Serenity's first engagment.

A young couple got engaged on the Inner Farne the other week and it was really lovely to see. After being together for 9 years Luke decided it was time to kick himself up the ass and propose.
Ruth really loves the Farnes so this was the perfect place to get on one knee.
Myself and Luke had been emailing each other for a while and every time we tried to go for it something went wrong, so we both said stuff it lets wait until the weather gets better.
Everything was good to go, and the weather behaved itself too. The sun shone on this couples special day and I have to say I'm really pleased I was a little bit involved in this occasion. Its the first time for Serenity to have such a celebration on board and I could not have asked for a nicer couple either.

Congratulations Luke and Ruth and all the best for the future from myself and everyone involved at Serenity. 

Love is.........

Love is......

A female grey seal never leaving dead partners side.....

The look from a female grey seal broke my heart the other day, as she lay beside her man while he lay dead.
It might not have been her man and it might have just been coincidence that she was lying there but for me it felt like her man.
When she turned her head and looked across at the boat as if to say "bugger off and leave me alone" it was enough to put a tear into my eye. Ever since I lost my dog "Bud" my loyal northumberland collie, things like this make me really sad.
I did not really want to blog something like this but "Andy" my crewman said I had to as he felt the same when he lost his dog last year. Bloody dogs...

It is really sad to see and I know its nature and everything has to die eventually but it never gets any easier, but if there is one thing I can take from this is that the bull (man) dead from natural causes. Well that's what I'm telling myself anyway.

 

Easter Treats

Its been typical Easter weather over the last four days, but we have been able to get out and about which is the main thing.
The only thing we did not have this weekend is snow but its been freezing enough to feel like its going to snow.
The icing on the cake this weekend was the Bottlenose Dolphins.

It started on Good Friday with a pod of 9 feeding in Staple Sound, which is between the Outer group and the Inner group of the Farnes. They were in no hurry at and as they swam beside the boat with one eye looking up as they passed. This is the slowest I can seen them swim but it does have its advantages as it makes them really easy to photograph especially if you are someone that does not have a fast shutter speed on your camera.

Saturday we only had 4 and they were in no mood to hang around either.

Sunday I missed them but my brother got them just as he left the harbour and he followed them all the way to the Inner Farne.

Monday I managed to catch up with them but if it was not for my brother I think I would have missed them again. Once again he caught up with them just outside the harbour and followed them just past the Inner Farne but then left them when I arrived. I was on my landing trip but we managed to see them until we were level with Stag Rock and then we turned back to the Inner Farne where we were going to land our guests.

Over all it was a cracking weekend for Serenity and I hope we are entertained by these beautiful creatures the rest of the season.  

I also got a few little videos on my phone which always great to watch back afterwards. You can see some of these videos on our Facebook Twitter and Instagram pages.

Just a selection of some the dolphins we have seen over the last few days.

Once again thank you for reading our blog and don't forget we are also on YouTube now

OVER AND OUT

You Tube

 We have had a YouTube channel for a while now but have never really used it as much as we should have, so we will be uploading a few more videos this coming year.

Now you will have to bare with me as its the first time we have done this and we are very much on a learning curve and we know things will improve over time. We will also be behind time as we will not be able to post all the time so some of the footage will be a few weeks old.

We are getting our excuses out there early and for those people out there who are really good on computers please bare with us we are trying our best. Saying that we would love your input if we are doing something wrong or any tip or hints to were we can improve. You have to remember we did not have computers at school so everything we have learned is all self taught and we have learned the hard way. Today we use YouTube and Google for our help but during our videos your help will be invaluable, so please help us with your comments and please subscribe to our channel or give us a big thumbs up.

We will also try to answer any comments or questions you have but please bare with us as our jobs as skippers during the day is the most important thing to us. We still have to run a business and look after our guests on board the boats but we love blogging and we will still be doing this as its were we got hooked in the first place, but we to keep up with the kids we decided to do a few videos too.

Thank you for reading this blog and if you enjoy our videos on YouTube then please tell your friends, family, guests or whoever you fancy and get then to subscribe.

Thank you

OVER AND OUT

The Big Lift

With Serenity III back in the water and already working it was not long until the rest of the boats were back in the water too.
On Monday 3rd April we had the crane booked to come and lift our other boats back into the water but before that we had the final touches to do before they were ready to go.

We did a bit of fibre glassing, then gel coat before the final antie fouling was applied. I like the results but I'm not keen on fibre glassing at all.
We did a few bits to Mara Mhor our dive boat but that was really about it.

Serenity II had all the major work done to her this year as she has had two new engines and new wiring too. We have also changed all the pipe work for the engines, water pumps, bilge pumps and hand pumps. She has had new propellers and new couplings add to her.
I have to say that its not been me that has done all the refit but my brother. When someone deserves a pat on the back then this is the time to do that.

Our new addition ( below) is going to be called Sovereign as the name has been in the family for a long time now. She is the same build and Mara Mhor but her wheelhouse is longer with a little bit of a shelter behind her. Perfect for those cold days. We have to do a few things to change her but nothing major which is good.

A friend came along to help us with the big lift, but in a different way. He brought his GoPro's and his new drone as we had a good idea to put them at different angles as we lifted the boats back into the water. He works on the rigs so he has gone back at the moment but I can't wait to see the footage.  

This is the crane which is going to lift all the boats back into the water.

Sovereign safely back into the water and it will not be long until she has her first guests on board.


This is the spreader bar that we use. The reason for this bar is to keep the straps crushing in the side of the boat when it gets lifted. This only because she is a catamaran and you would not need to use it for mono hulls. 

Watching the boats being lifted up into the air is amazing but a the same time it does not half get your heart racing. It a bit like a puppet on a string really. The man behind the strings (chain) is the crane driver and the boat is the puppet. Our hearts were racing, but the drivers must have been in overdrive as he has his crane to think about and our boat. Not for the faint hearted I can tell you.

My son "Archie" watched his Uncle Toby fix the engine and he even helped him by telling him he was doing it wrong and this was not his boat but Ron's. You got to love kids. The things they come out with just puts a smile on your face. (Well sometimes)

The crane driver really struggled lifting Serenity II back into the water. She was weighting 18 tones and even though the crane can lift 30 ton the angle he was at the crane was saying "NO", but after a bit of adjusting he managed to get it back into the water. We were starting to get a little worried as the tide was going out and we did not have long until it was to late but we managed it.

So with Serenity II back in the water where she belongs, my brother turned the key and she started straight away without any hick ups at all. After a good check over we took her out into the bay for a run and everything seemed fine. I have no doubt that something will need a good look at, as it is a boat and nothing is straight forward with boats. I have to heap a lot of praise onto my brother for a cracking job he has done on my baby and I'm raring to go now.