Wednesday 26 May 2010 Milford Haven N510 42.650’ W0050 02.203’

Alarms at 0400 hours to depart Padstow Dock by 0430 bound for Milford Haven. The forecast indicated E or NE wind becoming Force 3 to 4 then backing later to N and increasing to Force 5 or occasionally 6; it did. We left Padstow in little or no wind motoring in a surprisingly disturbed sea and cold grey dawn. As the wind increased so we motor sailed and then sailed to maintain a reasonable speed and passage time. The day was cold and dull with overcast sky and somewhat lumpy sea.

Everything on Alcyone tends to have a special name; the electronic autopilot is George (as the GPS used to be Humphrey). The wind pilot self steering gear logically is George W and for a couple of hours in the early afternoon he had his first spell on duty. Whilst not as accurate and uncomplaining as George, a perfect crew, he has the benefit of not requiring battery power. It is several years since I last used George W and we had difficulty in getting it adjusted; a session with the Instruction Book is required.

For several hours through the middle of the day and early afternoon, we were accompanied by a school of dolphins playing around and under the boat. There seemed to be many more than the school that played around Alcyone on the way to the Iles of Scilly but of course it is not possible to count them. But it is an enchanting interlude to a somewhat tedious passage.

Alcyone entered Milford Haven at 1930 hours but had to wait at the lay by berth for the lock into Milford Docks and the marina. Locking in at Milford is not the quick simple procedure we are used to at Hythe and other Solent Marinas; the lock is only operated occasionally throughout the day and it is a long slow process. However, eventually we were at last safely berthed ready for a late supper and bunk.

Having broken the end of the tiller, repairs were carried out in Newlyn. By popular demand – there has been one request – a photograph of the repaired tiller is displayed.