Friday / Saturday 22nd / 23rd April - The Bembridge stink ?

Together with the boys I grabbed a couple of days on the boat during the half term break. The weather was fantastic as we set out for Chichester and the journey down the A3 was a pleasant change from the usual M3/M27 route I take.
Arrived in good time mid morning and got the boat ready to depart. As is usual I cast off from the pontoon, fired up the VHF and called up for a lock out. I should have realised, with half term, bank holidays and good weather combined, but it still came as a shock to receive the reply "Certainly sir, if you can take number 36 in the queue, we'll call you when ready"...... Still we had a nice lunch tied to the pontoon and once out of the lock a motor down the harbour to East Head.
The delay had taken us closer to high water so I was able to slip across the sands without going the long way round - much to the consternation of the yacht that followed us.. but didn't have the advantage of a lifting keel.......

The wind had got up and we had a pleasant sail across to Bembridge. The result of the queue to get out of the lock could be seen at the Duver marina where they were rafted up 3 or 4 deep.

We opted for the beach, and with the tide running took some time to set the stern anchor in the best position as we dried out. We were soon lighting the BBQ and settling down on the upturned dinghy to get the burgers and ribs going. Adam managed to demolish a whole packet of crisps that were meant to be shared but the food was on ready... and that was when it happened.... the most awful stomach churning smell drifted across the beach... where it came from wasn't clear but I can't think it was vegetation being revealed by the falling tide.. chief suspect was a yacht moored near the entrance, which may have opened it's holding tank.... but the smell did persist for quite a time so the jury is still out on that one.

Several pints ( for me) in the Pilot Boat and we were ready for bed.

Midnight saw us afloat and I moved out onto a buoy before getting up again at 07.00 to leave the harbour before it dried. The sea was glass like with absolutely no ripples and after a quiet motor round towards Priory Bay I was busy trying to get some of the sand and seaweed off the boat.

When the boys eventually surfaced we had breakfast drifting slowly across the bay. The motor back to Chichester was strange - glassy sea, table out in the cockpit complete with cups of coffee that never moved and a good read of the papers whilst Ray, the autohlem did his stuff.

Back at the marina a good tidy up and off back home- early enough to earn some brownie points.