The Tale of Petra II

February 1997 - Following our decision that "now" was the time to look for our "dream boat" as tomorrow never comes - before we knew it we would be too old to enjoy her. We set out to decide on the type and size of boat that would best suit 3 and a large clumsy dog - all non-swimmers (if you can swim do you need a boat?)

Trevor was our "expert", having done some serious day boating (Water-Skiing, Racing & general pottering about) in a 12 foot speedboat with 30hp Evinrude outboard & other assorted inboard hulls in his twenties. He had also worked for Fletcher Glastron for a while as well as working on his own boats. We got the current boating magazines (and reminisced in some back issues from the loft). Then we came to the unanimous decision that we needed a 4 Berth River Cruiser rather than a Canal width boat.

The next step was to hire a boat on the Thames for the Easter Break to see if the crew could live together on something the size we could afford to buy (& pay moorings for). The Hire boat was not ideal in design or layout (mainly due to the full size cooker & kitchen sink unit taking up 50% of the Wheelhouse space & the incredible height of the Dinette seats preventing the under-deck edge of the "double (?)" berth being used.

We had a memorable 4 day break - the weather was perfect (even if the frost was 1/2" thick on the decks a couple of mornings). Ben - the dog - only fell in once, his first night ashore (the classic 2 feet ashore and changed his mind!). This confirmed our previous doubts about his swimming abilities - like a stone - but as we had a good grip on the lead he was soon hoisted ashore.

We handed the boat back on the Monday and went home. On the Tuesday - still being on Holiday - we felt at a loss so went to visit the River Severn at Stourport. As we were already missing the water we took a tourist ride on one of the Severn Steamer Company trip boats. Then we pottered around the Canal basin and the Chandlers. The first boat we saw was "Uptown Girl" - a Hardy Family Pilot. We had admired the style as seen in the boating magazines but thought the prices beyond our range. She was green from sitting under the leaking guttering, on a trailer with 2 flat tyres & with moss growing out of her rope but we were in love. We went to Upton and saw many other boats (including a couple more Hardys). Then went home to do some sums. 4 weeks later we were back to see if "Uptown Girl" was still there. She was & our hands shook as we wrote the cheque for the deposit. When the Boat Safety Certificate was ready some 6 weeks later (giving us time to find an engine) we made the final payment & she was ours. The time between we spent cleaning & polishing "our" boat & after much thought changing her name to "Petra II". Petra because of our previous dog who loved the water, was an excellent swimmer & steady & stubborn as a rock. We hoped the likeness would be true.

The main problem was where to put her? We were advised there was a waiting list for the Basin Moorings, which we could not go onto until she was in the water - but she couldn't go in the water till we had the Certificate and somewhere to put her. During one of the conversations with the Chandlers a voice went "psst" in Trevor's ear.

"I hear you need a mooring, you'd be better off at the Yacht Club."

To which Trevor replied "I don't know if they have any space at the Yacht Club."

The voice said "Oh yes they have."

"Are you a member then?" Trevor asked.

"I'm the Vice-Commodore, why don't you come and look around?" he said & following this a mooring was soon arranged.

14th June 1997

The Boat Safety Certificate duly signed we helped the Chandler pump up the tyres on his trailer & rope her on for the half mile trip to launch at the local Marina ramp. The weather was cold & wet. The video camera only just managed to operate in the conditions & in she went with a splash as she floated free of the trailer. Dawn took the vehicle & dog back to park at what was to be her home berth - Stourport Yacht Club. Then spent what seemed like forever waiting for her to arrive while Trevor & Ivor crewed her round to the Visitors Moorings outside the Angel Pub at Stourport. We were off for the first of many weekend trips on the river. Ben wearing his obligatory doggie "lifejacket" whenever on board or walking on the river banks.

We have friends at Worcester - an easy 3 hours cruise - which makes a regular ideal weekend visit. However it took several visits before we found them at home to admire Petra II. All the while we were learning of Petra's habits on the water. She sails as happily as a seal (or her namesake) - waves, wind, and passing boats bow-waves, she bobs happily through them all.

You might think we would be bored with the same stretch of River - Stourport being at the head of the Navigation - but not so. Every bend of the river brings a fresh view. There are the changes of the seasons, the watching of the Swans, Ducks, and Geese with their growing young. Even a rescue one day - an "Aylesbury" type duck caught with her neck through a frayed loop of rope hanging from a landing stage. She became suddenly calm whilst Trevor cut the rope away from her neck (& removed the remains from the water) then quacked loudly and swam to her Mallard Drake mate. We see her regularly on our trips & the mark on her neck is now almost invisible.

July 1997

We took our main week's holiday with no particular place in mind & ended up taking the trip down the partings to Gloucester & the Sharpness Canal. We had heard tales of the "Partings" - beware the Oliver Cromwell & the Huge Wall at the approach to the Lock as well as the reputedly fierce current we had been told. We took the sensible approach and purchased tide tables. Yes, we did meet the Oliver Cromwell - luckily on the wider part of the Partings. The Wall was high, but not the monster we envisaged. The Partings have to be treated with respect & care (with a 30hp engine we did come back against an ebb tide & apart from being rather profligate with fuel & extra care needed for passing debris it is passable)

Our trip got as far as Slimbridge on the Sharpness Canal. Slimbridge is an easy walk from the moorings & well worth the visit. There are polite well-mannered geese - the Hawaiian Neinei are an endangered species who wait their turn & bob a Thank you when fed. No doubt part of the reason they are endangered! The views across the Estuary are also worth the trip & the water is crystal clear. The waves can get quite big when the wind blows straight down the canal though.

Every free weekend saw us on the River. So much so that we didn't get to know many of the Yacht Club Members till the Autumn rains came & the red light went on the lock from the basin to the River. We took shorter trips in the Autumn & Winter with the darker evenings. More Saturday nights moored on the Visitors moorings following a day out & evenings in the Yacht Club swapping Cruising tales. Attending more of the Clubs "Special" evenings - Hawaiian Night, Bonfire Night, Christmas & New Year parties & several excellent dinners.

Petra continued to behave through the Winter & weather permitting (or not as it took our fancy) we were out on the River. New Year's Day saw a party from the Marina cruising up to Bewdley (possible when the River rises 2 feet above average). We arose too late to join them, but did make the trip to Bewdley ourselves over the midwinter period as well as Winter cruises to Worcester. Mooring at Diglis Basin we turned Icebreaker one morning at the cost of the propeller from our log which must have stayed put when we "broke out".

Easter 1998
We had planned for a meeting at Tewkesbury with Ivor (Dawn's Father) taking his Caravan this time. The Floods changed that plan. Tewkesbury-under-Avon was out of the question & indeed Worcester was a bridge too far. The local lock keeper told us he had never seen the water come up the river before. Usually floods came down from the Welsh Hills. This time the water came down the Avon; backed up at the meeting of the rivers & flooded that part of the Severn. It could not escape through the Partings quickly enough, leaving our end of the river with a much slower flow than was usual. However we did get to Bewdley twice, on the Sunday with a couple of boats from the Marina also spotted en route & returning in a snowstorm; & again on the Monday with a flotilla of over 20 other boats from the Marina. All arrived safely even if a little eventfully as one boat had one engine fail just before Bewdley & the second engine failed just after they came under the bridge. They were luckily one of the last boats in so there were many hands to catch the mooring lines. Even then it was a lucky squeak as they were pulled back towards the bridge broadside on. Those hauling the lines were just able to straighten her up to vanish stern first under the lowest arch with inches to spare. 6 burly lads caught the rope (Trevor amongst them) down river of the bridge & a female crewmember managed to get a turn on the last bollard whilst they held on. We then proceeded to fill the Mughouse to bursting for Lunch in several sittings before a brief trip up the river & turning for the uneventful trip back to Stourport. The handle on Ben's doggie lifejacket proved useful in getting him on and off the boat at Bewdley (& other places) where the banks are quite high. It may not be dignified but a dog on a rope is easier to handle when a climb is involved, although the trip back down involves bringing moss & mud on board as he resists being pushed over the side with all his feet!

May 1998
Once the floods subsided we could venture down river again. The first trip to Upton-upon-Severn in 1998 in company with "Firefly" (an old clinker built cruiser with a Hercule Poirot moustache for a fender) & her crew with an even larger dog - Crystal.
The landing on the moorings at the steps by the bridge was fun (!) "Jump for it" they shouted as Dawn took the mooring lines ashore in the small remaining space - right into 4 inches of very thick, wet, river mud still adhering to the steps. Now we could see why the barge behind us had their gangplank from their roof to one of the higher steps. Much scraping of the steps later (& of the deck shoes) we could land the dogs for "walkies" & lunch at one of the many excellent pubs in Upton. There are many such excellent pubs along the river - although those serving food at weekends are hard to find in Worcester without local knowledge.

Upton is worth several visits & is home to several Hardys. You have to get there early for a mooring at the Jazz, Folk or River Festivals though. We ended up on a rough spot of the bank at the Jazz Festival well down the river. Not far enough away for some yobbos who thought they would cast Petra adrift whilst we were in the town. We had however thought to put down both anchors as it was difficult to get ashore with the lines & the length of chain on the forward anchor defeated them. This was an isolated incident & our first to date out of many visits to Upton and elsewhere.

Preparations for the Summer included Trevor revising his Radio knowledge and taking a one day course & exam for his Radio Operator's License - necessary before venturing out into the Bristol Channel as we planned to do during the Season.

As the Summer came there were more cruises in company. Whitsun & the Regatta at Gloucester brought the mixed joys of mooring alongside. Ben fell in again - large clumsy dog decided he was "clever" & thought he could walk to the bow with 2 feet on our decks & 2 feet on the narrow beam "Freebee" alongside. This was ok till he arrived at the parting of the ways, then, "splash" dog overboard (still on lead as always when going ashore) & his usual panic at finding himself in the water. Nearly losing "Freebee's" spare mooring line (not the floating kind!) whilst being pulled out. The extra long boat hook came in useful to recover the line.

The Regatta events were fun. The dinghy towing saw our dinghy getting very wet inside (we loaned it out for this) followed by a respectable 3rd place in the over 50's rowing for Ivor, a stylish last in the Ladies rowing for Dawn (well with so many cameras it seemed churlish not to stop & pose) & an unplaced in the rowing pairs. The Balloon collecting saw a lot more water on board the dinghy as the object seemed to be how wet you could get whilst collecting balloons. It didn't help that our bucket of water got the safety boat crew who had an engine to keep up with us when returning fire. The Captain found the best use for the dinghy. They make wonderful airbeds for that after lunch snooze - although I don't think he expected to be woken with a bucket of water!

Many of the boats were dressed overall & several well decorated with lights on the night. "Brulee's" Captain was taken aback to be complimented on his "Christmas Tree" display. Due to having so many boats around it we cold not see the full glory of his lights which when taking "walkies" to the other side of the Basin proved to be a yacht in sail complete with shooting stars in the sky. Most of the party took a trip down to Sharpness the next day before heading back - still with a party atmosphere despite the falling rain (after a gloriously sunny weekend too).

July 1998
The end of July brought Bristol Regatta & our first salt-water crossing. Along with a party of around 14 others we set out from Sharpness Docks at 7.30am down the estuary with a Pilot in front & an experienced "sheepdog" "Sea Mist" behind, to beach & wait the turn of the tide at Portishead. The sea was kind to us, a few waves but only one made it onto the deck & that splashed happily back through the scuppers to where it belonged. Ben is now a seadog & enjoyed the trip even though we had been worried beforehand about the long wait between "walkies". Toby on "Silver Mist" was the other seadog on his maiden salt-water voyage - although he had 50 foot of classic motor yacht to roam. Most of the party were first timers as far as we could tell. Ivor crewed for another boat which was short-handed (a 20 foot Pilot does not need 3 crew).

As we upped anchor & headed for the Avon the instructions came to turn by the Dock wall into the river - well we could see what looked like a drainage ditch & the beach! Where the two met was difficult to tell as the water was the colour of the mud. However as the tide came in the river widened & we kept well to the middle of the channel. We came upon a large sailing yacht that had grounded on a bend in the river, but when we got to the lock she was less than 5 minutes behind us. The surge in the lock with 30 plus boats in it was more worrying than the voyage - "Silver Mist" (50') was placed behind us by the lock keeper's staff & when the surge came it was all we could do to keep her from climbing aboard our stern! The water literally seemed to boil & from nowhere "Brulee's" Captain appeared to assist (from several boats away he was the first to mobilise to our plight). No harm done but the muddy colour & actions of the water reminded us of a trip to Yellowstone Park & its hot mud springs & seemed just as dangerous!

Bristol Regatta was very different from Gloucester. There the Yacht Clubs had been in charge of events, here it was organised for us. We watched the excellent displays by Parachutists, Coastguard Rescue Helicopter, SARA & the Pyronaut (Fireboat) as well as the Ferryboats trolling up & down saving us the long walk around the Docks to the other side. We saw a couple of Hardys - but not their crews to allow introductions (a Motor Sailer & another Pilot). We spent much of the evenings that weekend listening for the weather forecasts & opted for the Piloted trip back on Sunday night.

Looking over the top of the lock gate, waiting for the tide, the drop seemed endless (probably around 30 feet). With a 7.30pm locking out we arrived at Sharpness Docks just before 11pm. The last part in darkness navigating for ourselves at the head of the slower boats in the convoy as the Pilot seemed unaware we were so far behind. Two boats not in our convoy passed close & bounced us around a little. They were close enough to one of the boats to let them ship enough water to short out the battery & lights & deposit the washing bowl complete with contents onto the cabin floor! The Radio, which we had deemed essential for Estuary cruising kept us all in touch & the faithful sheepdog "Sea Mist" aware of events, we all pulled safely into Sharpness Dock. The fast boats simply having to wait till we arrived to lock up.

August 1998
We decided to take another "sea voyage". The weather proved to be less than perfect. We stayed a day at Tewkesbury (another favourite mooring town on the river) & another at Gloucester while the sun made up its mind whether to appear or not. Listening to the weather forecasts before deciding where, or even whether, to go down the Channel. Whilst waiting for the tide at Sharpness we found there were 2 other boats planning to go out also - a well preserved 68 foot 1928 Dutch barge called "Nelly" & a 28 foot Cruiser called "New Era". Visibility was good with a force 3 (our maximum) forecasted to reduce later in the day.

When we got out of Sharpness Dock it was a little fresh & once past the 2 Severn Bridges it got somewhat choppy - "Petra II" handled the waves well apart from one which broke on the cabin roof. Green water rushed through the side decks & out of the scuppers taking our lifebuoy with it. We had carefully tied all the loose ropes up & taken the fenders in, but had missed the lifebuoy. However as it went overboard with the water the rope paid out from the coil as designed to do. The end stayed on its anchorage allowing Dawn to haul it onboard - whilst holding the provisions cupboard door shut with one foot & the camera still with the other & with one hand collecting the crockery! At least with a small boat everything is within reach! Ben was not perturbed. He picked himself off the Cabin floor & anchored himself more determinedly in the bow area (for some reason he seems to like it there). The next wave Dawn did not even see, as there was much to do still. "Petra II" climbed most of the way up but a 6' wave is just too much & she slid off. She pointed her bows to Wales & around the end of the next one.

When we had chance to answer the Radio, Nelly's Captain said he thought we had gone down when we hadn't appeared from the trough onto the second wave. They were just high enough to break on his bows there. We beached at Portishead & were happy to be in a flat calm! Hardy is certainly an apt name for these robust boats. Whilst at anchor we heard our first "Securite". The Coastguard warning of unexploded Ordnance on Sully Island & for shipping to keep 4 miles distant (we were less than 2 miles away & on the mud - but the Coastguard knew where we were & there was the headland between). We heard the detonation clearly - slightly delayed by calls for a sailing yacht evidently without radio to be moved away.

This time when we arrived at Bristol we decided to continue up to Bath in the company of "Nelly". "Nelly" had come all the way from Evesham on the Stratford-Avon & was heading for London via the Kennet & Avon. We enjoyed the different landscapes of the Avon. It is rather like a country lane, winding amongst the trees with them meeting overhead in places, then suddenly opening up into a panoramic view of the hills. "Caledonian Girl" (a Hardy Club Member) was spotted at moorings whilst enroute. Watching Nelly's master manoeuvring her into the locks & leaving room for us to share was a treat. He handled her superbly. We moored at Poultney weir in Bath, leaving "Nelly" to prepare for the Kennet & Avon - the wheelhouse had to be removed for the bridges.

Bath is well worth visiting by boat. The views are very different to the approaches by road & there is so much to see. The moorings by Poultney Weir allow access to the Sports Centre (where they collect the mooring fees). There are also moorings on the Kennet & Avon on the hill above the town - halfway to the American Museum, Claverdon Manor, which is well worth the climb to see. There is a bus that goes up the hill also. We have been to the Museum many times, but it is the first time was have explored Bath from the river.

The voyage back was uneventful - calm seas & in the company of "New Era" who had decided to wait in Bristol to return in our company. However the engine developed a misfire on the Sharpness Canal. Having stopped to take advice we returned with our engine cover off (the exhaust seal believed to have been jolted on the rough sea allowing water to mist under the cover). We stopped at Gloucester again to rest & ended the week at Upton River Festival. The end of the holiday somewhat dampened by the unexpected passing away of Eddie Holland, one of the Yacht Clubs longstanding members. He was on his boat - "Ellando" doing what he enjoyed best - boating.

We returned from there in the company of "Silver Mist" to Stourport. The weather seemed to feel the soberness of the occasion with drizzle and a tropical thunderstorm as we approached the last lock. A Hardy cruising down river could hardly be seen until right alongside. Then the skies cleared as suddenly as it had begun & we arrived in brilliant sunshine.

September 1998
The Summer's end came with Stourport River Carnival. We did not take our boat into the parade as we had hoped (awaiting new exhaust gasket). So joined in with crew on another boat with other members of the Youth Band we belong to & provided music for both lead boats. The night parade was spectacular with all from Riverdance to 101 Dalmatians & the Starship Enterprise ("Brulee" again) being represented. Next year our "Petra II" will be out there with all the rest.

Winter 1998
Now is the season of Lift-out. We decided she did not need this last year, as she had only been afloat for 6 months. Time to inspect & overhaul. The Anti-fouling is surprisingly clean & intact except around the waterline. We can concentrate on the minor leaks to the cockpit roof (mast & aerial mount positions which we thought we had cured), re-varnish to woodwork, & a new canopy. The winter will soon pass & before we know it will be Lift-in weekend & panic to complete all those jobs we thought we had so much time to do.

The above was submitted by SYC members Trevor & Dawn Horne. A fitting end to this story was recognition at the 1998 SYC annul dinner, whereupon Trevor & Dawn were awarded the respected "Sea Cruse Trophy". A wonderful effort by both of them.

 

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