Late Season Sailing in Northern Europe

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by rockDAWG

. . . If I am in this voyage, I will post my inReach track link. . .

Please do!

It will make it easier to find your body . . .



Just kidding!

[barnakiel]

Definitely do!

Always great pleasure to virtually follow others, while waiting for our turn down here in LP!

Cheers,
b.

[rockDAWG]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Please do!

It will make it easier to find your body . . .

Just kidding!

Hahaaaaa. No worry, death is the most easy part.

What I worry the most is the few brave young souls risking their lives to save my sorry ass. I know those young men and women are the special bleed. But let face it, why waste a few gallons of diesel and a good seahawk helicopter to save an old man. BTW, my son works on the army Blackhawk. :P

Besides, I have a great career, had plenty of toys, had my fun, have no more urgent responsibilities, paid my dues. I am a free man. No one will get pissed if I die.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by rockDAWG

Hahaaaaa. No worry, death is the most easy part.

What I worry the most is the few brave young souls risking their lives to save my sorry ass. I know those young men and women are the special bleed. But let face it, why waste a few gallons of diesel and a good seahawk helicopter to save an old man. BTW, my son works on the army Blackhawk. :P

Besides, I have a great career, had plenty of toys, had my fun, have no more urgent responsibilities, paid my dues. I am a free man. No one will get pissed if I die.

I wouldn't worry about the UK SAR services. They live to save you, and would love to have the chance to do it. They are impressive people; I know a few of them. They have a monthly budget and your rescue wouldn't mean any extra expense to them. On the contrary, it would be a much improved exercise for them. The positive thing about this trip is that you will mostly be in the zone of responsibility of the Lifeboats or other UK SAR services. They are the best in the best in the world as far as I'm concerned.

If you feel like that about your own life -- then by all means, do something adventurous. But don't do something unnecessary and stupid with it! At least spend it in an interesting way!

[rockDAWG]

I totally agree. All SAR in the free world are the best of the men. I salute them. I only had a few encounters with the USCG, including midnight boarding. It is always pleasant and professional.

Originally Posted by Dockhead

But don't do something unnecessary and stupid with it! At least spend it in an interesting way!

These are the wise words I would follow

[alctel]

Great thread with a lot of very good responses!

And yes, the RNLI are amazing.

[rockDAWG]

Just an update, the boat was safely arrived in Ilulissat Greenland from Pond Inlet, NU. They will en route to Nuuk in a few days and sail either directly to Iceland or Northern Ireland I do not need to board until Dublin on around Oct 15 and will sail to Porto, Portugal.

The owner consulted his crews and has made his decision, I respect that. I wish all the best to them, I think they will be OK.

[boatman61]

I'll second that.. get to Dublin a coupla days early.. a fun city.. 'hic..!!'

[LakeSuperior]

Originally Posted by rockDAWG

The owner consulted his crews and has made his decision, I respect that. I wish all the best to them, I think they will be OK.

OK, strong crew, strong boat, "what are the actual probabilities for below scenarios" considering the time of year and northerly route. In light of the dire warnings contained in this thread would someone hazard a guess.

1. Safe passage, no damage to the crew and vessel .
2. Damaged vessel and tough time for crew.
3. Severely damaged vessel and injured crew, external rescue required.
4. Catastrophe w/vessel and/or lives lost.

(I get that we don't have estimates of the true probabilities but sitting here in a chair thinking about it is bad enough having sailed off Ireland/Scotland in June/July.)

Up here in the northern Great Lakes the lows have been cranking through every couple days for the last three weeks. These lows end up in Nova Scotia and ultimately across to Ireland and Scotland.

Seems like a steep downside and little upside to this passage.

[rognvald]

"I am not a sissy -- all my sailing last decade above 50N, and F8 is a sailing wind for me, as long as its behind the beam -- but I would not put myself in the way of one of those. " Dockhead


Wow! Force 8 above 50 N! 39-46 mph winds, 18-24 foot seas as a regular downwind sail! Now that's some sailing! I think I'll sail somewhere further South . . . trade-wind breezes, sunny skies, bathing suit . . . no anxious captain or frightened females on my boat! Good luck and safe sailing. Captain Rognvald--A North European headed South again in the Spring.

[rockDAWG]

Originally Posted by boatman61

I'll second that.. get to Dublin a coupla days early.. a fun city.. 'hic..!!'

Hahaaa, we were thinking about the same thing. The flight to Dublin is relatively inexpensive, less than $500 RT. My wife and I will be there four days or so before boarding so that I can soak the Ireland culture a few days. We expect that there will lot of cloudy days there .....hahaaaa.

[rockDAWG]

Originally Posted by LakeSuperior

OK, strong crew, strong boat, "what are the actual probabilities for below scenarios" considering the time of year and northerly route. In light of the dire warnings contained in this thread would someone hazard a guess.

1. Safe passage, no damage to the crew and vessel .
2. Damaged vessel and tough time for crew.
3. Severely damaged vessel and injured crew, external rescue required.
4. Catastrophe w/vessel and/or lives lost.

(I get that we don't have estimates of the true probabilities but sitting here in a chair thinking about it is bad enough having sailed off Ireland/Scotland in June/July.)

Up here in the northern Great Lakes the lows have been cranking through every couple days for the last three weeks. These lows end up in Nova Scotia and ultimately across to Ireland and Scotland.

Seems like a steep downside and little upside to this passage.

We all are adult. We will try to give the best advise with our best intention to our fellow men, but it is up to them to make their own informed decision. We must respect that.

It is great that I don't need to get on board until they arrive in Dublin. Honestly, if they want me to get on the boat in Iceland and sail to Ireland, I most like will go.

Like Kennedy said: We choose to go to the moon because it is HARD .......

[Numawan]

I have been watching the weather in the North Atlantic over the last few days. It is quite frenetic currently. Very frequent depressions, including many with 50+ kts winds. Won't be easy nor comfortable.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by rockDAWG

. . . My wife and I will be there four days or so before boarding so that I can soak [up] the Ireland culture a few days. . . . .

"Soak" being the operative word . . . . :beer:

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Numawan

I have been watching the weather in the North Atlantic over the last few days. It is quite frenetic currently. Very frequent depressions, including many with 50+ kts winds. Won't be easy nor comfortable.

Equinoctial gales . . . .


I was berthed next to a Danish boat last week which had just come from Nova Scotia, a large X Yacht with a professional crew. They found conditions untenable above 60N and made a long diversion S to get out of the way of those. No gap between storms. "Never again so late in the season", they said. They had planned to go make landfall in Scotland or N Ireland but found it impossible; came through into Falmouth instead.