duncan
Well-Known Member
Thanks to all those who posted help earlier - eventually set off Thursday morning in the company of a Leader 805 whose SWMBO had told him he couldn't go........but that's another story!
Left Poole Harbour entrance at 1000h and, using the hlb patent navigation system I waited until I had cleared Old Harry before I moved the cursor to Braye and pushed 'goto' on the plotter so that the nav screen gave me a nice rolling road all the way /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif Be there at 1215 I advised the crew, who were putting on a brave face at the prospect in store. Spent the first hour at 23 knots, but later reduced speed a touch until we were making 19 approaching Alderney. Radar clearly picked out the island at 10 miles but it wasn't until 6 miles out that visibility allowed us our first (non electronic) view.
Picked up one of the yellows in the block away from the wall (as all the others were loaded) rafted the other boat and headed in in the dingy. Brief stop to fill in forms at the harbourmaster and into a bar - boy that drink tasted good!
Ate on the terrace at the Moorings (good home made cheeseburger but poor moules).
Back aboard a couple of hours later when a couple of nasty clouds apeared in the sky, and off through the Swinge in the general direction of Guernsey. Another couple of keys dialled in the Little Russel and 1 hour 10minutes later we were chatting to a nice man in a dory (just like Yarmouth) who told us where to go (no not 'elsewhere like the man at Yarmouth). We stayed in the pool rather than going inside on the advice of Col and Depsol. A bottle of bubbly went down well, as did a few iced tins etc etc. Snack food and a few beers with Depsol (who called us up that evening) led to a reasonable nights sleep for all.
Wonderfull sunshine the next morning led to a qick wander round then off to Dixcart Bay on Sark. Anchored up and off up the valley to the Dixcart Hoel for lunch - excellent fayre from homemade pizza to steak and garlic prawns; all fresh and well prepared and served. Bobed around in the sunshine for a few hours then back to St PP after a call from Col to say they were heading there from St Malo earlier in the afternoon. Back in we rafted up to them for a few more cold ones in the sun, dinner ar Riva was excellent and good value (wine a lot more pricy than the food). Back on board a bottle of rum ended up mixed with an M&S pinapple, banana and cocunut smoothie to make a very enjoyable (healthy?) brew............
Saturday was home time, leaving in company at 1000h and splitting up after the Swinge as Col and co headed for the Needles and we back to Poole.
Conditions were clearly fine for 40ft'ers but it took a lot of messing about with trim and power to make comfortable ground in a 25.....however we were doing OK until I came over one wave to find nothing the other side whilst fiddling with the radar and putting an EBL onto a ship a few miles down the track..........we came down a tough hard and I banged my hand on the instrument pannel holding on. Taking stock (crew still on board....) I noticed I had lost the rev counter, then the oil pressure started dropping................. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif..........engine sounded fine.....maybe battery? quickly added the second with it's isolater but nothing. radio worked anyhow???? called the boat behind to discuss (and share my mild panic!) and whilst expaling my situation I noticed I had managed to knock the ignition key to off /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif. Any possible damage to dioded and rectifiers was instantly dismissed as the rev counter adn oil pressure returned! Then Col was on the radio checking up - he'd heard my earlier call - and off we continued.
Conditions continued to detioriate as we reached mid channel and it was strangley off putting to here the series of one sided maydays being handled by Portland and Solent - then Solent's weather broadcast included the strong wind warning for Wight/Portland (SW6) so that made me feel a lot better ( /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif)
From 10 miles of Anvil it became really snotty (can you say that on here?) with rain etc but all at an angle that enabled us to make good speed if a little bouncy at times - looking behind there is no way we would have been going the other way!
We made the harbour entrance at 1430h on the dot and no amount of wind and rain was gogin to stop me popping out of the shelter of the hard top to raise the Q and fly it through a strangely deserted harbour back to our berth.
SWMBO want's to do it again ('cept the last bit.....) and given that she's only overnighted twice before in the last 4 years (let alone the return crossing) that's amazing and welcome news.
Roll on the Bank holiday!
Left Poole Harbour entrance at 1000h and, using the hlb patent navigation system I waited until I had cleared Old Harry before I moved the cursor to Braye and pushed 'goto' on the plotter so that the nav screen gave me a nice rolling road all the way /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif Be there at 1215 I advised the crew, who were putting on a brave face at the prospect in store. Spent the first hour at 23 knots, but later reduced speed a touch until we were making 19 approaching Alderney. Radar clearly picked out the island at 10 miles but it wasn't until 6 miles out that visibility allowed us our first (non electronic) view.
Picked up one of the yellows in the block away from the wall (as all the others were loaded) rafted the other boat and headed in in the dingy. Brief stop to fill in forms at the harbourmaster and into a bar - boy that drink tasted good!
Ate on the terrace at the Moorings (good home made cheeseburger but poor moules).
Back aboard a couple of hours later when a couple of nasty clouds apeared in the sky, and off through the Swinge in the general direction of Guernsey. Another couple of keys dialled in the Little Russel and 1 hour 10minutes later we were chatting to a nice man in a dory (just like Yarmouth) who told us where to go (no not 'elsewhere like the man at Yarmouth). We stayed in the pool rather than going inside on the advice of Col and Depsol. A bottle of bubbly went down well, as did a few iced tins etc etc. Snack food and a few beers with Depsol (who called us up that evening) led to a reasonable nights sleep for all.
Wonderfull sunshine the next morning led to a qick wander round then off to Dixcart Bay on Sark. Anchored up and off up the valley to the Dixcart Hoel for lunch - excellent fayre from homemade pizza to steak and garlic prawns; all fresh and well prepared and served. Bobed around in the sunshine for a few hours then back to St PP after a call from Col to say they were heading there from St Malo earlier in the afternoon. Back in we rafted up to them for a few more cold ones in the sun, dinner ar Riva was excellent and good value (wine a lot more pricy than the food). Back on board a bottle of rum ended up mixed with an M&S pinapple, banana and cocunut smoothie to make a very enjoyable (healthy?) brew............
Saturday was home time, leaving in company at 1000h and splitting up after the Swinge as Col and co headed for the Needles and we back to Poole.
Conditions were clearly fine for 40ft'ers but it took a lot of messing about with trim and power to make comfortable ground in a 25.....however we were doing OK until I came over one wave to find nothing the other side whilst fiddling with the radar and putting an EBL onto a ship a few miles down the track..........we came down a tough hard and I banged my hand on the instrument pannel holding on. Taking stock (crew still on board....) I noticed I had lost the rev counter, then the oil pressure started dropping................. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif..........engine sounded fine.....maybe battery? quickly added the second with it's isolater but nothing. radio worked anyhow???? called the boat behind to discuss (and share my mild panic!) and whilst expaling my situation I noticed I had managed to knock the ignition key to off /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif. Any possible damage to dioded and rectifiers was instantly dismissed as the rev counter adn oil pressure returned! Then Col was on the radio checking up - he'd heard my earlier call - and off we continued.
Conditions continued to detioriate as we reached mid channel and it was strangley off putting to here the series of one sided maydays being handled by Portland and Solent - then Solent's weather broadcast included the strong wind warning for Wight/Portland (SW6) so that made me feel a lot better ( /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif)
From 10 miles of Anvil it became really snotty (can you say that on here?) with rain etc but all at an angle that enabled us to make good speed if a little bouncy at times - looking behind there is no way we would have been going the other way!
We made the harbour entrance at 1430h on the dot and no amount of wind and rain was gogin to stop me popping out of the shelter of the hard top to raise the Q and fly it through a strangely deserted harbour back to our berth.
SWMBO want's to do it again ('cept the last bit.....) and given that she's only overnighted twice before in the last 4 years (let alone the return crossing) that's amazing and welcome news.
Roll on the Bank holiday!
