A Weekend Sail To Weymouth

      Crew:  Martin & Grant Richmond-Coggan

 

Friday

Arriving in good time we caught the boat service to Alize on a wonderful sunny evening with very few people about at Ginns Farm. Alize was soon moved onto the pontoon where we were on our own; the peaceful silence only broken occasionally by birdcalls. In the dying rays of the evening sunlight we checked the boat over and stowed our provisions. This weekend had been carefully chosen to allow us to get to Weymouth with a morning of west going tide and return with the east going tide in the afternoon the following day. The forecast was for North Easterlies, 3-4 going north on Sunday, we fully expected to get there and back over the weekend. Having made our preparations we retired to the clubhouse for a few drinks and a fortifying dinner.

Saturday

At 4am we were up and keen to get off in order to catch as much of the tide as possible. It was a fairly easy trip south down the river, although quite dark, as the half moon spelling out Neap tides had set. Once passed the sharp turn in the river heading east we saw an amazing number of yachts at anchor, all carrying the traditional hurricane lamp in the rigging instead of the usual electric anchor light. We soon realised it was a Cruising Club Rally.

Clearing the river took some care as the light at the entrance was still out of commission but after remembering to pass the inshore port channel marker and using the millennium light we were soon out into the Solent. Here it was difficult to find our bearings until we realised that the ominous dark patches were very localised areas of mist that were quite disorienting, At one stage we could see Yarmouth and Hurst clearly, but not Lymington, amongst many other lights on the northern coastline.

There was sufficient breeze to get the sails up so we ghosted down with the tide in the darkness to Hurst only making a couple of knots through the water but over five over the ground. Unfortunately at Hurst we had to put the engine on as the wind went dead astern after the slight change of course. We progressed on swiftly so by 7am when dawn had broken we were off the Needles in clear daylight. Here we could change course for St Albans Head which was a more favourable point of sailing, more importantly the wind strengthened, allowing a brisk sail although the sea had become moderately rough. 

In another two hours we were past Anvil Point making a steady 5 knots under full sail in 15 kns of wind. We took the inshore route to avoid the race off St Albans Head but found there was hardly any disturbance at all, only a little to the west in the direction of the tide. Chapmans Pool was just around the corner providing excellent shelter in a Northerly or easterly; we had plenty of time so this was an opportunity not to be missed. Hardening up around the rocky headland we kept close inshore until we saw the little bay a mile to the north, being quite small and surrounded by craggy hills it was not clear until quite close in. 

Having dropped the sails, we motored directly into the bay with the wind dead ahead watching the depth, which suddenly shoaled past the entrance enabling us to anchor in 3m of water right in the centre. All alone, this was an idyllic anchorage, reminiscent of Scotland and not at all typical of the South coast. We were surrounded by rough rocky hills with a deserted beach, it was a quiet, remote spot. The only signs of habitation was a fisherman’s cottage with a few small open boats outside; that is until we noticed a steady stream of walkers climbing over the hills like ants later on. For over an hour we were on our own in this idyllic spot until we finally decided to move on to Lulworth for lunch. 

With a tinge of sadness, the moment of peace was over, the anchor was raised only to find that it was fouled by a steel hawser. Fortunately a few minutes work with the grapnel and the winch it was off, allowing us to make our departure. Once seemingly clear of the bay we hoisted the sails and were away following the coastline westwards. Unfortunately a small rocky outcrop to the northwest was further out than expected and only the depth

alarm saved us from some real embarrassment. Once well off shore and clear of any hazards good progress was made towards Lulworth with the wind now on the starboard beam – a perfect broad reach in bright sunlight, brisk winds and a moderate sea. Following the coastline we past Kimmerage Bay with its unusual tower on the eastern side, then on past the excellent anchorages in Worbarrow bay and on to the narrow gap in the limestone where we could enter Lulworth Cove just in time for lunch at 1pm.

The little round bay was quite crowded despite being out of season. A Sigma 38 that had overtaken us had taken the prime spot so we settled down to anchor in three metres of water, closer to the entrance than ideal, but still well protected from the wind. The anchor winch makes life so much easier and is a real enticement to dropping the hook; anchoring twice in one morning would not have been a pleasure on any of the other boats we've sailed in!

The Cove had a delightful seaside feel to it even though it was out of season. The bright sunny day had invited lots of sunbathers and swimmers, the ice cream shop was doing brisk business and a big Rib had a steady stream of people wanting a trip around the headland to see Durdle Door. Following a rather civilised lunch with a glass of wine the tender was inflated and a quick trip ashore made to revive memories of earlier visits. Everywhere could be seen signs of the geological formations that had resulted in World Heritage site status being granted to this coastline; immediately in front of us was an amazing cliff with the soft strata exposed reaching out to the hard limestone of the barrier to the seas progress.

By the time we set out for the last eight miles along the coast to Weymouth the wind had dropped so we had to motor. In no time we were passing the RFA Fort George anchored in Weymouth Roads before entering the harbour itself, passing the fishermen on the pier and weaving amongst a small flotilla of boats going in and out. It seemed unusually busy, and for good reason – it was Weymouth Festival weekend. Up by the cove every boat was decorated overall, there was bunting all around, tents and lots of activity.

Despite this we had no difficulty in mooring alongside a motorboat rafted well out with a splendid view of the proceedings. Against the background music from several bands there were birdman contests, Gig races and raft races. The new lifeboat gave demonstrations of its equipment and was the centre of the proceedings, which was only fitting as it cost over £1m and they were trying to raise as much as possible to support it. In the evening we had dinner at Perrys, some excellent seafood was on the menu, which could not be missed. Returning to Alize we were just in time to see the extensive firework display which marked the end of the evening. A trawler had moored in the middle of the harbour off the Cove and set off a low level display which was followed by a second high altitude display set off from The Nothe, all very impressive and accompanied by many oohs and aahs from the crowd.

Sunday

Slightly apprehensive due the forecast of a NE force 4-5 wind we were anxious to get off on time at 6am. Unfortunately the Sigma we had seen earlier had moored outside us and although had said they wanted to leave at first light were a bit slow in departing. Nevertheless, we set off in reasonable time and motored out into Weymouth bay to find the wind, as forecast, on the nose. With a reef in the main and slightly shortened Yankee we made a steady 4kn across the bay in the general direction of St Albans Head but not able to make it on one tack. We sheeted in the sails as far as we could get them, but the best we could manage was 45 degrees off the wind which was between 15 and 20 Knots. Fortunately the sea was not that rough as it was blowing off the land, this allowed Alize to maintain a steady, if rather sedate, progress. After an hour and a half we were off Durdle Door where the Sigma 38 that had delayed its departure by a good half hour sped by, hard on the wind, much to our disgust. The only consolation was that they had new sails, the main alone cost £3000 and needed a full crew to manage it.

By 11am we had reached St Albans Head and were struggling through a surprising amount of rough water close inshore where the passage was meant to be; offshore it all looked calm! Hard on the wind we retraced our steps past the cliffs riddled with caves to Anvil Point and the pretty white Lighthouse. Here the grey sky’s had cleared and once again we were in bright sunshine, which always makes the most difficult of sails easier to undertake. Reaching Poole Bay the sea state changed, now there was some real fetch and the seas showed it, becoming moderately rough. One long tack took us south of Needles fairway in what was now an increasingly favourable tide; here faced with a headwind all the way up the channel and anxious to get back in time for the boat service we took the only option and motored. If only we had good upwind sails! After several crossing situations with “Creightons” one of the Chay Blythe round the world yachts we were passing Alum bay, heading into Hurst and more sheltered water.

Following a spot of lunch we were going through the narrows where the water was disturbed due to the tide, now at full flow. Avoiding the ferries we made our way past the many yachts out for the weekend back to the entrance of the Beaulieu River, where we passed a few of the Cruising Club members still at anchor. Back at the mooring there was a minor problem, Vagabond, a neighbouring yacht had taken our place. Fortunately this was soon resolved with Roy, the boatman’s who assistanced, moving her back into her rightful place so that we could moor just after 5pm.

The trip back had taken over ten hours and covered 49 miles through the water against the 41 miles the previous day including several diversions which took less than eight hours. Overall pretty close to plan and a very satisfying sail.

A Sunny Weekend In Cherbourg With A Sting In It's Tail

Crew: Lynda, John & Wendy Trundle 

     
                                                                                                         

 Friday

The passage plan was to set off for Cherbourg at around midnight when the tide was just turning westwards so we could go via the Needles, arriving in Cherbourg soon after lunchtime. This would allow us to spend the afternoon and most of the next day there. We would leave at about 7pm on the Sunday for another night sail back arriving just as the tide was turning eastwards enabling us to go through Hurst, have breakfast in Keyhaven and lunch on the Beaulieu River. The weather forecast was supportive of this plan with a prediction of a Northerly force 1-2 to get us there and a westerly force 1-2 to get us back; not exciting but promising a relaxing weekend. There was a high-pressure ridge over the UK that was expected to provide cloudy, showery conditions and very little wind anywhere. So much for forecasts, so much for plans.

To start off things went remarkably well, the traffic was quite light and we were able to get down to Alize in good time for Roy, the Boatman, to take us to our mooring. Unusually the pontoon was also relatively free so we were able to moor up whilst we got prepared and waited for John & Wendy, quite a luxury. It was a perfect evening, sunny and warm, with time in hand after sorting everything out. We relaxed, read and watched the sunset with a glass of wine. John and Wendy arrived a little later on in good time for the now traditional preparation for an overnight sail, a dinner of Ocean Pie with sliced beans.

We left at 11:30pm with bright moonlight to help us follow the line of moored yachts down the river. The green light on the pile just before the river turns sharply east was clearly visible from some way off, on completing the turn we could then make out the cluster of channel markers around the river entrance with ease and had an clear sense of direction past the silent yachts at anchor. The entrance needed a bit of care to ensure we followed the channel inland around an unlit marker before turning to starboard and heading out into the Solent. 

We then found it a bit disconcerting, there did not appear to be a light at the entrance. This turned out to be the case, as on leaving, we left we saw the light flickering on and off quite ineffectually. The new millennium light then came into its own guiding us straight down the middle of the channel with its white sector. Leaving the River was not that difficult at high tide and in good moonlight but would need real care in more marginal conditions. Once clear in deep water at the end of the channel by the racing mark, we headed south west down the Solent to the first waypoint at Sconce point. The off watch (John and Lynda) then headed down below.

Saturday

There wasn't a lot of wind but enough to get the sails and the hull moving so with both the Yankee and staysail up we switched the engine off and glided down past Newtown River to Yarmouth and Hurst. The tide made up for our somewhat pedestrian pace, however when we got close to Yarmouth the wind strengthened allowing us to have a wonderful sail for at least part of the trip. The bright light from the full moon meant spring tides, just about at their maximum, which has, as always, mixed blessings; it helped at this time but not always.  The tide flushed us down to the Needles channel quickly so we had to follow the markers taking care especially when we went past the west cardinal marking the Needles. This was just as well as the we were set westward quite strongly by the tide and had difficulty making the last red channel marker and the end of the Shingles Bank. Once clear, we headed cross channel on 185 degrees, our calculated course for Cherbourg. 

By bearing off the wind our boat speed dropped to 2kn and with 56 miles to go we accepted the inevitable and put the engine on. Much sooner than expected the 3am watch change was upon us which proved to be quite uneventful, very little shipping but a splendid sunrise. Another watch change at 6am took us to the separation zone which was a little more exciting as we had to track several ships that were close to a collision course but fortunately we didn’t have to make any course changes in the end. The electronic bearing line facility on the radar proved really useful, allowing very accurate tracking of targets and hence a clear understanding of what they were doing. With the 9am watch change we had breakfast – bacon and tomato sandwiches, just the job. 

With the brightest sunshine at  midday  we were off Cherbourg with the fort and Outer Rade clearly visible beneath the hills and cliffs. As usual the last few miles seemed to take and age, but we made it a bit easier by having lunch. After an hour and a half  we were in the Port de Plaisance searching for a mooring amongst the crowded pontoons with several other yachts competing for spaces. Seeing a French yacht leaving the Q visitors pontoon we took out chance and headed down between the rows of yachts. At the last minute we saw the space that had just been vacated and with a burst of activity on the bow thruster we made it into the berth at the first attempt. This wonderful device had revolutionised tight manoeuvring with such a long keel, we couldn’t have contemplated such a move without it.

The weather was perfect, brilliant blue skys and bright sunshine and a refreshing breeze; we congratulated ourselves on choosing to go south assuming that the weather was better away from the UK where rain had been forecast. We wanted to spend the afternoon in the town and celebrate being in France so after paying for the berth at the Capitainarie we headed to the town centre. We took the route past the statue of Napoleon on his horse and through the Place de la Republique with its modern but poignant memorial to the resistance fighters. After getting a few essential and some non-essential supplies we stopped off in the Place de Theatre to watch the world go by. The market was just about finished with only a few maroquiniers left selling their cheap leather goods but the Theatre and its rather grand café makes it a smart place to be. Sitting out on the pavement under the blinds in the bright

sunlight with a cold drink was both relaxing and amusing. The various groups of local people all seemed to know each other well, with lots of hugs and kisses followed by animated chatter. Young and old they all smoked a lot, drank little and talked incessantly. After returning to Alize we had a pleasant couple of hours in the warm sunshine before getting ready for the principle purpose of the trip – dinner at the Café de Paris! This was not a disappointment, the food was excellent and we had a marvellous evening. Lots of seafood, plat de fruit de mare, Soupe de poisson, crevettes, St Pierre and runny cheeses. The only thing lacking was the atmosphere – Upstairs had become the place they put foreigners with round tables instead of the tightly packed lines of diners; English was the predominate language. Note to self, must insist on a downstairs table next time. By the time the meal was finished we were finished too so retired to our berths for a very sound nights sleep.

Sunday

The day started, as it should, with a trip to the excellent traditional patisserie in Rue. Fr. Lavielle for fresh croissants and a newspaper. At the Presse the proprietor assured me that the walk to the Musuem de la Liberation  at Fort du Roule was not that difficult and well worth the pain. The croissants are delicious and complemented by lots of fine coffee sitting out on deck in another day of perfect, bright sunny weather.

After a few chores were completed we set out for the town once more stopping off for a quick drink at the bar overlooking the harbour where we could not resist sharing a little moules frites; this was to be where we would meet up later for a late lunch. Our destination lay at the top of a cliff overlooking the harbour, which is reached by crossing the Pont Tiurnet and following the Bassin du commerce before passing the Jardin Public which leads to the entrance to the “Montee des Ressistance” a winding path up the hill. The proprietor was right, it was not difficult and the views well worth the climb. From the edge of the fort one could see across the town, over the whole port area, and right out to the Channel where the deep blue sea was dotted with the sails of the yachts coming and going or just meandering around. The museum was equally interesting – showing how Cherbourg was forced to capitulate, what it was like in the occupation, how the Germans systematically destroyed the port facilities, and how the Americans liberated it. High spots were the propaganda from the Vichy government “Women of France, it is your duty to encourage your husbands to work in Germany” and the ways the engineers got the port operational again very quickly and shipped in incredible amounts of material.

We returned via the Jardin Public, which was very municipal – smart flowerbeds, lots of shrubs, neat grass with winding paths and yes, a bandstand. This was no ordinary park there was an aviary, a pen with a goat, a duck pond and even a sea lion. The children seemed delighted with it all and the older residents seemed to take great pleasure in watching them. At the brassiere we had a light lunch at 4pm, just in time before they stopped serving which was a little annoying, as we had asked them if they stayed open and they said until 6pm – Typical! We then went back to the boat for a quiet hour before preparing to depart.  Earlier the forecast had changed from a westerly 1-2 to a north-westerly 3-4 so we took the trouble to check it again.  By the evening it had changed yet again to a Northerly 3-4 by night rising to force 5 on Monday. All a bit perturbing but in discussion with a neighbouring skipper we assumed it was the Met office adding a bit on to be cautious as it was a Bank Holiday.

At 7:30pm we started the engine, rather reluctantly left the marina, and headed out to sea. As soon as we had stowed the warps and fenders away, we were through the outer harbour and heading north through the eastern entrance. The wind was about 15kn as forecast but fortunately it was from the northeast allowing us to make our chosen course on one tack. The sails we soon up, trimmed and the engine off which was so pleasing compared with the noisy crossing we had earlier. In a moderate sea we were making good progress so the off watch went down below. A potentially troublesome ship, closing fast, caused a rather premature end to the off watch. By this time the wind had risen to a good force 5 and the sea state became quite rough, not surprisingly the off watch were not keen to go down below again. By 2pm the wind was a solid force 6, pretty constant at around 25kn so we were down to a main with a double reef and the staysail. In strict accordance with sods law the wind had not only strengthened but had backed and was quite close to North. The starboard tack was still favoured but with leeway, we were nowhere near the direct course we had made earlier. Of greater concern was the sea state, which had become quite rough, making movement around the boat difficult; fortunately the waves were reasonably long and quite regular which suits Alize. The long keel has great directional stability and the weight combined with the V shaped hull sections sliced through the waves rather than slammed on them as a flatter, more modern design such as Meltem would. She speeded up strongly down the backs of the larger waves then cut deeply into the following one with a gentle deceleration sending up great sheets of spray either side of the bow. The deep cockpit and smooth, deliberate motion gave a great sense of security.

The tide had taken us well to the east and was just turning when we started to encounter

significant amounts of shipping. Our course took us close to a 90-degree angle crossing the separation zones, first the east going then the west going one. Establishing the bearing of the many ships was not as easy as the earlier crossing. We didn't have a light on the binoculars to illuminate the compass; the radar was fine but a long way from the helm. Mental note: get a light before another night crossing! Once clear of the separation zones we were pleasantly surprised by  several ships making small changes of course to avoid us. This emphasised the need to maintain an accurate note of the way the bearing changed (or didn’t). Perhaps they took pity on us being thrown about in the middle of the Channel. Amongst all this admirable and courteous behaviour there is always an exception and after being forced to make a major change of course for a car transporter we watched, aghast, as it made a 180 degree turn and came back at us from the other direction! Fortunately during this time the automatic helm really came into its own; it held the boat on a very steady course without being disturbed by the largest of waves, better than the average person could manage. As there was not wind input it was limited in terms of its ability to make progress to windward but still gave welcome relief from long periods of helming. Mental note – get the wind input set up!

With the dawn and another bright sunny day spirits started to lift with the gloom, it’s amazing what an effect some bright sunshine has. With the daylight came the first views of land – England! Unfortunately as the trip was taking much longer and we had not been able to make a northerly course so were taken a long way west by the tide, which was just as well. By 8am we had hoped to be anchored in Keyhaven having breakfast; in the event we ended up 10 miles south of St Albans Head with a long way to go to get home. Despite this with a strong east going tide we were able to make Poole bay where the sea state started to moderate at long last and eventually the North Channel and Hurst by Midday. With the moderating seas appetites returned and mugs of hot chocolate revived sagging spirits.

Once back in the Solent it was difficult to remember what it had been like the night before, certainly there was still a brisk wind but with only the Solent chop and bright sunshine it was such a contrast to the conditions we had experienced during the night. Only our stinging eyes and salt encrusted faces reminded us of the sea that repeatedly threw great clouds of spray over the hood every time we struck a wave.

By mid afternoon we had recovered, had tidied things up and were having lunch securely tied up at the mooring off Ginns Farm once more. Although things had not gone according to plan as is often the case with sailing it had been quite an experience and reinforced confidence in the sea keeping qualities of Alize.

The passage to Cherbourg took 14 hours to cover 68 mile on the log, the return took 19 hours and we logged 90 miles. On returning home and downloading the current synoptic chart it was clear why our weather had differed from that predicted. A small low pressure system over the Baltic had become unexpectedly deeper and formed a front that had pushed up against the high pressure ridge over the UK causing the much stronger than forecast northerly airflow. Although the forecasts are getting much more accurate this was a reminder that the weather is still capable of springing a few surprises if you venture out of home waters.