Middlewatch Cruising Blog 2013

Claire & Nadia come for a cuppa

Monday 7th January

The Hythe Ferry - a possible excursion?

Still the Southampton tourists, keenly keeping an eye out, spotting Cruise Liners (is that similar to trainspotting?). The big pleasant surprise of the day was meeting our next-door neighbours, Claire and Nadia, who had come on the Red Jet for a shopping expedition. We saw them briefly on the bus to town before they were swept away on a throng of shoppers, and then met them again as we were entering the Marina. An impromptu tea party and photo-shoot was called for, and a very pleasant half-hour enjoyed!

Sunday 6th January

It’s only “twelfth night”, but already Christmas seems a million miles astern as we have become immersed in the timeless world of the boat. Waking up to yet another monster-liner, breakfast aboard, and appreciating the excellent facilities of this, a most up-to-date marina—we have already decided to stay another day (at least, as the forecast is holding fine).

Just at the top of the gangway is the terminus for the free bus which stops at West Quay, a shopper’s wonderland, still done up in festive glitter.

Hang on to your credit card

 

A ship that passed in the night

Nearby is the megastore “IKEA” which offers miles of bargains as you follow bewildering arrays of weird-sounding labels (Swedish, we presume) at what seems astounding value (and I’m not much of a shopper). We had lunch at “Café Rouge” before our feet wore out, and retired back to the quiet life aboard for cards, snooze, tea and movie.

Saturday 5th January

Yarmouth to Southampton Town Quay. 19nM.

Via Western Solent and Southampton Water.

Forecast good. Morning tides fair. Fuel 1/2. Engine hrs 946. Water 1/2. Oils etc checked OK.

Poor visibility

.1100  Clear Yarmouth. Radio check OK. Obstruction at berth to be sorted out.  Visibility poor, 1/2M. Course 053T. Overcast. Damp. Smooth. 1500rpm. SOG 9Kts.

Better visibility

.1120  On Course.Transit Solent Bank and Hampstead Ledge.  1500. 9.6 sog. Log paddle jammed, and a “burst” wouldn’t clear it—wait for Spring bottom-clean? AOK. Vis poor.

.1145  Lepe Spit Cardinal Buoy. Vis still v.poor ahead, but clearing from astern. 1800 10Kts. COG 050T, AOK.

.1245 Tied up on Southampton Town Quay!

Post-Christmas Sales and tinsel

Lunch, a quick trip to the West Quay Mall, a nice dinner at the nearby Italian, and a movie

on board, before an early bed.. A great day!

Friday 4 January 2013

The decorations were down, the tree lights off, and we needed a break from all the festive dining and wining. It was to be either hibernating at home (almost impossible) or getting away on the boat for a few days—which, surprisingly, looked very inviting indeed. So, it was off down to the boat to remove covers, do checks, stow dinghy, unstow liferaft, and make a few diary changes, and we were ready for departure the next  day.

New Year Style

Not yet dressed for sea

New Year’s Eve, A time for Resolutions.

This is not strictly a “cruising” entry, but it does two things at least—it’s a reminder of how the year started out in finery and celebration, and it records the discussion we made to get more out of the boat without having to make elaborate plans or commitments.  Both were fine ideas!

 

 

9 September - Coming home for the Autumn...

 

Sunday 9th September - Bembridge to Yarmouth at 2500rpm (14kts log)

  Course St Helens Fort, No mans Land Fort, Ryde Middle, Cowes approach, Egypt Point, Hampstead ledge, Yarmouth.

The fog bank

 Engines 937, fuel 13/16P & 7/8Stbd. Water 1/2.

 .0745  Cast off in fog of 200 yds vis. This worsened as we approached the harbour entrance, requiring Gill to move to the foredeck and seek out the next bouys. Halfway along the channel, a “Good Samaritan” in a speedboat showed up to lrad us out. The fog covered literally only the trickiest part of the approach.

.0800 Safely at the tide gauge .

Our Good Samaritan

.0815 Round tower in transit with Spinnaker Tower. 15log, 13.9sog. AOK

.0825 Alter course behind ferry. AOK

.0850 beautiful cruising conditions, crew sunbathing. Gurnard N Cardinal. Smooth. 13.4 sog

.0915 Hampstead ledge buoy. 13.2 sog. AOK. Smooth. Hazy/bright. Picturesque.

.0930  Holding station awaiting a clear berth from harbour.

.0945 On berth. Engine 932. Fuel 3/4 each (a good result in the experiment on fuel usage—2500 seems a good cruising engine rate)

Ryde from the Solent

On Bembridge sea front

Met by Martin Mawhood & joined by Brian for coffees, catchup, gossip, and debrief .  The “arrival party” is becoming a standard feature.

 

Spent the day on the boat, watching the bad weather roll in.

 

 

 

So, that probably concludes the blog for this season.  Roll on next year! Meanwhile, there are quite a few little maintenance jobs, home and boat, as well as a few social obligations to catch up on....

 

 

 

A holiday in Bembridge, 6 to 8th September

Thursday to Saturday, 6 to 8th September

A neighbourly chat

 

We are captivated by being in port at Bembridge.

Entrance channel at low tide

 The tropical weather certainly helps, but the scenery and amenities are great. (It is true, perhaps , that the showers are not quite luxury, but functional enough). 

 

Pat & Joe

We spent a lovely time on the Thursday with Pat & Joe, more expeditions by dinghy, coffees on the dunes, walks on the sea wall, talking to the very friendly boat-owners along the pontoon, etc.

Tom & Gill

We took a taxi from the marina to lunch at “The Seaview Hotel”. Later, we walked again around the dunes before having Pat & Joe round for a fun evening re-discovering Bridge.
 

Off  to the shops

 

Friday 7th saw the great weather continuing, and we carried on enjoying the sun, the beach and the dunes, “Iseult” left to go to a pre-planned rally at Beaulieu. And during the afternoon the marina filled to bursting, with multiple rafting out all along. We turned the boat around on ropes so as to facilitate an easy getaway, but as yet, we don’t know when to leave, as the forecast looks good for a few days yet. Dinner on board was from produce at the local shops and butcher’s, and was very tasty.

 

Coffees by the dunes

 

Saturday 8th September -

“Britain at its best.”

Back from the shops

The sun shone continuously from dawn to dusk, with little or no breeze, and completely still water in the marina, with only gentle ripples on the bathing-warm sea. The pontoons were quiet until the harbour approach channel had enough depth, and then nautical jolly mayhem became the frantic norm for 5 or 6 hours.

 

 

 

It seemed as thoughBembridge had become the most popular spot on the Isle of Wight, with yachts rafted 6 out, but not enough to bother the friendly and competent berthing staff, who saw that everyone was happy.

Iseult heads away to Beaulieu

The causeway to St Helens

It was a day for walks to the village, ice creams at the beach café, sightseeing on the dunes, and sunbathing on the boat, with all meals taken “al fresco” in the cockpit whilst exchanging pleasantries with the boaters passing by.

A seaside ice cream

 

 

The elderly couple (same age as us, that is!) on the boat “Sea Wyf” opposite had asked us if we would like a paper from the shops before they set off on their folding bikes. Gill watched them cycle across the narrow causeway, but lost sight as they moved behind the boat next to us. About 20 minutes later, as we were walking along the same route, we saw, to our horror, that Linsey, the wife, had fallen 12 feet or so ont o the rocks below, with the bike falling on top of her. Coastguards and paramedics were already on the scene, trying gingerly to ease her onto a stretcher, We learned later that she had been relatively lucky, suffering “only” severe bruising and a few cracked ribs. 

The beach and dunes at The Duver, Bembridge

An indian Summer's glow

The weather forecast was showing a marked change for Sunday, with strong winds in the afternoon, so after dinner, we started preparations for an 0800 start. The marina bill for 4 nights with electricity came to £98.

 

 

Sunday 1st to Tuesday 4th September

Sunday 1st to Wednesday 5th September A  few days at home and on to Bembridge

 

The arrival back home was, as usual, very good. The house and gardens were in good order, and  since John was by himself that weekend, we got together at the Yacht Club for Sunday lunch. There we met quite a few friends, and got caught up with all the latest news.

Monday was mainly catching up with mail, jobs and family, and on Tuesday we took Jan & Rod to the hospital in Southampton. While they were attending their appointment, we had a few hours out in West Quay, shopping. 

Wednesday 5th September Yarmouth to Bembridge

 

No Man's Land Fort

We had heard from Pat and Joe of “Iseult” that they were in port at Bembridge, where they reported having a great time. The forecast was good, so we decided to join them. The wind, forecast at F3 turned out to be F5 gusting F6 at 1000, so we waited untiljust after lunch when it had subsided to 13 kts.

As an experiment, we motored at a steady 2500rpm throughout, starting at enginr hrs  935, full tanks, and full water.

Dawn in Bembridge

 

.1315 Cleared harbour at Yarmouth

.1345 Thorness Bay. Log 13.3 sog12.5. AOK

.1415 Peel Bank buoy. AOK

.1445 Warner buoy. AOK

.1450 Bembridge tide gauge.  Very slow yacht   making way in the narrow approach, too slow for proper steerage. Passed at first opportunity. Following channel markers quite easy. Tight turn around end of pontoon in narrow channel.

.1510 Met by Iseult with tea and cheers! Engines 937.

Orientation walk. Dinghy expedition on Joe’s dinghy to “The Pilot” pub for dinner...Back to the marina later in pitch black darkness - Joe has night eyes like an owl!

The morning mist clears

 

 

Saturday 1st September Cherbourg to Yarmouth

Saturday 1st September Cherbourg to Yarmouth

 

The final meal out of the French holiday last night was a gargantuan rib of beef for two at the Marina Yacht Club. When this was followed by a delicious platter of mixed dessert and coffee, we were well ready for a bit of exercise walking back to the boat.  We retired early, in anticipation of an early start.

Early morning sunny marina

Water was taken down to 1/4. Fuel full both.    Engines 930 hrs. Plotters and radar on OK.

Passage plan Cherbourg E—Needles– Yarmouth. First leg 60nm @ 000 deg T.

.0800 Cast off

.0810 Chbg E outer. 14.1 kts 2600 (revs throughout)

Close proximity

.0830  On track. Overcast. Dry. Slight/mod. AOK 14 sog 16 log.

.0900 O/T @ 49.50.00N. 16log / 13.5sog. 2700.   Swell. AOK. Vis 6m. 2ships @ 5m. Dry.

.0930 O/T 42nm S of Needles (Ndl). AOK. 15.8log / 13.5sog.  Mod. 7ships>3nM.

.1000 35nM S of Ndl. AOK. Same.

.1030 28nM S of Ndl. S/M. AOK. 4 ships. Dry

.1100 21nM S of Ndl. Brighter. Slighter. 16.4log /13.5 sog. AOK.

 

 

.1130 Land in sight. 14nm S. Slight.  16log / 15.

.1200 6nM S. Hazy sun. Vis 5m. AOK

Nearly home - The Needles

.1230  Alum Bay. AOK

.1245. Stopped at Bk Rock for prep.

.1310 Cleared fuel dock. 130ltr Pt / 120 Stbd.£300

.1315 Docked in home berth. John & Sue meet us. Joined by Malcolm & Jay for small party.

Welcomed also by swans and Wellington flypast!, Engines 935, showing 50 litres per hr at 2700 rpm.

 

The welcome home flypast

 

 

A great holiday!