So I left work as early as I could on Thursday and headed down to Dawn (P21/18) on her mooring at Hythe SC on Southampton water. After loading up, I left the mooring about 6.30pm with the ebbing tide, sailed round to the Beaulieu river entrance, and then spent half an hour and many tacks getting far enough up to anchor - all the while with the tantalising smell of a barbeque drifting down from another boat.

I weighed anchor on Friday morning and listened to the 0520 shipping forecast as I drifted out of the river. It was a beautiful slow sail down the western solent, but the tide was dying as I approached Yarmouth, so I had to motor out through Hurst and the north channel at about 0800. I then had 6 hours against the tide, so made slow progress across Christchurch bay. As a sea breeze tried to fill in, the wind died completely - I could still see the north-westerly inshore, and a south westerly further out, but I again resorted to the engine for a couple of hours. By the time I got to Swanage, the north-westerly had won, and I passed Anvil Point at 1430 as the tide turned. I then had a sunny but increasingly wet and windy beat to Weymouth, and got to Portland harbour at 1645 - by that time with a reef and couple of rolls in the genoa. I picked up one of the Castle Cove SC moorings and worked out the tides for Portland Bill.

So on Saturday, I left at 0500 and motor-sailed out of Portland, watching the sun rise over the St Albans. I passed the Bill at 0615 in a light north-westerly. As I'd hoped, the wind backed, so at 0730 I was able to tack for Lyme Regis. The force 3 kept up nicely, the sun came out, and I reached Lyme at 1140.

Golden Cap:

Lyme Regis was packed! People everywhere! So after an ice cream, and a shower in the sailing club, I relaxed for the afternoon. By evening, it had clouded over and the wind was getting up, so at about 2100, after low water, I decided to move from the visitors buoy into the harbour - only to be told "You can't come in now - there's about to be a firework display". I went back to the visitors buoy - which I was quite pleased to pick up on my 2nd attempt, in the darkness and a force 5! The fireworks were good, but I just wanted them to finish so I could get back in the harbour!

The morning dawned grey and wet, with a big swell. I looked out of the harbour and was so pleased I hadn't stayed in the buoy - it was now only a few yards from some pretty good surf. There was a yacht on another buoy, with a father and son on board - I doubt they had much sleep. It looked pretty nasty out, and the wind indicator was reading 22 knots, so I put 2 reefs in and headed out. The wind immediately dropped to a W3, leaving me slopping around in a big swell. But that slowly eased, and after taking the reefs I started making some progress back to the Bill. I got there just when I wanted to - at 1115 - and then had a brilliant run with the tide across Weymouth bay, through St Alban's race (wet!) and back to Anvil Pt, goosewinged all the way, getting to Studland at 1515.

Rolling towards St Albans:

Like Lyme Regis, Studland was packed - I counted over a hundred boats at anchor, although quite a few left as evening came. I spotted one other Seal - Black Jack - but they left soon after I arrived. I didn't fancy the Bankes' Arms (I remember it as the first pub I paid over £3 for a pint!) so strolled out to watch the sunset from Old Harry.

On Monday morning it was horrible - SW 5 and very poor vis. So I had a lie-in after the 3 early mornings, and didn't leave till 0900, which felt really late! I started off with full sail, but the autohelm couldn't cope so I dropped the main and just used the genny. As I ran past the Needles Fairway buoy, I still couldn't see the Needles, but eventually it became a bit brighter and St Catherines appeared. It must have been windy by then - the windsurfers were out in force. I went pretty close in to St Catherines, but still had a nasty 5 minutes, but only one sea actually broke into the cockpit. But I was doing a good speed over the ground as I was swept along passed Ventnor and Sandown bay. As I approached Bembridge Ledge buoy, there was a steady stream of yachts returning from France - the first other yachts I'd seen for about 4 hours. I went into Bembridge on the rising tide at 1545, and onto the beach.

And the final leg was from Bembridge back to Hythe on Tuesday morning, which completed my bank holiday jaunt - the GPS had logged 185m, not bad for a 21-footer in 5 days!

Geoff

Parker 21 / 18 Dawn