We started with Ashlett regatta, launching on the Thursday (5th) in preparation for the regatta on the Saturday A great Drascombe turnout, canoe races, dinghy races, umbrella races (3rd this year - pipped at the post by Messrs Niner and Peter who snuck in to second ahead of Pauline and me), a pursuit race (thanks Wayne for letting me play - great fun) and BBQ and music - all on a lovely hot sunny day - couldn't have been better.
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| Regatta flags |
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| and more... |
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| Chillin... Tony, Bill, Wayne and Stewart |
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| Tony, Pauline and Annie relaxing in the sun |
Sunday was a blustery day and there was a lot of debate about departing. in the event the bigger boat, Tony, Peter, Marcus and I set off for Cowes, ignoring warnings about the regatta week and crowds. A lively crossing but no dramas and yes, Cowes was certainly bustling but once we got up to the Folly reach it was eerily quiet - no rafting,,,empty pontoons so we tied up and had a very plea sent evening.
Monday
We sailed across to Portsmouth and all the way up to Fareham, lunching on the Fareham Yacht club pontoon, before making our way back down to the Portchester Sailing club pontoon where we spent the night, meeting Doug Latta, who helped arrange our visit, and sharing a beer with him.
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| Portchester pontoon |
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| Portchester Castle |
Tuesday
We sailed to the entrance to Bembridge for lunch and then onto Ryde where we succumbed to fish & chips after a hard day in the sun. Coming out of Portsmouth, after a discussion the night before, I sailed right beside the buoy marking the location of the wreck of the Marie Rose..quite eerie.
There was a great number of new marks and buoys being put into place both within Portsmouth harbour and on the approaches...the new aircraft carriers must be huge.
Wednesday
The next day we made our way down to Yarmouth for the night, where we left Marcus to pop home for a day or so and Peter T who made his way over the Keyhaven to r/v with another part of the fleet who were going to follow us to Poole over the weekend. Meanwhile Tony and I set out for the west. Initially the plan had been to visit Swanage but the swell in the bay off the beach set us round the headland into Studland Bay.
Video - leaving via the Needles Channel
Pellew under sail
Studland was lovely and we decided to linger the following day, especially as Tony wasn't feeling great. I left him tinkering with his boat and rowed ashore for a walk along the cliff at Old Harry. Fantastic views in the hot sun as I walked along almost to Swanage before heading back to the beach.
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| Old Harry |
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| Studland Bay |
Drama at dawn
We spent the afternoon wading round the boat cleaning the waterlines and generally chilling before retiring for a snooze - hard life. Mind you it all changed in the early hours when Tony woke me as he was feeling very poorly. A phone call to the Coastguard and a consultation with a doctor at Poole Hospital resulted in the inshore lifeboat coming out to take him into hospital - the second trip for him this year !!!! It was funny, looking back, discussing with the coastguard the possibility of a helicopter pick up..I was very keen as it would have given Tony the full set...but he was less so ..and with the shallow water and number of masts around the inshore boat was the best option.
All of which left me anchored in Studland, with two boats.......
Saturday
A call to Brad solved the problem and I set of for the beach at Sandbanks where I collected him and returned to Pellew where he upped anchor and we set off for the Poole Quay marina.
Video of Pellew's temporary skipper
The rest of the fleet gathered at the marina and on the Monday set off for Drascamp on the southern side of the harbour at Cleavel Point,
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