Crewing opportunities filling fast

Crew berths on Toucando are filling fast, particularly for the earlier legs of Round Britain Challenge.  Hamble to Falmouth is now full.  There is one place available for Falmouth to Milford Haven (interesting possible stops at the Isles of Scilly and Lundy).  Milford Haven to Holyhead, and then to Dublin are also full.  I have people for the legs from Dublin to Loch Melfort, although there may still be a space or two.  The Caledonian Canal is looking full.  Everything is a lot more tentative from Inverness down to Ipswich.  There will be some great parties on the way at Anstruther, Eyemouth, Newcastle and Grimsby, as well as the opportunity for some longer passages. If anyone is interested please get in touch!

Round Britain 2013 - The Chart

The following link will take you to a Googlemap of Toucando's proposed itinerary for Round Britain 2013.  I hope it works.  The principal stops (including the official Old Gaffers celebrations) are shown in red, and the potential intermediate stops are shown in green.  Because I am working on the itinerary the map will be updated from time to time, particularly as I identify potential ports of call.

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?pli=1&mid=zqqBi-YZAdnc.kfMQFe8hdGUg

This image is just a screen capture of the map (or "chart" as we mariners prefer to call it) as it looks now.  It's nowhere near as clever as the actual Googlemap.

Details of Belfast Event announced

the following is copied from the oga50.org website.  It looks as if the Belfast event will be good.  And then there is the prospect of some nice sailing on the west coast of Scotland up to Loch Melfort for another party the following weekend.  Potential crew are invited to get in touch via toucando(at)citybeat(dot)org(dot)uk.

OGA50 EVENTS IN BELFAST
June 7 - 11th 2013

The Northern Ireland OGA is fortunate to have been offered free berthing for participants in Belfast Harbour for the duration of their stay by kind permission of the Belfast Harbour Commissioners

Provisional programme (subject to alteration)
Friday 7th June 17.00: Blue Badge tour of the prestigious Belfast Harbour Commissioners Headquarters built more that 150 years ago in the style of an Italian Palazzo. Followed by a complimentary welcoming wine reception.

Saturday 8th June: Skippers and crews will be free to visit the iconic Titanic Belfast signature building just a couple of hundred yards from the Abercorn Basin where the boats will be berthed.

Saturday 8th June 20.00: Irish Music night in the S.S. Nomadic. The Nomadic was built in Belfast by Harland and Wolff, the same yard that built Titanic.  She was used to ferry the first class passengers to and from Titanic and Olympic in Cherbourg.  She has been magnificently restored to “as new” condition.  A real step back to the era of Titanic.  The NIOGA is privileged to be offered the first official function on the vessel following her restoration.

Sunday 9th June 12.00: Boat trip in the Mona, upstream on the River Lagan to Cutter’s Wharf for a lunch date in this charming riverside pub.
Sunday 9th June 20.00: Wind down party in the Lagan Legacy Barge Confiance, a floating heritage centre.

Monday 10th June: If you are in no hurry away we will supply information to enable you to do and see a variety of things. Such as open top bus tours of Belfast, visit the award winning Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, a short train journey away (15 minutes). Visit the old Harland and Wolff pump house, just a short stroll away.  A Visit and tour of the City Hall.  Lots and lots of things to do.

Tuesday 11th June 17.00: Sail in company to the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club, Cultra, in Belfast Lough, Northern Ireland’s premier yacht club approximately 1 hour’s motor. Anchor at their moorings and be ferried in by their boatman for supper. Anchor here for the night if conditions permit or sail on to stay the night in either Bangor or Carrickfergus Marinas before sailing to Scotland.