A very healthy flotilla of 6 boats started out on the latest WSC cruise in company to the Solent. Merlot with Bill and Lorraine on board on a restricted time frame departed for Yarmouth a day before the main fleet. Then Saturday morning saw the departure of single-handers Murray on Dulcibella and David on Nutcracker along with Simon and Jill on Ojo, Mark and crew on Adelie and Annie and Ray on Crystella, also bound for Yarmouth.
Adelie was hardly out of the harbour when they had the misfortune of a snagged main halyard around the radar reflector up the front of the mast. Most of us have been there and what a pain it is to sort out! After much flicking and whip-lashing of the halyard, which doesn't have any effect above the spreaders, the more technically proven solution of hoisting a weight up and over the spreaders eventually cleared the halyard and the mainsail could be hoisted. Well done chaps!
Unfortunately a light easterly meant very little sailing until over halfway across Christchurch Bay when the wind started to pick up. Suddenly with over 20kn of wind in the sails we had a cracking close reach up the Needles Channel, only to have to put the brakes on at Hurst as we met a myriad of small spectator and support vessels watching the arrival of “flying” powerboat racers growling and roaring past at an incredible rate of knots. I'd like to think that it was good seamanship that averted any accidents, but I suspect a slight element of luck was also involved!
All safely moored in Yarmouth, evening plans were made for one of David's now famous (or infamous!) group BBQs on board, the venue being the adjacent cockpits of Nutcracker and Crystella, this would be the only time all 11 crew would be together. After a downpour rain delay a veritable feast was had, amazing what you can do with “five loaves and two fishes”! Afterwards, Bill and Lorraine dragged some of us down to “Salty's” bar for entertainment by the local “pub-singer”, he certainly had his mixed audience rocking on the tables to some classic singalongs!
Sunday saw all 6 boats go out for a gentle sail in the Solent before anchoring for lunch in Newtown River, except Merlot who made for Lymington ready for their return to Weymouth on Monday. A very peaceful couple of hours were spent seal and bird spotting, except poor Murray on Dulcibella who spent most of it resetting his dragging anchor or unbolting his cockpit sole to attend to a transmission shaft problem! On leaving Newtown it was a nice downwind sail eastwards towards Cowes, some goose-winging and Adelie pulling ahead once their spinnaker was launched. Adelie about turned on the new ebb tide and headed back down the Solent to Lymington also ready for their return to Weymouth on Monday, whilst Ojo, Nutcracker, Dulcibella and Crystella all headed up the Medina River for a couple of nights stay on the Folly mid river pontoons.
A free day followed on Monday, for some it was more relaxing than others! I can see a theme growing here, yes it involves Murray again! He had arranged to meet his brother in the Hamble River. If he crossed the Solent once, he crossed it four times that day! Once to pick his brother up, again to go for lunch in Cowes, again to drop his brother off and finally back to the Medina River mooring, yes he was shattered!! The others had gentle walks via Whippingham Church (Queen Victoria's local!) to Cowes, Osborne House or Newport.
On Tuesday, Murray was itching to head homewards planning an overnight stop at Yarmouth, however, with a feisty south westerly wind and a foul tide for a couple of hours it was going to be another hard slog, cruising is supposed to be relaxing pastime Murray!! Meanwhile Nutcracker, Crystella and Ojo left the Medina under genoas only and mingled with some beautiful yachts around the start line for the Cowes Classic Week races. A pleasant play in the Solent ensued until there was sufficient water to cross Beaulieu River bar mid afternoon on the way to Bucklers Hard.
Wednesday was a free day with various walks ashore and various thoughts of how the following few days would pan out. With more than one eye on the weather forecast the question was when would it be best to sail for home? The south westerlies suited Ojo as they were extending their cruise eastwards for another week or so. But for Nutcracker, Dulcibella and Crystella Friday had been looking best with the wind due to back to a decent southerly, but now it was going to strengthen to a F5 gusting 7 with rain all day. Not only that, the forecast strong winds for Saturday and Sunday, that would ultimately force the cancellation of the YCW regatta, meant that some tough decisions had to be made. David unfortunately was feeling quite unwell and unfit for single handed heavy weather sailing so decided to travel home overland and leave Nutcracker at Bucklers Hard until after the weekend. Dulcibella from Yarmouth and Crystella from Bucklers Hard decided to tough it out against the south westerly with early morning departures on Thursday, prior to the arrival of the deep Atlantic low pressure system on Friday.
We got what we expected! Wind over tide conditions meant some uncomfortable big seas through Hurst, the Bridge Buoy in the Needles Channel and eventually off St Albans Ledge. Murray on Dulcibella couldn't sail at all, he had found that his upper gudgeon pin rudder bracket was loose and had to nurse it home at risk of loosing the rudder, a superhuman effort for the 10 hour motor home! Well done Murray, you don't do things by halves!! Crystella managed some close hauled sailing but with her poor tacking angles it would mean a long slog, hence some motor assistance was required at times until the seas flattened after St Albans Ledge then one long leg on port tack saw us right into Bowleaze Cove. Phew, that was one long hard day, but worth the effort knowing what weather was coming over the next few!
This was another most enjoyable cruise in company with such variety both on and off the water, who said the Solent was boring! Good weather (apart from the odd shower), scenery and great company, that's what cruising is all about.
Submitted on 17th July 2023