Monday 22nd August -
Ian C, Adrian K and I joined Richard G at East Head, once Richard had cleared his creek at about 15.00 and made our way over the shallow sands and out into the Solent.Wind and weather were fine and we enjoyed a good reach down to the submarine barrier and then shaped up for Cowes. The only drama being a large tanker that thought we were too close to it's intended route, but it passed between us as we held our courses parallel to it. East Cowes had room for us and we spent a quiet, if wet night, on their pontoons.
Tuesday 23rd August -
Set sail by about 10.00 bound for Newtown - great sail down and we anchored in the Western Haven. The original plan had been to get across to Christchurch in one go , but we thought this may prove a little far so the compromise of Newtown with some exploring seemed a good one.
We meet up with Marcus N who joined us on the raft and then took us off on a guided tour of Clamerkin, where we got right up to the end by the rifle range. En route we were joined by Andy P in Blue Peter.
Torridon in Clamerkin - drifting with style
Rifle range at the top end of Clamerkin
Adrian and I sailed up and as a result promptly lost the others as they came back and disappeared up another arm. We assumed they had taken the Shalfleet finger and set off after them - me trusting Adrian to know where the famous oak tree was - big mistake.... went aground having slid over a bank into a deeper pool with only 10 minutes of a very neap tide to run. Lots of reversing got me back into deeper water, only to discover we had over shot the tree by 200 yds or so.........
We r/v'd with two or three of the others just past the quay and were linked together in a floating raft sipping wine, when we saw Ian being approached by the Harbour Masters dory - talk about bomb burst - Drascombes running for cover left and right... he came along side me and all he wanted was to offer us guidance on a good place to anchor up for the night. Eventually his idea was deemed unsuitable for the combination of walk ashore/ pub and get back without getting muddy so we went along side the quay, with the fervent declaration, mainly for the benefit of Adrian and Richard, that we would move off at 07.30 and anchor back in the Western Haven.
So happy but tired we set off to walk to Shalfleet and had a good meal in the pub - on the way back we came across a glow worm in the bushes - another first.
Wednesday 24th August - Newtown to Christchurch
Shalfleet Quay
Shalfleet pontoon
We awoke at 07.00 and moved away from the quay back to the Western haven where we anchored for breakfast.
After breakfast on the raft, we set off by about 10.30 to get the best of the ebb through the Hurst narrows and out into the bay.
Moshak passing Yarmouth
The weather remained bright but the wind got up and the ride became increasingly bumpy, until sailing was abandoned and it became a motor into the wind to get into harbour.
The entrance to Christchurch is well buoyed but bears no relation to the information on the charts, and is some 200 metres east of what is shown. The shallows banks are close in, certainly on port side and you need to keep in the narrow channel. Turning left into the famous Mole Run you suddenly pop out into a large expanse of water- shallower than Poole with a channel running almost up the middle to the town of Christchurch itself.
We anchored, with some difficulty, in the lee of Hengistbury Head and spent a wet and windy night as the storm passed through, waking to a bight and sunny morning.
Thursday 25th August - Christchurch - Yarmouth - Newtown
We rowed ashore and took a walk , under the guidance of Chief scout leader Richard, up to the top of the Head.
The view from Hengistbury Head
In the warm sunshine the view was superb, a panorama from Swanage in the west, round past Poole and Bournemouth and ending with the western end of the Isle of Wight. Well worth the walk.
Returning to the raft we set off up the channel to look at Christchurch.
A lovely town from the water and some members of the gang soon found the Sailing Club pontoon, and took quite a lot of prising off to get under way back to the Solent. On the way down the channel a small tripper boat caused confusion and my attempt to sail under jib down the channel ended by getting quite firmly blown onto a shallow bank - with jib furler stuck I had to be quick to get off before the ebb left me high and dry but I managed it, getting some stones and mud stuck up the rudder plate for my trouble. I motored down the harbour and picked up a buoy so that I could lift off the rudder - remembering to tie it on first- and sort the problem out. The tide was ebbing fast and I just got off the buoy in time before heading out of the harbour to catch up the others.
A good sail to Hurst followed by a short stop in Yarmouth to stock up and shower soon had us sailing gently along the coast into Newtown creek where we met up with Nick P, Andy and Annie and Barry and Pauline.
Drascombe at Hurst narrows
Egret under jib and mizzen coming past Hurst
Friday 26th August - Newtown to Marchwood
Barry and Pauline, Andy and Annie set off at about 07.00 to get the most of the early tide - Andy needed to get to Ashlett in a narrow tidal gap to sort his engine out. The rest of us had a leisurely morning and the weather that had been decidedly damp got better and better.
Marcus took three of us - Nick, Adrian and myself up the Western Haven that the others had been exploring while I was aground looking for the oak tree.....
This part of Newtown is an absolute gem - quite, full of wild life and only navigable by Drascombe types or smaller.
Here is a selection of photos - be sure to click on them to get the full 'picture'
About 13.00 then main fleet set off, parting company with Richard and Adrian leaving a little later to go directly to Chichester. The weather got better and better and the sun followed us all the way along the Solent, up Southampton Water to Marchwood Sailing Club who were hosting the rally for the weekend.
Many familiar faces on the pontoon and drinks truend to BBQ...turned back to drinks.
Saturday 27th August
The following day the fleet visited Warsash, sailing down with a favourable wind. On the Harbour Masters pontoon we renewed acquaintance with Richard Dykes and his family, before setting back to Marchwood - this time battling against the wind. Most gave up and motored make it back in time for the meal in the club house.
Marchwood pontoon - Coffee in hand
to watch the show
Liners turn around under their own power
Sunday 28th August.
The fleet set sail up 'river' towards Eling where we rafted up just off the park. I took the dinghy ashore and walked over he tide mill into the village to re-stock with important things like the newspaper and beer.
We returned to Marchwood later in the afternoon after a well deserved snooze and watch some more container ship billiards.....
Monday 29th August.
With many having pulled out the previous day a reduced fleet departed Marchwood for the sail to Ashlett. We were made very welcome on the pontoons and soon adjourned for the BBQ at the mill.
More Drascombers departed after lunch leaving Nick, Ian and I on the pontoon. Nick and I took a walk along the foreshore to Calshot and did a bit of land side research into the potential of Owers Bay
Owers Bay - showing the deep water at low tide
On the way back we feasted on blackberries and a lone apple tree, where the New Forest ponies had left the fruit on the higher branches - problems with short necks apparently..... but very much to our advantage.
We felt lazy that night ( or about normal I suppose) and adjourned to the mill again for supper - very good it was to.
Tuesday 30th August
The following morning the three of us set off up the hill to the village after breakfast - discovering a Chinese, Indian and a take away sandwich shop that does breakfasts from 06.30 - all in a small village. After a coffee at this shop we wandered down the hill to discover the boats afloat - it was time to go.
Moshak leaving Ashlett
Moshak, a tanker, three tugs and a speed boat
Nick separated and went over to look at Owers from the sea before setting off to his home port of Warsash.
Ian and I motored, sailed, motored and sailed again past Portsmouth and Southsea before finally motoring into Chichester harbour in the late afternoon. Ian pressed on so he could be away early - (that didn't go to plan) whilst I spent a last night out in Mengham Rithe.
Wednesday 31st August.
After breakfast I motored quietly across the harbour in very still water, up the channel and back to the marina, where, after a tidy up I set off for home... until next time.....
