- Published on
Oosterschelde - Plymouth to Tenerife
- Author
-
-
- Name
- Posts
- Posts
-
Departure Day - Monday 17 November 2025
🌤️ Dry but cold N wind
Journey to Plymouth
Taxi from Hindhead to Haslemere Station
Train from Haslemere to Woking
Train from Woking to Exeter David’s
Train From Exeter St. David’s to Plymouth
Taxi to Sutton Harbour
The day didn’t start well, because of trouble with a level crossing in Bedhampton, our train was 15 minutes late, luckily we did connect with our Exeter train in Woking. It was really crowded and we spent the whole of the journey to Exeter in the bicycle section on very hard seats. Our problems didn’t end there however. When we got to Salisbury the train was delayed by stuck points near Tisbury and diverted via Westbury before rejoining the line at Yeovil Junction. At Exeter St David’s we did get the Plymouth Train but not the one we wanted. We eventually got to the ship via Taxi from the station at 1930h. Supper was finished but they had saved some for us. We missed the introductions but we did recognise Fernadi the cook and one other guest who sailed with us to Tenerife last time whose name escapes me for now. We got the en-suite cabin we asked for, and unpacked our holdalls ready for an early night. The confusion was added to by the ship’s time being synched with European time i.e. 1 hour ahead. Voyage Day 1 - Tuesday 18 November 2025
🥶🌦️💨🌊Squally showers, cold strong winds, big seas later. Heading SW out of Plymouth.
Because Sutton Harbour is accessed through a lock gate, the Oosterschelde had to leave at high tide - so the crew took her out at 0500h while we slept. When we got up for breakfast there was frost on the deck! The ship was anchored in Jennycliff bay, just outside the harbour. With the safety briefing and sail handling instructions out of the way, we were soon heading SW along the Cornish Coast with the mainsail, schooner sail, fore staysail and inner jib at between 6 & 7 knots. We started watches at 1400h, in red watch so we were on until 2000h. The wind freshened and we headed SSW 210° then 205°. The inner jib gave us some problems causing us to drift constantly to Port, so it was taken down. When the wind dropped it went up again. The radar showed approaching squalls but most of them missed us. The wind freshened again so down came the jib once again.
Around this time I got a whiff diesel fumes from the generator which made me nauseous. At end of a busy watch, I felt so sick I didn’t eat supper and went to bed. (This is the first time I have felt seasick after 12 years of sailing this ship - it must have been rough) The ship was pitching and rolling quite badly.
Today’s Activity
🌤️ Dry but cold N wind
Journey to Plymouth
Taxi from Hindhead to Haslemere Station
Train from Haslemere to Woking
Train from Woking to Exeter David’s
Train From Exeter St. David’s to Plymouth
Taxi to Sutton Harbour
The day didn’t start well, because of trouble with a level crossing in Bedhampton, our train was 15 minutes late, luckily we did connect with our Exeter train in Woking. It was really crowded and we spent the whole of the journey to Exeter in the bicycle section on very hard seats. Our problems didn’t end there however. When we got to Salisbury the train was delayed by stuck points near Tisbury and diverted via Westbury before rejoining the line at Yeovil Junction. At Exeter St David’s we did get the Plymouth Train but not the one we wanted. We eventually got to the ship via Taxi from the station at 1930h. Supper was finished but they had saved some for us. We missed the introductions but we did recognise Fernadi the cook and one other guest who sailed with us to Tenerife last time whose name escapes me for now. We got the en-suite cabin we asked for, and unpacked our holdalls ready for an early night. The confusion was added to by the ship’s time being synched with European time i.e. 1 hour ahead. Voyage Day 1 - Tuesday 18 November 2025
🥶🌦️💨🌊Squally showers, cold strong winds, big seas later. Heading SW out of Plymouth.
Because Sutton Harbour is accessed through a lock gate, the Oosterschelde had to leave at high tide - so the crew took her out at 0500h while we slept. When we got up for breakfast there was frost on the deck! The ship was anchored in Jennycliff bay, just outside the harbour. With the safety briefing and sail handling instructions out of the way, we were soon heading SW along the Cornish Coast with the mainsail, schooner sail, fore staysail and inner jib at between 6 & 7 knots. We started watches at 1400h, in red watch so we were on until 2000h. The wind freshened and we headed SSW 210° then 205°. The inner jib gave us some problems causing us to drift constantly to Port, so it was taken down. When the wind dropped it went up again. The radar showed approaching squalls but most of them missed us. The wind freshened again so down came the jib once again.
Around this time I got a whiff diesel fumes from the generator which made me nauseous. At end of a busy watch, I felt so sick I didn’t eat supper and went to bed. (This is the first time I have felt seasick after 12 years of sailing this ship - it must have been rough) The ship was pitching and rolling quite badly.
Today’s Activity
A couple of videos from on deck as the sail handling
This was written on Saturday 22 November 2025 at Muros in Northern Spain, our first chance to connect to the internet.
This was written on Saturday 22 November 2025 at Muros in Northern Spain, our first chance to connect to the internet.
0 Comments