So with the British weather centres forecasting what appears to be an Indian summer in the UK and with my memory of that aborted trip to the Isle of Wight still fresh in my mind (damn outboard engine!) I decided to take a day off from work to have another go... tide times were optimal as there was an early morning and evening tide on Friday - but neaps - I've never seen so small a tide height....
Outboard behaved itself impeccably so we cast off and headed for the open sea, forecast was force 3 gusting 4, easterly (weird wind again), and one metre waves (lumpy)
Proceeding down the harbour, just opposite Northney marina I saw this little fella - yup, a seal - as it turned out the first of two I saw today - most I've ever seen. Apologies for the picture quality which was taken one handed, while trying to steer, and drop the engine revs to slow down, and all the while the seal kept diving and disappearing! Next time I'll try and get a better one...
Trip down the harbour was a gentle run - there was more northerly in it than later - out of the harbour and time to meet up with those lumps - which were lumpy... waves and wind in the same direction so one was exacerbating the other but we persevered, if you look at the track I'm all over the place, but I can only blame making breakfast as the cause... 
Couple of hours of running later I arrived at my destination for the day - this is Seaview on the Isle of Wight - lovely place, there's a sailing club here where you can moor up on their visitors moorings, use their bar, etc.
Next time I will - this time was a voyage of discovery, and as I had no idea how long the beat back to the harbour entrance would take I decided to turn for home straight away... weather was good, very sunny, but the breeze was easily a force more than the forecast...
This is St Helen's Fort off of Bembridge - most people focus on the bigger forts in the Solent, No Man's Land, Horse Sand, etc. but this is one of the smaller one's built to defend the (then) strategically important harbour of Bembridge. What's more it's yours for £200,000 if you want it... Sale Notice
Having managed to make my way through a Laser fleet off the entrance to the harbour competing in the Laser Worlds I finally managed to make it home.
So without further ado - ships log stuff... here's the track
A distance of 30.99 miles at an average speed of 3.5 knots which in average terms is pretty fast, clearly a windy day... maximum speed was 5.2 knots - did that on the entrance to Chichester Harbour and under sail. Seriously out of control - had to keep dumping the power in the main, as I was getting such strong windward helm that I had the rudder at 90' and she was still trying to round up! Scary...
Enjoy the video.. this is coming back into Chichester Harbour..
I ended up getting back to the mooring early but managed to find another club one with enough water - tied up, had some lunch, tidied up the boat, had a beer and a cigar with a good book.... and waited for tide to come back in so I could get to my own, which (after a gentle grounding!) I managed to do a little later...
..what a great day, a summer goal achieved..
Outboard behaved itself impeccably so we cast off and headed for the open sea, forecast was force 3 gusting 4, easterly (weird wind again), and one metre waves (lumpy)
Proceeding down the harbour, just opposite Northney marina I saw this little fella - yup, a seal - as it turned out the first of two I saw today - most I've ever seen. Apologies for the picture quality which was taken one handed, while trying to steer, and drop the engine revs to slow down, and all the while the seal kept diving and disappearing! Next time I'll try and get a better one...
Trip down the harbour was a gentle run - there was more northerly in it than later - out of the harbour and time to meet up with those lumps - which were lumpy... waves and wind in the same direction so one was exacerbating the other but we persevered, if you look at the track I'm all over the place, but I can only blame making breakfast as the cause... Couple of hours of running later I arrived at my destination for the day - this is Seaview on the Isle of Wight - lovely place, there's a sailing club here where you can moor up on their visitors moorings, use their bar, etc.
Next time I will - this time was a voyage of discovery, and as I had no idea how long the beat back to the harbour entrance would take I decided to turn for home straight away... weather was good, very sunny, but the breeze was easily a force more than the forecast...This is St Helen's Fort off of Bembridge - most people focus on the bigger forts in the Solent, No Man's Land, Horse Sand, etc. but this is one of the smaller one's built to defend the (then) strategically important harbour of Bembridge. What's more it's yours for £200,000 if you want it... Sale Notice
Having managed to make my way through a Laser fleet off the entrance to the harbour competing in the Laser Worlds I finally managed to make it home. So without further ado - ships log stuff... here's the track
A distance of 30.99 miles at an average speed of 3.5 knots which in average terms is pretty fast, clearly a windy day... maximum speed was 5.2 knots - did that on the entrance to Chichester Harbour and under sail. Seriously out of control - had to keep dumping the power in the main, as I was getting such strong windward helm that I had the rudder at 90' and she was still trying to round up! Scary...Enjoy the video.. this is coming back into Chichester Harbour..
I ended up getting back to the mooring early but managed to find another club one with enough water - tied up, had some lunch, tidied up the boat, had a beer and a cigar with a good book.... and waited for tide to come back in so I could get to my own, which (after a gentle grounding!) I managed to do a little later...
..what a great day, a summer goal achieved..
Sounds like a great day out, Good to tick of a mile stone. I've not been on Jelly Bean since beginning of Aug and am now starting to go insane. I'd love to get over to Cowes again before the end of the season. Would you want to meet over there?
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