Arc Angel's Round Britain Cruise

Now I'm back it feels like the trip went much to a precise plan, without drama. What was the fuss about?

Now I'm back, and life has returned to a routine, I wonder if it really happened. I have fading memories, some photos, a sketch book, some movies, a log book, a bank statement and a diary to fall back on for evidence; and this blog.

Now I'm back people who know me say; "You're back! (surprised). How was it? What was the best bit?" I say "yes it was really good; I just left the port every day and turned right" and they are satisfied, not having to hear the full three-hour story, an hour for every month. Indeed, what was the best bit? The best bit of every day? ..of every week ...of the whole trip? Impossible to say, except that it was all good and, in my boat, I did it; with a little help from my friends.

Now I'm back I can reflect on what I've seen of my country this year. I have prepared for this by a career reading of travels around Britain: Cobbett, Defoe, John Sell Cotman, JMW Turner, JB Priestley and Paul Theroux on land; and EE Middleton, Hilaire Belloc, Jonathan Raban, Libby Purves and Ellen Macarthur by sea. Winter evenings dreaming of and planning my trip; inspired and informed by tales from fellow sailors at the Cruising Association. These journals, pictures, tales, confidences and shared inspirations each provide a particular time encapsulated snapshot of my country; our country. I went out to find it for myself. I wanted to pay homage to my childhood heroes of Francis Drake, Captain Cook, Nelson and see the industry of our great engineers; Brunel, Stephenson and the Stevensons. And there it is. A wondrous natural world, spectacular diverse scenery, world-class bridges, canals, docks, sea walls, lighthouses. Power stations, windfarms and wave generators. Massive cargo ships speaking of the modern miracle of logistics.

And of the people who live in it, I found several distinct countries in these islands, bound by common tensions of history. Southern England, Cornwall, Wales, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, Highland Scotland, Orkney Islands, Lowland Scotland and Northumbria. Distinct written languages of English, Cornish, Welsh, Manx Gaelic, Irish, Gaelic, and some kind of Orkney Scandiwegian. Some will have noticed my discovery of the success of the Glaswegian Italians. England is the most populous land but is less attached to the sea than the others, and Scotland seems to be the biggest of the home nations for the opposite reason.

The decline of fishing, heavy industry and seaside tourism is a clear feature wherever we went. So many derelict buildings, run-down hotels, old docks, shipyards, fish markets, piers; horrible pubs serving people bemoaning their lot; I saw people crying tears into their beer. And here I was in a fancy yacht, often the fanciest projection of wealth in town. But without exception, my companions and I were met with courtesy everywhere (except in London) and friendliness which increased in proportion to the distance from my home town. Some seaside communities are rich and fine, or unchanging. Weymouth, Dartmouth, Kirkwall, Whitby and Southwold might be seen in this light. Some communities were on their uppers but are pulling themselves through into a new world; Muck, Kinlochbervie, Helmsdale, Eyemouth and Hartlepool. Some places are the new world; Aberdeen and Felixstowe. And the remote and beautiful places - Tresco, Coll, Canna, Skye, Loch Eriboll, Westray, Isle of May, Lindisfarne - were awesome, as they say. But sailing into and mooring in the centre of great cities of Edinburgh, Newcastle and London was equally exciting and impressive.

What had previously to me been 'seagulls', became distinguishable as Herring Gulls, Black Backed Gulls, Black Headed Gulls, Guillimots, Gannets, Skuas, Puffins, Terns, Fulmar, Cormorants and Shags. Seals became our frequent inquisitors. Dolphins became frequent companions. Mackerel became dinner.

The distances were great:

Hamble to Falmouth: 177 Nm
Falmouth to Milford Haven: 283 Nm
Milford Haven to Douglas: 252 Nm
Douglas to Largs: 232 Nm
Largs to Oban: 182 Nm
Oban to Kyle of Lochalsh: 211 Nm
Kyle of Lochalsh to Kirkwall: 263 Nm
Kirkwall to Inverness: 175 Nm
Inverness to Edinburgh: 281 Nm
Edinburgh to Newcastle: 149 Nm
Newcastle to Woolwerstone: 255 Nm
Woolverstone to London: 119 Nm
London to Hamble: 261 Nm

Total: 2840 Nm

I'd especially like to thank all the loved ones who stayed at home, but allowed me to go,

and the friends who sailed with me on the way:

John Gale, Deborah Gale, Patrick Burden, Mike Thomas, John Butler, Ian Conway, Andy Usher, Sam McElhinney, James Barrington, Peter Newland, Jerzy Wieczorek, Tony Barton, Maciej Matyjaszczuk, Joanna Siudzinska, Paul Dawe, Brian Turgoose, Ruslan Scutenic, Richard Terry, Bob House, Penny Abbott, Paul Rider, Bill Price, Lorna Davies, Johnnie Schinas, Sophie Blanchard, Selwyn Learner, Roberto Serra, Wenda Fabian, Steve Cook, Madeleine Benson, Martin Whitehouse, Andy Wadsworth, Helen Allen, Tinu Cornish, Peter Lindsey, Neil Poole, Den Farnworth, Joe Laslett, Chris Lomax, Hugo Hodge, Jon Pettigrew, Maggie Pettigrew.

A lot of these people have said; That was great! Where next?.......

The wind always blows somewhere; the sea never rests and goes on for ever.