St Valentines Day Offer

St Valentines Day

What better way to celebrate St Valentines Day than with a fabulous membership offer.

Throughout Valentines Day 2012, a  Gold membership to the Lovesail site can be bought for the reduced price of £39.95/$59.92ish (exchange rates may fluctuate).  A Gold membership offers unlimited access to the site for an unlimited time.  All we ask is that you keep your account active by logging on once in every 90 days.

Don’t worry if you have missed this offer, Gold membership can be bought for £44.95/$67.42(ish) and offers great value for money.

st valentines day

Lovesail – Dating and Social Networking

Lovesail is an online dating and social networking site for people that are passionate about sailing. All our members are sailing and boating enthusiasts looking for partners, friends or crew to sail with.  So hop aboard today.

It’s free to join, construct a profile and look around.  When you upgrade to our Gold Membership you have unlimited access to the whole site, no hidden extras to pay, and for as long as you wish provided you keep your account active.

We have members from all walks of life, from novice to experienced sailors and from all around the globe. If you want to learn how to sail, why not join and make friends with like-minded people? If you are planning a trip, use the site to find crew and get in touch with fellow sailors with local knowledge of your chosen ports and destination. And if you’re looking for that special someone to share your journey with, Lovesail could be where you find them.

Join today! It could open up a whole new world.

www.lovesail.com

 

 

 

Lerwick Tall Ships Race

We are very lucky to have a wonderful guest blog this month from Richard Sibley, tall ships photographer from the Tall Ships Gallery. Here he talks about his trip to see the Lerwick Tall Ships Race and shows us some of his stunning shots of the ships.

We took off from Glasgow, the cloud cover finally breaking as we flew out over the North Sea to Sumburgh airport and the news that local traffic was causing a slight delay. Our pilot announced that we would fly up to Lerwick harbour for a birds-eye view of the Tall Ships, my first since they had left Waterford. Then a bus trip from the airport to ‘Solbrekke’ my B&B in Sandwick and a note on the door…..


View Larger Map

“Gone to town back later, your room is down the corridor on the right”

The view from my window looked straight over the bay to Mousa Island and the 2000-year-old Broch that resided there. The landscape soft and flowing, sculpted by the wind and rain, no trees, I couldn’t say I was living out in the sticks but there were plenty of sheep and rabbits.

My host returned and I cadged a lift into town, I hadn’t eaten since early that morning, the smell of fish and chips heavy in the air as I walked along streets named King Harald, King Erik and the Closs or lanes that ran down to the quays, Nicholson, Greig and Pirate. I expected to meet a Viking any minute. After some Food and a walk around the boats, I found the appropriately named Viking Bus Station and checked out the times – the last bus had gone so a cab home, made a mental note to get a timetable and checked the cab fare before boarding (thoughts of Danegeld on my mind) but all was well.

Throughout the week the weather gave way from sunshine and showers to strong winds and decreasing visibility, I wondered if the tall ships race might be postponed. The Shipping forecast predicting northerly winds force 5 or 6 occasionally 7 and in adjacent sea area Viking severe gale force 9.

tall ships race

After the Captains Briefing on Saturday a press conference was called to announce a 24-hour delay, a relief!  Although the Class A ships would cope the smaller vessels would have had a very hard time indeed and the smaller media boats wouldn’t venture out at all. It also meant I would miss my flight and the next available seat was not for another week.

Sunday arrived with strong winds, the spray rising above the island of Mousa, grateful for the cooked breakfast I wandered down to the beach for a walk, deserted except the pier for the ferry to the island, a few small houses and ‘Sand Lodge’ parts of which date back to the 1600s, it was used for many years as a home by the Bruces of Sumburgh.

tall ships race

On Monday at 3 pm as arranged the ‘Julie Rose’ down from Unst picked us up at the small boat harbour by the Lodeberries, the old houses by the sea once used by fisherman and smugglers of yore. Our skipper Davey and mate Edmund had brought some guests, a couple from New Zealand, although born and bred in the Shetland, Laurie and Mary, now retired were visiting family. I boarded with three other photographers one all the way from San Francisco. The weather was overcast and visibility very poor as we set out into the Bressay Sound. It was 1500hrs the tall ships race due to start at 1700, as we headed seaward we were soon passed by the naval vessels who would form the start line and the ship NLV Pharos with the media onboard.

Predicting where the ships would cross the line is always a bit tricky at least until the last minute. There is always a “No go zone’ (NGZ) by the windward start boat that no one is allowed to enter. The ships as one would expect usually pass fairly close to the windward mark, the NGZ preventing any chaos that might otherwise occur.

As we moved into position the MIR (Russia) crossed the line with her sister ship the Dar Mlodziezy (Poland) close behind, followed I think by Eendracht, Pogoria and Gloria. Aboard the ‘Julie Rose’ we steadied ourselves with difficulty as we attempted to keep up with the fleet, there was still a bit of a sea running the swell noticeably larger as we left the lee of the land, strong northerly winds and two photographers already feeling sick. Mary sat quietly in the saloon, petite, demure, her hair immaculate, she was a beacon of calm, her eyes bright, watching the events as they unfolded. She must have thought us all mad.

I had been yelling instructions to our skipper Davey who by now had dropped into the vernacular with Laurie and Edmund translating our demands, ‘stills photography’ being a precise science under these conditions. Davey responded superbly despite the difficulties.

A photographer tumbled and had to be helped up another was seasick and out of action. The ham rolls were passed around. Gloria was looking very graceful, the wind suited her better than Waterford, the Schooner ‘Gulden Leeuw’ (Netherlands) flying with 3 of her 4 topsail set and the Norwegian barque Statsraad Lehmkuhl at times hull down, hidden by the swell. Another photographer joined the sick list, the rolls came round again, egg this time.

We were travelling first class, the ‘Julie Rose’ handled the conditions well. We covered the Dutch Schooners ‘Eendracht’ then the ‘Wylde Swan’ who ended the tall ships race first on the water. Then the Dutch clipper brig ‘Morgenster’ and Europa also known as the ‘Ocean Wanderer’ a nickname acquired through her ambitious winter voyages to Antarctica and tall ship racing in the summer. We were back to 2.5 photographers as we headed for the Norwegian full-rigged ship ‘Sorlandet’, no sign of the ‘Christian Radich’ well… she is a witch, then the German barque ‘Alexander von Humboldt’ with her green sails providing a welcome contrast to the grey skies, she was eventually first in her class (A).

25 miles offshore with the fleet spread far and wide it was time to head back, welcome news for two of us at least. A couple of pints in the ‘Lounge’ in Lerwick famous for its traditional music then back to my B&B the very comfortable ‘Solbrekke’ in Sandwick, head down and ferry to Aberdeen tomorrow then train home, about 36 hours.

Richard.

To see more of Richard’s work, please click on Tall Ships Gallery Here you can read about other tall ship races, and prints of the tall ships can also be purchased.

Article and Photos courtesy of www.tallshipsgallery.co.uk

 

MV ‘Julie Rose’ Muckle Flugga Charters www.muckleflugga.co.uk

Gypsy Venus – Sailing so far…….

One of the Lovesail members has kindly sent her sailing story so far, please read and enjoy…

 

Hi Young Salts, sailing enthusiasts

and all of you for whom the Sea is in your blood

~~~~~~~~~

I hope that this blog will find you well and happy, bobbing on the water somewhere, warm and cosy.

It’s been a magical year for me and I hope that the same has been for you. You contributed to my happiness too, since you helped to set me off on my sailing dream. For that I sincerely thank you.

A year ago when my sailing campaign started I had no idea what it might bring. Since then I spent all of my 6 weeks holiday sailing in the UK, Baltics, Nordics and Canaries with the people I met for the first time. They all would be happy to have me back, we stayed friends, I plan to sail with them again.

I sailed more than 1000 nautical miles and had some memorable experiences. From the cosiness of the cockpit I was watching the death approaching fast. AIS was sounding an alarm for 18nm ferry that will be right upon us in 8 minutes. I thought I was going to die.

There were many good moments worth remembering too. I sunbathed everywhere and at every opportunity: in a cockpit, on a pulpit, along the beaches, while walking: dressed, topless or naked. We sipped wine under moonlight in secluded anchorages, walked in baking sunshine to deserted coves, and soaked ourselves in marina pools. I danced, sang and even smoked a cigar and then fell in love with Mr Sea. I am now suffering the consequences of it. I left my soul off the Portuguese coast and it is still rocking somewhere out there. I hope that one of the skippers will rescue her one day.

I was so inspired by my sailing experiences that I enrolled at the Coastal Skipper course in September. I have just passed the theory exam with the Cruising Association. I am thrilled and about to enrol on the practical course in February. I bought good thermal gear and will be sailing this winter – my preferred sailing time.

Not only that, I also asked for additional 5 weeks holiday, giving me 10 weeks in total for sailing trips. I will be over the moon and the whole of the solar system if this were to be approved! As well as looking for sailing opportunities I am now looking for someone who would be happy to assist me / coach me on my path to gaining the Coastal Skipper qualification.

On the personal side – ah there is a lot to tell and even more to hide! None of this is on LinkedIn or Facebook but inside my heart. Few men rocked my boat in the past years, providing entertainment and challenges, enriching my life. I remain happily single, surrounded with many loving friends, truly feeling free, loved, admired, adored, happy and fulfilled from within and besotted with Mr Sea. My heart radiates sunshine at his vast expanse.

My ambition is to become a Naked Skipperess and Temptress of the High Seas – some of the qualification for which I already have! Others I am in a process of acquiring… You wonder which. Having been brought up in Socialism and after “amassing a great wealth” in Capitalism I feel the time is ripe to shed it all off and to go for a different approach. It might take me some time ….

My sailing campaign continues in earnest. A little Contessa 32 is happily rocking somewhere, waiting for me.

Sending you many salty regards with my sincerest best wishes for A Happy New Year!

Hope you will stay in touch even after this rather open write up. Don’t get alarmed – my life happened in between those lines. Feel free to ask about my 2011 Year’s Highlights:

  • February encounter with Mr Sea
  • Cried in happiness with Adonis
  • Portuguese horizon
  • Stripy dress for BBC Waterways
  • Medieval Wells-next-the-Sea
  • In bed with Julian
  • Steam engines and vintage car ride
  • GEM vertical and horizontal thinking
  • Racing in Plymouth Sounds
  • Paper games with Jason
  • Alicia on Swedish rocks
  • Room with a 360 sea-view
  • Birthday jazz
  • Night-watch with oil-rigs
  • VW dress for Sue’s wedding
  • Fishy Skipper’s soul
  • Watch death approaching by ferry
  • Surreal deck cigar with wind farms
  • Sailing into Gothenburg sunshine
  • Under a blanket of Swedish stars
  • Heads shower & hairy sensuality
  • Copenhagen bus ride to jazz night
  • Kalmar deadly grass bugs
  • Coastal cycle rides
  • Baltic rock & roll
  • Pulpit sunbathing
  • United with friends under olive trees
  • The Tower’s cold black marble
  • Lobos moonscape & moonlight
  • Scared to death by black Mini
  • Mothers embrace and love
  • Tantric love in tears
  • Holiday Romance

PS: On a professional side – With my usual enthusiasm and tenacity I found a position within a new division that was formed last year. I spent a year grappling with complexities of many global Client and Portfolio systems trying to make some sense of it all. It’s been a hell of a ride but one that I enjoyed much. Most of my colleagues by now have dropped off, while I am left to spell out global client data approach and then to work on its deliverables. What a bliss, I hope that I (and the financial world) will survive it! This is where I find myself: mastering client data and evangelically sticking with MDM mantra. I found my professional calling again, or so it seems.

Gypsy Venus

Related Articles:

One Hull Good Three Hulls Better

A Summer Sailing Trip by Roger Dee

 

competition

A New Year and a New Competition

A New Year’s Competition

So the snow never arrived and with temperatures of 12 degrees C today, I guess that’s it for the chance of snow for another year. It did make for a very lovely walk through the water meadows though with Milo, so I’m not complaining, and what better way to start the year than with a competition.

This months competition to win a years gold membership to the site is very easy. All you need to do is “like” our Facebook page during January and your name will be put into a hat and a winner drawn on 31st January 2012. The winner will be announced on the Lovesail News Blog.   Here for a link to the Facebook page otherwise copy and paste this link into your browser www.facebook.com/lovesail   Good Luck.

Last months winner of the Photo Competition and a year’s gold membership was Caribejohn with his picture of Lucy the dog.  See here to see the winning shot, a very deserved win I’m sure you will agree.

Congratulations also go to Scubad1ver who entered the competition and won the months gold membership.

Any members visiting the London Boat Show this week, I am in and out throughout the week so if you would like to meet up for a yarn/drink then please do send me a message (Lovesail Erica) or email me through the contact form.  It is always exciting to meet the members.

Wishing you all, but more especially my 16-year-old, a happy Winter-een-mas.

 

competition

Tullett Prebon London Boat Show

It’s not long until the Tullett Prebon London Boat Show at Excel London in the Royal Docks.  It starts on 6th January and runs until 15th January 2012

This year will see the usual attractions at the Tullett Prebon London Boat Show including the giant Watersports Action Pool where you can have-a-go at a range of activities from dinghy sailing to wakeboarding and also watch some live action including the canoe polo championships.  The top boat manufacturers will be exhibiting their boats on the Boardwalk, which is unique in that it lets you view the boats as if they were on the water, but you can also view the underside without getting wet!

Other shows included in the price of your boat show ticket at Excel are The Outdoor Show (12th-15th Jan), which also features the Outdoors Careers Show, The Active Travel Show (12th-15th Jan) which also features the Year Out Expo and The London Bike Show can also be seen from 12th-15th Jan.

For more information and to purchase tickets visit the London Boat Show

tullett prebon london boat show

sailing community

Lovesail.com is a global online dating site for sailing enthusiasts.  Meet your sailing match on our friendly sailing database of passionate sailing women and men.

Photo Competition Winner

Photo Competition Winner

Congratulations to Caribejohn who has won the Lovesail Photo Competition with this picture of Lucy his dog.  He wins a year’s gold membership to the site.

Please keep checking the blog, twitter or our Facebook page for details of our next competition when we will be giving away another Gold membership.

 

photo competition winner

Lovesail is an online dating and social networking site for single sailing enthusiasts.  Our friendly sailing community meet up with other solo sailors for dating and friendships.  Our members are from all walks of life and located around the world.  They range from professional to novice sailors, but they all have one thing in common, a passion for sailing.

Fed up with sailing solo or single-handed?  Exasperated with meeting matches that refuse to step onboard a boat?  Then join our friendly community and connect with sailing women and men who are ready for their next sailing adventure.  Some of our members are liveaboards, some are weekend sailors.  Whatever you are looking for you could find it on Lovesail.  It’s quick and easy to join and once you have been approved as a genuine sailing enthusiast then you can build a profile and add sailing pictures to your profile.  So join in the fun today.

Lifejacket

Photo Competition

Thank’s to those of you that have sent in your sailing pet pictures for the Lovesail photo competition.  The prize for the best photo is a years gold membership to the site.  Below is the gallery of entrants:

Fantastic entrants for the photo competition I think you will agree.

Not familiar with Lovesail?  We have been established since 2004 and are the original dating and social networking site for single saling enthusiasts.  We have a database full of single sailing women and men waiting to meet up for sailing and dating, friendships and crewing opportunities around the world.  Our members are for all different walks of life with a variety of sailing experience.  Join our friendly sailing community now.  It’s quick and easy to sign up, and once you have been approved (we only let genuine sailors onboard) then you have access to the whole database.  Look around and when you are ready to chat just subscribe to one our many memberships.  We even have a lifetime membership, unheard of in the world of dating.  The lifetime membership is our most popular and allows you to take your time searching for your sailing match.  So whether you are looking for a cruising companion, a liveaboard lover or a weekend wanderer, find them on Lovesail today.

Day 17 – Nearly there…….

Day 17 nearly there…

Sorry I’m late posting this one, busy day, so nearly there and some history about the Northumberland Fusiliers…….

Northumberland Fusiliers – Hi Everyone

Very nearly there and what a great trip. Shame that we have had to motor the last three hundred miles but it has allowed us to clean and tidy Casamara. A few minor repair jobs scheduled for ST L. Thanks to everyone on board and bigger thanks to my wife and family who have indulged me in this adventure. Love to you all. Simon P

Over to Charles for the history lesson and Julian for gastro news.

Battle for St Lucia – the feather in my cap

Charlie’s second contribution and one that he’s keen to write as he has a story to tell; its one that isn’t however related to life on Casamara over the last 24 hours but is pertinent to our imminent “nearly there”arrival to St Lucia. In 1778, the British Army was sent to St Lucia to make battle with the occupying French and restore British sovereignty over the Island. The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, the 5th of Foot, was the unit selected to take on this task. Battle was joined on St Lucia, and the white feather hackles from the headdress of the defeated French soldiers were taken by the Geordie victors and worn in their hats. The popular myth is that the white feather hackles had red tips because they were dipped in French blood. The truth behind the story is that the Northumberland Fusiliers new addition to their uniform was so admired back in England that all infantry regiments were ordered to wear them; to give the triumphant Northumberland Fusiliers the recognition they deserved they were given a Royal status, thus the red tips. I (Charlie) am a serving soldier in the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, the descendent regiment of the Northumberland Fusiliers, so have worn the hackle with pride every day of my service and will be wearing one in sailing hat today as we land. A few days in St Lucia gives me the opportunity to understand the detail of the run up to the confrontation in 1778 and visit the battlefield(s); very exciting if that’s what fires your rockets. If you want to know more about the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers do visit the Regiment’s Headquarters in the Tower of London adjacent to the Jewel House. Charlie

fusiliers

Well we are now only 6 hours from our destination, our ETA is just past midnight local time. I do have a similar feeling now to when I finished a trip I did some years ago, when we sailed from Hawaii to Tahiti. That trip was 2,500 miles straight down the middle of the Pacific. Essentially myself and my traveling companion Tom had overstayed our welcome on the US mainland and rather than try to leave via an international airport, we decided to fly to Hawaii (classed as an internal flight) and to slip away by boat instead. Having spent some time on Maui, we left around midnight one night and just sailed off in a 37 foot yacht that was very basic to say the least. It had no engine and no heads and the only means of navigation was a sextant. After nearly 4 weeks at sea and having overcome all sorts of challenges, we landed on Maupiti which is one of the outermost islands in the Tahitian island group and then had the pleasure of visiting Raiatea, Bora Bora and finally Tahiti itself!

As you know this trip has been somewhat different in terms of the total quality of the vessel we have sailed in, but the feeling of achievement is none the less because of that! I’m not sure quite yet, what we will have as our final supper before heading into the local restaurants for the rest of the time we all have in the Caribbean, but lunch was a filling pasta dish with prawns, sundried tomatoes, pine nuts and herbs all wrapped up in a white wine and cream sauce. I have very much enjoyed writing about my culinary adventure on this trip and hope that you have enjoyed reading about it. If you would like to keep up with my cruising cuisine column, you will find it in the Sailing Today Magazine, where over the following few months, I will be featuring some of the dishes that I have prepared over the past few weeks. Also a selection of the recipes will, as always be posted on our website GN Espace or you can always email me directly for information at julian@gn-espace.com on any of the issues and galley equipment highlighted on this trip.

One final mention is that of a new GN Espace cookery course that we will be launching at the London Boat Show in January 2012.  Adam Gray, my Michelin starred colleague, who has his own cookery school in Northamptonshire and I will be doing a series of cookery courses, partly land based there in Northamptonshire and partly yacht based in the Solent, for anyone who would like to get more acquainted with the rudiments of galley catering. Again for more details please email me at my email address above or come and see me at the London Boat Show in January 2012.

Thanks again to everyone who has followed our progress and good luck in all your sailing adventures, wherever they may take you. Julian Kimberley 

Image: St Lucia Sunset courtesy of Ardyiii’s Photostream

Lovesail.com

guest blog

Day 15 – A Guest Blogger on the Guest Blog!

Guest Blog

Day 15 – Charlie’s guest blog

Civilization as we know it and the skipper is chilled; so this blog, my first, is from Charlie – the new boy on the block. Until I arrived in Las Palmas I had not met any of the crew – it was a leap of faith and one that I have no regrets. Day 15, week 2 and my god what an experience it has all been. We have just eaten the most fabulous Sunday Lunch thanks to skipper Simon, with more than a little help from our talented Julian. Roast lamb (laced with knobs of garlic), roast potatoes, cauliflower, leeks in a white sauce and gravy; and this was all consumed with hardly a movement from Casamara. She was bowling along at 7.5 knots on the most delicious broad reach, stable, powerful and purposeful. For we are up against it. The weather is changing. For 14 days we have enjoyed the trade winds which, to quote the book, in November are “almost guaranteed to blow at 15 – 20 knots”‘ … until now. We are 450 nm from St Lucia but the winds are forecast to turn light and fluky and possibly disappear altogether. There was lots of debate on board this morning as to whether we should continue on our current strategy – a northerly hook into Rodney Bay, or whether a southern approach would be more fruitful. Our goal is still to complete the crossing without using our engine. I suspect that this may be reviewed if we have to sit motionless for 24 hours!

I have been the radio op for the trip reporting in to the net controller and taking down the progress of our friends in the radio group on a daily basis; you guys at home are far better informed being able to study progress on the ARC website. I am very much looking forward to meeting some of the voices in the flesh in St Lucia as there are some interesting sounding characters. There have been a couple of Happy Birthday serenades transmitted; although we haven’t had any birthdays on board, Simon’s son Alex and my son Olli are both turning 20 tomorrow and December 7 respectively. Amazingly, both are in their first year at Newcastle University, so Happy Birthday boys – have you met each other yet?

So what of Casamara – she is quite the most outstanding yacht, safe, seaworthy and very comfortable. What do I particularly like? The ability to make fresh water and to to have a shower every day. It is very humid even out at sea and as I type I am glowing gently; so having a shower makes such a difference. And we have a big fridge, and freezer so everything is cool! Time has flown; it’s been a great crew with lots of laughs. Thank you Simon and thanks Casamara for a wonderful experience. Love to all our families at home and see you soon – have all the Christmas cards been written? Charlie.

What a wonderful guest blog from our guest blogger! There is very little to add on the food front, as following on from our mega Sunday lunch, we have all just been helping ourselves to light snacks this evening and watching a few movies between watches. The general feeling of anticipation now that we are closing on St Lucia is growing by the minute. We have started to think about awards for each other (all very comical) and will no doubt be in a position to enlighten you more, once we have agreed the final categories! Fish have continued to elude us these past few days, but we have still not yet launched our secret weapon! I think I will finally unleash that tomorrow and can confidently predict a fish supper tomorrow night!! JK 

guest blog

Thank you to Charlie for a great first guest blog and indeed Simon and Julian for sending in such regular and informative updates on life aboard an ARC Race Yacht.  Let’s hope for some pick up in the trade winds for an engine-less arrival.

Julian’s website can be found at GN Espace

Image: Courtesy of Landhere’s Photostream