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THE PIED PIPER OF THE SOLENT ( or how many seals
can we come across)
It was back in June when Jenny and I
were trying to juggle work around childcare and school summer holidays, when
we decided that 8 days to trek across the channel would be too long and a
little adventurous for us this year.So it was decided to go in a westerly
direction and cruise along the Dorset coast .
On one of our earlier rallies we had been asked if
we were going south and when we said 'no not this year', several
people had also said that they would prefer not to venture in that direction.
Anyway Jenny, Alex, Robert and myself were all
set... itinerary as follows;
Board Cleo on Saturday 28th July (PM) and
head for Newtown Creek for about 2030hrs to bunk down for the night, with full
intention of a long day sail to Weymouth to meet up with Roger, Helen and
Becky on 'BECKY J ' ( I was
speaking to Phillip Linsell earlier in the week who had said he had a week off
and was heading for Poole, we agreed to meet up at Studland bay).
SUNDAY
Light airs , favourable tide , west we
go, main up and engine plugging away. Exciting for Jenny as she had not
been past the Needles before, so happy on foredeck with camera and video.
DANDY ( Seal 26, # 30) was heading for
Poole so we motored in company and exchanged pleasantries.
At Studland we decided to anchor closer inshore as
it was nearer the beach and much flatter for sleeping, so anchors away and to
the shore. Jenny spotted more Parkers
which turned out to be a 325 and 275 TILIKUM AND MARGUERITE en
route to meet up with the Channel isles cruise, their departure was 0300 hrs
Monday, far too early for us even with Robert being an early "pup".
MONDAY
IONA had joined us for a BBQ on the beach the
night before and said that SHIRAZ would be along on Monday. We spent the
morning on the beach and decided to have lunch in the pub in Studland. As we
were going ashore we passed by a seal 850 - SANTA, owned by Roger and
Paula who were easily persuaded to join us along with Phillip from IONA.
Lunch was a pint and a ploughman's and no longer
were my lips around the glass, when a familiar face appeared into the beer
garden, none other than Geoff Harwood from Parker 21,CYGNUS. He was closely
followed by Royce, Freda and Brenda and the 4 legged crew Jake and Hamish
on their seal 22 # 196,SHIRAZ. It was
decided to BBQ on the beach, the only exception was CYGNUS as Geoff
had to get back for evening racing in Christchurch.
The afternoon was spent snoozing, except for me
with a rowing lesson for Alex and engine steering for Robert (with
engine off) around Studland. On our
travels around the bay we came across a Parker 21 "LITTLE AUK" (
I think she was called) a friend of Don and Brenda on ZEST.
Meanwhile Geoff did his membership bit and said
hello to a 325 which was also in for the afternoon.
We had announced that we were on a rendezvous with
'BECKY J' in Weymouth the next day and IONA and SHIRAZ were delighted to
join us. Don and Brenda had spoken to me by mobile phone and had said
that MANY MOONS, a Parker 31 owned by Keith and Anne Bellingham, had gone
as far as Falmouth and were due in Weymouth on Thursday ( Zest did not
make it across the channel due to electrical problems and had spent the
previous week in the West Country, but had to return home).
TUESDAY
Left Studland at 0700 hrs with a nice steady
westerly force 4. We took a bite to sea and tacked in to meet up with
the other two boats , as we entered Weymouth bay the wind eased and
the joint decision was to engine into Weymouth. I
called Roger on the mobile and he and the crew of 'BECKY J' met us at the
waiting pontoon ready to go into the marina. We
all rafted up together as Roger had arranged this with the marina office and
the afternoon was spent showering and sorting out.
Roger pointed out that my wife was chatting to a
chap on the quay and my curiosity was raised, he's the owner of SWILER
a seal 28 based in Weymouth, we may see him in Yarmouth on the bank holiday
rally.
After several Pimms and G and T' s on 'BECKY
J' we visited a lovely restaurant for food other than barbequed.
As we walked up the pontoon we spotted a
parker 335, RAKAIA, owned by Roger Roach , he and his son Phillip were off to
Dartmouth the next day and joined us for an evening of several pints of
the local brew called 'steam' great !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Forecast for the next few days was poor easterly 4
to 5, occasionally 6. We had two options, go early the next day to Poole
harbour or stay in Weymouth for a day or so. We all agreed on the
latter.
WEDNESDAY
Sure enough Dorcus on Solent weather was right -
easterly 4 to 5 all day with scattered thundershowers.
Whilst paying our dues at the marina office
Phillip and myself overheard a question "anywhere for breakfast around
here?" the reply was, Debenhams opens
at 0930 hrs ( 20 mins time ) Philip and myself were on the same wavelength.
A 6 item breakfast for £1.75! bargain! no
frying, no dishes, no mess, no fuss. Needless-to-say we all availed.
Later that afternoon we decided to move to town quay as the marina was
expensive and town quay was nearer the pub !
Pimms party tonight on CLEO and more steam in the Old
Ship Inn......what a great way to relax !
THURSDAY
Dorcus had the same poor news for us, still
easterly and still gusty. Ah well, another
day in paradise.
As we walked to the showers we noticed
that MANY MOONS was outside all of us.
Anne and Keith had arrived in at about 0100hrs
that night having crossed Lyme Bay, 2 reefs in the main and the engine
all the way.....tired and weary we took them to, yes you guessed it, breakfast
at Debenhams!
Our good deed for the day was to recruit a new
member, Nicky on 'HAINAULT 3' a 275 from Dell Quay on his way to
Cherbourg.
FRIDAY
0700 hrs - wind south-westerly 4,
back to Studland.
We had to get round St. Albans head by
1100 to catch the favourable tide so we motor sailed till then, all
except 'BECKY J' who flew their spinnaker
all the way ( mind you wth 50 horses on the transom who worries
about tide ).........
well done Roger!!
Pub lunch followed by a BBQ on the beach and
a game of boules, not sure who the winner was, but a good time had by all.
The final addition was SPEEDWELL a parker 275 on
her way home from the Channel Island cruise, who came straight in on the
beach and joined us for our BBQ finale!
SATURDAY
Early departure from Studland to
the Solent and homeward for us all.
Here is a list of all the 'Seals' we met on our
holiday,
IONA PHILLIP
SHIRAZ ROYCE,
FREDA, BRENDA ,JAKE AND HAMISH
BECKY J ROGER,
HELEN AND BECKY
MANY MOONS
ANNE ,
KEITH AND SIMON
SANTA
ROGER AND PAULA
CYGNUS
GEOFF
RAKAIA
ROGER AND PHILLIP
SPEEDWELL
TIM AND MARGARET
LITTLE AUK JOHN,
ALISON AND JONATHAN
DANDY
sorry we did not meet !
TILIKUM Jonathan,
after dropping Sarah on beach
MARGUERITE We
will meet one day I am sure
HAINAULT 3 Nicky ,
welcome aboard
Last but not least CLEO with Jenny Alex and
Robert.
Thanks to all of you for making it a lovely
holiday, well worth doing, look forward to seeing you all soon.
Peter Lowry
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