Paul&Ness
Well-Known Member
Left the Itchen on Friday at 1700 for a night in Yarmouth at the start of our first 'beyond' the Solent cruise to the South West. Departed at 1000 for Weymouth doing a steady 15knts. Couldn't have picked better weather or for that matter the sea state if we had tried ?. Arrived Weymouth at about 1400 having called into Lulworth Cove for a quick look see and an aborted attempt to anchor! Started to drop the pick and after just a few seconds of operation the winch stopped and we couldn't get it going again. By this time we starting to drift into shallower water and SWMBO had to pull the anchor up by hand while I manoeuvred the boat into safer water. We abandoned out attempt to anchor and headed to Weymouth. We hadn't been in Weymouth more than a minute when yachts started to raft up next to us. Within half an hour we had 6 yachts outboard of us and then a steady stream of foot traffic transiting our foredeck ?. By 0730 this morning they were all gone and by 1000 we were on our way to Brixham. I had planned our route well South of the Portland Race, which wasn't too active but I decided to stay with the planned route and having cleared the race we headed West across Lyme Bay. After a cloudless sky yesterday, and a few patches or sunburn, we were grateful for the cloud cover we had today. The long crossing was uneventful and easy going with a kind sea. Approx 20nm off Tor Bay we were passed by a fleet of 10 mobo's heading towards Torquay, they must have been pushing along at about 25knts, reminded us our cruise in company with the Ancasta Cruising Club back at the end of May ?. Our trip today was about 3:45hrs and we arrived in Brixham safely and proud of ourselves for picking what looks like the best weather of the Summer, so far. Long may it continue... Tomorrow we head to Plymouth for a stopover of about 4 days and a possible peek into Dartmouth, en route, for a look and maybe even a short stop for a coffee. So far so good for Fenland Dancers summer cruise to the South West.
