Tangled in fishing gear
The mist lifts a little and I am so busy scanning the shoreline of Whitby that I miss the pot buoy/net marker. A glance at the GPS showed that the speed has dropped to less than 1 knot.

Another glance behind shows Dark Star is towing either a net or a set of lobster pots. The engine is quickly knocked out of gear to prevent the propeller wrapping around the fishing gear.

Dark Star shoots backwards under the tension on the fishing gear and eventually the securing ropes can be seen floating free below the boat. Pushing the tiller over, tentatively shifting the engine back into gear and we are off again.

I must keep a closer look out for fishing gear which seems to be all over the sea around east coast ports.

At 15.00 the sun breaks through, the tide is now favourable, pushing us along at 6.2 knots, but an hour later the mist descends just as the shipping channel from Teesport looms up ahead.

Approaching Teeside, a call to Teesport control confirms that a bulk carrier is on the way down the channel so I stand off until it passes, then scuttle across the channel, bouncing in the big ship's wake.

The delay is useful since it's now low tide. The marina at Hartlepool (next stop) is accessed by a lock which will not open until 17.30.

Arriving in Hartlepool bay, after a little confusion ("Sir you are heading into the commercial docks"), the correct entrance channel is located and shortly after 17.30 Dark Star is safely tied up in Hartlepool marina which is wreathed in mist and rain.

It looks like a November night, not mid June! Hartlepool is a large modern marina on the same lines as Brighton and Eastbourne and the staff are friendly and helpful.

This is now Geordieland, "way, aye man". It has been a long and miserable day but I hope to be off again in the morning, sailing straight up the coast, past Sunderland and Newcastle, to Amble.

Monday June 13 Hartlepool Marina

The foghorn wakes me at 5 am but a glance outside confirms that there is no chance of an early start for Amble. A thick mist ies over the marina and by 10.00 it is obvious that it is not going to disperse, so departure is cancelled.

I have time to look around the marina which like Brighton, is a bit of a hike from the town centre. However there is an Asda supermarket less than a mile away, so it's pretty good for replenishing stores.

Remembering the excellent Pad Thai noodle dishes enjoyed at Eastbourne, I in the evening I head with anticipation for the Thai Village in the marina complex. Sadly it's a disappointing gloopy mess. I will stick to Marks & Sparks meals for one.

Tuesday June 14  Hartlepool to Amble 54 miles

It's cold and overcast but a steady 15 knot breeze overnight has blown away the mist. The wind is forecast to decrease and veer to the east.

Depart through the marina lock at 08.30 onto what looks like a calm Hartlepool bay only to watch the bow rise up over a big swell which had built up overnight with the northerly breeze.

Stowing the lines and fenders is an interesting exercise. These large swells are an eye opener to sailors more used to the short chop of the English Channel, but with any north in the wind, the swell builds quickly and is slow to subside.

The wind is on the nose so it's back to motorsailing again, engine on with reefed main sail up to give a bit of drive and steady the boat's motion.

Up the coast we rock'n roll over the swell, but soon the sun comes out and the wind veers to the north east which makes it possible to set some foresail.

However with the tide running against us, it's necessary to run the engine too, just to maintain 4.5 knots since this is a 50+ mile trip. Sunderland is passed at 12.30 and just over and hour later Newcastle, South and North Shields and the River Tyne are abeam.

The sun is now really hot in the cockpit and the breeze has veered further to the east, but it's dropping. It's lunch time, so the engine is switched off and Dark Star sails off in peace and quiet while lunch is consumed.

Unfortunately we are pootling off in the direction of Holland and so back on with the engine and a northerly course is set past Cullercoats, Whitley Bay, Ashington, and Blyth. On this trip, I sail further out from the coast to avoid lobster pots etc but just past Sunderland, I hear an insistent call on the radio to 'the yacht south of ??? headland, please respond'.

I can't make out the name of the headland from the strong Geordie accent but since there is no other vessel in sight, I respond and back comes a Geordie fisherman 'This is fishing vessel Excalibur about a mile in front of you'.

I can see nothing until with the binoculars, on the top of a swell, a tiny fishing boat is just visible. 'We have drift nets out extending to the headland and you are standing into danger.

Please alter course to the east and pass under my stern.' In fact from Newcastle northwards, there are nets everywhere. They are usually properly marked with stick buoys and flags but you can't relax for a moment.

I had thought of visiting Royal Quays marina in North Shields/Newcastle, but the tide is wrong for entering the river Tyne and it involves faffing around with a marina lock with restricted tidal access.

Besides, it is now a lovely warm afternoon and the tide is now pushing us nicely northwards with 6 knots on the GPS.

It is noticeable that the tides from Hartlepool northwards, are much weaker than those to the south. I call ahead to Amble Marina to book a berth and give my time of arrival at 18.00.

The staff go home at 17.00 but they allocate a berth for Dark Star with the unwelcome news that entry over the marina retaining cill will not be possible until the tide rises sufficiently, probably by 19.30.

By 17.00 the fog and mist return and I struggle to see Coquet Island which guards Amble harbour. Eventually the island rises out of the gloom.

Being too early to enter Amble harbour I spend an hour or so gently sailing in the gathering gloom, up the sandy beaches to the north of the harbour. Eerily the misty silence is broken by the barking of the seals on Coquet Island.

Edging cautiously through the harbour and into the marina I pass a moored yacht "Me Mo". There was a "Me Mo" berthed in Shoreham By Sea last year, but I assume there must be two yachts of the same name.

Not so, the following morning I recognize "Me Mo's" owners, Mike and Diana Lindsay, members of the Sussex Yacht Club in Shoreham By Sea. Mike and Diana have moved to Northumberland and pass on their best wishes to all in Shoreham.

Wednesday June 15 - Amble Marina

The next intended stop is Lindisfarne (Holy Island) where I would like to anchor for a day or two but the forecast for Thursday/Friday threatens strong winds from the north which rules out anchoring at Lindisfarne.

A few days in this very pleasant, privately run, marina look likely. The "facilities" are excellent, the staff very friendly and helpful.

This is a good place to berth a yacht with a mainline train connection to London in 3 hours 40 minutes. It's just the weather.....

Amble village is a gem, straight from the 1970's with a "proper" high street with two butchers, two wet fish shops, greengrocers, three home bakeries, a Co-op and free parking! The estate agent had semi detached houses for sale for £80,000! (2016)

I savoured a memorable, proper 'bridie' (pasty) for lunch. There is a small fishing fleet, but the town relies on day trippers.

Very popular are the boat trips out to Coquet Island to see the seal and puffin colonies. Nearby are two large static caravan sites, easily spotted on Google.

Thursday June 16 - Amble Marina

Contact is made with the Beta Marine agent, the Amble Boat Company, in the form of mechanic, Mike. I explain my saildrive problem and he agrees the best way forward is to find a way of sucking out the seawater contaminated oil without the boat having to be removed from the water.

The Italian manufacturers have said this is possible by removing a plug in the upper part of the saildrive leg and sucking the oil out through the revealed hole.

However....it will require a 10m threaded tube to be screwed into the hole, a syphon hose attached to that and thence to a suction pump.

A suitably threaded tube fitting is not available but I am introduced to Dave who reckons he can fabricate something - and I should return at lunchtime.

A visit to Kens Auto Supplies in the High Street, confirms they can supply an oil suction pump the following day.

In Ken's shop my I spot a flexible hose fitting for a grease gun. The threads on both ends look pretty close to the 10mm fitting which I need and at £4 it is worth having.

Back on Dark Star, there is disappointment with the fitting fabricated by Dave. The screw thread is not quite right. With hope fading, the £4 flexible grease gun fitting is offered up and it's a perfect fit!

A further morale booster comes when I discover the local chippie sells haggis and chips. Dinner time tomorrow can't arrive quickly enough.

The forecast for tomorrow is dire, a strong northerly wind, 11/12 degs as today, but with the added joy of heavy rain!

Friday June 17 - Amble Marina

Wind, heavy rain, a mid day temperature of 10 degrees and it's nearly mid summer. Unbelievable! A plastic bag of clothes which require washing, is growing larger by the day in the forepeak.

At home there is a magic laundry basket into which clothes are thrown before reappearing washed ironed and nicely folded. I know there is a machine in the garage which plays some part in the process, but I have never been allowed to use it.

With anxiety and a little packet of Daz, I face the elderly, top loading clothes washer in the marina and carefully read the large print instructions on the wall.

Forty five minutes later I return to find the clothes washed without drama. After half an hour in the dryer, the result is not quite up to the "magic laundry basket standard" but passable.

Kens Auto spares phone to say the oil suction pump has arrived and I return through wind and rain to put the oil removal system to the test. The oil is pretty cold, does not flow too easily and the pump is manually operated.

However within half an hour three litres of contaminated oil have been sucked from the saildrive and I now know the trip can continue. Removing and replacing the oil once a week, whilst the boat is afloat, is perfectly manageable.

Saturday June 18 Amble Marina

It was wild last night. The rain has eased but the wind is still strong from the north west. The forecast is for improvement but the next intended stop is Holy Island/Lindisfarne.

There is no "proper" harbour there. It's an anchorage. To spend a couple of days there requires settled weather.

I would like to return home (by train!) for the last week of June but the next three destinations, Lindisfarne, Eyemouth, Dunbar are not really places to leave a boat unattended.

Here in Amble, the boat can be left safely. It' just a 10 minute bus ride to Alnmouth, a stop on the Edinburgh to London main line which promises to deliver me to London Kings Cross in 3 hours 40 minutes.

With close to 500 miles travelled, this might be the right place and time to have a break. As usual it all depends on the weather.

Thanks for reading this.

Next up Amble to Anstruther