Day 14. Wednesday 1st June. Ilfracombe-Milford Haven and dolphins

It was bumpy in the early hours when the tide came in. The slight swell seemed to bump Hylje on her keel stub and legs on the hard sand until she settled. I needed to get up early again to catch the most of the west running tide that pours out of the Bristol Channel. I read North Devon DC's request to pay the harbour dues before leaving. The office did not seem to be visible and there was nobody around other than the fishermen. I felt guilty about not paying my dues but i needed to be gone.

Outside the harbour and looking up the channel I could see the start of Exmoor and the brooding sky over it.

The wind had moved into the west and was a force 4. It was good for a port tack all the way to Wales.I set the sails put the autopilot on and sat and looked at the sea. I felt I was doing a lot of contemplation, but was a bit short on any insight about anything meaningful. I wondered weather this water watching is as good for you as transcendental meditation, where you spend hours trying to empty your mind.

My reveries were shaken by catching some movement out of the corner of my eye. i had been joined mid channel by a pod of dolphins. It was difficult to count how many there were-perhaps about a dozen. I was tanking along at about 6,4kn in relatively smooth water. They kept coming in from the upwind side and shooting under the boat and emerging at the bow. I sit so low in the water and they were so close, I could have touched them. I certainly talked to them , Who knows what they make of mad mariners speaking to them!

The water was very clear and I could see them under the surface rather than above it. At one time it seemed they were playing a game of chicken screaming in from the side and seeing how close they could get to the bow. Taking photos was difficult because of the speed they move and the delay of a digital camera, Got a couple though!

The dolphins lifted my melancholic mood that the grey cloud start and tiredness had created. I dithered about whether to head for Tenby or Milford Haven. I  needed to go to a phone shop and see it there were any problems with using my mobile in southern Ireland. I fancied going to Tenby and thought it was probably big enough for phone shops. The approach is around the back of Caldey Island, which creates a shallow enclosed almost atoll feel.However, it was just sand and no harbour. It was not suitable for me.

Milford haven was now a long way west and now against the tide it would be a long haul. My detour was rewarded with some interesting sights. Caldey itself with its ruins looked a good place to explore.

The tide between Caldey and the main land was running at about 4 kn, so I inched my way forward. This allowed a long look at the geology of the cliffs. They were reddish with lots of indentations and caves,

The cliffs became steeper and more wild as I progressed towards Milford Haven. There was evidence of quarrying in one place and they only way to get there would be by boat, what a tough living that must be. The geology changed with the stone almost looking like it was coursed. At one place these looked like the carvings of the American presidents they have in the States.

There was a very imposing stack that looked very close to toppling over. Crow Rock it was called. Couldn't see the resemblance, but it stood like a sentinel on this severe coast line.

One thing Sam Steele never covers in her book on circumnavigation is going to the loo.She talks about eating and drinking but not what happens later. As a lone yachtsman it's not a great idea to spend too much time below decks. I use the" bucket and chucket" and approach with an old baler. The problem is that when you wear yachting clothing it means taking of the jacket and dropping the saloupettes all whilst the boat is a t 45 degrees and bouncing around. You can imagine the fun, so why doesn't she mention it. I am not one of those people who are constantly sipping on bottles of water. indeed I am probably slightly dehydrated. Heaven knows what it would be like if i had a spring water habit!

I was not looking forward to going to Milford Haven.It has a lot of memories associated with it. When I first bough Hylje about 15 years ago we lived in Worcester and I secured a mooring in Milford Haven, I imposed the 4 hour each way journey on my family and to some scary moments on the water. To Gyll and joe, I apologise for what I put you through! i felt very emotional returning there. a lot had changed in the meantime.

However, I was glad to be checking into the marina. Tonight I shall sleep like a log and tomorrow i will take it easy. I sat in the wifi place next to a guy reading Dracula on his electric book ( Kindle). He had retired 5 times and was now doing an OU degree.