Good Tides and Weather for going Round the Island

[brianhumber]

Decided to go jollying around the island this weekend as tides were good for going clockwise to avoid any Solent Cowes week late scrummages as winds were forecast on the light side.

We picked up the ebb off Ventnor and after rounding the Neddles, the flood off Totland Bay. Nice gentle sail along the south side of the island with good examples of fog forming over Island.
Was going to stop at Yarmouth but looked too full and noisy, then counted over 70 masts in Newtown and over 10 at anchor outside so carried on past that lot.

Saw the fog bank rolling in behind so decided to carry on as far as possible east under sail and flood tide. Cowes was all boom bang a bang ashore, finally the Sun disappeared around Stokes Bay so engine on and into Gosport, by the time we berthed could not see Spinnaker tower, plenty of ferry fog horns to serenade us to sleep after a bottle of wine though.

So a great days sail after this summers dodgy weather and not many others on the water either at the times we passed by.

Today we pottered about going into Bembridge before heading back to Chi, fantastic Hermantite cloud formations, you could see the clouds being sucked up into the cumulus and great display of lightning to round it off.

Brian

 

[sarabande]

"Hermantite clouds" - a new one on me, and I can't think of anything close to it.. Emlightenment please.

 

[Resolution]

Passage planning help please!

As Brian was sailing round the island I was sitting in the garden doing the passage planning for an IOW lap in mid September (17/18/19 are the only available dates). Crew will be two work colleagues who are active guys but not very experienced on sailing boats. For years it has been one of their ambitions to circle the island.
It will be BIG Spring tides and I have to collect crew at Seaview on the 17th. So looks like it has to be anti-clockwise with an overnight at Yarmouth. But then we will have to be out of Yarmouth by 0600 in order to beat the flood coming in through Hurst, and it may still be dark (and hungover??). The south coast would then all be tide assisted and we could even be back at Seaview too soon.
As an alternative, I am toying with sitting out the 18th flood tide, then sailing over to Studland in the afternoon with the ebb. Then on the 19th we could start a bit later and sail out past Swanage into the morning flood tide all the way past St Cats. Or have I got my tidal calcs wrong?

Anyone got any bright ideas for alternatives?