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Cruise Report
Cornish Crabber Club - Solent Rally 2015
Monday 22nd June - Poole Harbour
It’s always worth having a rest day or two on these events. Monday was one of those; another day for “fettling and faffing”. A couple of us took the opportunity to explore more of the Harbour. Molly and Summer Breeze went in opposite directions around Brownsea Island and met on the far side. What a quiet and beautiful contrast to the busy side of the Harbour where we had berthed ourselves. The Rally was to officially end in Poole, but there was still the prospect of going on to Portland and Dartmouth. For various and many different and understandable reasons the original number of boats that had put their names down to go onto Dartmouth fell to just three of us. Ray Canaven on Kallisto, who only joined in Poole, Graham and Pat Woodward on Sally Lightfoot, and myself with my brother-in-law Terry Bishop (Mary’s brother) on Summer Breeze.
The closing dinner was held at the RNLI College, which laid on the most superb meal for us all. We had our customary “awards” ceremony. Unfortunately the winner of the Crabber Wooden Spoon Award had already left the rally in Yarmouth. However the rest of us had a good laugh when it was awarded to Dave and Joanne Morley on Yo Yo for having the weakest battery, which chose to die rather inconveniently on day 2!! It is worth noting that this award cannot and will not be awarded to the same person in the following year. That would be too unkind!
It’s always worth having a rest day or two on these events. Monday was one of those; another day for “fettling and faffing”. A couple of us took the opportunity to explore more of the Harbour. Molly and Summer Breeze went in opposite directions around Brownsea Island and met on the far side. What a quiet and beautiful contrast to the busy side of the Harbour where we had berthed ourselves. The Rally was to officially end in Poole, but there was still the prospect of going on to Portland and Dartmouth. For various and many different and understandable reasons the original number of boats that had put their names down to go onto Dartmouth fell to just three of us. Ray Canaven on Kallisto, who only joined in Poole, Graham and Pat Woodward on Sally Lightfoot, and myself with my brother-in-law Terry Bishop (Mary’s brother) on Summer Breeze.
The closing dinner was held at the RNLI College, which laid on the most superb meal for us all. We had our customary “awards” ceremony. Unfortunately the winner of the Crabber Wooden Spoon Award had already left the rally in Yarmouth. However the rest of us had a good laugh when it was awarded to Dave and Joanne Morley on Yo Yo for having the weakest battery, which chose to die rather inconveniently on day 2!! It is worth noting that this award cannot and will not be awarded to the same person in the following year. That would be too unkind!
Tuesday 23rd June Poole - Portland for 3, Poole - Yarmouth the rest.
Having sailed together for a week now, it was goodbye time, as those going East left early to take the flood back to the Solent, and the West bound boats remained in the Poole Quay Boat Haven to leave later in the afternoon. We did all agree that this particular event in the future would limit its range from Chichester to Poole. It was here that Mary left Summer Breeze and drove home by car. She had been a great crew and enjoyed the event enormously and was our unofficial photographer and video camera operator. (Her photographs and videos will be posted later).
Nigel and Sue Anderson reported to me later that the eastbound crews had a marvellous journey back to the Solent. It will have been the first time on the rally that they had the wind behind them or on the beam. We still had adverse winds for a lot longer.
Summer Breeze and Sally Lightfoot left Poole Harbour in the late afternoon to catch the favourable tide to take us around Anvil Point and on to St Alban’s Head. Kallisto meanwhile was ploughing her own furrow and had gone much earlier. We were fortunate in that we were able to take the inshore passage around Anvil Point and St Albans. There was some choppiness in the sea but we made good progress, eventually with a bit of motor sailing, as I was keen to get to Portland Harbour before dark. As it turned out we arrived in the Harbour just after 2130hrs and it was light enough to see what was what. Getting to the Marina within the harbour was another 30 minutes of motoring, and by the time we reached our berths light was definitely not in abundance!
Portland is not one of the world’s most exciting places to visit, however it’s a damned good jumping off point if one wants to sail West using the inner passage around Portland Bill. One can plan the timing to the minute. We spent a day in Portland resting up before the very early start required to catch the ebb around Portland Bill.
Having sailed together for a week now, it was goodbye time, as those going East left early to take the flood back to the Solent, and the West bound boats remained in the Poole Quay Boat Haven to leave later in the afternoon. We did all agree that this particular event in the future would limit its range from Chichester to Poole. It was here that Mary left Summer Breeze and drove home by car. She had been a great crew and enjoyed the event enormously and was our unofficial photographer and video camera operator. (Her photographs and videos will be posted later).
Nigel and Sue Anderson reported to me later that the eastbound crews had a marvellous journey back to the Solent. It will have been the first time on the rally that they had the wind behind them or on the beam. We still had adverse winds for a lot longer.
Summer Breeze and Sally Lightfoot left Poole Harbour in the late afternoon to catch the favourable tide to take us around Anvil Point and on to St Alban’s Head. Kallisto meanwhile was ploughing her own furrow and had gone much earlier. We were fortunate in that we were able to take the inshore passage around Anvil Point and St Albans. There was some choppiness in the sea but we made good progress, eventually with a bit of motor sailing, as I was keen to get to Portland Harbour before dark. As it turned out we arrived in the Harbour just after 2130hrs and it was light enough to see what was what. Getting to the Marina within the harbour was another 30 minutes of motoring, and by the time we reached our berths light was definitely not in abundance!
Portland is not one of the world’s most exciting places to visit, however it’s a damned good jumping off point if one wants to sail West using the inner passage around Portland Bill. One can plan the timing to the minute. We spent a day in Portland resting up before the very early start required to catch the ebb around Portland Bill.
