Dinghy Camping

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Wansworth

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My first trip was along the coast from Littlehampton to Chichester back in 1966 or was it 67 ,I don’t recall who was the crew but we made good time and the only mishap was getting pooped off Selsey Bill .We decided to set up the tent off the beach at West Wittering .Unfortunately it was private land so as dusk settled we had to put to sea again after the landowner chucked us off.We ended up wandering about the Winner until we beached the boat again at west wittering.Sunday saw us sailing back to Littlehampton.My fathers 15 foot old converted Thames skiff a heavy wooden dinghy proved alright for the trip although looking back it didn’t carry any bou an y…we were oblivious to any danger!
 
Sometimes I fondly remember the simplicity. Then I open a cold beer from the fridge whilst the rain batters down outside, and notice that nothing around me is damp and I am reminded why the romanticism and the reality are not the same. I get back to the mooring, pop the rubber dinghy on the “stack” at the club and get in the car to head home. No boat to recover, no mast to bring down, no trailer to tow. My bank balance notices the difference but if you apply some man maths and divide by the number of days/night we use it - then a yacht actually works out cheaper ;-) of course that is partly because I’m not hardy enough to go dinghy cruising in conditions where we wouldn’t ruling twice in a bigger boat with proper shelter.
 
ylop said:
Sometimes I fondly remember the simplicity. Then I open a cold beer from the fridge whilst the rain batters down outside, and notice that nothing around me is damp and I am reminded why the romanticism and the reality are not the same. I get back to the mooring, pop the rubber dinghy on the “stack” at the club and get in the car to head home. No boat to recover, no mast to bring down, no trailer to tow. My bank balance notices the difference but if you apply some man maths and divide by the number of days/night we use it - then a yacht actually works out cheaper ;-) of course that is partly because I’m not hardy enough to go dinghy cruising in conditions where we wouldn’t ruling twice in a bigger boat with proper shelter.
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Yes, but all that comfort and convenience rots one's moral fibre. 😁
 
Wansworth said:
My first trip was along the coast from Littlehampton to Chichester back in 1966 or was it 67 ,I don’t recall who was the crew but we made good time and the only mishap was getting pooped off Selsey Bill .We decided to set up the tent off the beach at West Wittering .Unfortunately it was private land so as dusk settled we had to put to sea again after the landowner chucked us off.We ended up wandering about the Winner until we beached the boat again at west wittering.Sunday saw us sailing back to Littlehampton.My fathers 15 foot old converted Thames skiff a heavy wooden dinghy proved alright for the trip although looking back it didn’t carry any bou an y…we were oblivious to any danger!
Click to expand...
All well and romantically documented in Swallows and Amazons

and experienced, commonly without the dinghy, by participants in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award - in a failed attempt :) to enhance Moral Fibre.

In one of my Expeditions we woke up to 6" of snow - and did not find it remarkable - we just continued (so Moral Fibre already enhanced to near its, upper, limits).

Jonathan
 
Neeves said:
and experienced, commonly without the dinghy, by participants in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award - in a failed attempt :) to enhance Moral Fibre.
Click to expand...
The wise DOE participant does not travel by foot! Although my daughter who did it in a canoe assures me the test of moral fibre is not the blisters or back pain lugging the kit - it’s avoiding murdering the princess who is still in her sleeping bag 5 minutes after the planned departure!
 
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