Firstly I have to apologise for my lack of stories over the last year. I’m not going to blame covid19 as I’m sick of people using that excuse on me, so I’m not going to use that on you. To be honest I have no excuse at all, as I have just been lazy.
Fingers crossed we all have a good year and the weather gods are kind to everyone.
Our ropes will be untied from the pier on the 29th March, which restricted numbers until things slowly start to open, and we can’t wait. The second I turn that engine on and we welcome our first guests onboard the boat will be a great day. To see that smile on people’s faces will be worth a million pounds. We all need to smile this year especially after the year everyone has had.
As I said, we will be sailing from the 29th March, but this year unfortunately we will not be landing on the islands due to the National Trust. I don’t want to get into the in’s and out’s , but it will be a bit of a strange year not be able to land. Never mind, hopefully things will change and we will be able to land once again soon.
We have have the MCA on the boats doing the out of water inspection on the hulls. This is where we put the boats on the dry so they can look art the hulls and check all of our water inlets are in good working order. They inspect the propeller’s, rudders and every 5 years they want to look at the shafts too. This also give us a chance to power hose the boat down and anti-foul the hulls. This is just a different type of paint that looks after the boats while in the water, and a job nobody likes to do.
If everything is good the MCA come back another day to check the boat when its floating. This is a more thorough check and takes a few hours to do on each boat.
For example they check our life jackets, life rafts and flares to see if they are all tested and in date. They do all the engine checks and we even go out of the harbour to make sure they are not over heating. While we are out they check the steering, as well as other manoeuvre’s, plus we do a man over-board procedures. This is where we throw a fender into the water to pretend it’s a person falling overboard, and we rescue them quickly and safely as possible, while constantly communication with each as well as the coastguard. Once the MCA is happy with everything we head back to the harbour to continue with all the other checks.
I could go on and on as the check list massive, but this is something we expect as we do have a lot of people on the boat who rely on us.
Serenity 1 and 2 on the slipway at the harbour getting their hulls painted and ready for the out of water checks.
We have passed everything and we are ready to go.
Thank you taking time to read our blog until the next time take care and hopefully we will see you during the season.
Hello,
I am planning to visit the area from 20-23rd June. Do you know if the National Trust is to allow landings on Inner Farne at that time?
Many thanks
Douglas Bowes
We dont know whats happening sorry.
Any update on the situation with landing and the National trust?
Thanks,
Went out with Serenity today it was amazing canβt recommend them enough, we got so close to the Islands everything was just perfect, thank u all so much for supplying such a wonderful trip thank u ππππ
We have booked for 3 persons today , but do you accept wee well behaved dogs? 27.4.23
Sorry, I have just noticed your message. Sorry, it’s not somewhere I look all the time but I hope you got sorted.
Are there rain ponchos available to purchase?