BLUEMOMENT

More and more people’s lives are being touched by cancer.

20 years ago my father died of undiagnosed cancer. We only found out that it was cancer when they carried out an autopsy.

6 years ago a close friend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer, and fortunately after an operation, chemotherapy and radiotherapy she has recovered and was given a clean bill of health a fortnight ago.

Last year my sister in law died from ovarian cancer, a particularly unpleasant cancer. She was 50.

Last week I heard that another close friend of mine, he was best man at my wedding 29 years ago, has only months possibly weeks to live, he has cancer through his bone marrow and there is nothing that they can do. He also has secondary throat cancer. He currently spends all his time in bed – he has not the strength to do anything else.

I recently heard that the wife of somebody I worked with for 5 in the late 1980s years died of breast cancer.

As a result of my involvement with these cancer stories, I would like to raise some money towards cancer research, and to this end I am looking for sponsors for a single handed sail round Ailsa Craig.
I sailed single handed round Arran a few years ago and raised about £150 for Cancer Research.
Sailing round Ailsa Craig is more demanding than round Arran as it is in much more open water, and there are no easy boltholes on the way.

I will be attempting this journey over the weekend starting Friday the 15th of August. If the weather is unsuitable that weekend I will postpone the trip until a fortnight later, and a fortnight after that if necessary.

All money donated will go to Cancer Research - any expenses associated with this trip will be paid for by myself.

If you would like to sponsor me please go to this page: http://www.justgiving.com/petes_trip
where you can make a donation which will go directly to Cancer Research.

If you would rather you can of course just give money to me and I will forward it to Cancer Research at http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/

Thank you.

Pete Cooper

Good luck Pete, sounds like a good plan. Which one of your fleet will you be on?
I'll give you a donation at the Scuttlebutt Cruise.

The Leatherman Wave Salty John generously donated on TOP to the next donor to Pete's Ailsa Craig sail ended up in my posession, so I have decided to offer it for sale here.

The sale is in the form of a 'sealed bid' auction with bids to me by PM. The highest bid by Friday 12 midday will win the item contingent on them immediately posting the amount on Pete's page for all to see. There is no reserve, and I will pay the postage and dispatch the Leatherman immediately.

Didn't realise the gov stumped up some tax relief from the just giving site so donation now made. Long range forecast not looking too bad for this weekend. How about posting some details when you are deciding to leave and where from. I'm sure I'll want to keep an eye out for you or a call on the radio to see how things are going.

Good luck
Ian

My timetable is not set in stone. I will sleep aboard on Friday night with a view to setting off early(ish) on Saturday. I am hoping to be on the way by 05:00(ish), and as metcheck is now showing a bit more breeze, predominantly from the West, I should be making a good pace. If the wind drops completely I will have to use the engine.
I am starting to look forward to it, but not as much as the weekend after!

What is the boats name - Amaranthe? Will be keeping an eye out for you.

I'll be sailing Capricious.
Just an update to the first post in this thread - my best man died at 06:45 on Sunday morning.
Thank you to all who have contributed so far - it really means a lot to me.

.
Weather is not looking great for tomorrow, but I am sure we all wish Pete the very best of luck in his circumnavigation of Paddy's Milestone . . . please take a camera Pete and put a report up here when you get back. If you could video yourself going up the mast singlehanded in a rising gale that would be great . . . just try not to snivel as much as Day Mellon, remember she's a girl . . .

Seriously, good luck. See you next weekend.

(topic destickied)

11.45 local time. Spoke to Pete on VHF . Crapissues positon 4 - 5 miles North of Alisa Craig . Looks like Easterly 3/4 with patchy rain, but clearer at the Craig. Cannot see him even with telescope, but will try to keep a lookout for his return. Other boats look to be getting a comfortable sail in the upriver direction, so all should go well.

15.30 local time. wind down from E/F7 to E/2-3. Pete on VHF to Ian (boobytrapper) a while ago, off Arran, so going well.
Should now be well on way home and comfortable. Didn't see him, must be too far over towards Arran.
Looks brighter up river, so he's probably having a great time if he's still awake...

As Bill said, spoke to Pete about 1430hrs he was roughly 10 mile north of Ailsa Craig and on his way back. . He had made great progress and had winds up to 30 knots at times. By my reckoning he had about 30 miles to go so he may make it back before dark.
Good luck to him.

Ian

Got back to Kip at 19:45 - will do a full write up tomorrow - including the 35knot winds!

Well done Pete.
Thought I saw you traveling north wards past Rubhan Euin ( light house on S E, corner of Bute) some time between 5 and 6.30pm?
We sailed down E side of wee Cumbrae, around the back and up west side to tack through the Tan, into Millport.
From my berth at the Cumbrae centre last night, the weather dident seem very pleasent, and I thought you had postponed trip, had vhf on all night, but only heard the forecasts.
Congrats, C_W.
PS will be down in the Brinks Matt during the wk, with my donation.