POOLE 16 REPORT:
It's Thursday 26/5. Final contacts made and another boat joins the two booked in. Portsmouth have two boats lined up. Weather on the edge again. Ran so close to the wind that I was only left with Friday to prep the whole plan. Completed this about 19:00 and flashed out emails. Final weather checks. Still on the edge. 21:00 fog decends and another flash email. Will check in morning. Get car loaded up with all kit. Need to iron some trousers in morning.
Friday: Up at 06:00. Ironing done. Pack the clothes and food. Wash and scrub. Make the taxi driver a cup of tea. 06:30 get out and check weather. Fog bank at Portland Bill and closing in. Top of Portland fog in Lyme Bay but eastwards just poor vis about a mile. Must not cancel yet. Make the meet point at 07:15. No one here @ 07:30. Departure set for 08:30. It takes about an hour to prep so leave for boat.
Finally I see a black dog on the shore next to a tender. Bobs dog Louie. Great Mr Myers is here but no sign of Steve Lowe and Jason Hook. Then I recalled Steve is a Berther. Lady Mona this is Heatwave. Lady Mona here go to 72. Hi team where are you. At the fuel point, can't get fuel until 08:00. You will be OK. Heatwave out. Continue to prep boat and Bob and Louie come along side. Sorry we are late. No worries. Bob held you up Louie. Woof!
Best get off now as time and tide wait for no one. I slip at 08:35 and move off with Main set and Geno 1 ready to hoist. Going slowly to wait for Moonlight and Lady Mona who is just finishing fueling. We come together half across Portland Harbour and check our radios. Moonlight is having problems and can't TX.
Steve and Jason are beginners and at the Cocktail Party said to me they were worried about coming out with experienced sailors. Ah the innocent of youth. Steve's two years younger than me. Stick with us and you'll be fine. Vis is still poor so stay in vis at all times.
Everyone agrees we are go for launch.
Compass set 104 to cross St Aldhelms ledge at the southeast end to avoid the race which can be as bad as the one we all know and love.
We have a full 5 hrs of flood tide. Leaving the harbour we are all together but Moonlight goes more North to cut across to the atomic buoy and Lady Mona hangs in behind Heatwave. A quick call to Haydn Chapel(Portsmouth).. Leave message. We are on our way.
Speed increasing steadily 4.5knts. Gecko powered up. Go to waypoint. Gradualy we get further apart from each other and vis still bad.
Ring Bob as his radio out. He's OK. Can't see shoreline now. But still see each other. Radio call to Lady Mona. You guys OK. Do you want me to slow a bit. Speed now at 6.5ktns. Tide starting to kick in. No we are fine. If we loose you we will shout. Suggest you use radio out here as no one will here you scream
Gecko showing WP 10 degrees off port. Tack required. Moonlight has now gone south of me and does not tack. Has Bob set a different WP for his plan.
Moonlight has now gone out of view but Lady Mona following me. The blind leading the blind. The large cans of the ledge clearly in view and I check where they lie relative to the ledge and more importantly where I am. This is done and I scan the Ledge for white water. Very little but water is disturbed but fine for Heatwave to start going North reducing ETA. Lady Mona stays on her course and is now south of me. She is gradually moving away from me so I phone her to start to make her turn North on 63 deg true making for Durlsdon head.
Now running past Swanage bay past Peverall Buoy. Water is now really smooth but we are running on flood tide so quickly get to our turn in point for Anchorage in Studland. Traffic is very busy and a Large Tripper boat is bearing down on me and he's not turning to miss me. This metalic monster would slice me open like a can. Still no change in Bearing. A few expletives thought; but might has right so pull hard soutwest to show my intension.
Even in this place there be monsters!!!. Glad it wasnt foggy.
Now its Mk 1 Eyeball time and the anchorage area is scanned. Quite a few boats boats about. Head for them as they are big and should have deep water under them compared to Heatwave. Now cross check navionics for depth and move a little closer to shore. Come up close to a marker. Cant read it yet.
Its a speed limit marker. 5knts. Thats fine.
Drop the Hook and secure checks done. Time to Chill and wait for the other boats.
Friday: Up at 06:00. Ironing done. Pack the clothes and food. Wash and scrub. Make the taxi driver a cup of tea. 06:30 get out and check weather. Fog bank at Portland Bill and closing in. Top of Portland fog in Lyme Bay but eastwards just poor vis about a mile. Must not cancel yet. Make the meet point at 07:15. No one here @ 07:30. Departure set for 08:30. It takes about an hour to prep so leave for boat.
Finally I see a black dog on the shore next to a tender. Bobs dog Louie. Great Mr Myers is here but no sign of Steve Lowe and Jason Hook. Then I recalled Steve is a Berther. Lady Mona this is Heatwave. Lady Mona here go to 72. Hi team where are you. At the fuel point, can't get fuel until 08:00. You will be OK. Heatwave out. Continue to prep boat and Bob and Louie come along side. Sorry we are late. No worries. Bob held you up Louie. Woof!
Best get off now as time and tide wait for no one. I slip at 08:35 and move off with Main set and Geno 1 ready to hoist. Going slowly to wait for Moonlight and Lady Mona who is just finishing fueling. We come together half across Portland Harbour and check our radios. Moonlight is having problems and can't TX.
Steve and Jason are beginners and at the Cocktail Party said to me they were worried about coming out with experienced sailors. Ah the innocent of youth. Steve's two years younger than me. Stick with us and you'll be fine. Vis is still poor so stay in vis at all times.
Everyone agrees we are go for launch.
Compass set 104 to cross St Aldhelms ledge at the southeast end to avoid the race which can be as bad as the one we all know and love.
We have a full 5 hrs of flood tide. Leaving the harbour we are all together but Moonlight goes more North to cut across to the atomic buoy and Lady Mona hangs in behind Heatwave. A quick call to Haydn Chapel(Portsmouth).. Leave message. We are on our way.
Speed increasing steadily 4.5knts. Gecko powered up. Go to waypoint. Gradualy we get further apart from each other and vis still bad.
Ring Bob as his radio out. He's OK. Can't see shoreline now. But still see each other. Radio call to Lady Mona. You guys OK. Do you want me to slow a bit. Speed now at 6.5ktns. Tide starting to kick in. No we are fine. If we loose you we will shout. Suggest you use radio out here as no one will here you scream
Gecko showing WP 10 degrees off port. Tack required. Moonlight has now gone south of me and does not tack. Has Bob set a different WP for his plan.
Moonlight has now gone out of view but Lady Mona following me. The blind leading the blind. The large cans of the ledge clearly in view and I check where they lie relative to the ledge and more importantly where I am. This is done and I scan the Ledge for white water. Very little but water is disturbed but fine for Heatwave to start going North reducing ETA. Lady Mona stays on her course and is now south of me. She is gradually moving away from me so I phone her to start to make her turn North on 63 deg true making for Durlsdon head.
Now running past Swanage bay past Peverall Buoy. Water is now really smooth but we are running on flood tide so quickly get to our turn in point for Anchorage in Studland. Traffic is very busy and a Large Tripper boat is bearing down on me and he's not turning to miss me. This metalic monster would slice me open like a can. Still no change in Bearing. A few expletives thought; but might has right so pull hard soutwest to show my intension.
Even in this place there be monsters!!!. Glad it wasnt foggy.
Now its Mk 1 Eyeball time and the anchorage area is scanned. Quite a few boats boats about. Head for them as they are big and should have deep water under them compared to Heatwave. Now cross check navionics for depth and move a little closer to shore. Come up close to a marker. Cant read it yet.
Its a speed limit marker. 5knts. Thats fine.
Drop the Hook and secure checks done. Time to Chill and wait for the other boats.
THE RUN TO POOLE: Click on first photo and paddle through.
Sunday
Awoke around 06:30. Planned to get to Cobb's early. Bob had moved closer to shore to try to get to less rolling sea. Ate my last BLT and made a flask of tea. Scrubbed up and had a good cuppa. Open up the hatch and poked out to see the world. I was hit in the face by a strong Northerly breeze and the sea did not seem friendly. The sky was clear and many yachts had already left. Steve and Jason in Lady Mona had already left for home.
It's decision time. I would be approaching the bridges against the traffic flow and bridge sequence. This coupled with the strong wind I was getting concerned. That's it. Thoroughly disappointed I made the decision to return home today. Left message for Haydn Chapel. No contact.
Tide gate St Aldhelms 10:40. Have plenty of time to get boat sorted.
Would not use main Genoa as would be over canvassed so clipped on Genoa Number 2 but would leave it down.
Got up main with no reef as I can quickly release it if gusts encountered.
Then the mistake hit me it's Sunday and the Tide gate would be an hour earlier. I have ten minutes time left to departure.
Quickly fired up the Sabre ran forward and dragged the hook up. No sea horses hanging on the end.
Heatwave swiftly swings away and is is on a run by the time I get back to the cockpit and heading straight for Moonlight. Bob likes to sleep and would not like being awakened so early especially with 10 feet of boat hanging over his bed.
Grasping the tiller extension Heatwave is taken under control and I make my way through the remaining anchored boats and bear away to the South East. Old Harry stood to attention as always and many people are already at the cliff edge.
I put the WP for St Aldhelms into my Gecko and get an ETA of 09:26 and already running at 5.5knts. The fine white chalk cliffs give way to the open bay of Swanage. The Peverall ledge buoy is now rushing up to greet me. Speed check 6.5knts. ETA 09:10. Need to kill some speed. Engine throttled back.
The waters around these parts do odd things and today was not going to be any different.
Between Peverell and Durlsdon head a huge hole open up and Heatwave fell right in burying the complete chain locker. I was looking down the deck straight into green sea. Heatwave fell back and rolled heavily to port. The crashing of pans and other items could be heard from below. After that the journey to St Aldhelms was pretty uneventful except for being rather lumpy. I was treated to some spectacular views of two high speed tri-marans heading east.
St Aldhelms now only minutes away. I strain hard to see any overfall action but it appeared to be minor. It's 09:20 and we start to round the head land. Suddenly the wind shot up by a good 10knt s and Westerly as it swept around the headland from Kimmeridge bay. The main was luffing so just tightened the sheet to quieten things down. The small overfall produced small period waves with lots of spray coming off the tops. Heatwave just went straight through like a rod on rollers. If the wind had been from the south west it would have been totally different.
We are through and Chapman's pool is harbouring a couple of yachts. Bob Myers was later to call in here Sunday and stay over.
Things seemed to be OK so decide to carry on and get home. So I leave this last safety point until Worbarrow. The only issue now is I will be moving off shore away from the Lee shore. You can't get in close anyway because of the kimmeridge ledges until you get past Clavell Tower. By the time you get there in these conditions is it worth it to beat back to shore.
White sails approaching fast out of Weymouth. Lots of them all healing over in the strong winds. This is going to be good. Get camera ready. It must be a race. They all seem to be on a line north of the atomic buoy so I stay south but close to get a grandstand view. It's a big fat Wow as they come crashing through and decks being washed with green water. I'm doing 5.5knts against the tide with engine. So these boats must be up around 8,9knt S.O.G. Some are struggling with the conditions and reduce canvass via the GiB sail. I wave to a fabulous boat and get a wave back.
The familiar site of the breakwater is now in site and a good line is set for the eastern entrance. Autohelm is doing its job but sometimes a bit slow to respond. You can't trust them 100% and they can put you in a gybe. In these conditions you don't want that. As we approach the boat swings off course but gradually recovers . Keeping her close to the right side we safely clear the entrance. At this stage I would normally start to get the main down but as the wind is coming from behind I leave it until safely moored. 12:30 pick up is picked up on the second pass.
Time to relax and make a cuppa. Phone home and then set about shutting boat down. Starting to feel very very tired. Every task is hard and I need a rest. What normally takes an hour took 2.5hrs.
Everything in tender and ready to go ashore. Phone the domestic taxi and it is waiting on shore for my arrival. The driver helps me destore and has brought down the heavy launch trolley which used to belong to Simon Duff but the boys in the yard found it adrift and didn't know it's owner. Simon knows I have it but I think I will offer it back now as it is so heavy and despite efforts to free up a stiff wheel it still drags. The driver asks if all food gone. Most of it but what's left is in the large bag. What bag? O no I have left it in the cockpit. Will need to put boots on to relaunch tender. Still shattered but dragged Red Drawf back in the water. Job done and it was fortuitous as I hadn't fully secured the boom.
At last back in the car. Home. Time for a good hot bath and sleep.
Portsmouth report:
Later that day I managed to call Haydn Chapel. They got to Cobb's Quay. It took them 30 minutes to get through the bridges and considered Cobb's was too remote. The food in the Restaurant was the normal pub fare. Their opinion was that they wouldn't go again because of the isolation. I can say that food at the Poole YC is higher than but they too are remote and being in the Port facility the area is bland too. Maybe their stay would have been better if they had had company. Haydn and Christine had their family on Board and had a good sail with their grandchildren on Sunday. The berthing of Severn Lady was apparently very interesting in the Northerly wind. Hadyn has some lovely pictures but awaiting his permission to use them. Thank you Haydn for you hard work and support.
Lady Mona report. Steve and Jason enjoyed the return sail. They followed our outward sail and had a great sail back in the strong breeze achieving 8 knts at times. On return they were so surprised to see Heatwave back. She's fast boys better than the Falcon. I came back on the morning Tide using the tide gate ate St Aldhelms and with neap tides you would not have had to get up so early. Lady Mona however decided to stop over in Lulworth and came ashore so the early start gave them more time for Sunday. Well done both of you.
Awoke around 06:30. Planned to get to Cobb's early. Bob had moved closer to shore to try to get to less rolling sea. Ate my last BLT and made a flask of tea. Scrubbed up and had a good cuppa. Open up the hatch and poked out to see the world. I was hit in the face by a strong Northerly breeze and the sea did not seem friendly. The sky was clear and many yachts had already left. Steve and Jason in Lady Mona had already left for home.
It's decision time. I would be approaching the bridges against the traffic flow and bridge sequence. This coupled with the strong wind I was getting concerned. That's it. Thoroughly disappointed I made the decision to return home today. Left message for Haydn Chapel. No contact.
Tide gate St Aldhelms 10:40. Have plenty of time to get boat sorted.
Would not use main Genoa as would be over canvassed so clipped on Genoa Number 2 but would leave it down.
Got up main with no reef as I can quickly release it if gusts encountered.
Then the mistake hit me it's Sunday and the Tide gate would be an hour earlier. I have ten minutes time left to departure.
Quickly fired up the Sabre ran forward and dragged the hook up. No sea horses hanging on the end.
Heatwave swiftly swings away and is is on a run by the time I get back to the cockpit and heading straight for Moonlight. Bob likes to sleep and would not like being awakened so early especially with 10 feet of boat hanging over his bed.
Grasping the tiller extension Heatwave is taken under control and I make my way through the remaining anchored boats and bear away to the South East. Old Harry stood to attention as always and many people are already at the cliff edge.
I put the WP for St Aldhelms into my Gecko and get an ETA of 09:26 and already running at 5.5knts. The fine white chalk cliffs give way to the open bay of Swanage. The Peverall ledge buoy is now rushing up to greet me. Speed check 6.5knts. ETA 09:10. Need to kill some speed. Engine throttled back.
The waters around these parts do odd things and today was not going to be any different.
Between Peverell and Durlsdon head a huge hole open up and Heatwave fell right in burying the complete chain locker. I was looking down the deck straight into green sea. Heatwave fell back and rolled heavily to port. The crashing of pans and other items could be heard from below. After that the journey to St Aldhelms was pretty uneventful except for being rather lumpy. I was treated to some spectacular views of two high speed tri-marans heading east.
St Aldhelms now only minutes away. I strain hard to see any overfall action but it appeared to be minor. It's 09:20 and we start to round the head land. Suddenly the wind shot up by a good 10knt s and Westerly as it swept around the headland from Kimmeridge bay. The main was luffing so just tightened the sheet to quieten things down. The small overfall produced small period waves with lots of spray coming off the tops. Heatwave just went straight through like a rod on rollers. If the wind had been from the south west it would have been totally different.
We are through and Chapman's pool is harbouring a couple of yachts. Bob Myers was later to call in here Sunday and stay over.
Things seemed to be OK so decide to carry on and get home. So I leave this last safety point until Worbarrow. The only issue now is I will be moving off shore away from the Lee shore. You can't get in close anyway because of the kimmeridge ledges until you get past Clavell Tower. By the time you get there in these conditions is it worth it to beat back to shore.
White sails approaching fast out of Weymouth. Lots of them all healing over in the strong winds. This is going to be good. Get camera ready. It must be a race. They all seem to be on a line north of the atomic buoy so I stay south but close to get a grandstand view. It's a big fat Wow as they come crashing through and decks being washed with green water. I'm doing 5.5knts against the tide with engine. So these boats must be up around 8,9knt S.O.G. Some are struggling with the conditions and reduce canvass via the GiB sail. I wave to a fabulous boat and get a wave back.
The familiar site of the breakwater is now in site and a good line is set for the eastern entrance. Autohelm is doing its job but sometimes a bit slow to respond. You can't trust them 100% and they can put you in a gybe. In these conditions you don't want that. As we approach the boat swings off course but gradually recovers . Keeping her close to the right side we safely clear the entrance. At this stage I would normally start to get the main down but as the wind is coming from behind I leave it until safely moored. 12:30 pick up is picked up on the second pass.
Time to relax and make a cuppa. Phone home and then set about shutting boat down. Starting to feel very very tired. Every task is hard and I need a rest. What normally takes an hour took 2.5hrs.
Everything in tender and ready to go ashore. Phone the domestic taxi and it is waiting on shore for my arrival. The driver helps me destore and has brought down the heavy launch trolley which used to belong to Simon Duff but the boys in the yard found it adrift and didn't know it's owner. Simon knows I have it but I think I will offer it back now as it is so heavy and despite efforts to free up a stiff wheel it still drags. The driver asks if all food gone. Most of it but what's left is in the large bag. What bag? O no I have left it in the cockpit. Will need to put boots on to relaunch tender. Still shattered but dragged Red Drawf back in the water. Job done and it was fortuitous as I hadn't fully secured the boom.
At last back in the car. Home. Time for a good hot bath and sleep.
Portsmouth report:
Later that day I managed to call Haydn Chapel. They got to Cobb's Quay. It took them 30 minutes to get through the bridges and considered Cobb's was too remote. The food in the Restaurant was the normal pub fare. Their opinion was that they wouldn't go again because of the isolation. I can say that food at the Poole YC is higher than but they too are remote and being in the Port facility the area is bland too. Maybe their stay would have been better if they had had company. Haydn and Christine had their family on Board and had a good sail with their grandchildren on Sunday. The berthing of Severn Lady was apparently very interesting in the Northerly wind. Hadyn has some lovely pictures but awaiting his permission to use them. Thank you Haydn for you hard work and support.
Lady Mona report. Steve and Jason enjoyed the return sail. They followed our outward sail and had a great sail back in the strong breeze achieving 8 knts at times. On return they were so surprised to see Heatwave back. She's fast boys better than the Falcon. I came back on the morning Tide using the tide gate ate St Aldhelms and with neap tides you would not have had to get up so early. Lady Mona however decided to stop over in Lulworth and came ashore so the early start gave them more time for Sunday. Well done both of you.
