We had originally planned to trail down but decided the sail would be fun - see lessons learnt...at the end of this article.
I had hoped to have lost of pictures to add to this article but as you will see later luck wasn't with me.
Wednesday 6th June
So it was we met on Wednesday morning, sorted the boats out and launched on the rather low mid afternoon tide. The weather was stunning, hot sun, blue skies and the wind on the nose to get to Yarmouth but you can't have everything.
We set off with the tide and ended up motoring all the way to Yarmouth where we spent a quiet and comfortable night.
Thursday 7th June
An early start - 07.00 to get the tide out through the Needles and across the bay. Another beautiful day and with such clam conditions we were able to take the Needles Channel out and the cut across the western end if the Shingles shallows taking a direct course to Studland, were we arrived for lunch and a snooze before setting off in the late afternoon once the tide had turned to round St Albins Head.
I am always fascinated but the chalky white cliffs of Old Harry's rocks and did go in quiet close to look at the caves that would be fun exploring in a dinghy in the right conditions. The strata of the rock can be seen running horizontally along the cliff face...until you reach the Swanage Bay where it must have met one hell of a force as the strata abruptly turns 90 degrees up.
It was a quiet rounding of the head as the tide was slack and we snuck into Chapman's Pool taking advantage of the consistent N NE breeze that made it very sheltered.
Although rafted up on two anchors, amazingly enough in the morning there was just one turn in the lines which was easily sorted.
Friday 8th June
Another early start a) because there was a long way to go and b) because we wanted to miss the range boats so up at 06.00 and away, across to Portland and then Lyme Bay - direct to Dartmouth.
On this course we were due to go 3 or 4 miles south of the Race at Portland Bill, and as it was the conditions were so good we didn't see or hear anything of it.
It is just under 60 miles so we hoped for some good winds, but to start with we had to motor until the breeze picked up - which it did and allowed me to test my new cruising shute to great effect.
As you can see we had the sea to ourselves and the sail worked really well.
The wind came and went and eventually I had to stow the sail and motor. We arrived tired and hungry at 19.30 after a long day on the water.
We rushed to 'On the Rocks' where we met the rest of the rally participants as well as Mark and Jill, the hosts. The first and second beers hardly touched the sides but after some excellent fish and chips and an adjournment to the Dartmouth Yacht Club bar the world looked a whole lot better.
Saturday 9th June
We sailed up river to the Malsters Arms at Tuckenhay. There were about nine in the fleet, mainly Drascombe Coasters but a D22, and some luggers, and a Dabber sailed by Dave Staniforth who gave me a run for my money tacking up the river.
We met Stewart and Lorna at the pub, and enjoyed pot of mussels before sailing back down to the pontoon at Dartmouth and catching the ferry across to Kingswear and a BBQ at Mark's house on the hill.
Sunday 10th June
The fleet left the pontoon at 10.00 with the plan to go out and see the seals on the Mew Stone rocks
In the event two or three of the boats did the circuit with others poking their heads out and then heading back into the river to whichever slipway they had launched from to recover and make their way home.
I had Mark as crew and we had arranged for Jill to collect him from Brixham later on so Slinger and I set sail along the red brown coast on the start of our journey back to the Solent.
The wind died and so the motor came on and we followed Slinger into Brixham Harbour tying up at the Visitors pontoon. Mark had time for a few beers before Jill arrived to take him home, leaving Slinger and I to explore Brixham and enjoy a good meal and wine overlooking the harbour.
Monday 11th June
Brixham to Exmouth - with a brief stop in Shaldon to reminisce about sailing there as a boy. The weather was lovely but the wind again notable by its absence. The main feature of the journey was the long lines of buoys that stretched for considerable distances.. at first I thought they were long nets which would be awful walls of death hanging in the bay but no ...it appears that mussels farming is big business theses days.
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| Shaldon/Teignmouth harbour |
Shaldon hadn't changed it would appear and after a drink and a rest we headed back out to sea, which is when disaster struck...well a minor calamity..the wind had got up just enough to fly the cruising shute which went well for awhile...then the wind died and whilst lowering the sail I let the halyard run though the block...grrr..no more cruising shute on this voyage...and it would have come in very handy as it turned out.
Ah well....into Exmouth and a night on the visitors buoys..the tide runs really strongly in the estuary but we had a quiet night.
Tuesday 12th June
We set out in great weather with tide and wind in our favour along the coast with Lyme Regis our destination.
Almost immediately the wind died and then we were directed offshore by a range boat which wasn't too bad and at least you could hear the small arms firing that made it seems sensible - not like Lulworth where you are sent miles offshore but rarely if ever hear any sounds of activity.
The wind came back but it was a motor sail...which was when I discovered the problem...a dribble of oil appeared at the edge of the engine casing cover.....!!!!!!
I stopped the engine and opened the cover to find what I thought was oil...lots of it..swilling around in the bilge....on closer inspection it was too watery and was eventually traced to a water pump leak..but still not good....I bailed out and pressed on for Lyme.
Here we berthed on the temporary pontoon they put in for summer...we moved round to the inner area seeking less swell but later that night regretted it and I had to move at about 01.00 back to the main part of the pontoon..it was just too rough ..things settled down away from the shallower water and I got back to sleep.
The facilities at Lyme are limited and we baulked at the proposed £20 charge for each boat - there are no toilets or showers and the water is shared with the fishermen so the chap who said he was the harbour master accepted £10 for both of us and seemed happy..not surprised..no receipt.....
The engine needed bailing out again but it seems about a litre over two or three hours so no real drama.
Wednesday 13th June
We set out along the coast, timing our run to Portland Bill in good weather and some reasonable wind, but that died as we reached Bridport and it was then a motor to the Bill. A mist came in and on the approach to the inshore passage the water became very rough for a short distance. I couldn't see the Bill until I was in the inner channel and even then only the bottom half of the lighthouse was visible in the mist.
Once round the Bill we set off across the bay. The wind had set in and progress was very good. On the approach to St Albins you could hear the roar of the overfalls out to sea...we snuck in close and although it was turbulent the waves picked you up and carried you on your way..at one point nearly 11 knots.....
Tony had a drama with his main sail collapsing into the cockpit as a shackle undid itself and I had the fright of my life....
in the mist and the sound of the roaring waves I could hear the steady beat of a helicopter...getting louder and louder until I could feel the beat in my chest like a big drum being banged next to me...but I couldn't see it...and then suddenly at what appeared to be mast height it appeared...a huge insect like Chinook with its double rotors beating..lights on......It wasn't only the height that made my heart lurch, although in truth he must have been 150 ft plus..it was the fear of the down draft on my little boat....
The pilot obviously had the same thought and veered off sharply before resuming his course as he disappeared into the mist...I did take a moment after that....
Round the corner towards Swanage and Poole the sun came out and we had a glorious sail into the harbour..tying up in the Town Quay marina in time to grab an indifferent curry from a local takeaway.
Thursday 14th June
Bob Walpole came down and help get Tony's halyard down so he could use his mainsail again and brought a drill with him to repair his auto helm fixing..breakfast at Wetherspoons followed..where else!! before we popped into Salterns marina for fuel and set out across the bay for the Needles.
The weather was great and the sailing good..very rough a long way off Hengisbury Head but no problem..but we did have to start slowing down as we were arriving too early at the tidal gate.
The reproach was very rough as we meandered about trying to waste time and that is when the next disaster struck..a seemingly innocuous wave slapped me on the stern and popped over the top to run round the cockpit...picking up my phone which I intended to use to film the entrance in the process...hence no pictures for this trip..drowned Samsung...grrrr
The tide stopped fighting the wind and we slipped into the Solent with out any problem.
A run up to Cowes and into Shepards for the night.
Friday 15th June
A leisurely start as we needed water at Ashlett to get in but good weather and a good sail across . We arrived home tried buy happy with the trip.
I mentioned lesson learned.....we should have trailed...it was a long long sail on some days and only fleeting visits to places I would have liked to explore more...so next time a days trail to get there...6 or 7 days looking around and a day back...much more sensible...but it was fun ..if tiring.
