Some arty style pics

Bolitho

Egret

St Jovhill

Virginia

Solent Cruise - Sunday 19th to Saturday 24th August

Sunday

An early start from home (05.30) in order to get down to the marina in time to beat the queue for the lock on what promised to be one of the best days of the summer. I met up with Adrian and Lawrence and by 08.00 we were out of the lock into the Itchenor Reach.
Adrian stopped off to sort his boat out whilst Lawrence and I pressed onto East Head where we both anchored in shallow water. I needed to take a look at my propeller as power was down and fuel consumption was up. So with face mask and snorkel I braved the water which actually turned out to be quite warm.
I was amazed - the prop was almost 2 inches thicker over the blades and had a great horizontal stalactite about three inches long coming from the boss/shaft made up of encrusted barnacles.  No wonder performance was down.
I got to work with the scrapper and they were soon removed - it just shows what can grow in 4 or 5 months afloat.
Lawrence's prop was the same so I scrapped that for him whilst I was in the water.
Meanwhile Adrian caught us up, Richard came out of his creek and Steve M joined us in Spray, together with Chris and Meryl. Lunch was taken and we then set off for a first for me, a night in Wootton Creek.

Wootton Creek from Royal Victoria SC walkway

We arrived in good time and Richard and Adrian picked up a mooring. I elected to anchor - buoying it as recommended due to old ground tackle etc.
Lawrence decided on the Royal Victoria SC pontoon, after each attempt to come alongside me caused us to drag.
I dinghyed across to R&A for a BBQ supper but with all the fresh air and the early start bed was soon beckoning.

I awoke at about 03.00 am feeling movement and shouts from Richard got me out on deck to find myself gracefully drifting down the harbour......

I re set the anchor, as well as the GPS alarm, and settled back down for the night.

Monday

The next day dawned bright and fine (see top picture) and as we didn't need to move until lunch time I made my way round to Lawrence on the pontoon for a wash and brush up. Richard and I then walked to Wootton Bridge for supplies.

View from Wootton Bridge down the creek

Lawrence and I departed just before 14.00 and had a great sail until we reached Cowes when the SW produced a nasty chop and increased in strength as we moved into the western Solent. We could see the Ashlett fleet strung out ahead.

By the time I reached Newtown I had had enough and downed sail to motor to Keyhaven.

There we anchored in the bay inside the entrance and enjoyed a BBQ watching the sun set.

Keyhaven anchorage - Daislebee in foreground

Some of the fleet - dawn at Keyhaven

More of the fleet - Photo Nick Payne

Keyhaven bay - Photo Nick Payne

Tuesday

We got under way the next day and headed out on the North passage for Poole. The wind increased and it became quite a slog across the bay.

Once in the harbour the water was rapidly dropping so I went round to the shelter of Goathorn and had supper before making my way round the islands to join the rest of the fleet behind Furzy Island.

In hind sight I should have stayed were I was - the dinghy dropped off it's short leash and the painter wound itself round the prop - in doing so it the dinghy was pulled hard into the stern of the boat and the port sponson rapidly deflated.....

Bed............

Wednesday

It got worse in the morning - trying to sail off my anchor the main sheet got caught around a cleat and I manage to sail broadside across the main raft...... thankfully Tony was up and about and pushed me off so I could sail into shallow water and sort the prop out. I had also knocked the throttle leaver off and had to fix that as well.

Later it transpired that Lawrence had an engine problem as well - red charging light on and a very lumpy tick over - eventually diagnosed as air in the fuel but no matter how much we bled it it only improved marginally.

Fleet off Furzy Island in the early morning

As lazy day followed where we were joined by Brad - large bass in hand and then Marcus caught one which decided us upon fish and chips for supper and introduced us to Marcus's culinary delight of refried chips from the Fish and Chip shop - ok but I wouldn't leave home for them. Tescos Extra doesn't do a great line in fish so I had to make do with salmon fillets.....

Having purchased the supplies during a visit to the marina I joined the fleet at Shipstal Point for the feast. Perhaps it should be called Shipstal rocks - beware the area just off the beach to the left of the house - there is an area of rocks and boulders which the fleet landed on - no damage thank goodness but we pulled back onto a nice flat area of mud once we re-floated.

Rocks at Shipstal Point - Photos by Brad

Deeper water anchoring at Shipstal

Thursday

Tony and Lawrence had stayed in the marina and set off about 09.00 to use the good forecast to get back into the Solent - Steve M and Tom R set off earlier from Shipstal where they had stayed in deep water. It transpired later that Steve went round the south of the IOW and had a catalogue of adventures himself.

The main fleet set off at about 13.00 and had a great sail to Christchurch - Stewart B caught himself 5 mackerel and had a lesson in filleting from Marcus as we lay at anchor in the lee of Hengistbury Head.

Nick and I decided to walk up to the Head and test his new dinghy at the same time - much to the merriment of the raft - it may be a two Nick size dinghy but not a Nick and Dick size....

Nick's rubber ring with floor

Friday

An early 06.30 departure was called for but our rude awakening was rewarded by the sight of several dolphins or porpoises swimming around the boast as we crossed the bay towards Hurst.

St Jovhill

Bolitho on a charge

Andy and Judy peeled off for Keyhaven and the rest of the fleet made for Newtown - I pressed on trying to catch Lawrence who had been waiting in Yarmouth for the fleet to come though the narrows.

After a long sail I got into Chichester Harbour and made my way up to the marina. Typically it decided to belt with rain as I sailed up the last reach so wet and tired I tied up in the marina.

Supper was in CYC were Adrian, Richard, Lawrence and I were joined by Steve who told us his tale of daring do around the south of the island.


Steve's tale

Evidently having had an early start Steve and Tom had arrived off the Needles in good time. Having checked the tides and times Steve left Tom to carry on the Newtown Creek and set of southwards. The weather and wind were set fair for this passage.
He arrived at the new harbour of Ventnor, describing it as small, full of small fishing boats and very smelly.

Ventnor Harbour - Photo Steve Maynard

having waited 5 hours for the turn of the tide he set off again and tried to sneak into Bembridge, only to succeed in bending his rudder, forcing him to anchor off Sea view until the morning.
The next day back in Bembridge he was able to released, recover and repair his rudder and the sailed across the Chichester.


Saturday

A day of tidying up and drying out before setting off of home.

9th - 11th August Trip to Bembridge

Having just got back from holiday I didn't think I'd be able to escape so soon but opportunities created by  problems with a software update and good weather were too good to miss so 14.00 on Thursday saw me with Lawrence in his Shrimper Felicity waiting to leave the marina. For some reason there was a queue and we were about an hour behind schedule for our planned r/v with Richard G at East Head.
As we drew close, having had a cracking sail down the harbour in a reasonable wind and fantastic sunshine I called him on the radio and we agreed to go straight out across to Bembridge so he upped anchor to meet us.

Best laid plans ... and all that.....

I should have known it was too good to be true - no sooner had we got half way across the Winner sands - the fog rolled in. Lawrence and I pressed on hoping it would improve but by the time Richard called to say he was turning back we were already of the same mind - three plus hours in fog and a busy shipping lane to cross - not a good idea.

We rafted up inside East Head and consoled ourselves with a beer, or two... The mist rolled in around us - not too bad but perhaps you would call it atmospheric. The BBQ was lit and the feast prepared - until the BBQ went out and the frying pan came into it's own.

Friday 10th

The day dawned sunny and bright with no hint of the mist remaining. Following breakfast we set off in a good F3 easterly for Bembridge again. A great sail across - warm with flat seas and brilliant sunshine.

Felicity - with Lawrence

Egret - with Richard

We took the usual advantage presented to shoal draft cruisers and slipped past a few larger yachts waiting for sufficient water to enter the harbour and moored up on the beach on the port hand side as you enter the harbour - kedge anchors are a must here with a strong eddy that tries to turn you parallel to the beach.

Bembridge beach

The Harbour was busy with the local sailing club in full swing on what appeared to be the last day of an holiday activity week complete with prize giving and speeches. Lawrence decided to depart after lunch leaving Richard and I to visit the excellent chandlers.

Once the club activities had concluded, the harbour returned to its normal relaxed state.

We lit another, more successfully BBQ, and enjoyed some local sausages on it, before settling down with glass in hand to admire the sunset.

Sunset at Bembridge

Saturday 11th

Another fine day but much more wind and this time right on the nose for our return trip.

Bembridge exit

We motored all the way and Richard was soon some distance ahead. when drama occurred...

Drama...

I was about a mile from the Chi buoy and about 3 miles offshore when I spotted a canoeist paddling in the water. It was sufficiently rough for me to have sympathy for him and I did wonder if he was ok this far out  - I then spotted his two mates and was about to ignore them when the first canoist capsized - I watched as he tried to get back into his craft but could see he stood little or no chance in the strong wind and waves.

I turned and motored round to him and offered assistance which he quickly agreed to  - I suggested he cam on board me and we would see what we could do about his canoe. As I circled again getting a line ready and the boarding ladder down, his mates arrived but couldn't do anything to help him get back in. He was beginning to tire so I drifted down to them and helped him round to the ladder. The canoe went on a line astern and we started to head back towards Chichester.

It turned out he was an ex soldier training for a fund raising trip for children with diabetes - their plan is to canoe from Southampton to Land's End. We had to laugh, the capsize training was due to take place the next week....... He and his mates were trying to get to the Nab tower and back again to build up strength and confidence. I won't name him here but their website is http://www.kayak4kids.co.uk/

I wish them well in their trip and fundraising efforts.

Once I had dropped him at Hayling Island Sailing Club I joined Richard for a quick lunch before continuing up the harbour and heading for home.

A lovely couple of days with a bit of excitement thrown in.