Second outing and the CYC dinner - 27th February

Sharon was going for it again - Friday saw us down at the marina and heading out through the lock. Another bright and sunny day with a nice F3 westerly. We motored down to the entrance to the Thorney Channel which gave us a nice long tack across towards East Head. Sharon held the boat head to wind whilst I raised the main sail. As the boat bore away I turned the engine off and Sharon found herself at the helm of a boat under sail for the first time. We had covered the various points of sail as we travelled down the harbour and once she worked out where the wind was coming from Sharon was quite at home, even when a passing wash hit us at the same time as a gust causing the boat to lean and move about. No sounds but I thought I detected a whitening of her knuckles on the tiller. We soon had the jib unfurled as well and were having a cracking sail, We tacked and gybed in the empty harbour until we decided that lunch was the order of the day.

Having progressed so well it seemed a simple task to sail into the East Head anchorage - furl the jib and then come up into the wind whilst I dropped the anchor. Very professional - shame no one was about to see Sharon at the helm.

After lunch we departed the same way, raising the main head to wind as the anchor was recovered and then bearing away to deeper water.

With a rising tide we were soon making good ground up the harbour.

Sharon at the helm

We avoided buoys and boats that were apparently 'coming towards us' and sailed all the way to the end of the channel leading to the marina.

Once through the lock there was some discussion about who was going to reverse into the berth and I lost - but Daislebee was reversed in very tidily and we were soon tied up and chatting to Peter and Emma Tiplady who had come down to collect an anchor I had borrowed sometime ago.

We drove to the hotel and meet up with Stewart and then Brad and Bob who were already in the pub...no surprises there.

A taxi later to the club and we were soon enjoying the meal and drinks with old friends. All too soon the night was over and we were all back at the hotel heading for bed.