Poole Rally and feeder cruise - 2nd to 10th July 2013

Tuesday 2nd July

I managed to escape the office quite early and following a brief supplies stock up at Tesco, continued onto the marina. It was nice to have time to pack food and clothing away properly - normally I am rushing to catch the tide or meet with someone so I sort it out as I go - much better to build in time to sort it all out before departure - Adrian arrived a couple of hours later and we soon decide that to depart into the harbour and sit at anchor or on a buoy in the quite strong wind was not so much fun so we called Richard and arranged to meet him at CYC for supper.

Adrian and I repaired to Torridon to sample some of his Speckled Hen and before we knew it we had to rush round to the club where we had a very enjoyable meal with Richard.

Sunset at CYC at the start of the cruise (Photo - iPhone)

We agreed to meet at East Head the following morning before we set out westward with Hill Head being our intended objective.


Wednesday 3rd July

As I have come to expect, departure is a moveable feast and so to encourage activity I set off at about 09.30 down the harbour. Richard was late getting out of his creek and so we met in lumpy conditions at East Head. Adrian called to say he was just leaving the marina so we decided to cross to Mengham Rithe to gain some shelter. As we crossed the harbour entrance it looked quite reasonable but rather than break up the flotilla I stuck with the plan and soon Adrian joined us on a buoy.
We eventually departed at about 16.00 and only made it as far as Southsea Marina which was well short of our intended destination but nevertheless we had a great BBQ in a lovely sheltered, warm corner of the marina.
I declared my plan to leave at 07.30 the following morning and we retired for the night in anticipation.

Thursday 4th July

A bright start and away just after 07.30, followed shortly by Richard and more latterly by Adrian. They both opted for Cowes but I decided to press on. The wind was on the nose but the tide was with us for about 5 hours. I headed straight to Newtown Creek for lunch with the wind increasing steadily and the tide eventually turning against me making the conditions pretty rough. Even in Newton, up the right hand arm, just before the oyster beds as were, the wind funnelled down the valley making lunch a quick and uncomfortable stop.
I headed out under a double reef and called up a few of the Ashlett fleet who had also set out that morning. Out of the 5 boats that had left three seemed to either have turned back or made for Cowes. The sails were soon put away again and I motored steadily into Keyhaven where Peter T was already tied up, having set sail earlier in the week. Soon the rest of the fleet assembled with all the Ashlett crowd bar one making it to the quay.

Peter in the drink (Photo - Andy Cooper)

Here we had our first bit of entertainment for the week, when Peter tried to assist a boat coming alongside me and took hold of the new halyard arrangement I have installed, well almost - the cleat does really need some longer screws, as Peter found out when he used it to hang onto and the screws pulled out.......

What happened there? (Photo - Andy Cooper)

No harm done, apart to pride, but nothing a beer couldn't fix.

 We then had Adrian using his centre plate as a handbrake and then rowing his Coaster alongside....

Torridon coming alongside (Photo - Andy Cooper)

Torridon (Photo- Andy Cooper)

We relaxed for awhile beside the quay, once the dramas were over and I had a beer whilst Peter washed out his clothes.

Relaxing (Photo- Andy Cooper)

The evening was spent at Barry and Pauline's, where the BBQ this year was outside in the sun .....
The band soon started playing and a very enjoyable evening was had by all.

Photos - Andy Cooper

Friday 5th July

Friday arrived in glorious style. gentle winds and blazing sun and we enjoyed breakfast next to the quay.

Breakfast in the sun (Photo - Andy Cooper)

We set off for Poole at about 09.30. The wind enabled us to close haul across the bay.

Departure across the bay (Photo - Andy Cooper)

The main fleet arrived during the afternoon, but Marcus and I decided to head to Studland Bay for a hour or so before heading into harbour and the ubiquitous Drascombe raft.

Drascombe raft (Photo - Andy Cooper)

The raft broke up before we retired for the night to prevent too much starin on a few anchors and an tangle of lines in the morning.

Saturday 6th July

As the sun rose it was obviously going to be a very hot day, but the morning mist created a nice atmosphere in the anchorage.

Misty morning (Photos - Andy Cooper)

Blood Alley at dawn (iPhone)

Many of the raft stayed put and took the opportunity to explore Brownsea Island,

The raft from Brownsea Island (Photo - Andy Cooper)

others, including me, decided to explore the backwaters en route to Shipstal Point and ended up going aground several time -a rising tide of course.

The afternoon was spent trying to establish a suitable location for a BBQ ashore - after several failed explorations we settled on the area known as Shell Bay, just inside the entrance, where historically Drascombe rallies in Poole began.

Shell Bay (Photos - Andy Cooper)

Sunday 7th July

The next morning I repaired to the Haven Marina for a wash and brush up and to re-stock. Breakfast was taken in Wetherspoons and I rejoined the diminished fleet at Shipstal for lunch. About half the boats had had to depart, either to trailer up the Frome towards Wareham or back across the bay to the Solent.

We returned to Shell Bay again for another evening of conviviality, and also because it was near the entrance for our departure the following day. Unfortunately Andy Cooper had also departed so it was back to the iPhone for me.


Monday 8th July

We made our preparations to depart, including Milo, the terriers' quick visit ashore

Milo's ferry (iPhone)

On the way across the bay, Brad and I stayed offshore by about 5 or 6 miles and I was approached by two very polite Marines in a fast Rib who advised me that the C130 Hercules that had been circling over head was going to make a drop and could I keep and eye on it in case it got close......

The plane came round and dropped a Rib and several marines, which, as you can see by the quality of the photos, landed nowhere near me...

C130 drop (iPhone)

After the drama of the military exercise ended we motored into Christchurch Harbour and saw Gannet moored up near the beach, obviously visiting from Chichester, and the rest of our motley crew further up the harbour. Brad and I decided to go up to the town to get fuel and see what was about.
The Yacht Club kindly let us moor up and we trekked of in search of fuel. We were forced to halt our route march at a pub fro a replenishment of fluids, and then again on the way back, eventually arriving back at the boats about 2 hours later....
That wasn't the end of fluid replacement ...oh no.. into town to a nice little pub where we discovered .....

well, after a meal and a failed attempt at the pub quiz, exchanging promises of Christmas cards with the landlord etc etc we got back to the boats at about 23.30.

The beauty of a chart plotter is you can just retrace your steps, which duly saw us tied to a buoy near the rest of the fleet. There was a slight incident with a rope around the prop but it was soon resolved.

Tuesday 9th July

We left Brad, once there was water over the bar and set out on a cracking sail into the Solent through the North channel. Stewart needed to get on so continued up to Ashlett whilst the rest of us stopped off in Yarmouth for a run ashore.

Egret, Torridon, Siesta and Daislebee in Yarmouth (Photo - iPhone)

We walked up the eastern side of the River Yar to the Red Lion at Freshwater where we enjoyed a very nice lunch before following the path though the fields and woods that brought us back along the western side of the river and back to the harbour.

Red Lion  - Freshwater

That afternoon we set of on the tide for Cowes, mooring up in East Cowes Marina for the night.

Wednesday 10th July

The fleet dispersed from Cowes, Siesta made her way to Ryde and the to Ashlett for the weekend. Torridon, Egret and Daislebee returned to Chichester where Adrian and I enjoyed a final supper in CYC before the journey home the next day.

Sunset at CYC (Photo - iPhone)

A great rally, no doubt enhanced by the superb weather but nonetheless good company, good food and quite a lot of wine/beer.

Quick trip - Wednesday 5th June

After the rally I got home only to find I had left my works mobile on the boat. (Not used to having to carry two any more.).

The bonus to this was that the first fine day when I had some time I set off for Chichester. I had intended just to get the phone, lounge about on the boat for awhile and then set off home but as I got near the opportunity for a quick sail seemed too good to be true.

Problem - works clothes - solution - the high fashion section at Tesco - so food and clothing sorted I arrived at the boat and was soon calling upon the VHF to lock out.

'There's only 1.5 m in the channel' was the response.
'That'll do me fine' I replied and set off.

It was pleasing to meet another gaffer coming up the channel as well as seeing a deep keeled yacht anchored, waiting for a couple of hours until the tide turn and there was sufficient water for them to get in.

A cracking sail down to East Head where I had a brew and lounged in the sun for an hour or two.

I decided to get back to the marina for supper and had a very nice sail back up the harbour, that was very quiet and serene, quite unlike the hustle and bustle of the weekends.

Very quiet - not like the weekends

 Once in the marina I spied this old gaffer up on the hard  - she'll take a lot of work.

Supper was very posh - fresh pasta and cheese sauce - eaten sat in the sun on a glorious evening.

Finally however it was time to face the motorway but even this seemed OK - all the traffic had gone and I had a straight run home - all in all a lovely afternnon/evening.

Chichester Marina Rally 24th - 27th May 2013

Thursday 23rd

Managed to escape from work early and having already packed the car, took off for Chichester mid afternoon. All day at work the rain had been hammering down, interspersed with a few bright and dry periods, so with one eye nervously on the skies I stocked up at Tesco.

It was relatively dry and bright when I got to the boat and loaded clothes, stores and fuel aboard. Brad, Peter Tiplady and Colin Wood were already in their berths so general drinks and nibbles were consumed until Brad Colin and I adjourned to CYC for a meal were as well as good company, good food and too much beer we enjoyed a fantastic sunset.

Sunset at CYC

Don't forget - you can click on the photos to see them full scale.

We adjourned quite early that night and got a good nights rest.

Friday 24th

Tony needed some supplies so he and I de camped early to Tesco where we also had breakfast - very welcome it was to......

We returned to the marina and Brad did sterling work, helping launch the continual stream of boats that seemed to arrive in ones, twos and in one spurt 5 together. This was in between showers and cold strong winds - I don't know if we were wetter and colder on the pontoon than we would have been had we just jumped in...


Almost all were launched by late afternoon and the camp site in the field behind was set up and flourishing. We all adjourned as planned to CYC for a group meal, where I made a short, hopefully, welcome speech and introductions were made. Brad and I seemed to make it our mission to make sure all the bar staff had finished before we left as well.

Saturday 25th

What a difference! The day dawned bright and sunny with not a lot of wind. By briefing time the wind had piped up a bit but just right for a first day out. In spite of best efforts to miss the Bank Holiday queue for the lock we could n't leave our berths for sometime - then almost as soon as we had been called the lock went to free flow so the whole fleet popped out into the harbour quite quickly. As a result, after about 20 minutes I abandoned the idea of heading up towards Dell Quay - the wait for the lock and the free flow departure had ensured the flood tide was slackening and the fleet was quite tightly bunched so we turned down the harbour and headed for our lunch time stop at East Head.

The light wind required some judicious tacking in the moorings and more than one resorted to the engine.

5M Peterboat and a Dabber

Moonstone leading the pack

A collection of Coasters

Wide angle - Itchenor Reach

Lunch was taken at East Head and the fleet set off for the journey back to the marina by about mid afternoon - all apart from Little Dipper who had got someone's warp stuck up inside the centreboard casing.
Valiant efforts by Richard Goldsmith trying to tow them off resulted in him falling in and all too soon the ebb had left them high and dry with a partially down centre board. There was nothing to do apart from ensure they had food and water, warm clothing and wait for the water to come back - Roger and Anita are very experienced and when I phoned to check on them later they were sat on the beach having a BBQ and drinking wine ......

After a diversion to help a RIB back to its mooring I got back to the marina and soon the tented village on the green emerged and the BBQs were lit.

Note the ladder rack BBQ set up

Bill Pidgeon brought his rather unique fair ground gazebo and the band were soon in full swing.

Setting Up

At one point it seemed that anyone who entered the bandstand picked up an instrument and started playing - on occasions more players than audience.....

Many of the passers by stopped to stare and even take photos - we certainly caused a stir.

Sunday 26th

Another sunny and warm day - quite a bit of wind but nothing too much to handle. Roger and Anita had finally made it back at about midnight and so the maintenance crew set to . Many hands make many decisions...

"I reckon if you just pull this......"

Stewart manfully pulled and others pushed and banged.....

before we decided (I think it was Bill P) to put a rope around from the stern under the boat. After a couple of near misses pulling on both end (when one end relaxed un-expectedly you can imagine the result on the other.....) we tied it off on a cleat at the end of a finger pontoon and all pulled the other end on a much wider and longer main walkway - RESULT.

The plan was to go up to the top end of the harbour beyond Dell Quay and then down to the Thorney Channel for lunch but many of us had a nice sail up and then picked up a buoy and spent a lazy lunch and early afternoon before heading back in.

Stephen and his father

A small party of 5 had set off for Bembridge - to return the next day - by all accounts it was a rough and slow crossing with the potential for much hilarity and rumour with one wife being stuck on a boat over night with a man she didn't know  'that' well - tow inside the harbour on the beach and three outside on anchor waiting for the late tide - food, clothing and bedding on the wrong boat etc etc. however all ended well with a meal in the pub and the correct sleeping arrangements sorted.


 Most of the remainder at the marina decamped to take advantage of CYC hospitality again and after much wine and beer another day was done.

Monday 27th

 Another bright and sunny day - some went sailing but most had to pull out and be away but all in all a great success - 24 boats and about 45 - 50 people, skippers, crews and visitors - a great weekend.

Experiment this season

Just like Facebook it is nice to be able to publish photos to the blog quickly and easily. They do say that the best camera to use is the one you have with you at the time and as that, for many of us, is the one on our mobile phone so I've decided that this season 'm going to try to use the camera on my iPhone to take all of the photos on the blog. It will require a different technque but we'll see how it goes.

Chichester Harbour Rally Friday 3rd - Monday 6th May 2013

Having moved the main rally to the Bank Holiday at the end of the month, this weekend's event was really set up in order to provide motivation for me, and others, to get their boats ready for the season. The last few years have seen quite poor weather over this weekend, hence the change of dates for the main event. Little was I to know how good the weather would actually be. As the week progressed and the weekend drew nearer hopes raised and blossomed.

As it was I got to the boat on Thursday to finish some servicing that I hadn't got the tool for when I had been down the previous weekend. (Note to self - 7 mm spanner is the most useful tool in the box).

The impeller and oil filter changed,  I topped up the oil and then used the trick taught me by Crabbers to blow the fuel back around the system pushing the air out in front of it. Batteries on - key in ignition and ...hey presto... started first time.

Daislebee ready for sea - almost

I had spoken to Tony Wood (Martha), who was out in the harbour with his brother, and set out down the Itchenor reach to meet them. When we met I decided to continue down the Harbour Master's pontoon ti get a new 'rent' sticker for the harbour dues.

Back in the marina Tony and I barbecued and drank red wine as the sun went down.

Sunset over the marina

Friday - Next morning we waited for Adrian Kneller (Torridon) to join us and met Stewart Brown on the pontoon who had brought a clients boat down (another Adrian) to rig and launch for him.

The three of us set off down the harbour to East Head where we met up with Richard Goldsmith (Egret).

The weather was fantastic and we were joined by the incoming West Solent fleet, Jim Hopwood (Hippo), Marcus Niner (Salicorne), Ian Cowie (Moksha), Andy and Annie Cooper (Gadfly), John Gingell (Lucille), Steve Hill (St Jovhill) and Peter Tiplady (Siesta).

We then made our way back up the harbour to the Itchenor Visitors pontoon to spend the night were we were joined by Martin and Jane Lings in their Coaster and Arian Wyatt, who Stewart had launched at the marina, in his Drifter 22.

The wind was meant to get up over night but in the event it stayed calm and Tony and I managed to smoke most of the fleet out trying to light and cook on last seasons BBQ's - in the event the frying pan proved quicker and safer......

Saturday - The next day the wind was strong and we spent most of the day on the pontoon, with various shore parties using the water taxi to get ashore for a walk.

The entertainment in the morning was provided by some very skilful and brave Mirror dinghy sailors from Itchenor SC.

I can confirm the water was ......cold!!!!

The wind died significantly later in the afternoon and we made our way (minus Adrian W) down the harbour to the creek behind Hayling Island Sailing Club.

Sunset in the creek

Sunday - The following day dawned fine and sunny but with little wind. The creek is very tidal and we had all dried out over night and sat watching the water creeping back again until all but two of us floated again (no names....) In fairness I found out that the tide was significantly lower than forecast that day due to hte weather conditions and 20cm is a large margin on a flat sand beach.

Hayling Island Creek - click on photos to expand

The remainder of the fleet waved across at the two neaped boats and set off for Bembridge on the Isle of Wight. We didn't feel too sorry for them - dry flat sunny beach in a very sheltered location about 100 yds from the club house, bar, showers etc......

It was generally a motor across to the island but the wind did pick up and the last hour was a very pleasant sail. We laid up on the beach on the port hand as you enter the harbour and spent a lazy afternoon in the sun. where we were joined by Roger and Anita Whiffen (Little Dipper) and Charles and Rachel van Oppen in their open Deben Lugger (Debutante)

In the evening we adjourned to the Pilot Pub and enjoyed a good meal before tired but happy we returned aboard out boats.

Monday - The next day initially dawned very foggy but cleared within the harbour as the sun burnt it off, although I understand it descended again later.

Foggy beach in Bembridge

The rally really concluded at Bembridge as it was a useful jumping off point for those bound for Southampton and Newtown as well as those who needed to get back to Chichester.

Siesta, Little Dipper and Daislebee set off at about 08.00 in mist which soon descended into pretty thick fog. Ordinarily we would have turned back but armed with a chart plotter and an AIS app on my phone we could see the shipping channel was clear and there were only a couple of yachts who were heading in the same direction. We continued on and as forecast the yacht 'Peggy' crossed our bows as we neared Chichester and the Bar Beacon appeared directly ahead of us as we motored safely into harbour.

Once inside the fog cleared as if by magic and hundreds of boats could be seen playing in the sun.
We parted company with Little Dipper and continued up to the marina. Having tied up I was just showing Peter the AIS app when the phone rang...it was Brad who had been monitoring our passage back from the island and could see I was back in the marina...spooky....

A great weekend, great company and some adventure thrown in.  Roll on the next rally.