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.
