Club members Simon and Joe Browning, Darren Griffiths, and Simon Ellis, sailing in their respective boats, enjoyed a trip to Piel Island in glorious weather. After drinks at the Ship Inn and the obligatory walk around the island, they returned to ‘Rivendell’ for a barbecue hosted by Simon and Joe. The food was excellent as usual. Next day, instead of sailing home with the others, Simon Ellis in ‘Peter Duck’ hitched a ride on the morning tide flooding into Morecambe Bay to explore the shallow channels up as far as Ulverston. Contact was made with the natives — a friendly Drascombe Dabber crewed by local residents. All went to plan and all made it back to Wardleys Creek safely.
Ordinance Survey Map shows just how little water there is at low tide.
The following photographs are shown roughly in chronological order.
In the Lune Deeps of Fleetwood, a high Speed Ferry takes bikers to the Isle of Man. Note the damage to the port side bow. It must have hit something very hard. Recently, a similar vessel chopped a 30′ fishing boat clean in-half off the coast of France.Yacht Rivendel with Joe on the bow and Simon B. at the helm. Looking for an over night anchorage at Piel Harbour.
Video taken from ‘Thunderball’ as ‘Peter Duck’ arrived at Piel Harbour, Saturday tea time..
Background: Peter Duck and power boat on mud, Foreground: flag and skipper (Simon E.) with great uncle’s WW2 binoculars.Fell Walker aka Darren G. flying the flag.Chapel Island guarding the approaches to Ulverston. A holy order of monks once lived there, and as well as worship to the Lord Almighty, they offered refreshment to travellers crossing the Morecambe Bay sands.Peter Duck at Canal Foot (See map above). The tide needs to rise a little higher to match the level in the canal behind the lock gates. As any canal boater knows, its only when the levels are equal that the gates will open.Safe and Sound behind the wall. Now at slack water. There was quite a surge of water past the wall-end when the tide was flooding.Plumpton Bight at slack water – a bay NW of Canal Foot provides a welcome haven from the surging 8 knot tide. It looks so calm now!The Ulverston canal running from the lock gates into the centre of town. (Stan Laurel of Laurel and Hardy fame, came from this small town)Pinched from Google Maps. Gives a good perspective of: Canal meets Morcambe Bay.And another one.A prospecting drilling rig, with West End of Morecambe beyond.Malcolm working hard hauling warps, whilst Mike takes a leisurely trip up the river with his VHF radio switched off 🙂
