Our third liveaboard anniversary and a successful fishing trip

Phil steering Ravensdale back into Maryport Marina after Saturday's fishing trip

We moved on board Ravensdale – our 43ft Neptunus 133 motor cruiser – three years ago this week.

And we’re still enjoying our liveaboard lifestyle 😊

Phil refitted the exhaust elbow to her starboard engine after it had been repaired.

And we were pleased to be able to get out fishing again at the weekend after our boat had been stuck in the marina for more than a month – due to exhaust problems, bad weather and me recently starting a part-time job.

Meanwhile, we were pleased to discover that Ruby wasn’t too bothered by fireworks.


Happy boativersary to us! 😊

Ravensdale when we first moved on board in November 2016

We celebrated the third anniversary of moving on board Ravensdale on Monday.

We sold our house and bought our boat on October 20, 2016 but didn’t move on board until two weeks later, on November 4.

This was because the boat was out on the hardstanding here at Maryport Marina in Cumbria, UK, while work was carried out that could only be done when she was out of the water.

At that time, we didn’t think it would be possible to live on board while she was chocked up, so we booked holiday accommodation nearby until she was back in the water.

And we moved on board on the day she was back afloat.

It was an exciting and slightly scary day. It felt weird to be calling a boat home 😊

But we’ve both enjoyed the past three years in our cosy, floating home.

The dinette on Ravensdale

Ravensdale's helm

Ravensdale's saloon

Refitting the exhaust elbow

The repaired exhaust elbow

The exhaust elbow Phil removed from Ravensdale’s starboard engine last week was welded and he refitted it last Friday afternoon.

The repaired exhaust elbow fitted to the outlet

He says it was fairly simple to fit but he ended up with a bit of a stiff back from working bent over in the engine room as there isn’t room to stand up straight.

Phil refitting the exhaust elbow

Phil then started the engine to check it was running OK and it was fine.



Saturday’s fishing trip

Ravensdale heading towards the gate as we left Maryport Marina on Saturday

We had said we weren’t going to take Ravensdale out on the water again until Phil had changed the oil in both engines.

He hadn’t had a chance to change the oil in her port engine as he’d been busy repairing the exhaust system problem he discovered while changing the oil in her starboard engine.

However, the weather was so nice on Saturday that we decided it was too good an opportunity to miss.

Phil also wanted to take her out for a run to check the work he’d done on her exhaust was all working properly.

We left the marina at around 12.20pm in sunny and fairly calm conditions and we headed up to Phil’s favourite fishing spot in Allonby Bay.

Ravensdale leaving Maryport

There was very little wind but there was a good swell.

The boat was rolling around a bit, but we decided to drop anchor and see if she settled down.

She continued to rock, but it wasn’t so bad that it stopped Phil fishing or me taking photos.

Phil started setting up his rods, but his line became tangled on his first cast.

Phil setting up one of his fishing rods

He’d put the line out then noticed he had a bird’s nest in his reel.

He tried to untangle it, but it didn’t work so he decided the only way to deal with it was to cut the line.

So that’s what he did, and he gave me the cut-off end that was attached to the hook, which was still out in the water, and asked me to hold on to it.

I wrapped it around my hand and held it until he had removed the tangled line.

He then tied the end I’d been holding back onto the line on the reel and reeled in the line to discover a good-sized cod had taken his bait.

Phil with the first and largest cod he caught on this trip

It measured 45cm and was the biggest cod he’s caught so far on the Solway Firth although technically I think I caught it as I’m pretty sure it was hooked while I was holding the line 😊

Phil was delighted with the catch, rebaited the hook and put the same rod out again before setting up a second rod and almost immediately he had a similar-sized cod on the first rod.

Phil with his second cod

The fishing then when quiet for a while before he caught a couple of dogfish, followed by another one that got away – not that he minded at all as they’re a total pain.

A phone selfie taken in Allonby Bay with Phil fishing from Ravensdale's aft deck

An added bonus was watching four porpoises swimming around the boat for about 15 minutes.

They were just too far away to get any decent photos of them, but I got a few shots to prove they were there, and it was lovely to be able to watch them, although they could’ve been the reason Phil stopped catching fish 😊

Porpoises in the Solway Firth

Porpoises in the Solway Firth with Maryport in the background

As I’ve explained before, Ruby knows that she has to be in her cage when Ravensdale is underway and, as soon as we start the engines, she goes in her cage if the door is open or sits by the door and waits for us to open it if it’s closed.

Ruby in her cage while we were at sea

And she lays down in her bed all the time we're travelling but usually sits up and wants to be let out soon after we drop anchor and turn the engines off.

However, on this trip she showed no sign of wanting to come out. She stayed laying down even when I walked past her to get our lunch or cups of tea.

We decided to leave her where she was unless she looked as though she wanted to come out, but she never did so she stayed in the cage until we were back in the marina at about 3.10pm after almost three hours out on the water.

Ravensdale returning to Maryport

Ruby of Ravensdale

Ruby relaxing on Ravensdale

It appears that Ruby isn’t too bothered about fireworks, which is good, as they were let off every night over five to six evenings at the end of last month and the beginning of this month.

There were organised displays on Saturday evening and on November 5, but there were also random folk letting them off on the beach and in the area around the marina on other evenings.

The first couple of nights she ran to the door and barked when they went off, but she soon got over that to the point that she totally ignored them, even if we were outside when she heard the loud bangs.

And we’re hoping that Ruby’s allergies are settling down a bit now.

She still chews her feet a bit in the mornings, when the previous day’s tablet has worn off, but she isn’t doing any damage.

And I’m sure she’s chewing them less now than when we first reduced her allergy medication from half a tablet twice a day to once a day.

I haven’t been able to take photos of Ruby on her walks as Phil has been walking her while I’ve been at work this week.

Ruby waiting for me to take photos across Maryport Basin

But I did take a couple of shots of her when I tied her up while taking photos when I took her for a walk after our trip out on the Solway Firth on Saturday afternoon.


Photography

A yacht leaving Maryport

Most of the photos from the past week were taken while we were out on the Solway Firth on Saturday.

The northern fells from the Solway Firth

A yacht on the Solway Firth with Iggesund Paperboard Mill in the background

Maryport from the Solway Firth

Another view of Maryport from the Solway Firth

South Pier at Maryport with the paperboard mill in the background

There were some very dramatic skies while we were out on the water.

Heavy clouds over the Solway Firth

Sun breaking through the clouds over the Solway Firth

Maryport from the Solway Firth

A hole in the clouds

And I was particularly pleased with the photos I took of fishermen on the pier as we were returning to Maryport.

Fishermen on Maryport Pier

Fishermen on the end of the pier

I took some photos around the harbour while walking Ruby after our trip out on Ravensdale on Saturday afternoon. The water was really still and there was a lovely light as the sun was going down.

Reflections on the still water at Maryport Harbour

Boats and buildings reflected in Maryport harbour

A wider view of the harbour

Maryport Harbour

Harbour reflections

Colourful fishing boats in the evening sunshine

Maryport from across the harbour

We then walked along the River Ellen where I took a few shots of the river at sunset.

The Maryport swan family on the River Ellen at dusk

The River Ellen

The blue footbridge over the River Ellen at sunset

Sunset over the River Ellen

Weather watch

Calm, sunny weather as we left Maryport Marina on Saturday

The best day of the past week was definitely Saturday when the sun put in a very welcome appearance and it was still warm enough to be out on the Solway Firth in a T-shirt.

There’s been a good bit of rain during the rest of the week.

And it’s definitely getting cooler with temperatures failing to reach double figures on most days.

Saturday was dry, bright and fairly calm. The top temperature was 8.7C (48F) and the top average wind speed was 10mph. The wind speed while we were out on the water was 2-7mph.

Sunday was cloudy with light rain showers and a rainbow appeared just before the rain stopped early afternoon. The top temperature was 9.9C (50F) and the top average wind speed was 14mph.

A rainbow over Maryport Marina on Sunday afternoon

Monday was cloudy and breezy with rain showers and heavier rain in the evening. The top temperature was 10.1C (50F) and the top average wind speed was 17mph.

Tuesday was cloudy and windy with frequent rain. The top temperature was 9.1C (48F) and the top average wind speed was 21mph, gusting 31mph.

It was dry first thing on Wednesday then cloudy with frequent rain. The top temperature was 5.9C (43F) and the top average wind speed was 17mph.

Yesterday (Thursday) was mainly wet with fine rain for much of the day. The top temperature was 7C (45F) and the top average wind speed was 22mph, gusting 30mph.

Clear blue sky at Maryport Marina today (Friday)

And today (Friday) the weather has been dry, sunny and pretty chilly. The temperature was just 2.6C (37F) at 8am and only reached 5.2C (41F). The top average wind speed was 18mph, gusting 29mph, at St Bees Head but it was definitely less windy in Maryport.