Crew: Lynda and Julian Thornley
Saturday
After several evenings passage planning, a weekend working
on the boat and numerous calls, trips to chandlers for charts the weekend finally
arrived. Work was finally brought to an end and we set off on the Friday
evening for Meltem and the Scheldt Delta. It had taken some time to sort the boat out, which wasn't finished until Midnight and had been marred by the discovery that the fitters had
really “fixed” the fridge; it would only work under engine power. In the
morning after a good breakfast we had sorted out the inevitable odds and ends so were able to leave at 11am, only one hour behind plan. The
weather was sunny and not very windy so motoring at 6kn would still get us
through the Looe channel at slack water.
We went down the
solent and were surprised to have a good sail from the forts until well past
the Looe channel. We had then good fortune to see the QE2 close up as we passed by the Nab Tower. In good humour we
followed the coast past Brighton, past muddy Newhaven, had dinner off Beachy
Head and then headed in towards Rye Bay. The light from the lighthouse made
peculiar patterns on the cliff – as if a child was playing with a torch and
reminiscent of the Fastnet Light.
The lights of the promenade at Eastbourne
went on forever, flashing on and off as if they were part of some huge Son et
Lumiere until they dropped below the dipping horizon. The approach to Dungeness
took ages as the tide had turned but there was one thing of interest – the
Royal Sovereign Light platform, quite a structure, which we passed on the
seaward side to avoid the shoals. The plan, initiated by Alistair Davidson
(RsrnYC Commodore), was to follow the slack water up channel and avoid much of
the adverse tide. This worked to a point but not as well as we would have
wished with the result that the skipper only had 2 hours down below that night.
Sunday
Eventually, after a few more watches we plodded our way
towards Dover watching Folkestone creep past. Being behind schedule by then decided to cross the Channel earlier, as soon as the Varne lightship was abeam.
The Traffic was really busy in the early morning so we had to duck under the stern of at least
three ships on the line between Dover and Calais crossing the separation zone
at right angles.
Then, right in the
middle of the separation zone, it happened, the engine stopped just as if it
had seized. I checked it out and was relieved to find that it worked in
neutral; it had to be a fouled propeller. Our situation was not good with a
light southeasterly so the sailing alternatives were tacking to Calais or dead
downwind to Dover though the busiest stretch of water in Europe. The only real
options were to clear the prop or call the coastguard so overboard went the
skipper, bread knife at the ready. A mass of blue polypropylene rope and orange
fishing net was amassed round the prop in a tight ball. No wonder it stopped
with such a jolt, it must have been floating just below the surface.
After
quite a few dives there was quite a substantial v shape cut out of the ball but
it was slow work. This was interrupted by cries from above – a big ferry was
bearing down and making no attempt to avoid a collision. We reached off out of
harms way just in time amidst lots of curses, how uncooperative!! The skipper
was then found to be in a mild state of hypothermia and shaking uncontrollably; fortunately the engine worked and started to drive us forward fitfully as the
cutter chopped through the remaining rope. The crew motored Meltem on towards
the coast arguing about the right way of flying the courtesy flag whilst the
skipper got warmed up again. Calais is not the most attractive of seascapes, in fact in
the grey weather it was rather depressing but not as bad as Dunkirk where the
blast furnaces are right on the edge of the sea. Amazingly there were some
people playing on what might have been called a beach but looked more like a
mass of discarded ash. We soon passed the port entrance (est) and saw the more
attractive side, a very chic seaside town and a total contrast to the
industrial area.
Continuing onwards we soon found the Pass de Zydecote and
headed offshore to miss the banks that dry out. Time was getting tight and we
cut the corner where we thought it was safe by a green buoy that should have
been well out in deep water. Soon we were close to an unusual yellow and black
buoy with a cross on top and another in view with what seemed like an aerial on
top. A quick look at the chart confirmed the worst – we had missed a mark and
had cut the corner over a wreck in steeply shoaling water. The crew were
closely watching the echo sounder by this time and were urging a move towards
deeper water. Fortunately this was nearby – still a near scrape however!
From then onwards we had a brilliant sail, just off the
wind all the way to Oostend. By this time the crew were getting a bit grumpy as
the trip was eating into the evening which had been reserved for other things
like meals and drinks. Even the beaches were becoming deserted, it appeared
that the Belgians knew how to live. We counted the towns as we passed resisting
the temptation to put into Niewport. What did they do in these resorts – all
densely packed tower blocks. Maybe it was just to have a sea view, the sands
were wonderful with mile after mile of dunes and beaches.
Finally Ostend
appeared on the skyline - or rather another set of tower blocks became visible.
Soon we were at the entrance and glad to be almost there but were greeted with
three red lights and a ferry taking up most of the channel. Entering a little
later we found the Montgomery dock jam full and went onto the Royal Yacht Club
of Oostend where the friendly harbourmaster soon had us securely tied up. After a shower, a quick drink and a meal in the bar we slept
most soundly. The total distance was 191.3 miles with an elapsed time of 33.5
hours including the drift off Dover, overall a very satisfactory cruise.
Monday
Having reached our goal
of Oostend we decided on a lay day and a visit to Brugge. This started rather
slowly with a trip to the few shops close by for money, croissants and some
cheese. It was a great feeling to have arrived on the continent in a country
other than France. The difference was really noticeable, the trams, cycle
tracks, friendly people who understood English, scruffy bars and pommes frites.
Eventually we walked down to the station and caught the
train to Brugges which was less than an hour away. Heading for the centre we
bought a guide and had lunch in an open-air café soaking up the atmosphere and
working out what we could see in in a few hours. Brugge is remarkable, full of
wonderful buildings, a really pleasant place to be even if the number of
tourists did take the edge off a bit. It was interesting to see them pass by –
from the attractive and the chic to ugly trippers, with too many loud
Americans.
It rained on and off as we made our way to the Belfry where
the view was mainly of the countryside, then the Basilica of the Holy Blood.
This was magnificent, an early stone chapel below a much larger one with a
staircase between them of grand proportions. The main square was reminiscent of
Brussels but the canals were unique. Like Venice but in a central European,
medieval setting not unlike parts of Oxford and Cambridge except that the water
is more intimate and the red bricked buildings are much smaller although more
ornate.
Reluctantly we returned to the station and walked straight
onto a return train. The magic was broken; we were back on the continent.
Returning by tram was a bit of a challenge as we were not sure where to get off
but eventually we got back where we had a relaxing evening at the Yacht club
followed by a meal on board.
Tuesday
The day started with representatives of the General Stores
Company arriving with our duty free spirits and beer. It took five people in
total to make the delivery and collect the money; we felt really well looked after and
very important loading ships stores in such a manner. Breakfast was a mighty
plate of mushrooms on toast taken at a leisurely pace, there was no point in
leaving early as it would mean plugging the tide. We finally left just after
ten and found that the owners of the Storm 33 “Jade”, who were also bound for Middlebourg, had left
much earlier at about 8 am. After a short wait for the flashing yellow light
warning of shipping activity to finish we were off and cleared the harbour. A
veritable flotilla suddenly emerged from the Montgomery dock as we passed, they were to accompany us all the way to Flushing.
The wind was light and directly astern, but the crew didn't
fancy putting up the spinnaker so it was motoring. It was slow at first either in a
back eddy or plugging the tide until we cleared Zeebrugge where our speed
increased from 4 to 7kn over the ground. So before we could finish a cup of coffee
we were in Breskens. Mention must be made here of the poor correlation between
the marks on the new Admiralty charts and those on the water. There were
several cardinals not marked on the chart and the “red” buoys were orange!
Flushing Roads lived up
to its reputation for being busy and having strong tides. There were countless
yachts as well as a constant flow of big ships in and out. The tide just added
a bit of interest at times! After a few tight moments we were off the lock
leading into Flushing which opened in a few minutes – an unusual stroke of
luck. On entering we found “Jade” closely followed by a big motor cruiser
pushing it's way in. This boat got its just deserves when they realised that we
couldn’t stop or even go forward as there was still a mass of rope
on the prop! Chaos ensued for a while and with much noise from his bow
thrusters he moved away. Earlier the speed had been suspiciously reduced, we
were only able to make just over 5kn and after a lot of jiggling in forward and
reverse a big mass of net and bright blue rope was thrown off – probably a
danger to others but there was not a lot we could do as we had to move along promptly.
Within minutes we experienced our first wait for a lifting
bridge, fortunately not long this time. After that the canal was dead straight
and to our eyes really attractive and different – lots of wildlife, people
cycling and green countryside. Soon enough the spires of Middleburge were in
sight and after a short pause before the two final bridges opened we had
arrived. The entrance to the harbour was a bit frantic but this was soon made and
we ended up alongside a Cromerty 36 owned by a very jolly and helpful chap who
was called skipper by the crew all the time. The harbour was charming – an old
ship building dock with rows of houses either side reminiscent of Bucklers Hard
but much larger. All the houses, bridges and brickwork were really neat. Too
neat it transpired as the whole town had ben rebuilt after being bombed in the
Second World War. We had a quick meal and retired to a very attractive club for
drinks overlooking the harbour before returning to hit the sack.
Wednesday
Our neighbour wanted to
catch the 09:30 bridge opening and the Belgian couple outside us were fully
cooperative. It was us that nearly caused a delay as the engine was reluctant
to start and when the throttle was pushed forward it only slightly increased
the speed. We let them go and got back to the dockside to clean the fuel lines
and filter. The glass filter had very little sediment, the pump seemed ok but
the main filter was only 30% full of fuel – no wonder the engine had little
power! Suspecting the fuel pump we sought a new diaphragm from the chandlery. Naturally they didn’t have one but put us in touch with a mechanic at Veere who was able
to come to see us that evening. We wanted to move across to a box mooring that
the harbourmaster had suggested and had just become available, this would
ensure we could get out easily later – or so we thought! It turned out to have
posts just 11 ft 3ins wide and Meltem was 11ft 7ins so we got firmly stuck
having approached with some momentum. Some helpful Dutch people saved the day
by helping to pull us in, at the same time claiming that Meltem had eaten too
many of the good Dutch potatoes. The crew had had a minor tantrum over this,
which was soon resolved by a bit of retail therapy and a coffee in a rather
smart brassiere.
The rest of the afternoon was spent doing various chores
whilst waiting for the mechanic,
The evening turned out to be a real high point – we made a
good choice of going back to the brassiere we had visited earlier and had a
“repas formidable” as a French customer described it. This was an excellent
three course meal with good wine and really friendly service – all for £20 per
person. The waiters were all ex-navy and had a sincere interest in sailing as
well as being very pro British, as most of the Dutch seem to be. The ambiance
was exceptional – out in the open overlooking the market square but protected
from the elements and kept warm by a heater – bliss! No tourists just a
succession of local people such as an elderly couple and their daughter having
an ice cream after a cycle ride, a perfect evening.
Thursday
The day started well and stayed that way, everyone was
happy. Breakfast was delicious fresh bread and a sort of iced current bun
called Koffee Kake bought from a man on his bike who set up shop nearby.
Middleburge was a particularly attractive place with expansive old docks
surrounded by town houses and lots of trees, it was a wonderful place to have
breakfast.
The next priority was to visit the market and get provisions
in for the next few days whilst exploring the town. After lots of discussion it
was agreed that we should leave Veere
the following Tuesday and return via Niewport, Bologne and Eastbourne
allowing one lay day for bad weather. This meant that we had only five nights
to explore the Schelde delta. Top of the list in priorities were Goes, Veere,
Zirksea then Gravlingmere plus a night
on the Versemeer. Knowing that we would not leave until the afternoon we
settled on the next night on an island then a circular route ending at Goes.
After all this planning
we set out to explore the town going to the top of the church tower ( Long
John!) containing many bells and the source of the musical accompaniment we had
grown accustomed to hearing every hour. Next was the Stadhus, a rather
magnificent town hall. Our guide was a portly woman who, after a while,
apologised profusely for the way she treated us and for explaining everything in
Dutch – she thought we were German! From the outside it looked like something
out of a fairytale but from the inside it was clear that it was all newly
reconstructed although the immense number of antiques brought it to life. From
the wedding room to the banqueting Hall all was solid stone finished impeccably
and built to impress.
The market was a true market with haberdashery, hardware
and clothes stalls as well as food. The fish was remarkable – great piles of
smoked mackerel, eels and more usual fresh fish. Laden with food and a few
presents we laboured back to the chandlery to buy a memento for the boat, one
of the brass table lamps that were so popular and would light out dinner table
from then on.
After lunch we set off, getting out of the box mooring was
less traumatic than entering, we sprang one post away using a handy billy tied
to its neighbour, which enabled us to slip out with the minimum of manhandling.
The canal and locks were really busy, a real haven of water sports and
reminiscent of Lake Windermere; we were touched when the Chandler came out of
his shop to wish us well as we passed by. We were soon clear of Veere and not
wanting to go too far we stopped at the first of many attractive islands,
Arneplat. This was very small with a little landing stage and crowded with an
assortment of exclusively Dutch boats. We moored alongside a Feeling 37 owned
by a friendly couple who joined us for a brandy later where we found out that
they had just returned from a three week trip to the Channel Islands. The
evening was blissful – quiet and sunny over golden beaches with a light blue
sky gradually darkening until Venus started to show and then, eventually a host
of stars. We felt very much into the Dutch way of life as we supped our brandy,
smoked cigars and put the world to right.Friday
At 6:30 am the anchorage
was absolutely silent and bathed in a delicate light making everything a range
of misty pastel shades. Later when the sun had risen and it was getting warmer
we had a refreshing swim, partly to check out the prop but also to experience
the clean, clear water. Minimal exercise but a great start to the day – as good
as a shower, the water was that clean. After breakfast we reluctantly left for
Zirksea on the Oosterschelde.
The journey through the Versemeer was interesting
enough but it was very flat and after the islands less interesting. It didn’t
take long to arrive a the entrance of the lock leading out of the fresh water
Versemeer into the salt water Oosterschelde where it was chaos. Everyone was
acting as if it were a zoo breakout, no organisation, just pushing and shoving to make
sure they got into the lock without a care for anyone else. What had happened
to Dutch manners or order? Fortunately we got out without any damage but there
had been many close scrapes. Although the wind was building it was right on the
nose so hopes of a sail dropped and we motored on towards a bridge we had to pass
before entering Zirksea. This stated that the minimum hight was 12.2m – we'd been informed that it was 14+. However Meltem needed 15m, so we had to wait for a while as we
After clearing a bend we could see a wharf and the town. We ended up rafted four boats out with yet another outside us – very friendly, but not a problem as there was hardly any wind and no tide.
The wharf was pretty enough with a few cafes and the way to
the town was through an old fortified gate which led to the most magnificent
enclosed pool, the original harbour. Surrounded by a variety of equally
interesting houses and holding and holding a collection of old Dutch sailing
barges it was classic picture postcard stuff. The barges were colourful and a
graphic reminder of the past importance of these once important North Sea
Ports. The rest of the town was interesting enough but could not match the
perfect setting of the harbour and were al rather more commercial.
Saturday
The first chore was re-provisioning, with gas, fresh food and
water. Nearby was a traditional chandlery reminiscent of past times where we
were able to obtain some proper, heavy black buckets that could be used to
raise water onto the deck with ease. Needing to move on we reluctantly motored
on into the Gravelingemere and back to the Oosterschelde. This was not
difficult as it was well buoyed and the charts were excellent, straightforward
pilotage. The sluice into the Gravelingemere we took this time was smaller and
the waiting boats much better behaved so it was not an unpleasant experience as
the day before, it just took a long time.
It was difficult to see the islands that were such a part of
the Gravelingemere when we first entered it as they are all at the other end.
The effect of the earths curvature was very evident as yachts in the middle
distance seemed to be well up the trees on the far side and it was not possible
to see the beaches. Approaching the islands it soon became clear that there
were going to be few opportunities to moor a 1.7m draft yacht and if we took
them we would be locked in by late arrivals so we decide to go into Bruishaven.
There is a big harbour office overlooking the marina and harbour where we found
we could use a fine box mooring, complete with power. Not as good as an island
but more convenient and easier to move onwards the next day.
The town encompasses the harbour as is typical here and was
really pretty although very quiet for a Saturday, everyone appeared to be out
on the water somewhere else. It was a good place to have some specialities,
herrings and ice cream to go with dinner.
Sunday
We had planned to leave
early but the best we could achieve was 10am after bacon sandwiches and a chat
over coffee. Motoring down to the lock again was a bit of a chore, it was a
shame there was not time to sail. We saw Flying Scotsman ( another Storm ) now
flying a Belgian Flag so we assumed it had been sold by its former owner who
had moved to Holland. Eventually the wind picked up and we could sail for some
of the time as we retraced our steps; all very frustrating, as soon as we got
going under sail the wind would drop.
Motoring through the channel between the banks of the Oosterscheld was
interesting – much of it was dried out at that time, definitely something to be
avoided.
There was little delay in negotiating the lock leading to
the short canal leading to Goes which was as straight as a roman road and lined
with trees, all very scenic and a contrast to the modern windmills we had seen
earlier. As it was Sunday it was full of people picnicking, sunbathing and
messing about in the water, many waved as we passed. The bridge entering Goes
was very different from the lock, Sunday hours meant a wait of one and a half
hours, and lots of reading time in the hot sun. We chose not to enter the neat
little marina which was very picturesque, lots of well tended lawn, marine
artefacts all in a seemingly jumbled to together in a haphazard but very pretty
manner.
We later found that the main
landmark, an imitation lighthouse was built to hide the harbourmasters loo! The main quay in the town was a stunning place to moor, we
were able to have a berth right in front of some of the best restaurants and
very impressive buildings, including the “sanitary” which was a fine example of
traditional architecture. Sitting in the middle of this vista was a real
privilege, which we enjoyed, accompanied by a few kirs before moving on to
dining in style at the restaurant nearby. We felt the subject of the many
diner’s views and rather superior stepping ashore to eat rather than driving.
Monday
It was prudent to wait
for the 11am lock opening so there was no rush in the morning, with plenty of time to enjoy the situation and the perfect weather. The bright
sunlight from the opposite direction gave the harbour a totally different feel
with the restaurants in shadow. The hotel at the end, which we had missed in
the shadows, lit brilliantly in the sunlight. Enjoying a wonderful breakfast of fresh croissants
we could hardly believe where we were.
Passing through the bridges and the lock at the end of the
short canal wasn't difficult. It was then only a short distance to the big
sea lock back into the Versemeer. This time it was a long wait as there were
problems with the bridge mechanism, however the operators were very helpful and kept
us informed on the VHF. When we eventually negotiated the lock it was still not
too crowded and civilised by comparison to the former transit.
Heading out into the Versemere we put the sails up and had a
fine sail in a favourable force 3-4 breeze, one of the few times there was
enough wind to make satisfactory progress.
The islands opposite Veere were quite crowded and the North
Bank packed with holiday homes. It became obvious that this wonderful area for
water sports was enjoyed by a great many people. All very friendly but had turned a delightful, natural area into a highly developed almost urban coastline.
Such a contrast to the Gravelingemere which was much more open and less
crowded.
We entered Veere Harbour and tied up alongside a Dutch boat
at the end of the quay. Looking up through the main hatch we could see the bell
tower and some of the wonderful old buildings of Veere. It’s a lovely place,
perhaps a bit touristy but still attractive. The Stadhus is magnificent,
especially the interior where the ground floor is like a wooden court room
where the parliament was held, it was easy to imagine what debates were like in
past times. Immediately outside in the main high street there was an oval
garden, which, with the lack of traffic, had a natural, open feeling. A great
advantage of the town is that it fronts the Versemere having a fine quay with
many traditional boats providing lots of interest. Once more it was easy to imagine
what it had been like as a trading and fishing port open to the North Sea. A relic
of this time is the Scotch house, a fine old building, now a museum overlooking
the harbour. Having just about run out of Dutch money we returned to eat on
board and retire early which was just as well as sleep was not easy with the
bells sounding every half hour throughout the night.
Tuesday
With some real sadness
we left promptly at 7:30, the Dutch people rafted alongside us being very
cooperative and available on the dot as agreed the night before. We called the
lock keeper on the radio and were able to go straight through as he opened the
gates just for us. The next stretch of canal is dead straight and ideal for a
compass check, the port was 2 degrees out and the starboard over read by 6
degrees. All went well until we reached Middleburg where we were delayed, the bridge should have
We crossed the Westerscheld directly heading for Breskens
and cutting the TSS at right angles, once in Flushing Roads we could head
directly for Zeebrugge along the coast. Not many ships this time just a small
flotilla of boats heading the same way to keep us company. Not enough wind to maintain passage speed so
we motored all the way past the huge harbour of Zeebrugge, Blankenburge,
finally Oostende and then on to Niewport.
Soon after passing Oostende the wind got up to a solid force
5 on the nose as forecast. This made it all rather unpleasant for the last hour
or two, the crew made their feelings known! Eventually we arrived off the pier
and got the sails down but not able to enter as some ribs were rescuing
dinghies in trouble. The channel was a welcome change as it was relatively calm
after the lumpy sea outside and fortunately it didn’t take long to get up to the western
marina were we refuelled then berthed.
The forecast was a Force 6+ from the south west which would
be very unpleasant so we ate on board. Anticipating a lay day ahead we went to
the fine yacht club adjacent to us, KYCN. First we sat with a really charming
Dutch family who formally shook hands when they left. We then got into the
company of three English people who were on the “Elizabeth Keel”, one of the
boats that accompanied us from Middleburg. They came from Queensborough on the
Island of Sheppy and had a refreshing down to earth attitude, which led to the
downing of many of the excellent Trappist beers; those monks know how to make
strong beer!!
Wednesday
We had to resolve to get
up in the morning and walk into the town for some money and croissants. Lots of
wonderful fish shops close by, piled high with every type of fish imaginable
all looking very fresh. It seemed that everyone in Niewport must eat fish there
was so much.
Returning to Meltem we found a policeman in the cockpit
trying to fill out forms with Lynda frantically trying to find passports. He
was very emphatic about the importance of the Schengen agreement and how
essential it was to complete all the bureaucratic necessities then added that
most people didn’t in practice but they couldn’t do anything about it. He
chatted for ages before going off for his lunch at his favourite bar which he
tried to persuade us to use. Having got rid of him we were able to get off and
explore the pier then a tram ride. They were excellent, running along special
tracks leaving the traffic standing; what a
way to travel - fast, convenient and environmentally friendly!
In Oosend we found more than a bank – the Mercator, a 1930’s
sail training ship in great shape. It had a very full rig, an iron hull and was
locked in a time warp of 1960 when it was last in commission. Wonderful
interior, lots of mahogany and brass and a complete complement of original
fittings – a real high point. Life on board would have been one of extremes,
the officers had a wonderful lifestyle but the cadets would have had a very
tough time.
Thursday
Fired up after our lay day we were raring to go, hoping the
sea had moderated. Fortunately conditions were much better and we had a very comfortable
sail down as far as Dunkerque back through the pass de Zydecote and passing all
the “villages”. Dunkerque was as grim as
ever but we were soon clear and on our way to Calais intending to go round to
Boulogne. Suddenly the wind got up and the sea state rapidly deteriorated; we
struggled up to the outskirts of Calais in quite difficult seas, close hauled.
Boulogne lost its attractiveness and we chose to crack off towards Dover which
was a much more favourable point of sailing and avoided the worst of the winds
along the coast. We also were rather concerned about the unsettled nature of
the weather and would prefer to be on the English side of the channel were we
always had an easy option of returning home.
This decision was a
popular one – very soon the sea flattened out and we were tearing across the
shipping lanes at high speed. Dover soon came up and was quite a challenge to
enter as it was a time of peak activity. When we arrived the airwaves were full
of calls to ferries either leaving or arriving. We waited patiently for a
hovercraft to leave and before we could call Port Control the harbour launch
came out to escort us in telling control they “had a Yacht that was not a
problem”. They took us up to the lock, which opened after a short wait, and we
were soon berthed very efficiently in the main marina. This was excellent as
there were a number of new berths with splendid facilities.
After a shower and meal on board we visited the Cinque Ports
Yacht Club – a delightful Edwardian building largely filled with Dutch visitors
– very enjoyable.
Friday
Catching the 0830 lock opening we obtained permission to leave by
the west entrance from Port Control and cleared the harbour. We went on past
Folkstone then headed into Rye bay to cheat the tide. Here we were met by the
range safety launch who instructed us to call on channel 74 where they
suggested we did not continue but stayed out in the tide as it was highly
dangerous. We cooperated! The direct route to Dungness to ages to pass – there
was a “double spit” and very unfavourable tides.
Once clear we could head
inshore towards Eastbourne in the distance, a slog and no sign of the marina
until we were right on top of it. The lock was very new and efficient as was
the rest of the marina. We were soon moored up in a good berth and surrounded
by Dutch and Belgians – this was obviously the place to stop off on the UK
trail. At that time it was very undeveloped but when complete it will probably
end up like Port Solent being on the fringes of some major developments out of
town. The only facilities for eating and drinking were clearly aimed at local
needs – that evening it was a karaoke session in the disco down below at the
only place, a lighthip. There was a “pub” between decks and a “brasserie” on
top. What our continental visitors thought of this, heaven only knows.
Saturday
We woke to an iffy forecast – force 5-6 south then veering
SW with lots of rain, not encouraging. We decided to get at least as far as Brighton, come what
may, as that would be our only chance of getting back to the Hamble by the end
of the weekend. Leaving the dock we saw several Dutch boats that had left
earlier returning – not a good sign!
Being made of sterner stuff we motored out into the bay in poor visibility due
to the rain. It took an age but we did clear Beachy Head having motor sailed
into the wind and were hoping for a fast reach along the coast to Selsey. No
chance! – The wind was already in the SW so hard on the wind, clearing Selsey would require many tacks.
Crossing the bay was yet another slog without any other
yachts for company; they knew better. We passed the various resorts one by one,
first Newhaven, then Brighton, Shoreham, Worthing, Littlehampton and finally a
crawl past Bognor Regis. Entering the Looe channel was a bit fraught but the
sea had flattened and there were a few sails around to show the way. We crawled
up to the beacon marking the start of the channel but the tide was against us
and progress was slow. We put the engine on to motor sail but at full revs it
started to falter – still fuel problems!! After making it through we were
rewarded with a fine reach across the wind to Chichester Spit. If only it had
stayed in the south – the whole trip would have been like that!
Unfortunately Sparkes Marina was full so we had to make our
way up to Northney, which was not well marked, and in our tired state we went
aground before checking the charts more carefully. This time there was plenty
of room and so the wishes of the crew were fulfilled – a hot shower. Even
better the “Harbour Bar” proved to have splendid food, fresh fish at very
reasonable prices. The swordfish and chips was just what was called for and
after a few drinks the worst aspects of the trip were behind us. The journey
had taken nearly 12 hours, and we had logged 75 miles. All this for a journey
that was only 55 miles by the direct route.
Sunday
All good things must come to an end and this was the last
day of the holiday and the end of quite an adventure. We set off in the now
familiar iffy weather motoring out to the West Pole beacon where we could
crack off and have a fast sail westwards in the southerly wind. The sea was
lumpy and it was raining but the first favourable wind for days made all the
difference. We raced along at over 6 knots through the dolphins and past
Gilkicker where we had lunch and back to Hamble.
It had been a great holiday, 575 miles in total and all
objectives met. Definitely quite ambitious for a two week holiday but we did it
and felt a solid sense of achievement having really made the most of our two
weeks.
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