It was clear that the weather was going to bring us to a haut again as the waves started washing over the outer breakwater. Luckily with the newly installed lock gates in place conditions in the inner harbour alongside the pontoons were relatively calm. It was a little concerning when the harbourmaster came out to check on Silverwind as the pressure against the rig was pushing her against the pontoon with such force as to register as ten degrees of heel on the compass!

On Tuesday I decided I needed to find myself things to do and soon discovered the Arbroath Museum, which is based in the old lighthouse-signalling tower at the head of the harbour entrance. Along with other things it charts the building of the “Bell Rock” lighthouse, which is a fixture of horizon ten miles offshore.

With the force 9 continuing to hit the coast it was clear that Arbroath was going to be home for a couple of days. Even after the wind died down in the evening I watched the lifeboat being thrown around as it left the harbour on its weekly exercise. Thursday was devoted to trying to finally dry Silverwind out after the clean up in Stonehaven. This consisted of going to Argos and buying a heater fan that was directed at every part of the boat.

Silverwind was now somewhat warmer but I was not convinced that it was any drier. I think the water was just moving around. Friday was another wash out so the plan was to jump on the train down to Dundee.

This was all going fine until I locked all the boat keys inside and had to borrow a hacksaw to cut the lock off. I was please to discover that the padlock was pretty hard going though a little worried when a set of bolt croppers borrowed from the local lifeboat would not touch it! In the end I did not get long in Dundee but had long enough for a good look around the RRS Discovery. This ship took Scott on one of the first trips to the Antarctic. The visitors centre brought things right up to date with displays on the British Antarctic Survey’s work.