Day 28 - Thursday, 17th July - Jane's birthday!
What a lovely day, weatherwise, particularly for the birthday girl's chosen activity of cycling over tho the south of the Island. We rented a bike for Imy and set off about 10.30 along the old railway line and then towards the centre of the Island, heading for Chessell Pottery. Plenty of gentle uphill work left us overheated and very appreciative of a recuperative stop at the pottery for drinks and delicious scones and a snoop around the shop.
Time to move on, heading for a beach and a paddle, with Jane keen to try a swim, for some reason. More uphill work then a nice long freewheel through a pretty village called Brook before seeing the sea. Once there, with the tide coming in, the beach was quite small and shrinking but enough to enjoy an ice cream and sit on the sand listening to the gentle waves. Jane managed a short paddle but somehow lost the desire for a swim.
The next couple of miles were mainly uphill with some walking required along a very busy road towards Freshwater Bay. Long and hot work, relieved by a couple of high speed freewheel descents, before turning right and heading for the Red Lion for a cooling pint, well earned, then back along the cycle way to the boat, showers and a rest.
The evening saw us heading for On the Rocks again, for a really good meal that even Imy enjoyed as the vege option was halloumi and some very fine asparagus. A nice walk in the warm evening air before returning to the boat for coffee and cards rounded off a lovely day for the birthday celebrations, capped off by a spectacular thunderstorm with much bright lightning.
Friday, 18 July 2014
Day 27 - Wednesday, 16th July - truly beautiful early morning in Portland marina at 5.45. Totally calm with the water completely still and mirror-like, reflecting the clear blue sky and the boats perfectly.
An early start to make sure we left by 07.00 so we could clear the Lulworth ranges before they opened at 09.30. With very little wind, we had to motor again, sadly, but no real hardship on such a lovely morning. Our motoring speed has been reduced by some fine weed growth along the waterline so we needed the tidal assistance that built as time passed and cleared the range area with quarter of an hour to spare.
We continued under motor all the way to Yarmouth for a very relaxing five hour passage. Saw a porpoise breaching once a couple of miles before the Needles and then raced through Hurst Narrows with the full tide under us, showing over 13 knots speed over ground for a time!
Arrived at Yarmouth just after midday, when it was relatively quiet and we were given a spot alongside the pontoon next to the fuel station. We were then amazed, and occasionally entertained, as the harbour filled to bursting, for some reason. Boats were rafted four and five deep in places. Seemed strange for midweek in July but there were several foreign boats and the private schools have broken up, I guess.
An early start to make sure we left by 07.00 so we could clear the Lulworth ranges before they opened at 09.30. With very little wind, we had to motor again, sadly, but no real hardship on such a lovely morning. Our motoring speed has been reduced by some fine weed growth along the waterline so we needed the tidal assistance that built as time passed and cleared the range area with quarter of an hour to spare.
We continued under motor all the way to Yarmouth for a very relaxing five hour passage. Saw a porpoise breaching once a couple of miles before the Needles and then raced through Hurst Narrows with the full tide under us, showing over 13 knots speed over ground for a time!
Arrived at Yarmouth just after midday, when it was relatively quiet and we were given a spot alongside the pontoon next to the fuel station. We were then amazed, and occasionally entertained, as the harbour filled to bursting, for some reason. Boats were rafted four and five deep in places. Seemed strange for midweek in July but there were several foreign boats and the private schools have broken up, I guess.
Tuesday, 15 July 2014
Day 26 - Tuesday, 15th July - Portland. Crossed back over Lyme Bay on Sunday, sailing most of the way in better weather than forecast - mainly sunny with a NW force 4 speeding us along at 7 to 8 knots plus assistance from the tide to begin with after leaving Dartmouth at 9.15. We needed to round Portland Bill between 5 & 5.30 to avoid a big Spring tide race and so slowed the boat down at 3 as we were ahead of schedule. That worked fine until the wind suddenly picked up to 25 knots and we were over-canvassed. After sailing rather faster towards Chesil Beach for a while to cover some ground, we then put two reefs in, furled the jib and started motoring towards the Bill against a strong current and rather lumpy, quartering seas built up by the fresher NW breeze.
All worked out fine as we rounded the Bill on the inshore passage just after 5 in nice calm water and then it was a relief to have flat water once round and into the lee of the Bill itself. Arrived in Portland Marina at 6.30 with a stiff breeze that blew us straight off the allocated finger berth and against the boat alongside. Happily some very helpful gents came to help us warp WH into the right place. A long and tiring day so we ate on board and watched the World Cup final before an early bed.
Monday dawned bright and sunny and we enjoyed a lazy lie in, shower and breakfast before heading to Weymouth by taxi at lunchtime to explore its "delights" and look for a graduation dress for Imy before returning to Il Posto, where we had had such a great meal on the first visit.
In the end, dress shopping was hopeless as the choices available were all unsuitable / downright horrid so we decided to see a film instead. The new Transformers movie - lots of action and nonsense but just what the doctor ordered to fill the time until the table booking.
The meal was as a good as we recalled, even having the same scallop linguine, although Imy's gnocchi was very simple.
We have decided to spend another day here as a relaxing last opportunity rather than heading to Poole today and. Yarmouth tomorrow. We can do that in one, longer, hop tomorrow and the tide times are friendly so it is nice to have another quiet day, with sunny weather, books to read and generally relax. We do not seem to have spent much quiet time on the trip, instead filling days with outings and exploration when not actually on passage between places. I am typing this at 10.25 and still no sign of Imy stirring, as if that is a surprise...
All worked out fine as we rounded the Bill on the inshore passage just after 5 in nice calm water and then it was a relief to have flat water once round and into the lee of the Bill itself. Arrived in Portland Marina at 6.30 with a stiff breeze that blew us straight off the allocated finger berth and against the boat alongside. Happily some very helpful gents came to help us warp WH into the right place. A long and tiring day so we ate on board and watched the World Cup final before an early bed.
Monday dawned bright and sunny and we enjoyed a lazy lie in, shower and breakfast before heading to Weymouth by taxi at lunchtime to explore its "delights" and look for a graduation dress for Imy before returning to Il Posto, where we had had such a great meal on the first visit.
In the end, dress shopping was hopeless as the choices available were all unsuitable / downright horrid so we decided to see a film instead. The new Transformers movie - lots of action and nonsense but just what the doctor ordered to fill the time until the table booking.
The meal was as a good as we recalled, even having the same scallop linguine, although Imy's gnocchi was very simple.
We have decided to spend another day here as a relaxing last opportunity rather than heading to Poole today and. Yarmouth tomorrow. We can do that in one, longer, hop tomorrow and the tide times are friendly so it is nice to have another quiet day, with sunny weather, books to read and generally relax. We do not seem to have spent much quiet time on the trip, instead filling days with outings and exploration when not actually on passage between places. I am typing this at 10.25 and still no sign of Imy stirring, as if that is a surprise...
Saturday, 12 July 2014
Day 23 - Saturday, 12th July - Imy's Birthday!!
In Dartmouth for one more night before an early start across Lyme Bay tomorrow.
After a short trip to buy supper etc, and drink in the local pub, we ate supper on board and enjoyed a fantastic firework display at the Royal Naval College - we had a grandstand view across the water.
Curiously, Imy was not up very early (!) and so we had a late breakfast on board after a shower and Jane did a laundry visit and then went across to Dartmouth on the Kingswear ferry around midday to find some lunch and have another wander around. Had a great light lunch in a Polish bistro on Anzac Road, where the main problem was deciding what to have from a very tempting, if short, menu.
While there I got a call from the marina to say that the owner of the berth we had been allocated was returning in 3 or 4 hours, earlier than his planned return tomorrow morning, so we would have to move Windhover. Not top of the list of what to do this afternoon, when a nice cup of tea/coffee and plenty of delicious birthday cake was much preferable.
As it was, the marina staff came to help take lines and it was no big deal, followed by putting the (nicely washed) tender away before settling down to tea. What a struggle! Sad to put the tender away, though, as we will not be needing it again on this trip.
In Dartmouth for one more night before an early start across Lyme Bay tomorrow.
After a short trip to buy supper etc, and drink in the local pub, we ate supper on board and enjoyed a fantastic firework display at the Royal Naval College - we had a grandstand view across the water.
Curiously, Imy was not up very early (!) and so we had a late breakfast on board after a shower and Jane did a laundry visit and then went across to Dartmouth on the Kingswear ferry around midday to find some lunch and have another wander around. Had a great light lunch in a Polish bistro on Anzac Road, where the main problem was deciding what to have from a very tempting, if short, menu.
While there I got a call from the marina to say that the owner of the berth we had been allocated was returning in 3 or 4 hours, earlier than his planned return tomorrow morning, so we would have to move Windhover. Not top of the list of what to do this afternoon, when a nice cup of tea/coffee and plenty of delicious birthday cake was much preferable.
As it was, the marina staff came to help take lines and it was no big deal, followed by putting the (nicely washed) tender away before settling down to tea. What a struggle! Sad to put the tender away, though, as we will not be needing it again on this trip.
Thursday, 10 July 2014
Day 21 - Thursday, 10th July - sitting on a mooring in Salcombe after a great day, late up, nice breakfast, on to the beach for an hour and then across for a shower and a lovely walk for about two miles to Overbeck, a National Trust property, that we last visited nearly twenty years ago.
Sailed here yesterday from Fowey, a really fast sail in gusty conditions ranging swiftly from 15 - 25 knots on a beam / broad reach. We averaged over 8 knots for over four hours, frequently 9 or more and saw a maximum of 10.9 on a surf. Exhilarating stuff. 35 miles in fours hours, twenty minutes from leaving Fowey harbour to Bolt Head.
Leaving here in the morning to head for Dartmouth, a short passage, for two more nights there, including Imy's birthday on Saturday.
Sailed here yesterday from Fowey, a really fast sail in gusty conditions ranging swiftly from 15 - 25 knots on a beam / broad reach. We averaged over 8 knots for over four hours, frequently 9 or more and saw a maximum of 10.9 on a surf. Exhilarating stuff. 35 miles in fours hours, twenty minutes from leaving Fowey harbour to Bolt Head.
Leaving here in the morning to head for Dartmouth, a short passage, for two more nights there, including Imy's birthday on Saturday.
Monday, 7 July 2014
Day 18 - Monday July 7th - back in Fowey today after a wet motoring session from the Helford River, about 24 miles. We had a nice three nights in Falmouth, with Imy joining us on the Thursday evening, and enjoyed some nice food in Rick Stein's restaurant for an excellent lunch on the Thursday and then Zizzi on Friday night to celebrate Imy's great news, getting her 2:1!!! Well done to her.
We moved on the Saturday to the Helford River, somewhere I have wanted to go to for ages after seeing it so often on TV programmes and reading about it. Not disappointed, happily. Plenty of boats (but much quieter than it would be in high season) but picked up one from a choice of visitor moorings and enjoyed a peaceful weekend with plenty of sport, with Wimbledon finals and the British GP. Oh! And a very nice pub, the Shipwrights, in Helford. Strongly recommended.
Left Helford this morning in weak sunshine but it started to rain before we had left the river and managed to continue for most of the way, quite heavily at times. The front has now passed, though, and the forecast good for the next few days.
We are here tonight and tomorrow and then on to Salcombe on Wednesday. Now sadly on the way back but still nearly two weeks to go, so much to enjoy! Roll on.
We moved on the Saturday to the Helford River, somewhere I have wanted to go to for ages after seeing it so often on TV programmes and reading about it. Not disappointed, happily. Plenty of boats (but much quieter than it would be in high season) but picked up one from a choice of visitor moorings and enjoyed a peaceful weekend with plenty of sport, with Wimbledon finals and the British GP. Oh! And a very nice pub, the Shipwrights, in Helford. Strongly recommended.
Left Helford this morning in weak sunshine but it started to rain before we had left the river and managed to continue for most of the way, quite heavily at times. The front has now passed, though, and the forecast good for the next few days.
We are here tonight and tomorrow and then on to Salcombe on Wednesday. Now sadly on the way back but still nearly two weeks to go, so much to enjoy! Roll on.
Wednesday, 2 July 2014
Day 13 - Wednesday, July 2nd - another lovely sunny day with a steady Force 3 - 4 easterly breeze that gave us a lovely sail from Fowey to Falmouth. We left at 11.30 and arrived at 14.30, so made good time.
Now in Port Pendennis, feeling dwarfed by three huge sailing superyachts, including Christopher, a 150 foot beauty! They gave us a really awkward berth that proved a daunting prospect but happily landed safely with no dramas.
Imy arrives tomorrow so we are looking forward to that very much.
Now in Port Pendennis, feeling dwarfed by three huge sailing superyachts, including Christopher, a 150 foot beauty! They gave us a really awkward berth that proved a daunting prospect but happily landed safely with no dramas.
Imy arrives tomorrow so we are looking forward to that very much.
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