It's May, the start of the boating season, and the incorrigably optimistic Hill-man has finally found a way to surely make his fortune! "Oh Yes!" he cries, "Ooh 'Eck!" everyone else cries. Having a mate in the fishing business he manages to persuade said mate to lend him said mate's latest fishing vessel, fitted with all the latest navigational and fishing gear.
"If you just punch in the passage plan for where you want to go she'll find her own way, all you need to do is keep a good look-out and set the engine speed, about three thousand is good for travelling. When you're towing give her more or less the lot! Just don't argue with the big ferries, or go fouling any subs. She'll be right Yessir!"
Don't argue with either of these!
A thought occurred, possibly not a good one, "You'll do well to go and fetch Mikey along, he's a good hand and will stand a watch, it'll be too much for just Jimbob and yourself first time out. The run over'll let you get the feel of her." A final shout "You'll find Mikey in his bar in (totally mis-heard fishing port), use PP?? (also misheard)" and the departing skipper was gone. (Croatia for a fortnight, we believe)
"The sooner we start the better" thought Hill-man, "we don't need much provisions until we have three of us aboard, we'll stock the galley then." Out of the harbour the intrepid crew motored, then went to set the course across the Irish Sea. "Did he tell us fourty or forteen Passage Plan?" Hill-man asked his now slightly worried crewman. "I've no idea" was the reply, "I thought it sounded more like thirty or thirteen." There being only four options they took a guess at teens or not then tossed a coin for high or low and punched in the numbers, set the autopilot to "ON" and stood back. All went well, their guess was a good one and the coin wasn't a dud, arrival at the quay in their destination harbour produced Mikey. Stocked up they headed back out to sea, "Don't bother with the plotter, I'll steer manually to the fishing ground, it's not too far, just a couple of hours." Only snag was Mikey had been in the bar a tad too long and dozed-off at the wheel while the other two were setting up the gear. A graunching noise and cessation of forward motion brought everyone to attention, very quickly and far too late. "That's Jurby Head," was the general conclusion, "we can walk ashore at low tide, but I don't think Jonno H is going to be best pleased!" He wasn't; but insurance covered it, no-one was hurt, sadly the boat lies on the beach yet.
For anyone interested the wreck in question is that of the steam trawler "Pasages", driven ashore in a storm, 1931. She was originally built as a minesweeper in Toronto, Canada in 1917. After the war ended she was converted for trawling and came to the UK. Fortunately there was no loss of life when she was grounded. The wreck lies on the beach below Jurby Head and church, totally exposed on a low spring tide and can be visited if you don't mind a beach walk. Cross the soft sand at the top of the beach and turn towards Peel, it's roughly a mile each way. Much easier going on the firm sand below high-tide mark. At high tide the wreck covers completely and becomes a hazard to any vessels hugging the coast.
After all that preamble what you need to do is determine where the unfortunate Mikey was embarked. The following series of numbers may be of assistance (Hill-man's involved so don't bank on anything, least of all Bahama Bank or Wart Bank), maybe also SC1411, SC1826, Y62, Y70. SC2156 could possibly be of use, C51 is interesting but no help what so ever unless you're really off-course! There is also the slight problem of not knowing from which of our harbours they started this epic disaster. Being his usual (in)competent self Hill-man omitted to report this important detail. The only small clue you have is that Jonno H was once heard to say he never worked Laxey or Castletown because there's nothing there, Port Erin isn't much better and he avoids Douglas because Harbour Control shout at him when he steams in or out without consulting them first. ( Busy commercial harbour you know).
PP13 32>273
PP14 13>255 20>270 15>37 7>222 6>340
PP30 12>16 17>38 10>115 8>150
PP40 4>235 4>266 34>1 18>244 2>266
Enter your destination harbour name into Certitude, the correct name will reveal the final co-ordinates which are firmly ashore!
You can validate your puzzle solution with
certitude.
The boat attribute only applies if you want to find Mikey's bar.
The scuba attribute is only required to visit Pasages at high tide. Easier to wait six hours.