So despite the extra large binoculars unfortunately Thursday never happened, a shame really as the weather was perfect.. work is busy but more importantly I'm running out of holiday, and I'm damned if I'm going to miss out on my Christmas trip to Bath with the current Mrs Steve the Wargamer.. 
...and so it was that with Sunday pencilled in for the Southampton Boat Show, and half of one other day pencilled in to hand over vast wads of my salary to Mr Tes and Co (can't think why I don't just have it paid direct into their bulging coffers....
) I started looking with more than usual eager anticipation at today's weather and tides...
...as it turned out both were good, but tides were early so I ended up hauling my sorry ass out of bed at 0630, and by 0730 was on the boat motoring down the channel towards Northney...
...and what a fantastic day - wind was bang on the nose as I headed down the channel - nice force 1, occasionally 2, but absolutely perfect weather - as one motorboat went past the skipper looked at me with a huge smile on his face and opened his arms to the sky - said it all really!
So with a nice easterly it was perfect for a nice long reach down to HISC (that's it above as I went past); as it turned out the wind was going more southerly the further I got down the harbour, and just after high tide was south easterly.... so with traffic picking up (lot of boats out - looked like some offshore racing - I think it may have been the St Wilfrid’s Hospice Coastal Yacht Challenge - a race to the Nab and back) I gybed round the East Stoke Point buoy and headed back up the harbour - lazing in the back of the boat with a coffee, the radio and the sunshine - just a perfect day, no reefs, gentle sailing...
Spotted that beautiful gaffer above on my way back - I offered to swap but they didn't seem keen...
Distance: 10.36 miles (cumulative total in the tab at the top of the page)
Wind: E to SE - Force 1, gusting 2...
Speed: Max speed was 4.4 knots which would have been under engine as despite some gusts I didn't see any speeds over about 3 knots, average speed was 2.7 knots.... gentle meandering....
Only blight on the horizon - and it wasn't much - was the battery, which was flat - it's in the garage on charge as we speak... I'd left the damn power on when I went out to check the boat a couple of weeks ago... ah well - I had my hand-held VHF, and everything else runs off AA and AAA anyway!
...and so it was that with Sunday pencilled in for the Southampton Boat Show, and half of one other day pencilled in to hand over vast wads of my salary to Mr Tes and Co (can't think why I don't just have it paid direct into their bulging coffers....
) I started looking with more than usual eager anticipation at today's weather and tides......as it turned out both were good, but tides were early so I ended up hauling my sorry ass out of bed at 0630, and by 0730 was on the boat motoring down the channel towards Northney...
...and what a fantastic day - wind was bang on the nose as I headed down the channel - nice force 1, occasionally 2, but absolutely perfect weather - as one motorboat went past the skipper looked at me with a huge smile on his face and opened his arms to the sky - said it all really!
So with a nice easterly it was perfect for a nice long reach down to HISC (that's it above as I went past); as it turned out the wind was going more southerly the further I got down the harbour, and just after high tide was south easterly.... so with traffic picking up (lot of boats out - looked like some offshore racing - I think it may have been the St Wilfrid’s Hospice Coastal Yacht Challenge - a race to the Nab and back) I gybed round the East Stoke Point buoy and headed back up the harbour - lazing in the back of the boat with a coffee, the radio and the sunshine - just a perfect day, no reefs, gentle sailing...
Spotted that beautiful gaffer above on my way back - I offered to swap but they didn't seem keen...
Distance: 10.36 miles (cumulative total in the tab at the top of the page)
Wind: E to SE - Force 1, gusting 2...
Speed: Max speed was 4.4 knots which would have been under engine as despite some gusts I didn't see any speeds over about 3 knots, average speed was 2.7 knots.... gentle meandering....
Only blight on the horizon - and it wasn't much - was the battery, which was flat - it's in the garage on charge as we speak... I'd left the damn power on when I went out to check the boat a couple of weeks ago... ah well - I had my hand-held VHF, and everything else runs off AA and AAA anyway!
You must of just missed us! - we left Hayling island & got to the harbour entrance about 9.30 ( a little later than planned) but did a loop of the Nab tower over to Ryde then back to Bembridge for an overnighter! - stunning day!, heck of a lot choppier coming home today though! - Harbour entrance was a rapid roller coaster ride!
ReplyDeleteBlimey Graham - those are some serious miles... well done!
ReplyDeleteHow was Bembridge - marina or beach??
Marina! - not quite confident enough for the beach yet, & Monty's only equiped with a 'bucket & chuck it' so a pontoon with a loo & a shower for £12 is a bargain!
ReplyDeleteHave you been? if not I highly recommend it, they really look after the 'smaller' yacht & the food in the Vine pub (15 min walk) was superb!
ReplyDeleteDo you have any sailing days coming up soon? or do you sail all over winter?
Hi Graham - hope to be out Sunday afternoon... Pap comes out of the water last Sunday in October - for insurance reasons more than anything..
ReplyDelete