Eastern Solent Daysail

 October was characterised by adverse weather due to a series of complex depressions assaulting Britain from the Atlantic. Fitting in a few days away proved to be impossible even though we had a couple of prepaid nights at Beaulieu. However between Storm Alex and Storm Barbara there was one day when the forecasts looked favourable enough for a day sail so together with an accomplished fisherman we set out to see what we could make of it in the Eastern Solent.

The BBC app forecast a 15 knot southerly but this is notorious for underestimating wind strength, a cursory check of others indicated gusts of stronger stuff, but nothing we couldn't handle. I'd checked that high water was at about 2pm but failed to notice that it was a 5.1m spring tide until we had set out. With this in mind there was a hazy plan to set off along the coast to West Pole at the entrance of Chichester Harbour and let the tide take us back.

First impressions of the weather were that it was fine with a moderate breeze so full of enthusiasm we set off soon after 10:30. Motoring out towards Blockhouse at the entrance of the harbour, the wind was right on the nose so we didn't hesitate to haul up the mainsail with the first reef in. Under the watchful eyes of NCI Gosport the main was flogging more than I'd expected and the wind indicated was already 20 knots. By the time we'd cleared No 4 bar buoy it was obvious that we would be in for an uncomfortable slog to windward in quite rough waters for much of the time if we persevered to Chichester. After a quick reassessment we unfurled the Genoa keeping several rolls in and snugged down the main and cracked off on a comfortable reach towards Ryde. At about 60 degrees off the wind Lively Levante picked up speed and powered over the considerable wave state that had been raised by the southerly fetch. 

In no time (it seemed) we were off Ryde sands tacking towards the forts. The gaunt, dark granite walls of Horse Sands fort towered above us as we sped past, a forbidding view against a similarly forbidding

background of darkening grey skies and green sea covered with white horses. Not quite the weather we'd expected but at least it wasn't raining. We had an exhilarating sail towards Bembridge; these are the conditions that bring out the best of a Contessa, she remained well mannered needing hardly a touch on the tiller to keep on track.

Approaching lunchtime we thought it prudent to head back into the Solent rather than out into an increasingly lively sea. Bearing away we flashed past Seaview on a broad reach enjoying the drop in apparent wind and opportunity to warm up a bit. Tracking round Ryde Sands we achieved some remarkable speeds according to the instruments. The log indicated over 7 knots several times, the tremor of the hull beneath us confirmed that we were planing even though the sea state was far from smooth. Our speed over the ground went over 8 knots which was consistent with the tide which had been slack and was now starting to turn. We had quite a sleigh ride surging forward with plenty of spray thrown up as we blasted over the waves.

Clear of the sands we headed inshore towards Wooton Creek then on to Osborne Bay. Here the sea smoothed over and the wind dropped to a very pleasant 15-20 knots in the lee of the Island; ideal

conditions for lunch! I had intended to keep well away from the Cowes end of the Solent not wishing to have to plug the tide. However this was so pleasant we continued on to get a splendid view of Osbourne House, for a few seconds at least. The cream towers and house rose up majestically over the reds and yellows of the trees in their autumn colours.

It would have been tempting to stay longer but the thought of fighting an increasing wind against a strong spring tide won and we hardened up onto what I'd hoped would have been a reach. We'd left it too late, Gilkicker was directly upwind in the distance so it was hard on the wind. Lively Levante points well, especially if you ease off and keep the speed up which we did passing the cardinal marks of Ryde Middle in the distance. 

We might have been going through the water fast but the tide was getting into it's stride so by the time we'd reached the northern shore and forced to tack we were doing less than 3knots over the ground. Time ground on, it was clear that this was going to be a long, difficult haul before we could clear Gilkicker. We took an age to pass down wind of a starboard lateral mark on one tack then some time later dispiriting to find that we'd made such little progress on the next tack. Looking round we saw that we were the only yacht out there at that time, earlier there had been so many; not surprising really!

This was quite deep water with a strong current that still had time to build; we cut our losses and used the engine to point higher and increase speed. Motorsailing we headed inshore to Stokes Bay where we could cheat the tide; passing a yellow racing mark we could see that we were now making steady, if slow, progress. Eventually we were able to crack off and ease the sheets as we passed south of the fort with the harbour entrance in view. Conditions are often a bit tricky here and this time there was no exception, the waves had built up in the shallow water kicking up an angry sea that demanded respect; we were on a lee shore after all!

Somewhat relieved that I'd made an error of judgement but got away with it we sped over to the diving tower under sail power, the engine just ticking over. The Genoa was soon furled ready to enter the harbour but we chose to leave the main up. This was not a good place for a drop and we might have needed it to get through the entrance against the tide. As it happened, once over the Hamilton Bank the sea eased and with little traffic to get in the way, we entered the harbour without incident.

With the main dropped and stowed just off the lightship at Haslar, we then motored sedately into Royal Clarence Marina. Fortunately the oil jetty provided shelter from the southerly which was right on our stern so we slid into our berth doing what we could to keep the speed down.

We moored up at about 4pm so that was a five and a half hour sail, enough to feel we'd had a good day our. The log showed we'd covered just over 25 miles, further that to the Nab and back; it was all that tacking.  A challenging but satisfying day, perhaps not according to plan but what we ended up doing was better anyway!

Nab Tower and Back

If you're day sailing and only wish to spend four or five hours out there's no need to rush down to Gosport. Usually, arrival was timed for about 10am, this allowed a stress free drive after the traffic had died down; not that there was much this year. The weather forecast for this trip was for a sunny day but with potentially, quite strong winds 15-25 knots. That's well within the scope of the Genoa so the jib and it's inner stay wouldn't be needed.

After a quick cup of coffee we set off at 10:30 with a couple of hours before the tide turned. Naturally as it was close to high tide we could leave the harbour by going over the Hamilton Bank so were soon hoisting sails in 16-20 knots of south westerly wind.  Erring on the side of caution we put in the first

reef for the main and the Genoa. This was just as well as, by the time approached the forts, we had gusts of well over 20 knots over the deck. Fortunately the wind was well south of west so we were not far off a beam reach which soon took us through the forts and on towards Bembridge.

Off Bembridge there were several ships anchored, as is often the case, mainly gas or oil carriers. This is where they can safely wait before entering the Solent and Southampton Water, not surprisingly it's known as St Helens Anchorage. We transmit our position details on AIS and have set up a monitoring watch on Marine Traffic so that when we leave and arrive at a port details are sent by email to shoreside contacts. This is fine usually but when going round the Nab, extra emails get sent as we enter then leave St Helens anchorage both on the way out and the way back, some tracking system!

By this time we'd got the wind vane steering working the wind had gradually increased in strength

and we were powering along. Although the boat is well balanced and needs little helm most of the time, occasionally a firm touch is needed which the Neptune system certainly has! It's a joy to be using nothing other than wind and water power to both sail and keep on track, so much quieter than the irritating buzz of the autohlem as it tries to hold a course with varying degrees of success.

Once clear of the Island the wind had piped up to a good 25 knots so the second reef in the main was taken in, so much easier with two line reefing! After a short fight with the Genoa that too was tamed and the sail area reduced. In these conditions Lively Levante was a joy to sail, stable, fast and relatively dry.

In no time the stub of Nab Tower that had been on the horizon grew to it's full size as we approached. It's not the most beautiful object since it's rebuild in 2013 becoming more squat,

loosing much of it's superstructure. It's functional and certainly looks smart but with wave heights increasing, we didn't want to examine it too closely.

Heading back the wind was right on the beam and with the tide now flowing under us in our direction we were ready for a bit of a sleigh ride. We were not disappointed, soon achieving some impressive speeds. The log had been under reading a bit, as usual, so the 5.8 knots registered must have been well over 6 knots in reality. The tide would not have been more that a knot and a half at that time so we not that far away from hull speed of 6.8 kn based on the GPS speed over the ground of 8.1.

All good things have to come to an end and it was all too soon that the wind dropped back to a sedate 20 knots as we passed into the lee of the Island, the sea state dropped too so it was time for a spot of lunch. Navigation was easy, just miss both forts and head for Gilkicker whilst keeping an eye out for shipping. On this record breaking trip there were few other ships about but that wasn't usually the case, I'd been kept quite busy on other trips keeping clear of all manner of naval and commercial shipping.

In what seemed like no time at all we has passed Gilkicker were adjacent to the Dive Tower with NCI Gosport ahead. Sails were

dropped and we motored in listening to channel 11 which was much preferable to channel 16 with it's endless radio checks. Motoring into the harbour was a bit slow as it often is when the tides flowing out but soon enough we were safely tied up in Royal Clarence Marina once more.

We'd been out for just over five hours and covered a fair distance, well over 20 miles although it seemed further. The good thing about a Nab trip compared with Osbourne Bay is that you really do feel that you're out offshore, or at least out of the Solent!

Sailing During the Pandemic in 2020

  2020 has not been the best year for sailing; it was difficult for us to make anything of it. Although much of the time the weather was fine, the Pandemic got in the way all too often. Just when we could go out conditions were not favourable so we ended up going out about half the time we usually do. 

For the duration of the lockdown we couldn't travel and for some time afterwards were banned from going into the marina, even for essential maintenance. Lively Levante had been returned to her berth in March, just before the lockdown. It wasn't until June before we could sort out the rigging and bend on the sails. For quite a while we could only go day sailing as marinas would not accept visitors; once opened they became fully booked as every boat owner on the South Coast was determined to break out of their confinement. 

We did manage a splendid stay in Bembridge in late July before family stays in the cottage blotted out most of August. We managed several fine trips to Cowes in September but whilst these trips were enjoyable, they were not particularly memorable from a sailing point of view. All to often it was a motor sail upwind followed by a fast run back with just the headsail out; all over in two hours or less. Several trips had strong winds, 25+ knots, which did not please the crew so a pragmatic approach had to be taken.

The Autumn cruise booked up for the first week in October was scuppered by Storm Alex, four days of strong gales and torrential rain with unstable conditions extending well into the end of the season. Nevertheless we did manage to take Lively Levante out a few times in "interesting" conditions before calling it a day (year!).

The year was characterised by several outstanding day sails, either out to the Nab, to Osbourne Bay or around the Eastern Solent. By accident or by design these had excellent conditions for sailing so they became the most memorable times on the water for 2020. 

Less Is More this Summer

It had been a busy year with all sorts of stuff going on so sailing unfortunately had taken a back seat but the first two weeks of July were firmly booked for a sailing holiday, but where should we go?

No real progress was made until we were about to leave and heard the weather forecast; a long period of high pressure with light winds and lots of sun. Having done too much motoring in the past we decided to take it easy and only go as far as Weymouth but stop off at all the places we usually past by in other years. We hoped that by being less ambitious, with shorter trips, we'd have time to sail even if it was only at a speed of a few knots; the 5 Knot rule would not apply!

Just to get us in the mood for a holiday the first night was the annual Hog Roast at Royal Clarence Marina. Jacuzzi Jazz played throughout the evening, they're  excellent so a good night was had by all; it was good to meet some of the other berth holders.

On the following night there was a Sea Shanty evening at Hardway Sailing Club which we couldn't miss either so we had all day to explore Aldi and Waitrose in Gosport and get well and truly stocked up for the weeks ahead.

Unfortunately we fell into bad company at the sailing club, there were quite a few of the Spinnaker Lodge folk there and with bar prices as they are there there's no excuse not to be indulgent. It must have been good, we ended up being one of the last to leave.

The following day, Sunday, was sunny with a pleasant force 3 gusting 4 forecast from the West. Not ideal as it was a beat but a good sail with a fair tide. We had quite a leisurely beat to windward across to Cowes where it livened up as we went through Cowes Roads. From there onwards it blew up to to steady five then a six, rather more exciting. Lively Levante performed magnificently, with a reef in the main and on in the headsail we were fine up to 25 knots going to windward like a trojan. Peter Sanders had done a great job building the Genoa, well reefed, it looked like a real aerofoil, not a sack of potatoes. The only challenge was that it was rather crowded with lots of crossing situations to add to the excitement. Whilst the skipper enjoyed the sailing the crew were much concerned about other boats, their heading and whether they would observe the Colregs.

Arriving in good time at Lymington we heard the sounds of a brass band so set off for the Bath Road gardens and the bandstand where we found the New Forest Brass Band playing; just what was needed to calm down after a rather exciting sail.

Our first lay day in Lymington was relaxation personified, a few walks, a bit of window shopping, a few drinks and a very pleasant meal on board to round the day off.

Tuesday was also bright and sunny but only 4-8 knots of wind and that was from the north east which was not ideal for a passage to Poole. It was time to use the iron sail to head out along the Needles Channel where we hoped we'd catch the best of the west going tide that was steadily building.

 We managed to put the sails up for an hour or so but it was hardly worth it so we consoled ourselves with a nice salad for lunch whilst we made out way across the Bay. Naturally the Ferry wanted to cross just as we arrived off Sandbanks but that's sailing for you. The harbour seemed strange until we realised that so many berths had disappeared but we were soon moored up at the Town Quay Marina where we hoped to have a quiet night.

It was not to be the case, we didn't know it but there was a major motor bike even going on which added some colour but also a lot of noise to our stay until it packed up, fortunately quite early on in the evening.  We kept away from the pubs, which were heaving, staying on board to eat out in the cockpit, just as the fuss died down.

Another fine day followed and wishing to stretch our legs a bit we couldn't miss a trip to Brownsea Island which would include a ride around South Deep and the islands to the west of the harbour. We had intended to spend a night either at Studland or South Deep ourselves but without an alternator that would charge the batteries we thought we'd only go after a shore side charge rather than a lengthy passage; unfortunately that was not to be.

The Island was as attractive as ever, even if a bit busy with day trippers. It was pleasant to walk in the shade of the trees rather than out in the open. No red squirrels this time but we did get very close up to some deer, clearly they have nothing to worry about from people.

The Tripping boat wound it's way through South Deep to Goathorn Point were the best anchorage lies, then on past Furzey with it's oil facilities, past Green Island and up to the western end of Brownsea Island which is a popular lunch stop for local boats of all types. Later examination of the charts showed that there's plenty of water at high tide even if you draw 1.7m; this is a trip not to be missed on a future date.


Tides were west going for much of the day all week so we could have civilised start times like 10am, so much better than getting up at the crack of dawn.  Thursday the 4th July offered much the same weather as other days, light to moderate winds from the east, our luck was holding.

It was a splendid sail from the harbour entrance to Anvil Point making a a minimum of 5 knots beam reaching. Naturally as the wind went aft on heading west we slowed down a bit but managed to keep going until the wind picked up just after midday. The ranges were only active inshore so after contacting range control we found had to stay below 50 degrees 33.5 minutes to stay out of trouble, better than leaving the whole range to the north.

At the 3pm fix time, whilst I was taking a note of where we were, a screen flashed and I first thought the Navtext was on the blink, then everything was playing up, I then realised that the batteries were nearly flat! We'd had the fridge and autohelm on for five hours taking up to 10 amps, which should have been alright. Clearly the domestic battery bank was knackered. Everything was switched off, hand held VHF taken up top where we continued navigating by sight which was not difficult in the bright sunshine. Realising we could catch the 4pm bridge we switched the engine on (which did start to some relief) and got to Weymouth with five minutes to spare.

A lay day was called for but after a trip around the chandleries it was clear that battery replacement was going to have to wait, they had some but not the right sized ones in stock. Weymouth is a lovely place to stop with it's beach, harbour and so many interesting buildings; we mooched about enjoying the ambiance of a seaside classic. There's the Punch and Judy show, the sand sculptures but what tops the bill for Lynda are the donkeys. With an excellent berth in the marina, out came the cockpit seats, table and tent closely followed by a bottle of wine and dinner al fresco.

Although there's plenty to do locally there's more to see further afield and now refreshed by our lay day we decided to stay a while and make the most of it. Determined to get the most out of our bus passes we then set off on series of trips of increasing length, first to Portland on the open bus which seemed appropriate given the sunny weather we were having.

The Bill at Portland brings many memories of inshore and offshore transits so it was interesting to clamber over the rocks we'd seen so often whilst other yachts were passing by close inshore. The light house was open so we went to the top and received a badge for our efforts, very timely too as it was all about to change with a major re-engineering job in a few months time. Apparently the existing lens and light together with its mercury bath was to be stripped out and replaced by a static LED lantern that didn't have to move, required less maintenance and was safer to operate. How they were going to get several tons of optics and all that mercury out was anyones guess.

The next day's trip was to Abbotsbury to visit the only swannery in the country. It dated from the time when a local monastery ruled the area well before the dissolution; apparently the monks diet was piscatorial and to make it a bit more interesting they considered cygnets to be fish because of thier webbed feet. In reality not much had been required to raise the swans as they looked after themselves pretty well, just a helping hand to keep predators away. What was much more interesting was one of the very few duck decoys leading off a pond just behind the swannery, both pipes and screens were in good condition making it easy to see how it worked. The bus back was dead on time increasing our confidence in this mode of travel.

Yet another bright sunny day appeared on Monday and flushed with success of the two previous trips we set off to see what Lyme Regis was like even though it was quite a distance away and necessitated a change at Bridport. The trip got off to a bad start with the driver (who was wearing a union jacket) seemed to be working to rule and got us to Bridport half an hour late missing our connection. When we eventually got there, Lyme Regis was heaving, and although pretty, was not a good place to be in high season; we resolved to see it again in winter. We also resolved not to attempt bus journeys more than an hour too. That said an enforced detour through Dorchester on the way back due to timetable problems was fortuitous, it's a rather pleasant place to spend an hour or two.

All good things have to come to an end eventually, our time in Weymouth was over, and on Tuesday the 9th we headed back across the bay to Poole. The forecast was sunny, with a light south easterly. The tide was due to turn at 11am so we passed under the bridge at 10am and said goodbye to the harbour.

After a short motor into the wind we could head west along the 33.5 minute line with the sails up and the tide building steadily. After a couple of hours we could see Durdle Door abeam and knew only too well that we were in the range area with the sound of a major battle going on amongst the hills to the north. The Brrrrup Brrrrup would have been machine guns whilst the Tump, Tump, Tump must have been something heaver.  What ever it was they were firing they were having a grand old time at the taxpayers expense.

Arriving at the DZ buoy at the end of the range we were not ideally placed to avoid the overfalls off St Albans Head but it was neaps so we thought we'd head inshore and chance it. Very soon a threatening white line of breakers appeared ahead, closer offshore. We hastened inshore to get through the inshore passage which was close by but the turbulence offered no breaks and we were soon tossed about like clothes in a tumbler dryer. We were not alone, three other yachts approached us coming the other way and several more following offshore; the sea dished out the same treatment without favouritism. Fortunately it was short-lived as the tide whisked us past and the sun was shining; although uncomfortable, nothing broke just a few loose things scattered all over the cabin sole.

The remainder of the sail was really rather pleasant especially as we past Anvil Point resplendent in the bright sunlight. The wind had turned south so after clearing Peveril Ledge we headed across Swanage Bay and past the Old Harry Rocks goose winged, just for a change. By 3:30 we were moored safely at Salterns Marina, we couldn't have endured another night at the Quay!

This marina on the north side of the Harbour at Lilliput has fond memories for us as it was where we first started our keelboat sailing in a Sadler 25. Not a great deal has changed apart from some over development close by, there are still some quaint features although much of the area where we used to moor is laid over to jet skiers and only a few yachts survive amongst the motor boats.

The hotel/clubhouse of the Poole Harbour Yacht Club is now only a hotel which is very much past its prime although still capable of serving a very pleasant diner if you're prepared to afford it.  There's little evidence left of the PHYC but a blue plaque has appeared to make the use of the facilities as the Marine Terminal for flying boat services to Africa and America during the war when they were displaced from Southampton. The harbour had been a major centre for flying boats especially to the west south of Parkstone where I can remember seeing flying boats moored from Sandbanks as a child.

On this holiday lay days mean bus trips so the next day it was off to Swanage via Sandbanks on the 50 followed by a number 60. Naturally they don't link up well but there's a cafe by the ferry and it's nice to stroll around to see the Haven Hotel. Once in Swanage we wasted little time in finding a sea side table on the pier for lunch, such a shame everything had to be deep fried including the squid but the rose washed the taste away quite effectively.

Needing to walk it off we headed for Peveril Ledge where we went in to see the National Coast-watch chaps trying to look busy keeping watch. Not surprisingly they didn't have much on, apparently they get a call on channel 65 about once a watch and something significant happens only about once a year. Nevertheless, we thanked them, it's reassuring to know that in this age of automation there are still pairs of eyes keeping watch.

The following day we wanted to return via Yarmouth but the harbour was, as usual, busy with rallies and they couldn't be sure of electricity so we booked in to Lymington Yacht Haven. The weather forecast was, again, ideal; south easterly veering south westerly 6 increasing to 12 knots.  It proved to be spot on, on clearing the harbour we sailed well first on a close reach, then a beam reach and finally a broad reach all the way to North channel where we entered the Solent at 9 knots speed over the ground. The wind vane had been engaged all the way and gave an exemplary performance only needing to be adjusted as the wind changed direction. Not only does it save power but the absence of any sound makes sailing so much more enjoyable; it may be a bit complicated but it's a natural, low tech way to sail.

Last night away from home and after a wander around to make sure the pubs were still well stocked we had a leisurely meal in the cockpit; another one of Tesco's excellent meals out for £10; can't be beat if you're not feeling like working too hard.

High water had steadily moved forward and the east going tide would not appear until after 1pm, a perfect excuse to have a leisurely all day breakfast at the Haven which is past of the marina complex. The wind had dropped off and was coming from the North West so sailing was a tad frustrating, especially at first but we persevered as there was plenty of time not planning to return home until the next day. There were a few bright patches when we managed to get up to 5 knots for a few minutes but most of it was a drift run conditions that did not suit the wind vane so we had buzz buzz to accompany us. Off Stokes bay it finally give up so we turned the banger on and motored in accompanied by HMS Kent and her attendant fleet of tugs; all rather busy for a while.

Once tidied up it was off to Hardway SC to reface of what had been a very pleasant holiday. We may not have been able to stop off at some of the more interesting places due to battery problems but less proved out to be more. Shorter journeys meant more sailing!

Celebrating With Spinnaker Lodge

Spinnaker Lodge is for “boaters” of all sorts and meets conventionally twice a year on the Mainland with three weekend meetings at different locations in the Solent. They’re a sort of rally but how you get there is up to you, the only important requirement is to have a well-stocked fridge!

The June meeting coincided with a celebration of the 150th year anniversary of Hampshire and IOW Province with a Grand Ball in Cowes making a rather special weekend. We managed to book berths right in front of the hall where the ball was held promising to make the Spinnaker fleet the centre piece of the early part of the celebrations.

On the Friday we loaded up Lively Levante with plenty of stores together with a blazer for the afternoon meeting and Dinner dress for the Ball, then set off. The crossing to Cowes was uneventful, in fact we motored much of the way as there was little wind and we were keen to get there in good time. Once off West Cowes Marina we called them up and found we were one of the first so had a prime position adjacent to the walkway onto the pontoon. Mooring up and turning Lively Levante around was easily arranged with the help of a couple of fellow masons that had arrived a few minutes earlier.

Gradually the area we had been allocated filled up with a variety of yachts and motor boats so there was plenty of wandering around and hopping on board for cups of tea or something stronger. We’d decided to go to the Royal Ocean Racing Club for a quiet dinner that evening which turned out to be a good choice, we were well looked after and had a pleasant meal to set us up for the weekend’s festivities.

We had a good start to Saturday with breakfast at Jolliffes, thier eggs Benedict were just right. When we returned to Lively Levante it was time to prepare for the celebrations which meant being dressed over all! Having raided the attic, we had plenty of flags that we’d already

prepared for the big hoist. Fortunately, the weather was cooperative, sunny and not too windy, so we had no difficulty in getting ready. Every boat actively participated so the fleet really looked the part, all ready to party! Conveniently another Contessa from Hardway Sailing club slipped in alongside us at the last minute.

After a light lunch we got dressed up in Blazers, white shirts, chinos and deck shoes then set off

for the lodge meeting at the Medina lodge temple in the centre of Cowes. It’s rather nice to dress up especially as most events are informal now. The meeting went well, not that we tried to do much, and unsurprisingly was well attended. Nobody hung around, the lure of the pontoon party was far too great.

Once back in the marina the wine bottles came out and we did our best to entertain the many other folk that had joined Spinnaker Lodge including the Provincial Grand Master and many of the Provincial executive. As the biggest boat there, Lord Fyfe hosted more than anyone else

and tended to be the centre of attention; it was soon overflowing! There were plenty of other get-togethers on other yachts and motorboats to add to the fun. The pontoon didn’t sink but certainly was low in the water, especially around the tables with the food that we’d all contributed to.

The wives, who always get together during these weekends, were not going to be left out and were certainly up to the occasion by being the heart and soul of the party. It was a great start to the evening enjoyed by all.

It could have carried on for much longer but we were all conscious of the ball and having to pace ourselves if we were to last the evening out. A short interlude followed allowing a change of dress and preparation for the main event which was to be a dinner, then a “last night of the

proms” performed by the Royal Marines Association Band followed by a disco until the early hours.

With 300 attending, the events hall was comfortably full but still able to put on an excellent dinner, enjoyed by all. Once the band got started the flags came out and the fun began, there was an explosion of noise from confetti canons, singing and laughter. The post horn gallop was the centrepiece, an amazing feat that stunned everyone.

As the band performance came to a close there was a short pause before the disco set a change of pace. Just about everyone was attracted onto the dance floor and kept the party going with some great music.

All too soon it was over and time to return to our boats. All in all a great evening that was thoroughly enjoyable so not surprising that tickets had sold out in 20 minutes; fortunately Spinnaker Lodge had a generous allocation!

For some the merriment continued on board, others just crashed out!

Sunday morning was a bit quiet to start off with but the fleet gradually came alive again. After another breakfast, this time at The Coast we were ready to face the world once more. High water was at 11:40 so it made sense to set off for the return trip without delay so after many goodbyes we left for Gosport. Again, not much wind but this time from behind us so we unfurled the genoa and had a pleasant drift over to Gilcker and Royal Clarence Yard.

Exploring Exmouth in a Heatwave

The past few weeks had been really hot with bright blue skies, pleasantly warm and no rain, we didn't expect it to continue for our West Country cruise but it did, for the full two weeks and beyond. A plan had been made to get to Plymouth but after two difficult trips we resolved to go wherever it was convenient and easy to sail to.
High water was in the early afternoon so, not wanting to arrive too late in the evening we broke the first leg at Lymington which is always pleasant. Little wind but after a quick salad on board, we ventured out and let the tide whisk us along to Lymington. We arrived in time for tea and settled in sandwiched between two of the large motor boats that populate the Berthon marina; it's not often we have a sixty foot finger berth to ourselves.

The next day we had the morning in Lymington which was just as well as my phone had slipped out of the shallow pocket of my smart new shorts in a hotel the previous evening; fortunately some kind person had handed it in and they were open early serving breakfast. We left before the tide turned at Hurst hoping to get through the narrows as the flood eased. This was relatively easy as we'd resorted to the iron sail due to a disappointing amount of wind. The forecast had been for 6-10 Kn from the north east which didn't appear, thunderstorms had also been forecast which (thankfully) also missed us.
A bit of cloud gave us a break from the sunshine as we past the Needles and out to sea, always a landmark on any west going trip but not for long. With a strong tide we stayed well offshore and away from St Albans Head then straight in to Portland without having to worry about the ranges as it was a Sunday.  The time soon passed listening to weekend boaters making an emergencies out of minor difficulties and the heads of the East shipping channel soon opened up for us just after we'd sought permission to enter from Portland Harbour Radio. Having made good progress we arrived  at 7pm, rather earlier than expected after a seven hour trip, just in time to have dinner safely moored up.

The passage plan to Torquay was to round the Bill at slack water which was at about 13:00. The forecast was promising, Easterly 4, occasionally 5. Full of hope we left just after 11:30 and had a good reach down the side of the Bill. a splendid sail. Naturally as we went dead down wind to round the Bill having to fight a strong tidal set we put the engine on. Rounding the Bill was uneventful, just a few waves from tourists visiting the lighthouse who were surprised to see us so close in. Heading West was more of a challenge due to the huge number of lobster pots scattered about; definitely a time to keep watch! Unfortunately the engine was never off for more than a couple of minutes due to a fitful wind right on the stern, never enough to maintain five knots.


Visibility was excellent so we had unusually
good views of the bay as we headed across on a 260 degree course to Torquay, all alone for a change; delightful! The high point of the trip was supper of fish pie, a very welcome interlude that relieved an uneventful chug across a relatively flat sea. Naturally we could see both Brixham and Torquay long before we got there, Thatcher rock in particular took ages to pass, but eventually we reached the town with it's big wheel and moored up in a pleasant berth well away from distractions.

We'd decided to stay for at least two lay days which passed by all too quickly.  Naturally we watched England beat Columbia as well as visiting some neighbours who had moved back after living opposite us in Chichester for a couple of years who had also owned a Contessa. It was interesting to discover the western side of Torquay, which, like the eastern cliffs, is much more attractive than the town centre. We also met some friends who were spending six weeks in the West Country on a rather large motor boat, Lynda was most impressed when she heard that they'd only taken two hours to cross Lyme Bay.

After two days we'd concluded all this sociallising was enough and it was time to move on. Originally we'd planned to go round to Plymouth but we'd met a delightful couple in a Hillyard at Portland who had convinced us that Exmouth was well worth a visit. Apparently it was not as difficult as the pilot books show to enter, the reason why we'd never been there before. We called the harbour master who said he could squeeze us in provided we

didn't mind rafting and set off.
Being a bit apprehensive about entering a shallow river across a rapidly shifting bar we planned to arrive a half hour before high water which would be 11am. Naturally there was no wind so we motored north with a good view of the coastline we'd never seen before up to Teignmouth and on, north east to the entrance of the river Exe. The passage across the bar is very well marked so we had no difficulty crossing it in four metres of water, exactly as predicted. The straight stretch along the front was a different matter though,  we couldn't identify the leading lights and the port had markers were difficult to find. We found that the echo sounder was the best means of staying in the deep water channel which was straight forward in such benign conditions but in other
circumstances could have been very different.

The Harbour master with his assistant could not have been more helpful and made us welcome as we passed through the narrow channel under the lifting bridge into the Dock. We were glad of some help to moor up against the "rescue ship" he'd mentioned before, it was huge! The dock now is only for small craft, mainly Ribs with no yachts as permanent residents; there are normally four visitor berths on a hammerhead that can accommodate yachts, but the ship had taken all these up!

It transpired that the ship had operated in Norway and was being transferred to Cyprus for a new life by an ex lifeboatman, as was the harbourmaster. Along with their friends (also lifeboat crew) they were a great group of seafarers and we got on with them all really well. The ship
itself was really impressive, built with no expense spared, but of a more commercial nature than British lifeboats. Despite the sophistication of three helming positions, computer control, variable pitch propellors and a bow thruster they still had difficulty managing it in the shallow waters of the Exe. Eventually, after some worrying moments like getting stuck in the entrance channel with a car tyre round one of the propellors, they found out that draft was 2.3 metres not the 1.5 they'd been told!

Visiting Exmouth turned out to be a brilliant choice there was so much to see and do that we'd never done before and it was a return of childhood holiday memories for Lynda. Exmouth itself is very pleasant with a splendid beach, outstanding restaurants (especially Saveur) and good watering holes (especially Grapevine). We had some delightful walks (and lunches!) to Budleigh Salterton and Torcross although the other side of the river was disappointing.

After four nights we felt we had to move on to Dartmouth, our favourite West Country harbour for at least a couple of nights before returning home. As usual the sky was blue and the sun was out but not a breath of wind. Five hours motoring later we moored up in Darthaven Marina with a wonderful view of the sun setting over Britannia Naval College.

Picking up the mooring was a bit of a challenge as it was down stream and the tide was in full flood. However we did manage to get the spring on first time but it took full power on the engine to bring the stern in which did a good job of waking up the neighbours.

Not much had changed, it's a lovely place to spend a couple of days taking the ferry across to the town and watching the steam trains chuff past. We took the bus to Brixham for lunch at the Yacht club which really did us proud, we had some excellent fresh Sole! Watching the England match against Croatia could have been a sad occasion but when we sat down we found we were next to the couple on the Hillyard who had suggested we visit Exmouth; plenty to talk about which made for a very pleasant evening. They'd taken sailed all round the country with various dogs for company so were masters in the use of astro turf.

Eventually we had to return although the tides were not really favourable. Rather than get up at 3pm we chose to plug the tide across the bay for much of the day knowing that it would turn at 5pm. We would have preferred to leave at 9am but getting clear of the berth was going to be more of a challenge than entering as the tide was really sluicing out. We finally got away at 10:30 when it had slackened a bit with the help of our neighbours on an adjacent Vancouver 32 who flatly refused to leave when the tide was flooding.
The crossing was better than expected, naturally we were motoring into a light easterly but made 4.5 knots for most of the time against an adverse tide which was better than expected. Lots of fishing boats provided a distraction and kept away the boredom; it's amazing that with all the sea to be in so many appear on collision courses with us!  With a spring tide flowing strongly we took the offshore route around the Bill, although two yachts did go inshore, clearly it wasn't as bad as it might have been with so little wind. What we did get right was a strong current to the north that whisked us past the island at up to 10 knots.

Rather than split the journey as we had done on the way west we had a lay day to allow a trip to Weymouth and then go straight back to Gosport in one leg. This turned out to be a good choice as Weymouth was delightful in perfect holiday weather. We for lunch with our friends with the power boat who were in Weymouth for the Sea food festival, it's amazing how attractive the offer of a glass of champaign on board can be...

In order to catch the full tide, which was vital to make it all the way to Gosport, we had to leave at 5am and were a little surprised to see that we were one of a fleet of six yachts that had all left together. An absolutely flat calm meant that we could motor fast, leaving just as the sun was rising. In order to catch the full effect of the tide we went straight through the race at St Albans Head which was only rough for a few minutes but did give us the edge on the other boats putting us back in the lead even though they were a bit faster. Making a steady 9 knots it doesn't take long to cross Poole Bay to the Needles where the Trinity House vessel was replacing the Bridge buoy. The wind had picked up a bit so we were able to motor sail and ease the load on the engine a bit.

Hurst and the Western Solent soon flashed past but the tide had slackened by the time we'd got to Cowes.

Fortunately we had an hour of slack water to get across to Gilkicker where the tide turned, we'd arrived just in time! The Solent had not been particularly pleasurable, far too many people, too many motorboats creating wash and too many people calling the coastguard for a radio check.

Just after 1pm we were in back in Portsmouth Harbour. In an eight hour trip we'd covered nearly sixty miles at an average speed of over 7 knots, our gamble with the tides had paid off. 

Overall it had been a wonderful two weeks, the most enjoyable holiday we'd had on Lively Levante despite the lack of wind. Analysis of the log showed that we covered about 250 miles but motoring or motor sailing for 96% of the time; that must be a record, even for us!