Leg 6 – Istanbul to Malta – Royal Engineers

DAY 1-2

After an epic journey involving 5 hours by minibus and 4 hours by plane and the inevitable waiting in between, the crew arrived in Istanbul to meet HMSTC (Her Majesty’s Sail Training Craft) Kukri our home for the next 2 weeks in Atokay marina only a few miles from the Airport.

After discovering how little storage space each individual actually has to live in while at sea we made ourselves at home, were detailed into the two watches, received the obligatory safety and equipment briefs and were issued oil skins and life vests it was time to resupply the boat. This meant braving the local supermarket, or a least would if we could find the place, it turns out it is incredibly hard to mime ‘supermarket’ to non English speakers. But never mind after doing battle with turkish drivers we found it, and the next problems started. The initial plan had been to identify the food by the pictures on the packaging or buying brands we recognise from home, this plan came apart rather quickly but we cracked on regardless muttering such things as “it has a picture of a cow on it that must mean it’s cows cheese not goats” or “We’ll just risk it!” Perhaps this was not the best way to go shopping however we seem to have made only one mistake but come on who sells soured milk! The crew were soon weighed down which what seemed like tonnes of food a resembled pack donkeys carrying it all back to the marina, however eventually the supplies were stowed away, this seemed enough to feed a small nation but in reality wouldn’t last 11 hungry squaddies very long at all. After a slap up meal ashore it was back to the bunks to recover from a busy day.

Day 2 was opened by the discovery that we had in fact purchased soured milk and as we hadn’t bought the bread yet, another expedition was sent ashore to find supplies for breakfast and they promptly discovered most shops in Turkey don’t in fact open until after 10 o’clock, oh dear! The lucky discovery of a corner shop selling milk and bread saved the crew from disaster or at least a missed breakfast. Following a slightly late breakfast it was time to become more familiar with the Kukri and what followed was a crash course of nautical terms which baffled the uninitiated (why I ask you would a rope be named a sheet?), lessons on how to actually sail the boat when we get it out on to the sea and tour below deck to identify all the little cubby hole and the kit stored in them.

Training being conducted aboard before leaving port.

Another trip to the Supermarket to collect the rest of the required stores topped up already groaning selves. Three trolly loads later and nearly 30 mins of packing away the boat was finally provisioned. It was my turn to cook this evening (not sure how that worked but ho hum) chicken pasta with Parma ham, chorizo sausage and a tomato sauce did nicely.

Plans were hatched to leave the marina at 9 o’clock the following day and start our journey along the sea of Mara through the Dardinell straights and out into the Aegean and eventually to Malta via the Greek Islands.

DAY 3 – Istanbul to Marmara Island – NM sailed 65

After awaking bright eyed and bushy tailed (ish) there was time for a quick but thorough lesson covering raising a collapsing the main and fore sails and several of the procedures we would use out on the water, and it was time to leave, berthing fees were paid and documentation collected and it was off! Or nearly so just a 20 min wait for the marina launch to escort us out.

However soon we were out and among the massive oil tankers waiting their turn through the Bosporus to the Black Sea. After motoring through all this traffic we reached the sea lanes and it was time to put into action all the things we had been taught over the last two days, we were assured by the veteran sailors that the sea was smooth but you could have fooled us, each movement felt enough to throw us overboard but eventually we became proficient if not adept at raising the two sails. After practice of the tack, jibe and heave too manoeuvres it was time to raise a No 3 Genoa foresail and crack on.

Almost as soon as we left the marina we saw a pod of dolphins but they kept their distance but they were close enough that we could see them breaching the surface. Once we properly got underway under sail the pod rejoined us and started to play under the bow of the boat, a few of the crew went forward to the bow and they seemed close enough in the clear water to touch.

After consulting the charts it was decided that we would make our way in a SW direction towards the island of Marmara which gives this stretch of water its name. As soon as we were under way some of the crew began to feel the effect of sea sickness and after an hour some of them really began to feel the effects and several individuals could be seen hanging over the side revisiting their breakfasts.

By mid afternoon the wind and sea had both picked up with a NNE wind blowing up to 22 knots and waves growing to between 1-2 meters, while this may sound relatively calm but for novice sailors like some of us it didn’t bloodly well feel that way and for those who hadn’t managed to get their sea legs under them it just prolonged their pain. The island of Marmara was spotted at around 10 past 5 in the afternoon, By 7 o’clock in the afternoon out temporary safe harbour was chosen the anchor and sails were dropped and stowed ready to be raised later.

That evening after a meal of rice and chicken wraps an anchor watch was established and we were briefed that tomorrow was an early start and we intended to be at one of the Gallipoli beaches by the afternoon to early evening of day 4, only Time will tell if we will keep to this estimate.

Day 4 – Marmara Island to ANZAC Cove – NM sailed 65

At 3 o’clock in the morning the crew emerged stumbling and bleary eyed to set the sails and catch the wind, well unfortunately there was no wind after valiantly trying to coax every last bit of speed out of the wind it was decided that travelling at 1 knot would get us to Malta in time! So the bullet was bitten and the Diesel engine was started and a steady 5 knots was achieved. So a course was set towards the Dardanelles straights. The traffic was light however a Turkish Navy frigate did buzz past at a rapid rate of knots.

After a few hours we past the headland and entered the Channel proper catching our first look at the route the allied Navies tried to force in 1915, consulting period maps we were able to plot Turkish gun positions and approximately where the strings of sea mines had been placed and as we passed. Once we reached the mouth of the channel we could place the resting places of several of the ships sunk during the action.

On the Starboard side East of Helles point the Turkish war memorial could be seen built on the position of one of the few British successes on the first day of the invasion. As we passed the other beaches a running commentary was maintained by the better informed member of the crew.

Including V beach where the ex-collier the SS River Clyde which had been converted into an Assault ship with Sally port cut in the side, filled with troop from the Royal Munsters and the Middlesex regiment. The plan had been to ram the ship ashore and for the attacking troops to charge across and pier constructed from various small craft and assault the Turkish forces defending the high ground surrounding the landing point. The plan went to pot almost immediately as the defending forces cut down any one emerging from the Sally ports even the efforts of the naval ratings manning Vickers machine guns mounted behind sand bags on the prow of the ship. After several attempts to get ashore suffering heavy casualties it was decide to wait until nightfall to come ashore.

We continued to motor along the shore line keeping an eye on the depth. A quick conversation was held and it decided that rather than anchor off the shore at ANZACS cove we would moor up in a small harbour just a mile or so South. As we entered the harbour confusion reigned with several different individuals shouting out completely different instructions all of which turned out to be wrong, the harbour master came running over gesticulating like mad and after somehow managing to breach the language barrier he managed to get across that there were some Naval vessels on there way and we need to shift out of the way. As per instructions we tied up along side a sea going tug and prompted informed that if we weren’t out of the area by 5 o’clock the next morning we would be stuck for several days while the Turkish navy carried out live exercises in the surrounding sea, this put paid to any idea of visiting ANZAC cove the following day so it was decided we would stay the night and the following morning retrace out steps and visit the British and turkish memorials before clearing turkish immigration and start our journey onward to Greece.

DAY 5 – ANZAC Cove to Canakkale – NM sailed. 35

After making our unscheduled early departure from ANZAC Cove at 3.30 in the morning we found yet again that there was little to no usable wind and after several sail changes including taking out the reefs (lines that make the sail smaller therefore more controllable to heavy seas) and fitting a larger head sail all to avail and though it was rather pleasant to amble along at 1-2 knots it doesn’t make for rapid passage making so the decision was made to yet again start up the engine and make our way under horse power rather than wind power.

After a couple of hours we rounded Cape Helles and dropped anchor on S beach where British troops landed in 1915 to support the main British attack on Cape Helles. Once we had the boats dingy pumped up we made our way ashore to visit the Turkish war memorial it was an impressive structure, basically a massive marble looking slab about 15m square and about 4-5 meters high supported 40-50 meters up by 4 columns, on each column is a carved image portraying certain aspects of the operation from the Turkish perspective. The area was very busy, filled with both school visits and coach parties of several nationalities.

Standing on the cliffs looking down at the passage below we could watch the Turkish navy heading out on their exercise this included several frigate sized ships a few smaller patrol sized craft and 2 submarines running on the surface.

The opportunity was offered to walk over to the British memorial on Cape Helle I which took, the walk took about 30 minutes. The memorial was built on the bluff above V beach and looks out to the point where the SS River Clyde came ashore, like most commonwealth war graves memorials this one had stone tablets with all the dead listed by regiment and rank, the memorial itself was a stone obelisk about 30m high with stone plaques detailing the units involved and the ships sunk. Also nearby are the remains of one of the coastal batteries the Turks used to bombard the British ships putting the troops ashore, this one was knocked out just prior to the assault. There were several. Other reminders of the action including a machine gun pillbox and some excavated trenches to give visitors a turkish defenders view of the invasion beach, it wasn’t pretty.

Once I had rejoined the rest of the crew on board we lifted the anchor and set off for Canakkale to reprovision, refuel take on water and clear from Turkish immigration. The opportunity was taken during this time to take those members of the crew sailing for the first time through the modules they require to learn in order to earn their Competent crew qualification.

After attempting to moor up in the marina in Canakkale and finding it to be full we dropped anchor outside the marina but inside the break water and settled in for the night, some of the crew used the dingy to go ashore but were back early. Tomorrow the intention is to get the boat ready to leave turkey and start the passage across to Malt via the Greek Islands.

Palermo to Valetta

Kukri left Palermo slightly unimpressed with the city but in good spirits with excellent weather. Despite the weather, there was a lack of wind, so the motor was fired up and we aimed for the volcano islands; importantly Stromboli, for sight of an active volcano. Kukri arrived at Stromboli at about 0100, to witness a spectacular natural firework display and to see the lava flowing down the mountainside. In fact, it was so good that we about turned about and went for a second look. Once the memories had been absorbed, we headed South towards the Messina Straits.

Passage through the Straits was a lesson in avoiding small fishing vessels and large container ships in a very narrow channel, but the fun was yet to happen. Once the Messina Straits opened up, the wind was pulled through the narrow gap directly behind us. 41kts (Force 9) was measured at one point taking Kukri’s reefing to the limit. Whilst Port-Watch were up on deck putting in this third reef, a wave rudely sent Stew and Derreck flying, thankfully being held only by thier safety harnesses. Despite the sun and weather, the sea was constantly throwing testers at the crew to keep us on our toes. To our West mount Etna loomed, with her snow capped peak providing a great back drop for many picture opportunities.

Malta became ever closer on the charts and a quick dash across the straits were made, contending with the famous choppy seas. At 0130 Mark decided to make an in optimistic enquiry about Scuba diving in Malta, as a post passage treat, but funnily enough received no immediate reply!

Entrance into the famous Valletta harbour was impressive, with all the historic bastions and forts used to guard the island for centuries. We arrived at our mooring and to finalise our final yachting skills we tried to med Moor on lines too short for Kukri. A manoeuvre made hard once our line had been caught around Kukri’s prop, queue Alice masking up and having a dip to free up this up. Kev was also on an adventure to be hoisted up the mast to free up and fix the stb’d signal burgee, which he had incorrectly hoisted the night before. He assured us the ‘wedgie’ was not worth it.

Mark, our on board BSAC Scuba instructor, received a positive reply from the Cresta Dive Centre with a dive spot on a wreck that afternoon. Along with Matt and Kayley, both with dive experience, off the three went towards the Dive Centre in St Julien. The dive thankfully ended up being of great significance to the expedition, considering they walked around 10 km to and from the dive centre. The wreck was called a Coralita class water lighter and lay between 5 and 22m in the harbour itself. The vessel was layed down in 1915 as a motor landing craft, 1 of 200 others to be used in suppot of the Gallipoli landings to ferry supplies in behind the advancing troops. This vessel was then employed as a utility vessel in Valletta harbour during WWII working in vicinity of the famous hospital, when she was bombed in mistake for a British submarine. The wreck is now a preserved site and the only remaining barge of her class. A great history lesson and an excellent addition to the Gallipoli 15 exped.

With Friday held as an ashore day, for cultural visits; and Saturday reserved for a deep clean of the vessel, this brought to a conclusion the Int Corps leg of EX GALLIPOLI.

All Crew are most grateful to the generous support of ICA, which made this exciting trip more affordable for all.
Mike and Gerry are also thanked for their contribution as RYA Instructors, enabling four new Competent Crews to be added to the ICSA roster.

Sardinia to Sicily

From The Perfect Storm to to paradise on the open seas.

Kukri left Carloforte on a lovely (day 5) morning ready for another passage across the Med to the home of the Sicilan Mafia. There were warnings of a further Gale Force 7 winds, for after once the island headland was cleared. “Force 7? The crew laughed”. The sun came out in patches and the wind decided not to blow as hard as expected. The novices amongst the crew took this opportunity to run through some of the RYA Competent Crew syllabus. The day passed with very little to report save a brilliant sunset and an equally impressive night time, the one downside was the necessity to motor due to lack of wind.
Day 6 dawned, with a great sunrise appearing through the silhouette of the yacht “goose-winging”; yet another new skill taught to the crew. As the sun rose the clear blue sky and warm weather brought all the crew onto the deck regardless of watch. In the afternoon, we were treated to a pair of dolphins playing off our starboard bow and rapidly the horrors of the previous stormy passage were hastily forgotten. That night Mark served up a gourmet steak complete with all the trimmings, and the crew settled into night routine contented after a relatively relaxed day.

An early arrival into Palermo with beautiful weather had the crew excited to be back on dry land and prospect of a decent wash, but not before Derrick and Micky’s breakfast: the mighty Kukri Burger. Beef, ham, cheese, fried onions, cheese, lettuce, tomato and ‘Micky’s Special Sauce (???)’. The land of the Godfather awaits the crew for a decent clean out and restock for our final stint to Malta.

Palma de Mallorca – Sardinia: The Intelligence Corps leg sets off!

Day1:  After an early start for some on Sunday, the team finally came together at Gatwick for our flight out to, hopefully sunny, Palma.  The team boarded the most packed out easyjet flight, leaving the UK, and Mickey and Alice were lucky enough to get the last row ‘window’ seats which were suspiciously un-window like. Once the flight was over the island of Mallorca we saw the perfect flat seas and sunny weather, excellent. Obviously it was raining by the time the plane landed 5min later and we had seemingly brought the English weather with us. A 3 taxi convoy took us to the the Real Club Nautica Palma where, in the rain, we met Jerry our skipper and importantly laid eyes on Kukri. Bed space ruelette occurred to sort out bunk space and a a game of snorer avoidance began. The evening approached, the rain stopped, and we decided to venture into the old part of town lying in the shadow of a beautiful cathedral for a crew meal after a long day of travelling and yacht admin.

Day 2:  Yacht familiarisation for the novices was the main aim of this day. We had a proper introduction to kukri whilst others set out for shopping trip uno.  The novices: Matt, Oscar, Mike, Derrick along with a refreshers for Alice and Kayley were given instruction on how to take up and take down sails and winching. Shopping trip dos had to go out to get more food and the all important PG tips.  As Mike Rustled up a chili for the evening meal we prepared for cast off a la mañana.

Day 3:  After a quick breakfast we got kitted out and did a dry run through. We had some lunch and then did some bumps and grinds, man over board drills, coming along side drills including a med mooring (a first for some). After a last supper and early night all crew were up at first light in order to quickly prepare the boat for our first two-day passage to Sardinia.

Days 4-6:  Go sailing they said, it’ll be easy they said. Kukri left Mallorca with high hopes and sense of adventure. We left port with a single reef in the main and jib 1 flying. A steady swell was whipped up by a strong NW wind which set us on a due East course to Sardinia. The dream rapidly fell apart. Sea sickness took over and almost everyone turned green. The wind was a steady 6 and sea state 3/4. Stb’d watch began the transit with each member having a lesson in taking the helm which was a chance to delay another sick episode. Stb’d watch put another reef in the main which was a small respite to the seasickness The hand over to Port watch as the weather deteriorated became somewhat emotional. Port watch were tasked with taking the jib1 down and raising jib2. Clipped in and in horrendous conditions the task was completed, each member plus help from Stb’d watch were drenched by continuous bow waves and many were covered in each other’s sick for good measure. However Kayley’s morale improved when she sighted a single dolphin off the port beam.
The night passed, the weather did not. Not much sleep was had by either watch from sickness or being flung about the cabin due to the swell, which built steadily, as did the wind strength – which became a steady Force 8, with gust of Force 9.  One member of the team appeared to take the brunt of the sickness after vomiting into their scarf, the kitchen sink and then spectacularly breaking the toilet seat. As day 5 dawned Mike baked some superb chocolate cake which was about the first solid food food most of the ships company had eaten in a day. Fortunately weather calmed, the crew gained their sea legs and the sun came out. The swell increased but became more of a rolling state than the previous choppyness. A floating tree caused a minor panic but the steady helm of Stew avoided it. A relatively peaceful night ensued and an early arrival to Carloforte with bacon butties picked up morale. In total 9 of the 11 crew were ill and three life jacked were autoinflated by side on waves entering the cockpit. A baptism of fire for the new crew!
During the morning at Carloforte Marina, the local winds continued to build and, as a result, the crew took a well earned rest for the rest of the day.

Alicante – Ibiza – Palma de Majorca

50 Shades of Grey, Yes, we know what you are thinking given the hype back home and the 2 destinations for our final 48 hours, however 50 shades of grey can also describe and in this case, does describe with accurate detail the spectrum of white to black within a nautical context of our immediate working environment. The Mediterranean sea and in particular the Balearics conjures up beautiful blue cloudless skies and sun drenched beaches, palms and orange groves with gentle sea breezes that require little effort to enjoy everything that is good about sailing, however there is a darker side to the Mediterranean and the crew of Kukri were to experience this in all its raw form.

Having “exchanged” Skippers (rumour has it the AAC needed 2 because they keep wearing them out) our new Skipper Maj Jerry Smith RE advised that we are slipping lines at 19.30 that evening. Weather forecast was NE 6-7 and where are we heading? NE – of course we were, this is Adventure training. Destination Ibiza – rum line distance 94nm. Wave height 3m. Having cleared Alicante marina, Red & Blue watch settled into the all too familiar routine for a 24hr stretch at sea. Wind 18-20Kn sea state slight. Everything was looking good. However things were to change rapidly, the wind increased, the waves increased the sky already grey was turning a darker shade of grey, the sea already grey (reflecting the mood of the sky) was also turning a darker shade of grey, by contrast, the crews faces nicely bronzed after from a week of Mediterranean sun, started turning white but that change was not immediate, it started with a sort of egg-shell then to off-white progressing to ashen white before settling for a neutral shade of grey. And so 50 shades of grey aptly described the rapidly changing mood of the crew and their environment. It is said that if one person succumbs to seasickness it sets off a chain reaction amongst the rest of the crew and so this proved to be. Before long the crew of Kukri were in full vocal harmony with each other regurgitating and reciting unique tunes that only the body in its totally out of control state can produce. This one-off performance was to last for a while or at least until the body was so exhausted that even breathing became an effort.

Beating into a sea that has had several days to build is always going to be a very wet experience, but this particular sea was vicious. A wave profile is determined by its height and length. Height is crest to trough and length is crest to crest and so it stands to reason the longer the wave at a given height then the angle of its slope is a ratio of that. However this particular sea seemed to defy the laws of nature – it was high and short which meant the waves were steep and steep waves are like walls of water that one has to negotiate through. Not easy at night and not easy to maintain boat speed at around 5.5 – 6kns. These waves in open water were like a never ending assault course, no sooner had one recovered from overcoming the wall of water then the next one slammed into the boat, killing speed and direction. Even sailing full and by offered little reprieve, the best course of action was to get into the lee of the land as soon as possible. Easier said than done and progress is depressingly slow. In conditions like these 4 hours on watch can seem like 8 and the sleep period of 4 hours and seem like 2. During the night while the crews resolve to remained strong and determined to complete this ordeal the No1 jib did not share the same aspiration – it gave up as one of the seams ripped from leach to luff. And so it was the No2 Jibs turn to strut it’s stuff. We experienced Force 8 on the nose for long periods with foam and spray stinging the eyes and making reading the binnacle with its red light challenging.

Wet and tired but in great spirits the crew of Kukri arrived in Ibiza late evening, however is was to be a whistle stop tour, Robo did a sterling job on supper with a Mediterranean pasta dish that was definitely Michelin 3 stars. By mid-afternoon, fed, watered and recovered, we prepped for sea – most people (99.9%) who visit Ibiza at least get to taste and sample the local foods and wines – some of the crew of Kukri didn’t even get to leave the marina before we were of again on another night passage this time to our final destination for leg 2 Palma de Majorca. The forecast NE 7-8, sea state 3m+. Overcast with precipitation expected. Rum line direction – NE, of course it is – this is adventure training – isn’t it.

Having just come through the last 24hrs, we all knew what to expect but hoping it wouldn’t actually be like the previous night. Hope and realities are often diametrically opposed and so it proved on our final sail. Very wet, Growlers, bloopers, sploshers, whatever you name it, it ended up on the boat and crew, there was no hiding place from the constant cold water (8°C) soaking of the grey Mediterranean sea. More of the same and more of the same strategy get in the lee of Majorca as soon as we can, at least the sea would be flatter which in turn improves the average Speed over the Ground (SoG). Sea sickness was far less prevalent the 2^nd night despite much larger seas, perhaps attributed to acclimatisation of the conditions and another remarkable example of the human body’s ability to adapt to an adverse environment. Isn’t this the real outcome of Adventure Training and isn’t offshore-sailing the epitome of everything that Adventure Training is designed to do. Develop the individual with skills to perform as a team and overcome one’s adversary – in our case – the Weather and all it has to offer.

Arriving in Palma was a relief but also tinged with a little sadness because we all knew that our particular contribution to Exercise Gallipoli was at an end. When one reflects back to that first coming together at Gatwick airport at 04.30 in the morning with everyone casting a cautious eye over those they didn’t know and wondering what the next 14 days would bring and today as we close the blog of leg 2, the camaraderie and friendships that have been established, to witness a crew working together as one has been an honour to observe and a privilege to be a part of. The AAC have successfully completed its mission with true grit and pride and hopefully a passion to do it all over again as soon as possible.

Cartagena – Benidorm – Alicante

14th – 15th March:  A day off in Cartagena saw the crew split into 2 halves, the “elders” were a little more interested in the history and architecture of this Spanish city that seems to going through a bit of an identity crisis, blending the old with the new and not quite achieving either. I mentioned 2 halves, the skipper was cooking the evening meal “bangers and mash” for 18.30 followed with a night departure to Benidorm, so back on-board by 18.30 was the order of the day. Cartagena has a large university which happened to be celebrating with a live open-air concert. 3000 students were raving from around mid-day, like bees to honey and making a bee-line were descriptive actions that applied to the younger members of the crew. The elders were back on-board 17.45 and were soon showing signs of quiet consternation as to whether the 18.30 deadline would be observed. By 18.15 talk of keel hauling and “cat O nine tails” were being discussed by the newly formed “Elders committee”. By 18.25 five jolly crew scrambled on-board and much to everyone’s relief settled down to a hearty traditional evening meal. By 19.45, the lines were slipped and the crew of Kukri were once more heading out into the dark and blue yonder – destination Benidorm. The watches settled down to a relatively calm windless evening. It’s a strange phenomenon at sea when the mind and body start to move into a state of observational irrationality, a case in point occurred at around 02.10hrs when the Mate had just come on watch, Wayne from Hong Kong asked the Mate what type of ship that was on the horizon – it had an orange glow and resembled (with a good imagination) a ship –ish. The Mate pronounced the “ship” as the Moon and asked Wayne to keep a vigilant eye on it as it was likely to ascend into the sky and change colour to white. Wayne thought he was having the mickey taken out him and dismissed the Mates explanation – 15mins later the “orange ship” was now bright white floating high above the Mediterranean sea. Wayne’s only comment before going off watch was “Oh!! – it IS the moon” The point behind this little story is that when we are told to keep an eye out for ship’s – the mind has a wonderful way of interpreting the most obvious shapes into what we “want to see” and not what is actually there especially in the early hours of the morning.

07.00 saw the wind freshenand back to a steady 5, gusting 6 and put us on a dead beat. The mate had promised the crew, a full English breakfast – with Kukri on her ear, the cooker gimballing like a possessed seesaw with tomatoes and mushrooms making high leaping bids for freedom, landing on the cabin sole and scurrying (in-line) to the far corners of the boat. Perseverance and a dogged determination to deliver on one’s promise saw the crew tuck in to bacon sausage, scrambled egg, tomatoes and mushrooms. Honour restored and a happy ship.

16.00hrs saw Kukri safely moored in a marina 5 miles from Benidorm. With crew moral high, 6 days at sea, 490Nm and 50 night hours under their belt, the time was right to award each member of the crew with an enrolment gift to an exclusive members only off-shore only sailing community called “the Port & Starboard Club” – the gift, a pair of bamboo socks, one red one green. Simple rules – any member can call a committee meeting at any time – anyone not wearing or in possession of their socks is requested to carry out a forfeit by the rest of the crew – a forfeit always has to be in good taste and have an educational element associated with it hopefully with a nautical theme or tradition. That evening we all went out for a meal to a very nice restaurant and whilst seated at the table – yes you’ve guessed it – someone called a Port & Starboard committee meeting. The chair (1^st Mate) commanded a right leg show, with 10 legs raised in the air 9 green socks were counted – a left leg show was called and again 10 legs were raised and 9 red socks were counted – Oh dear !! “Disco” was improperly dressed and a forfeit is now pending.

Benidorm’s reputation as an attraction for social entertainment was not lost on the crew. It’s truly amazing the impact that having one too many beers can have on one’s ability to carry out life’s simplest of tasks – as was observed back on board. Army Air Corps helicopter pilots are probably the most highly trained and skilled pilots of any military in the world. Their precision and accuracy of positioning an aircraft in any environment is legendary. Back on board, this same highly trained pilot was having tremendous difficulty in navigating a landing pad just 4 feet high and 6 feet long. All personal on-board instruments were clearly malfunctioning, directional stability sensors were temperamental at best, night vision aids were no longer an advantage, and so it was – like all well trained pilots on a mission, one sometimes has to throw caution to the wind and Go For It, what then proceeded can be best described as do or die mission – target bunk firmly in the sights – legs cocked and spring loaded – Launch!! – body and bunk connected in a fashion which allowed time for said highly trained pilot to reassess the situation and after a short fight with a very stubborn sleeping bag – Chopper Watts was safe and in the prone position to enjoy some well-earned rest.

16^th March:  Slipped lines and headed south for Alicante, it was time to do some serious fishing, Alicante was a mere 15nm away and so trolling at 2-3kns was guaranteed to catch some fish for supper – Wasn’t it !!. Not L. We even had a shark trailing the lures for at least a mile but still nothing and soon the wind picked up and we were on beam reach doing over 7 knots, time to knock fishing on the head for another day.

Before mooring up in Alicante, the Skipper decided to practice anchoring – depth of water 4m. So in true military fashion the anchor chain was flaked on deck, the anchor trip line attached and set to 5m, we also decided to demonstrate anchoring with the mainsail up. The anchor was deployed and dug in, the anchor ball was hoisted, bearings and transits jotted down. An anchor watch and how it works was explained to the crew. The opportunity also was taken to take our 4 potential comp crew through their final knowledge and practical tests which they have been practising all week. Knots, parts of the boat, points of sail, rowing and all the other skills were tested. Delighted with the results and competency of the crew, the skipper declared that he would sign off their skill requirements and that we now had 4 new Competent Crew for Army Air Corp. Congratulations to Wayne, Dixie, Lynchy & Bow.

With anchor weighed we headed into Alicante – refuelled and found a berth for the night, Tomorrow we have a new Skipper joining us.

To close this section of our blog it just remains for me on behalf of the crew to say a big thank you Stuart Southwick for making the first week of leg 2 such a fantastic experience, we all hope to have the privilege of sailing with you again in the future.

 

La Linea to Cartagena

11^th – 13^th March 2015

With a brief run ashore to Gibraltar to re-victual with essential supplies we slipped our lines at 11.30, winds very light and unable to carry sails we motor-sailed out into the straights of Gibraltar and turned into the Mediterranean. Our destination was Almeria however due to a weather window the Skipper decided it was prudent to push on to Cartagena some 50Nm further north.

Whilst the weather remained calm the Skipper decided to demonstrate the finer points of seamanship including water conservation and proceeded by washing some pans over the side using a rope tied to the handle, an enthusiastic Dixie always looking impress, decided to go one better – Dixie demonstrated how to eliminate pan washing completely – in Dixie’s defence – the bowline was still intact when the line was hauled aboard albeit missing the pan – one assumes that the handle departed and the pan joined the galley of Davey Jone’s Locker.

Robo a keen sea fisherman enthusiastically assembled the Army Air Corp, boat rod and reel and loaded it with a deadly cocktail of lures and feathers, Robo proclaiming loudly that a fish would have to be blind not to want take a big bite of at least one of the lures – we were all anticipating a luxury fish pie for supper that evening – 2 days later the anticipation of any kind of fish let alone a pie is starting to wear rather thin.

24 hours at sea and the wind backed and picked up from astern, time to demonstrate “goosewing” sailing. Soon we were gliding through the deep blue Mediterranean sea at 7.5kn with barley a swell to upstage our now confident novice helmsmen who are all holding a course within 5° swing. However all good things come to an end and so did he wind, not only did it go, but what little there was swung through 180° – goose-wing to beating all within the hour.

Wildlife observations over 48hrs included a large turtle, an even larger Sun Fish (now that’s one odd looking fish, one thinks he was created with left over parts when the creatures of the ocean were designed). Numerous pods of Dolphins came – played and went. In fact after the 2^nd day of the dolphins the excitement and euphoria of seeing the dolphins for the first time turned rather nonchalant over the following days.

We must have a mouse on-board(and a nocturnal one at that) – because that’s the only logical explanation for savouries and snacks to be mysteriously disappearing particularly on night watch. Anyway, the Skipper came up with blinding solutions – prepack the night time snacks names into mouse-proof plastic containers and mark them up Red Watch & Blue watch. Genius!!

Night 2 saw the winds pick up to a steady NE 4-5 – Cartagena, our port of destination lay precisely NE of our location (of course it did – This is AT isn’t it !!). As dawn broke both watches had become highly proficient at tacking during the night and some wanted to push on – that’s how much the crew have embraced the experience of achievement and camaraderie of Offshore sailing.

Villamoura to Palma de Mallorca – Army Air Corps

8th to 10th Mar:  Joined Kukri around midday and met the Skipper Stuart Southwick. Stowed kit, victualed the boat with rations for 48hrs and started some boat familiarisation. Four of the crew have never sailed before and one of the objectives is for our novices to gain their RYA Comp Crew qualification, so without further ado the crew were split into Blue & Red watch each with a watch leader and three crew. The rest of the afternoon was spent practising mooring, hoisting and lowering sails and general teamwork.

The itinerary was changed slightly due to a weather window developing that gave us the opportunity to head straight for La Linea (Gibraltar). We slipped lines at 09.15 and headed SE under engine and mainsail. The wind remained very light and variable for the next 23hrs. In the early afternoon we spotted a large Minky whale 50m away, it surfaced twice but too quickly for anyone to grab their camera. Blue and Red watch settled into the routine of ‘four on four off’ with the Skipper and Mate bridging the watches by two hours each. The night sky was crystal clear and star spotting and naming became the night’s pastime. the wind filled at 08.00 from 6kts to 28kts and right on the nose. The sea state changed from long Atlantic rolling swells to short steep choppy and confused sea where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean. Beating hard and tacking regularly to keep out of the shipping lanes and the worst of the seas we made good progress and tacking became fast and slick. As Tariffa point loomed into site we knew that La Linea was just around the corner. The wind dropped off the sea flattened and we had a great sail into La Linea arriving at 15.00hrs. To cap it all off a pod of pilot whales appeared to welcome us.

To reinforce the Comp Crew training that was carried out, the Mate set a challenge. In order to go ashore each crew member had to tie a bowline confidently and competently. It goes without saying that everyone passed with flying colours. The first passage of 30hrs went very well with a variety of conditions to test the crew down.

Miles Run – 145Nm – Photo’s to follow

Cascais to Villamoura

Days 9 and 10 – Tue 3rd to Wed 4th Mar: Cascais to Albufeira.  Everyone is now feeling comfortable in their roles on the boat but also working together as a team… not a fake statement to give artificial substance to the blog, but a true statement that really does underline one of the key reasons why we do AT.  The run to Albufeira was 140 miles; weather forecast indicated a lot of engine use to maintain the minimum of 5 miles in the hour so we worked on a 24hr passage time knowing that winds would pick up nicely for our approach and rounding of Cabo de Sao Vincente.

We slipped Cascais at just before 0900hrs once a couple of the crew had returned from picking up a few fresh provisions and our dues were paid.  The weather was bright and sunny…shame about the lack of wind, so with engine on, main up and one reef in, (that turned out to be the correct call during our approach to Cabo de Sao Vincente in the early hours of the morning) we set off, manoeuvring through the anchored merchant ships of Lisbon’s equivalent of the Nab Tower vicinity and fell straight into a 4hr on and off watch.  An uneventful leg down to the Cape which picked up nicely upon reaching the Cape, hearing the waves crashing onto the rocks from two miles away; an impressive experience and sight under a clear night sky.  The wind which had been NW all day with preventer fitted really did pick up nicely when approaching and rounding the Cape.  As we altered course from 170 degrees round to 130 and then onto 80, Kukri really did ‘lift her skirt’ and accelerate towards Albufeira touching 10 knots SOG. This was a great sail for the helmsman and crew knowing that it was pretty much our last passage for the RLC on the exercise.  A large pod of dolphins escorted us in for around 30 minutes and at 0800hrs we were moored alongside the reception pontoon at Albufeira Marina.  A quality finish to another great coastal passage.

La Coruña – Villamoura: Exploring the Portuguese Atlantic coast

Days 3 and 4 – Wed 25 and Thu 26 Feb:  After a storm bound day in La Corunna on the Tue; all were keen to get the exercise underway and some miles under the belt with the trip down to Bayone, a distance of approximately 120 miles.  Immediately on ‘sticking our nose’ out of the harbour at 1000hrs, we were experiencing swell of 6 metres which wasn’t particularly helpful in getting all the crew adjusted with their sea legs on Day 1 sail. Seasickness was suffered by most very early on and several suffered quite badly throughout the whole passage.  The wind was right on the nose for the leg up to Cape Veo which we had to tack up to to be able bear away to take us round Cape Finisterre.  This was probably the hardest part of the leg; frustratingly beating to windward and most struggling with sickness.  The original watch system planned was soon thrown out the window and watches adjusted to who was feeling capable at the time.
Once past Cape Finisterre, the wind kindly held WNW veering slightly later.  The preventer was fitted and remained for a good broad reach into Bayone which was well received by all once alongside.  Showers tested, the local yacht club facilities were both welcoming and very comfortable.

Day 5 – Fri 27th Feb:  After making arrangements that morning to fly one of the crew back to UK for medical reasons, we set sail at approximately 0900hrs bound for Leixoes, a distance of 64 miles which promised to make a much more enjoyable day sail with winds coming from the north west. Light airs in the morning meant we had to motor sail but come the afternoon, the wind picked up nicely, gusting 20 knots and achieving the occasional 9 knots speed over ground under mainsail alone.  Alongside Leixoes for 1800hrs, the immediate appearance of the marina looked slightly disappointing, further compounded when initially we were told there was no shore power due to damage to the pontoon sustained during recent high winds; however the friendly marina staff managed to fix the problem and phones were eagerly being charged.

Day 6 and 7 – Sat 28th Feb and Sun 1st Mar:  We were still lucky with the forecast for winds abaft the beam for the run down the coast to Cascais; a distance of 153 miles.  Everyone was now fully acclimatised for the journey, slipping at approximately 0700hrs and watches set up of fours hours on four off.  We had the engine on for the majority of the day until the wind started to pick up to a steady 12 knots; and even with a reef in the main and No 1 jib, we were making a good 6/7 nautical miles in the hour.  A lovely night sail ensued and with the sun rising, we were only 10 miles from Cascais.  Stu Southwick has been a regular visitor to this marina so with his very positive description of the location; all were looking forward to the arrival.  Whilst waiting on the reception pontoon to book in we chatted to a 62ft Contest yacht in front of us on a delivery trip with two Dutch sailors; one of them turned out to have done his Offshore assessment at Joint Services in 1992 on a Nicholson 55, whilst serving in the Dutch Army and being on a exchange visit with the Royal Marines.  All his memories came flooding back after his tour of Kukri.

Day 8 – Mon 2nd Mar:  After spending most of the previous day catching up on sleep and jobs on Kukri, the day was spent relaxing in Cascais with it’s excellent marina facilities; especially the Skipper bar from where this blog was written! Four of the crew even took the short journey by train into the capital Lisbon.