The May St Kilda trip was cancelled and I was given the option of going on the August trip. So tomorrow I am off to Greenock for the Day Skipper course after which I go up to Oban for the St Kilda.

I did the Bosuns course which was good and I now have a certificate.

So, I got a call last Wednesday asking if I'd like a place on the voyage at the weekend, of course I said yes so Friday morning saw me loading up the Camper for the trip to Greenock. I was the first recruit on-board so had the choice of bunks so took the lower middle one, easy to get to the heads during the night😀

After an evening of getting to know everyone and being briefed on the weekend I went to bed, I didn't sleep to well. Not only was it a strange bed but with all bunking together I had to put up with others snoring!! Men and women bunk together with no privacy.

We were split into Green and Red watches. I was green and on Saturday morning we were below cleaning while Red watch was up top getting the boat ready for sea. I was tasked with getting breakfast ready. An easy task, just had to get up a bit earlier, put the kettle on and get the cereals out.

All hands were called on deck to cast off and get out of harbour, very exciting stuff.

We got under way and put sails up, learning to use the winches and what the various sheets and halliards did. Then we did a man overboard drill with one of the sea staff going into the water on a line to rescue a dummy.

We tacked, we plotted our position, we tacked some more then we anchored near a little beach for lunch. After punch we sailed downwind and got all sails set including the cruising shute and another I can't remember the name of.

Late afternoon I took the helm and we then did another man overboard as it got dark. Sail had to come off the engine was started and I had to turn the boat. I made off on a reciprocal heading until we spotted the buoy that was the man overboard, I had to bring it into the lee of the boat so it could be rescued.

The wind had dropped so we motored on in the dark looking for a light signal at which to turn into Holy Loch. I then had the thrill of taking her in to the pontoon where we tied up for the night. What a lucky bugger I am😀

Sunday - Green watch got her ready for sea and we had a nice smooth trip back to Greenock under all plain sail.

Altogether a brilliant introduction to big boat sailing.

Hooked!!!

So, I am now booked for a 2 day Bosuns course at Greenock on 3rd/4th May and then up to Oban for the St Kilda Challenge on 5th to 12th May. August 19th to 23rd I'm on the Day Skipper course and September 26th to 28th sees me on my first Youth Voyage. Hopefully I'll fit in some flying around this lot.

I have a place on the Ocean Youth Trust Scotland's Alba Venturer on 10th May. This is an induction weekend and is the first step to becoming a volunteer sea staff. Hope I am not sea sick but if I am I'll be in good company, Nelson was often sea sick. The boat sails from Oban out around the western isles, Oban has a great fish restaurant , looking forward to another huge seafood platter!