2016   2 trips on Wave Wash, A noteable 65th Birthday sail and a Macaret outing

23 January 20    First Sail Of The Year

25 mile trip up to Calshot and back via the Dolphin Gap. Crew: Tim & Alan

19 March         Second Sail

20 + mile trip up to Calshot and back with Tim & Alan. Very cold NE 4 to 5 and overcast.  Trouble with the main sail not being fully tight on the main halyard

23 March HN to Summer Mooring

Day sail with Tim & Andrew

24 April         Jersey & Brittany

Supposed to be a big outing for Tom, but due to hip problems Tom unable to make it, so just Nigel, myself & Colin.  I joined Nigel after flying out from Southampton (ferries working too unsociable hours).  Spent a day watching the weather (which looked grim), however, Colin joined us and the weather seemed to improve so we set sail for St Cast and saw Dolphin on the way.  A lazy day spent there, before catching the tise (and the sunshine) on a gentle sail to St Malo.  Overnighted on a buoy and then entered Port Vauban via the massive shipping lock.  I left the following day on a Brittany ferry to Portsmouth.  Colin and Nigel continued the adventure by visiting Iles de Chaussey and having an eventful return passage to Jersey.

8 May      Day sail With Tim & Mark

On a very big spring tide we had a 20 nM sail out to Bembridge. Lovely weather for a change but with such a big tide we grounded at 1.2m on the return to our berth.

9 July    Falmouth To Guernsey

A brilliant voyage aboard Wave Wash from Falmouth to Guernsey calling in at Fowey, The River Yealm, Kingsbridge, and Dartmouth. It was the final leg of Nigel’s epic sail to Cornwall from Jersey. I shared the crewing with Colin for these 6 days.

1 September    65th Birthday Sail

I managed to Press Gang Jan into coming with me for a sail to celebrate my 65th Birthday. Great weather for two of the three days, but my actual birthday was a bit dull and windy. Had a notable meal in Yarmouth at the Blue Crab to jointly celebrate Jan’s 70th and my becoming an official pensioner. Paid for by Oli & Husna’s generous birthday present.

17 September   Return to Wicor

Half Nelson needed to be transferred back to Wicor after a long summer break in the Marina. Andrew, Tim and I first went for a sail in a very brisk NNW F 5/6 wind, over to Osbourne bay and back. Our track took us through several racing fleets and we had a few close encounters with the thoroughbred racers. Invictus (fast 40+) passed within feet of us at high speed. Very spectacular. After returning to Weevil to pick up Quarter Nelson, we headed off to Wicor, only to find our berth (E16) occupied after much faffing about and phone calls we berthed in W16. Some confusion over berth marking needs to be sorted out.

12 October  Macaret Goes To Chatham

Helped Colin navigate the Thames Estuary & the Medway to get Macaret to Chatham for a second hand boat sales weekend. Good weather and a good plan meant everything went well. The return by public transport via St Pancras International was also noteworthy.

29 October    Moved Half Nelson for Winter

Met up with Tim for the transfer of HN from Wicor to the POG marina. A very dull grey day but totally calm, with the charm that accompanies stillness. Have a lovely berth for the winter A18.