Keswick/St Bees Islands

My first solo trip over 10ks out, had just returned from a Brampton/Carlisle Island group trip at 1100hrs, and decided I wasn’t done yet. First time fuelling up at the mariner was an education! Wasn’t sure if I could go through the security gate and get back in to the fuel dock.

Reluctant go up to the marina and ask, the VMR crew were on their way out and helped me. The 24hr payment terminal thing where you put your card in told me pump 10 was ready for delivery. It would not pump, after some fiddling around a voice come over the loud speaker to say payment machine didn’t work. The pump was turned on and I went up and payed. The 24hr payment terminal will ask for how many dollars worth of fuel you wish to purchase, should over estimate the correction will be 7 days to take affect, so I’m told. The unleaded sold here is 91 octane and $1.21 per litre this day.

Left the Harbour at 1200hrs, conditions were flatish, could see the odd little white caps. The fog from the morning had not completely cleared, a thin band in front of Keswick. Able to cruise about 50kph, we had struck alot of this brown stuff on the surface that morning. People tell me its an algae or weed. On this crossing it seemed to be 100m or more wide with a short break then back again (must photograph next time).

Conditions improved for a while and then turned back to choppy stuff. As I closed on Egremont Passage, I assume the current had its affect, for maybe a couple of klms the chop was a bit sharper including inconsistent direction.

Arrived 1144hrs after 28klms Harbour to the Passage. I dawdled up the passage taking in the scenery and had a snack for lunch while I drifted back down the centre of the passage.

The amount of butterfly’s was something different for me on water. I was hit in the face on 3 occasions, travelling at 12kph. This is a nice area, just doesn’t have the notoriety of Brampton.

Wouldn’t be a bad place to live, you would need a Jet Ski to go shopping though, what a pain (tongue in cheek). It looks like 4 houses on the ridge line of various sizes.

St Bees has residents, there is a dwelling in the bay and I’m certain there are others (will have to have a thorough look one day). Might have Depth Finder soon, then some serious exploring will be happening. After about an hour in the passage, I made way back to the Harbour. Had some chop about the same going out but did seem to ease a bit (arrived at the Harbour in about 40 minutes).

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