Together again, in the wonderful city of Gdansk, with glorious sunshine, but max temp of 6 degrees. Back to U.K. on tonight’s flight and to our proper home.
Gdansk
Category: Diary 2019
At Luton
My usual early morning start to catch the 0840 flight from London Luton to Gdansk. Can’t wait to see my Alex and spend some quality time in the UK for the Easter period.
Lunch with Uncle Warren
After arriving in the U.K. Alex and I went through the usual rituals of catching up on the usual and normal things in life, that unfortunately he doesn’t get in Poland. That being cycling, swimming and badminton. I must say that he’s a champion fighter at badminton and won all the matches. No photos as I’m embarrassed with my defeat.
We then planned a trip to Lymington, to see Uncle Warren, and help put back his repaired sail cover onto Honolee.
Lunch was provided by Uncle Warren in a fantastic restaurant at Brockenhurst station, “Enzee Ristorante”. Then a quick trip to Yaga, on her new mooring of Quay Side marina on the River Itchin, to tidy up for our Easter adventure.
Bembridge
After a wonderful day and night at Bucklers Hards Alex had his customary three “Minute Steak” breakfast and we prepared Yaga for our journey to Bembridge. We slipped lines at 0925 and set sails immediately.
It was delightful sailing out of Bucklers Hard under Gods own power and sailing upstream along the Beaulieu River and into the Solent.
A pleasant sail in glorious sunshine passing Cowes, Osbourne Bay, Osbourne House, Wooten Creek, Ryde and Portsmouth and then a leisurely entry through the winding buoys and into Duvers marina and onto a finger pontoon, mooring up at 1345. The marina was absolutely full, with yachts rafting 5 to 6 in places.
We had the foresight to book “Baywatch on the Beach” for 1815, but prior to that we took the tender out for a potter to the east side of the entrance and Alex had fun digging in tunnels and playing in the sand and all this in amazing sunshine and 26 degree temperatures.
EastMas
As Alex wasn’t in the U.K. to enjoy Christmas, my neighbours, Kate and Nick, and I decided to surprise Alex with a mixture of Christmas and Easter. We name this day Eastmas. Whilst Alex and I were out swimming, Kate and Nick went to work in preparing the Christmas tree, decorations and off course the Eastmas egg hunt.
Alex was delighted and surprised when he got home to find a trail of Easter bunny footprints leading to clues and ultimately chocolate eggs.
We had a wonderful Christmas lunch of turkey breast with all the trimmings. Lots of fun and laughter followed by the customary football match in the back garden, only stopped by the loss of the ball into the bramble, by yours truly.
Great fun and a big thank you to our very good friends Kate and Nick, who are now very much part of Alex’s life and like family.
Summation Video
And here is our Easter Weekend story in video format. My first attempt at using LumaFusion a video editing package.
Mid Mediterranean
0730, wind has obviously died down, as I was awoken by the start of the engine, just in time for my next watch at 0800. Coming up to wonderful sunshine and a calm but rolly sea. It was nice to have the suns rays on me again and the warmth permeated my clothing. Alex joined me at 0835, full of joy and happiness one can only get at sea, or is it because he’s with Daddy, perhaps both.
Scrambled eggs with pancetta were the order of the day, requested by his Lordship, Master Alex. A wonderful breakfast, served with fresh coffee, on deck and in glorious sunshine, was the start to our second day at sea. It’s the most wonderful feeling waking up and being at sea, miles away from the hustle and bustle, no internet, no phone signal, just three men and a dog.
We were alternating between engine and sail as the wind died down in belts of 15 minutes, and the picked up again for an hour. It was in this 15 minute lull that the engine splutters and eventually died. Not to worry, our captain and fantastic mechanic, soon Thad the issue resolved. A blocked fuel filter. Once cleaned the engine purred into life again, but by then the ind had picked up and so off it went again, this time intentionally.
Alex was in seventh heaven, not one murmur about not having internet access. Simply enjoying the new world he had discovered. Exploring the boat, trimming sails, looking out, he was a true, participating member of the crew.
We hogged too at 1345 for a lunch of steak and potatoes, kindly prepared by Massimo. It was amazing eating in the warmth of the midday sun, with not a soul in sight, except for those on board.
As we made way again, we were rewarded with our first visit of a pod of dolphins. Alex had spotted them and shouted down to the rest of the crew. We watched them play with the bow wave and they stayed with us for 10 minutes, before darting off and continuing their journey.
I went below for a kip for an hour or so and on my return discovered that Alex had another two visits from dolphins, one of which was twenty strong and with a infant. He also averted a potential disaster, by spotting a large lobster pot, directly on our route and only avoided by quick action from Alex and then Massimo. What it was doing in 800 metres of water, God only knows, perhaps it had become adrift, by another poor vessel cutting its line. I wasn’t privy to all this, so can only speculate.
Arrive in Gdansk
Well I arrived in Gdansk at 0100 on the 22nd of March.
Through customs and then a 500 metre walk to a very basic, but clean and cheap motel. Only 130 Zloty. Up at 0600 to get ready and pick up hire car from Hertz.
Gdynia
A leisurely morning and woke up to a beautiful dawn in Gdynia.
Down to the restaurant for a buffet breakfast and then fir an early morning swim in the hotel pool.
We then walked 4 kms to the Experyment museum, full of wondrous things fir Alex to play with. Back to Gdynia for an Italian meal at Vita Italia. Great Spag Bols and to the hotel fir table football
Gdynia
A quick visit to Gdynia to see my lovely Alex,
Not a lot of time?
Drove to Czluchow to collect Alex from his German lessons at 1630 and then onto Gdynia and the hotel Mercure.
Out for an evening pizza and chat and then off to bed.
View from our room 807. Overlooking Gdynia marina
View from our room 807 Mercure Gdynia
At the local PizzaHut in Gdynia