woods, cold deep waters and winds play games with us. We’re Tarbet-bound. The rest of our little flotilla left behind in Campbeltown, wisely waiting for less wind this afternoon, we look forward to their arrival.

The Crinan Canal has been described as ‘the most beautiful shortcut in the world’, crossing the narrow strip of land at the northern end of the Kintyre Peninsula. Like many sailors before them, several members of the OGA Round Britain Challenge fleet made passage through the Canal in June 2013.

In this extract, we bring a brief history, with slideshow of photos from the 2013 Round Britain Challenge and Ben Collins’ reflections on the ‘locking’ experience.

Ben reflects

I’m not sure we knew quite what to expect, and there seems more of us than can squeeze in the lock! ‘Windflower’, ‘Vlieter’ and ‘Syene’ wait circling in the outer harbour. Ahead of us, hidden, the first lock gate is closed. There’s masts poking up inside but little sign of action. Engines ticking, we circle around outside, thanking the gods for a calm sea. A phonecall to the lock master and a leisurely promise of action in half an hour . . . Finally the lock swings open and we’re in suburbia, surrounded by neat houses, gardens, tarmac and locals out walking their dogs. The air changes, it’s  warm and the smell of cut grass and pine trees replace that of salt and seaweed. Our coastal oilier seem suddenly ridiculous as cows munch where dolphins had played.

The scenery is stunningly beautiful. The Crinan Canal meanders for just nine miles through lush green hills. Everything’s in a flurry of growth with trees and flowers down the banks, pine trees towering above our masts, bright rhodedendrons against white cottage walls.

The technology is old, the power is human, you need a strong cranking arm and plenty of back muscle. The gates are heavy and time goes slowly as we operate the 14 locks and 28 gates. We’ll surely be looking forward to a rest getting back once more those winches, warps, halyards and jib sheets.

Why was it built?

Planned in the 18th century by John Rennie and surveyed by James Watt, the intention was to provide safe transit from Ardrishaig on Loch Fyne to Crinan avoiding the 100-mile sea voyage round Kintyre. One of Thomas Telford’s projects and funded from London and Glasgow the Canal was completed in 1809.

As with many canals throughout Britain, revenue failed to match increasing operational costs. In 1854 the Canal carried 33,000 passengers, 27,000 sheep and 2,000 cattle and by 1906 the income of £6,000 per year was woefully inadequate. However, the Canal was, and continues to be a valuable local amenity with sea locks built in the 1930s to provide access at any state of the tide.

Today’s 2,000 – 3,000 users are primarily leisure sailors and fishing vessels with the occasional Clyde Puffer, originally designed for Canal use between Glasgow’s industrial heartland and the villages and islands of the west coast to deliver coal and return with whisky.

During the OGA Round Britain Challenge, the skipper of ‘Witch’ visits the Isle of Gigha. His purpose is to investigate more about the history of ‘Witch’, built in 1898 for the laird of the island. This extract from the log introduces another boat, providing a sequel to the article published in the July issue of Classic Boat Magazine.

We left Belfast on Sunday morning, 9 June, at 0900 to punch the last of the flood up to the Isle of Muck before being caught by the ebb and swept up towards the Mull of Kintyre. We were lucky here, as it was calm and we whooshed round at 10 knots before arriving at Gigha at 2030.The breaking news is that ‘Witch’ is not a one-off! I was approached James and Linda in Belfast who had seen the pictures of ‘Witch’ in Classic Boat Magazine and couldn’t believe their eyes. She seemed to be the spitting image of their own boat, also built by Dickies of Tarbert, in 1898.

So, ‘Witch’ has a sister. ‘Oread’ is based in Larne, Ireland. Due to engine trouble she could not join the OGA event in Belfast, but her owners came in person to look me up.’Oread’ has had less alteration work done and so is probably closer to how ‘Witch’ was before her 1918 changes. It now seems likely that ‘Witch’ was not built as an open ferry boat at all, but as the private yacht for the laird. He used her to transport himself and family to and from the island. There’s a print at the Gigha Hotel offering prospective tenants an opportunity to shoot grouse on the mainland, easily accessible on ‘the Yacht’. With fish catches for 1909, 1910 and 1911 listed, the yacht referred to seems likely to be ‘Witch’.

Tomorrow we’ll duck into West Loch Tarbert for shelter from some strong winds and visit the yard where ‘Witch’ was built.

We woke at 0600, Tuesday 11 June, to find that the wind was picking up and by 0700 we had dropped the mooring and were on our way to West Loch Tarbert, where we find shelter from south east winds. We pick our way carefully up the Loch until we reach the end of navigable water where there’s a fishing boat quay. We drop down river a few hundred yards and find a sheltered anchorage and forty winks to make up for the early start.

After the party in Loch Melfort, several boats from the Round Britain Challenge fleet are exploring the Western Isles as they plan the next stage of their passage, either ‘over the top’ or through the Caledonian Canal. Our tracking map shows the fleet scattered from south of Oban right up to the Orkneys on passage to Shetland. In this update we bring snippets from some of the blogs and skippers’ plans for the next stages.

In yesterday’s blog from Mull, ‘Toucando‘ provides an insight into sailing the west coast of Scotland, taking in the spectacular scenery whilst baking great cakes on board and enjoying Scottish soft fruits and venison, the story comes to life with some lovely photos.

Catch up with ‘Moon River‘, sailing the Round Britain Challenge single-handed in a Yarmouth 23’ gaff cutter, one of the smallest vessels in the fleet. She reaches Loch Melfort to enjoy the party, and plans to lock up the Caledonian Canal later this week. As ‘Cygnet‘ prepares to make passage along the Caledonian Canal this week as well, her chief blogger returns with a lively tale of travel overland from Kent to Loch Melfort, via Milford Haven . . . (?) We also hear from the deputy blogger about her sail from Belfast to the Crinan Canal. ‘Bonify’ is visiting Plockton before returning to Fort William. Keep up to date with her on the Classic Boat Magazine blog.

‘Annabel J’, the 54 foot Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter is one of the larger boats in the fleet. Built by the Appledore Shipyard in 1995 with ‘a powerful but slippery hull shape . . . fast, safe and easy to handle in any weather, even if she’s not chasing business in the Western Approaches [Bristol Channel]’, she’s also at home in the Atlantic coasts of Scotland. After spending a few days exploring Jura and Oronsay, she’s departing Oban, headed for Shetland, to join the fleet going ’round the top’.

Several boats have already entered the Caledonian Canal. We hear from one of the Dutch skippers as he takes ‘Vlieter’ from the coastal lochs ‘into the hills’, with a backdrop of Ben Nevis at Neptune’s Staircase.

Naiad’ and ‘Tantina II’ drag themselves away from the party and sailing exploits on Stornoway, to continue their passage northwards, spending the night at Kinlochbervie, Loch Inchard before rounding Cape Wrath and enjoying the sail to historic Stromness, Orkney, where vessels have sheltered awaiting favourable winds for centuries. On Orkney, we also catch up with ‘Bonita’, the oldest boat in the Round Britain Challenge fleet as she visits Kirkwall, Orkney, the furthest north she will be sailing. As its the longest day this weekend, the skipper has decided to celebrate in Orkney with almost continuous daylight and a music festival.

Most of the fleet are spread out down the east coast of Scotland, making their way south for the next planned ‘gatherings’ in Eyemouth and Newcastle as they reach the English coast. In this update we hear that eight boats reach Eyemouth, last port in Scotland, a new boat joins the fleet, sailing single-handed from the Netherlands and there’s still one vessel sailing up to Orkney and Shetland. We also hear about an incident with a lobster pot and the RNLI!

Two boats are still sailing north . . . ‘Annabel J’, the Bristol pilot cutter who’s been with the fleet since the Solent, reports she’s: ‘cruising the lovely islands of west Scotland and the Outer Hebrides, we’re in Stornaway waiting for a gale to blow through before setting off round Cape Wrath to the Orkney Isles’. Earlier this week we hear there’s a new member of the fleet, arriving on the English east coast from the Netherlands, and also sailing north.

‘Snoopy’, sailing single-handed in an 18′ ship’s jolly boat from the Netherlands, starts the circumnavigation counter-clockwise, the only vessel to do so. After an uneventful but exhausting (and boring) 44 hours 222 nautical miles crossing, her skipper arrives Scarborough. He reports that the new engine is doing well, and ready for it’s first service and oil change. ‘Will it still be possible to go round Britain and arrive in Cowes in time?’ he wonders, ‘1200 nautical miles to go. With a little help of the weather it should be possible.’ We’ll bring updates of her progress as she passes the rest of the fleet sailing south towards England.

‘Bonify’ makes an early start from Lossiemouth on Saturday, escorted by bottle-nosed dolphins. Passing the mouth of the River Spey, she makes 5 knots, no engine, with skipper and crew enjoying the sail!

Further south at Seaton Cliffs, Arbroath, once a thriving fishing port and home to the famous ‘smokie’ (whole, wood-smoked haddock with backbone intact), ‘Vlieter’ explores the spectacular red sandstone cliffs and rock arches. Blowholes, caves, gloups (collapsed caves) and geos (stacks) make for a fantastic lesson in geology (and wordcraft) on this spectacular part of the coast. We also hear from ‘Toucando’ of the challenging approach to Arbroath, with lobster pots everywhere as skipper and crew pilot their way gingerly into the harbour.

Another member of the fleet is not so fortunate. We understand the Fraserburgh lifeboat ‘Willie and May Gall’ launched to assist ‘Witch’ on Saturday. She’d fouled her prop on creel lines three miles off Fraserburgh and lifeboatmen had to grapnel the line, cutting it clear before towing ‘Witch’ back to Fraserburgh. Read her blog for full details and photos. Safely secured alongside, harbour divers helped to clear the prop. Catching the early tide on Sunday, she’s safely moored in Peterhead, joining ‘Bonify’, ‘Moon River’ and ‘Windflower’.

Many thanks go to the RNLI, always available along our coasts.

‘Windbreker’, ‘Vlieter’, ‘Cine Mara’, ‘Raven’, ‘Morgaine’ and ‘High Barbaree’ take shelter in Anstruther, a large fishing port with long history, 20 miles south of Dundee and 50 miles north of Edinburgh. The coast here is called the East Neuk of Fife, described by James II of Scotland as ‘a fringe of gold on a beggar’s mantle’.

Monday dawns and its a new month which will see the fleet sail down the east coast of England. We hear there’s now ten boats, ‘Capraia’, ‘Cygnet of London’, ‘Windbreker’, ‘Toucando’, ‘High Barbaree’, ‘Syene’, ‘Bonita’, ‘Moon River’ and ‘Minstrel’, close to the English border.

They’re tucked into the harbour at Eyemouth which has provided safe haven to merchants, traders and fishermen since the 13th century, whilst the surrounding rocky coastline helped smugglers evade customs boats in bygone times.

On passage south from Aberdeen, Scotland, there are two infamous rocky hazards off the Firths of Tay and Forth. Before the days of modern seamarks and navigation aids, the notorious Bell Rock and Isle of May claimed numerous lives as ships foundered on the treacherous rocks. In this extract, Claudia Myatt reflects on her passage south in ‘Witch’, during the OGA Round Britain Challenge, 2013.

Bell Rock

At sunset on Monday 1st July, 2013, ‘Witch’ was heading south across the wide mouth of the Firth of Forth, on passage from Peterhead to Eyemouth. Sunset is late in these waters; by about 9.30 the sun was dropping behind the silhouette of Bell Rock lighthouse, close on our starboard beam. The sea was liquid gold to the west, steely grey to the east and the wind a light and fickle southwesterly, so we were motorsailing to keep the miles covered. The plan was to make it to Eyemouth in time to dry out on the slipway and repair the damage to the propeller after our argument with a pot line.

Bell Rock is one of the most famous of the Stevenson lighthouses; an extraordinary feat of engineering on a jagged half tide rock that lies eleven miles south of Arbroath. Formerly called the Inchape Rock, it was the subject of a ballad by Robert Southey in 1815:

‘The waves rush in on every side;
But the ship sinks fast beneathe the tide
For even in his dying fear
The dreadful sound could the Rover hear
A sound as if with the Inchcape Bell
The devil below was ringing his knell.’

The position of the rock, in the fairway of vessels crossing the Firth of Forth and Tay Estuary was having a devastating effect on shipping and the economy of the area. At the beginning of the 19th century, the rock was taking an average of six ships every winter, but its notoriety had been growing for centuries. In the 14th century a concerned local Abbot managed to place a bell on the rock to help warn sailors of its peril, but not everyone was pleased. A Dutch pirate, who relied on wrecks for his income, managed to vandalise the bell, but a year later he was himself wrecked – on the Inchcape Rock!

The story of Stevenson’s ingenuity and tenacity in building a lighthouse on this jagged wilderness in 1811 is well documented, along with all the other lights built by this family of engineers. The only black sheep of Stevenson dynasty was, of course, Robert Louis, who managed to wriggle out of the family business and acquire his own far more reaching fame. But he understood the importance of their work:

Whenever I smell salt water, I know that I am not far from one of the works of my ancestors.

For more information on the Scottish lighthouses I recommend Bella Bathurst’s book ‘The Lighthouse Stevensons’. I’ve been reading this as we sail and appreciate the landmarks all the more for knowing a bit about their history.

Isle of May

Further south, in the mouth of the Firth of Forth, there’s Scotland’s first lighthouse, originally built in 1636, and known as ‘The Beacon’, to warn mariners of the treacherous rocks at the mouth of the Firth of Forth. In 1816, Stevenson turned his attention to the Isle of May and built Main Light. Fully automated in 1989, the lighthouse-keepers’ cottages are now home to researchers and staff of Scotland’s National Nature Reserve, while huge colonies of seabirds nest on the rocks in summer with grey seals breeding in autumn.

Claudia Myatt, OGA East Coast

We bring a mix of reports this weekend, including one boat’s completion of the circumnavigation and updates on repairs to two of the fleet.

Illustrated here by our digital ‘scribbler’, Ben, there’s been another great party gathering in Newcastle over the weekend, hosted by the OGA North East, where the Round Britain Challenge fleet was joined by several local boats on the Town Quay. With summer weather at last, the fleet brought additional colour to the waterfront, with flags fluttering in the sunshine.

‘Bonita’ reports on the party in Newcastle:

The gaffers were very well looked after in Newcastle with Jim Bell’s excellent organisation. There was a reception, with some excellent singing by the choir, Voice Male. The boats are looking very festive with many flags fluttering in the sunshine attracting a lot of attention from the discerning folk of Newcastle. Its also quite warm, probably the warmest day of the year so far and convincing evidence that summer is here at last. On the last evening there was an informal party  on the pontoon which went much as would be expected given the mix of warm weather, relaxed gaffers and a generous supply of free whisky kindly provided by Old Poultney.

On Sunday morning we had a service of blessing for the fleet by the Rev. Timothy Duff assisted by George Scott who is the High Sheriff of Tyne and Wear. Some of the gaffers may have been a little casually dressed for the service but the High Sheriff was certainly not. This impressive occasion included everyone singing ‘For those in peril on the sea’.

We heard earlier in the week from ‘Cygnet of London’ as she reached Whitby, hurrying south and sadly having to miss the party in Newcastle. She’s now in her home port, Faversham, but plans to re-join the fleet in Ipswich to take part in the Jubilee Cruise at the end of July.

‘Minstrel’, ‘Bonify’ and ‘Bonita’ have departed Newcastle to reach Hartlepool on their journey down the north east coast, while ‘Witch’ and ‘Syene’ are in Whitby. We hear from ‘Witch’ that, following a partial repair of the propellor, damaged off the north coast of Scotland, the skipper has been advised to ‘get it fixed if at all possible as there is the risk of running bearings in the transmission with uneven thrust from the blades’. With the work planned to take place whilst drying out in Whitby, an old propellor is being sent up from the East Coast.

The good news from Eyemouth is that Coastal Marine have completed the repairs on ‘Toucando’ and the skipper hopes to be back in the water soon, to catch up with the fleet as they sail on south from Newcastle.

Many members of the Round Britain Challenge fleet are in Grimsby this weekend, enjoying some rare sunshine in their circumnavigation as guests of the Grimsby and Cleethorpes Yacht Club. Associated British Ports (ABP), the UK’s largest ports group, handles 25% of all seaborne trade in and out of Britain and Grimsby is one of their busiest ports, others on the Humber being Hull, Goole and Immingham. The OGA is grateful for ABP’s generous sponsorship this year and this update includes a few facts and figures about ABP along with the usual extracts from OGA boats.

Several local boats join the fleet as they enjoy the sunshine, musical entertainment and a barbecue.

Six miles wide at Spurn Point, the Humber historically separated Northumbria from the southern kingdoms of Saxon Britain. Formed by the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Trent, the estuary has fast-flowing currents, shifting sands and shallow waters, providing considerable challenges for navigation and pilotage.

The Humber Estuary is the busiest trading estuary in the UK, home to four of ABP’s ports (Hull, Goole, Grimsby and Immingham) with more than 40,000 international shipping movements a year. The estuary handles 70 million tonnes of cargo annually including 15% of all UK crude oil capacity, 17% of the UK’s refined petroleum products, 27% of the UK’s iron ore capacity and 25% of the UK’s natural gas requirements. Hull Ferry Port handles more than a million passengers and over 10 million tonnes of traffic every year. The OGA is grateful to ABP for their generous sponsorship in this Anniversary year.

News from the fleet

We hear from the skipper of ‘Syene’ that as the shallow waters of the English east coast begin, she arrives safely into Grimsby after a somewhat frustrating ride down from Whitby, then moves on to Cromer:

Thursday A big spring tide, a three quarter sea and a shifty wind from the stern, the overfalls at Flamborough Head are exciting. Negotiating the crossing of the Humber we had a fast and cracking close hauled sail up to Grimsby, in time for a pint in the yacht club and a long sleep.

Saturday Anchored just off the Cromer lifeboat station in 6.5 metres with a strong easterly flood tide and a gentle rolling swell. The sounds of the shore drift across through the fog. Anchor alarms set. I’m off to my bunk. Up at 05:00 for the next sail to Lowestoft.

‘Bonita’ reports the greatest challenge of the day to be entering the lock at Grimsby. A member of the crew averts disaster when the bowsprit almost got caught in the lock gate due to an unpredictable eddy.

‘Witch’ is also safely in Grimsby, motor-sailing from Flamborough Head in order to catch the lock:

Humber VTS gave us permission to cross the shipping lane and we found our way up with the tide towards Grimsby. As we neared the lock we were met by a small fleet of welcoming boats from the Grimsby and Cleethorpes Yacht Club who showed us the way. Unfortunately we then had to lurk outside the lock for an hour and a quarter while a ship didn’t come out. Eventually berthed up at the yacht club we were welcomed with a barbecue and an open mike night.

Still in Scotland, ‘Annabel J’ arrives in Peterhead from Shetland, for a short rest before heading south to Ipswich for the East Coast Jubliee Cruise next week. This will be just over 350 miles in four days, we wish them ‘fair winds’. The counter-clockwise circumnavigator, ‘Snoopy’ has been seen in Crinan, travelling south via the Caledonian and Crinan Canals, hoping to reach Cowes in time for the Grand Gathering of Gaffers 15 – 18 August.

‘Toucando’ leaves Eyemouth at last on Thursday after her repairs and returns to English waters, stoppping at Blyth and Scarborough on passage to Grimsby. Her skipper is pleased with the results of the work: ‘The new bow thruster was brilliant: not only did it thrust the bow perfectly, it made a beautiful purring noise.’

STOP PRESS: ‘TOUDANDO’ ARRIVES GRIMSBY

Suffice it to say we’re in Grimsby. It was a long haul from Scarborough. Little wind. The coastline to Flamborough Head was spectacular. A horrible fog developed in the Humber, then we had a very long wait for the lock into Royal Docks.

As part of the Old Gaffers associations 50th Anniversary, one of the stopovers for the Round Britain Challenge was Grimsby. This is a brief video of the boats arriving and the events over the time they were here.

The Round Britain Challenge fleet is making its way towards the River Orwell and Ipswich for the weekend celebrations. ‘Witch’ and ‘Bonify’ are set to join ‘Windflower’ and ‘Cygnet of London’ as the next two boats to complete the Round Britain Challenge.

‘Witch’ reports she’s completed the Round Britain Challenge, reaching her home port today.

The first boat to reach Ipswich is ‘Syene’ who sailed up the Orwell and took this lovely photo.

‘Bonita’ sails in light winds from Grimsby and, at 1am, reports she ‘had almost too much excitement during a difficult entrance to Wells Harbour in the dark’. We await the full story in the next instalment of her blog.

‘Cine Mara’ explores the River Alde at Orford while ‘Capraia’ and ‘Windbreker’ are in Southwold.

We hear ‘Bonify’ has arrived in Lowestoft. She reports it’s been 100.8 nautical miles from Grimsby in 19 hours and 50 litres of diesel – cheaper than the train? We’re pleased to hear there’s no more diesel leaks and they’re stocking up on kippers and haddock for the celebration return to the East Coast at Wrabness, River Stour, to complete the Round Britain Challenge. Read the Classic Boat Magazine blog to find out about the challenge of their night passage as ‘Bonify’ returns to her home waters.

‘Toucando’ has made up the lost time undergoing repairs in Eyemouth, motor-sailing to Lowestoft, passing the North Norfolk coast between sunset and sunrise approaching Great Yarmouth with caution, hearing the radio reports of a fellow yachtsman running aground.

‘Annabel J’ is sailing south and reaches the English coast to anchors at Holy Island, Lindisfarne.

‘Snoopy’ is more than half-way round her counter-clockwise passage to the Solent party and reports she’s:

Awaiting the tide at Peel Isle of Man. Exact 777 miles done since I left Holland June 25th, 480 miles left to go to Cowes Isle of Wight! And than back home again. All in a cramped 18 footer. She’s doing well though.

Liz and Tim Dodwell took part in the OGA Round Britain Challenge from May – August 2013, sailing their Cornish Crabber Pilot Cutter 30 built in 2001 ‘High Barbaree’.

As the Round Britain Challenge fleet sail their separate ways, Liz reflects on the adventures aboard ‘High Barbaree’ and shares some statistics of the voyage with us.

It was really sad to say goodbye to everyone and wonder when and even if we’ll meet again. Of the 20 boats that went round England (16 of us went through the Caledonian Canal so only four went round the northern Scottish mainland so circumnavigating Britain) we became quite close to many of the owners and the crews, and certainly we plan to keep in contact with our new RBC family. Here are some general comments and statistics (but I don’t guarantee it’s all correct):

The 20 boats were of different types, size and ages. Four were smaller than our 30 foot, and most of the rest were just a bit larger. Five of the eight wooden boats were over 70 years old; five of the Dutch boats and one English were steel; one boat was concrete and five were modern, made of fibreglass, like us.

Personally we travelled 2,318 nautical miles in 107 days or about three and a half months. We were moving for over 500 hours but with sail only for just 29% of the time. Our average speed was therefore about 4.5 knots. Most of the time we were motor-sailing and this was mainly because of the tight schedules under which we travelled and the need to continually think about the tides. Different people on the trip had different objectives and restrictions, like some were still having to do some work whilst others were content to wait for a fair wind. One of our ambitions was to visit as many places as possible. So, apart from the organised events which usually lasted several days, and those occasions when we were wind-bound, having decided that the forecast was such that we’d better not travel, we only spent an extra night in three places.

We visited 68 different places, only 20 of which we had been to before. One of the main challenges was navigation and I think there were tidal restraints on entry times at 37 of our destinations. Another of our ambitions was to see some of our family and friends who don’t live near us, and we met up with over 30 of them, plus the eight who came to welcome us home in Cowes. 14 people came as crew, staying mostly about a week on board, eleven of these were family. We were one of the few boats who rely on paper charts, and don’t have a chart plotter, but I definitely think we’d try to get one before we tackle another long trip!

What have we missed most? Not much! We’ve eaten and drunk very well. We consider we’ve been pretty comfortable on board. We’ve slept well and our cabin is homely and cosy especially with the oil lamps burning. We’d little idea of what was happening in the world outside, not bothering with radio or newspapers though I did watch Andy Murray win Wimbledon on a hotel screen. We’ve come home to lots of rather tedious jobs!

Definitely a brilliant and memorable way to spend the summer.

After the celebrations in Cowes, skippers, crews, friends and families are departing for home, with a two Welsh boats continuing on their circumnavigation westwards and the Dutch counter-circumnavigator sailing east with another 300 miles to go.

Completing her Round Britain Challenge, 'High Barbaree' hosts an impromptu party as she reaches her home port at Buckler's Hard on the Beaulieu River.

'Victoria' manages to leave Littlehampton, at the fourth attempt, and after motoring through the Looe Channel to reach Chichester harbour, she visits Itchenor taking a berth in Chichester Marina. Skipper and crew are now enjoying a sail in the Solent, relaxing after the rigours of sailing 'Bonify' in the Round Britain Challenge. Meanwhile, with guest skipper and crew, 'Bonify' makes passage back to the East Coast for the Fambridge Rally, and is now in Ramsgate.

We hear from the lovely Dutch boat, 'Vlieter', that he has a problem with a damaged mast, so is taking a gentle passage back to the Netherlands. On passage he takes another  chance to explore Brighton, this time in the sunshine. Also in Brighton are 'Gwenili', 'Plum of Mylor', 'Transcur', 'Maid of Tesa' and 'Hussar' on passage back to their East Coast home ports.

There's bad news from 'Robinetta' in Rye, where Alison's been taken to hospital after her fingers were trapped by a warp. Surgeons are confident there's no long-term damage that won't mend with time though, and we send her our good wishes for a speedy recovery.

'Bonita' is taking advantage of the favourable winds to make safe passage home to the Swale after enjoying the celebrations in Cowes and complleting her Round Britain Challenge.

'Cine Mara', pictured here in the Solent on passage to Cowes is approaching the Dutch coast on passage back to Schermer.

There are, of course, a few boats still to complete their circumnavigation and we hear that 'Snoopy' is still making progress counter clockwise from Cowes, reaching Rye to rest in the mud for the night with just under 300 more miles to go . . . and another Dutch vessel, 'Leonora 3', continues her passage down the East Coast of England, reaching West Mersea.

The two Welsh boats continuing their circumnavigation, 'Minstrel' and 'Capraia', departed Cowes after the weekend's festivities and we hear they're both in Weymouth.

A group of the Dutch boats joining the celebrations in Cowes, 'Gwylan', 'Theodosia', 'Ragamuffin', 'Orm' and 'Blackwater' are now in Dover, along with Belgian boat 'Drum of Drake'. Fired with enthusiasm from the events this year, members of the Dutch OGA are heading back across the North Sea to organise celebrations for their 10th anniversary in 2014.