Hell! What was that?

Sunday 13th September 2009

Boat: "Blue Lady" a Halbergh Rassy 345

Crew: Self , Roy Burkill, Jim Hoyle and Doug Collett.

Weather forecast for the week: Light North Easterly winds... Hah!!!

Intended passage: France and all points south...Bah!!!

Calories in 50,000
Calories used 10





1030
Tried to persuade Mary not to decorate front bedroom when I was away. Knowing her I would be unsuccessful. Picked blackberries in drive. Roy is going to pick up Doug and wait at Falfield for Jim and I to join them.
1230
Arrived in Marina too early, walked into Hamble and had an ice cream then Sunday lunch in The Ketchrigger.
1400 Boat will not be available until 1900. Hell, more drinking.
1900 Took over boat, wind N.E 3 motored to Yarmouth.
2130 Wind increased to a N.E.6 straight into Yarmouth entrance. Inside marina its very difficult, no pontoon space, pitch black and very windy. Moored near entrance then saw "No mooring sign" Tried again...Loud bang (What the hell was that?) Backed boat into piling and damaged transom!! Bollocks, first time I have touched a boat in 65 charters. Moored in "No mooring area"




Very noisy night.
Monday 14th September. 0730
Have crushed fiberglass lip at the bottom of the stern. If last claim is anything to go by, £40 for a fender, then this will cost!
Very strong N.E.winds forecast, we must be on the cusp of the high pressure that is dominating the U.K. Will it move?
Decided to stay at mooring until wind drops a tad. Jim cooking a full English so no hope of dieting this week.
1030 Wind dropped to a 5 so full main and reefed genoa set and a brisk sail East having decided that the new forecast, as told to us by guys on the Marina, promises strong NE winds for a couple of days. It is windy but also sunny! is this England?
1430 Dropped sails and motored up to The Folly at East Cowes. Salad lunch (Salad???) on boat followed by a long zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.


1845 Woke to find Doug doing the washing up. Sun shining but still very windy.
Motored to "Shepherds Marina" shower then drinks in the pup where the large chested maid was last seen. No maids only Germans! Fish and chips, Jim having an Indian, he has a delicate digestive system which restricts him to only eating saturated fats and curry.
Tuesday 15th September
0730 Hellish night with wind up to a 7. Up three times to add mooring lines as even the pontoon rocking and rolling. Sleeping in aft cabin is like being in a washing machine tied onto a bucking bronco. When I looked in the morning I had 10 mooring lines connecting boat to pontoon. Wherever the pontoon was going so were we!
1030 Another full breakfast prepared by Doug, I'm glad he came! Complicated but safe
slip from the pontoon in strong wind, no damage. Some blue sky.Sea choppy heading East for Portsmouth. Entered Portsmouth using the war memorial/doughnut passage. Moored Halsar Marina near Lighthouse, in a sheltered berth.
Forecast force 8 Dover, Wight and Plymouth. Hmmmmm
Lunch on board then a siesta. Ferry to Portsmouth, cash machine swallowed my debit card again. Walked to shopping centre, Doug and Jims rolling gait makes look like whalers back home after two years before tha mast, all they needed was a couple of parrots. Then up The Spinnaker Tower with transparent floor. Very impressive.
Realised it was a bit early to go into a pub and walking was not an option so decided to kill time at a movie. Skipper persuaded crew that Julie, Julia starring Meryl Streep was the film to watch. Wrong!! At it was too early for film went into Slug and Lettuce and had wine and aperitifs. Film was about two cooks and was v boring. We should have seen "The Portrait of Julian Gray. Jim reckoned that in his case it was the other way around for him as he has a handsome portrait of himself in the attic.
2100 Too late to eat at The Lighthouse so drinks and supper on board.
Calm start to the night then strong winds returned. Woke midnight scratching found rash over thighs and bum. Porstmouth Pox? Allied copious quantities of Savalon. Will this mean a visit to side door of the B.R.I.!
Wednesday 16th September
1030 following yet another fried breakfast Roy walked into town to get more sausages, milk and bacon. Perhaps my rash is caused by this high fat diet, memo to self, eat some lettuce this year.
1100 Slip was easy, motored over to the warships on Portsmouth side then noticed a police boat near them so changed plans. Heading west under furled jib making 6 knots with ebbing tide. Good sailing westward.
1300 Doug motored up Beaulieu river. Talked to Berth master he warned us off from mooring as there had been a number of incidents that morning with boats trying to moor in strong wind and tide. Decided to moor on mid river pontoon for lunch.
Following yet another doze headed for Lymington. Wind still strong. Called ahead for a sheltered berth and was given F21. Jim took her in but the pontoon fender was secured or not! by a protruding screw. This left a 400mm scratch down S/B side. It was heaping up to be and expensive week.
1900 Walked into town, its a long way, following a pint in the Marina bar and advice on where to eat. Meal in the Kings Head, not bad.
Thursday 17th September
Wind still in the NE forecast Thames, Dover, Wight, Plymouth Gale force 8 NE.
Motored and sailed to The Folly again Lunch in The Folly. Jim pulled a blonde divorcee who came from Rugby and played Boule. Stayed until 1700. Did a deal with the ferry man and decided to extend the lunchtime stop to an over night. Returned to boat for a period to have a zzzzzzzz then back to The Folly for supper. Walked up river with Doug and Roy, Jim resting his ankle. Contemplated a refurbishment of a paddle steamer but Doug felt it would take more than one can of filler. Beautiful evening,no wind and a glorious sunset. Supper listening to music. Undisturbed sleep at last, except for the itching pox! Scurvy?
Friday,
1000 Another fried breakfast eaten on the pretext that we must use things up! Have had so much bacon and sausage have noticed a tendency to drop on all fours and start aimlessly chewing.
Weather overcast and a slight drizzle. Motored to Cowes then attempted to sail to Hamble. Noticed that each tack we lost at least 50 yards as THERE WAS NO WIND!!!!!
Motor on fueled up and received call from office "Where are we as boat was due back an hour ago. Moored "Blue Lady" and cleaned her. Lunch in the Ketch Rigger, vegetable soup? well it was green.
Journey back, Idiot Boards, those that tell you there is a traffic jam on the M4 after you have been sitting in it for at least and hour, informs us that there is a jam on the M5 so deviated at A48.
Home, Mary had decorated the bedroom. Showed her my rash!
No pictures as camera left on bloody boat and it has sailed with new crew after being cleaned by charterers!

Doing a Bartlett

Hamble Point Marina 16th to 19th July
"Blue Lady" Halberg Rassy 34'
Crew, Graham Bartlett, Roy Burkill, Chris Hucker, Steve Pinder.

Thursday
1200 Roy and I stop off at Tescos at Hamble and spend a fortune, mostly on sausages and beer.
1300 Arrive Hamble Point, Blue Lady is not ready as she is having a new water pump fitted. This is ominus, but I didnt tell the lads, as the last time I picked up a Halberg Rassey from here, it was being worked on for a water problem! and it nearly sunk in Poole Bay. Hey Ho!
Rest of team arrive and we decide to walk to Hamble and have lunch. Chris had some rolls he brought with him.
Ate in The ? served by and Italian looking lady who had a harrased husband who cooked. Meal good.
1600 Backed B.L. from berth, she has a feathering prop and did not kick to S/Brd like "Aeolus"

Weather looked threatening, original plan was to go to Yarmouth but decided to divert to Cowes. Cowes Marina full so went to next one and crash landed on an inside berth.
2000 Heavy rain, meal in Cowes, It rained heavily, we had a meal in a pub can't remember what or name of pub.


Friday, This was supposed to be the bad day with strong winds and rain. Motored up the river and showed the crew The Ferry Inn.
Winds favourable so sails up an intended destination Poole.
Good sailing tacking west in The Solent but headed when we exited The Needles for the North Passage. Engine on and full main.
Wind increasing some rain showers.
About half way across Poole Bay now blowing a six. Decided to get main down, lot of shouting and had to go to the mast to free up reefing lines. Did not wear a life jacket! thought about this after and realised "What a prick"!

Chris returned his breakfast to the briney with me steering and holding on to his jacket to stop him joining it.
Entered Poole fairway with wind blowing a 7.
No room at Poole Marina, despite my lying that we had boat problems, so had to raft on harbour wall.
Leading seaman Bartlett, at the helm, decides to do a "U Turn" at speed as all the crew were leaning over the gaurd rail tying on fenders, sharply spoken to by skipper!
Rafted against a German boat, Ranted about bloody Germans being everywher only to find that the guy was very pleasant and he was Belgium.
Went into town to eat at a Chain restaurant, ? , good food I think but was mesmerised by a blond on the next table so cant be sure. Started drinking Corona for some reason. Classic car rally on the habour road.

Saturday,
Became very popular as last night I suggested that we leave at 0400 to catch the tide and avoid being caught in wind over tide at The Needles.

Woke at 0300 by noise of two lads jumping naked into the harbour. Decide not to join them. Crew very sullen! Did not pay any hartbour dues, yipee! thats the first time I have left Poole without a huge hole in my purse. However, I think we lost a fender. Some of the crew have not mastered the clove hitch!!! Im too soft more lash is needed!
Weather calm but cold, nice sunrise so lots of pictures taken.
Wind, as predicted started to blow from the west and boat motion unpleasant. Cooked sausages, decide that was not one of my better ideas. Tossed sausages over the side much to the chagrin of rest of crew. Chris overcome by this and goes below to sleep.
Entered Beauleigh River with the weather improving. Moored on fueling berth.
Went up to Bucklers Hard for drinks when we came back found boat had been moved and we were boxed in. Had lunch and snooze then with assistance slipped.
Headed for The Hamble as forcast not good. Motored up to the strains of "All our yesterdays" as Bartlett relived his misspent youth.

Motored up Itchen river but chickened out at passing under Motorway bridge as could not find mast height in spec. Steve kindly texed me with the height 2 days later which was very helpful!!
Moored at home berth and walked into Hable for supper.
Most pubs full so sat outside The Bugle and viewed a crappy menu. Decided to try the Italian but called in The Victoria on way and booked table, just in case. Lamb shank was delicious.

Sunday
SW wind strong so decided to sail up the Southampton river. Good sail accompanied by three bloody great cruisers. I may have this bit out of sequence.
Force 6 blowing us on to fuel berth, so it was a bit fraught getting B.L. off but Grahams muscular thighs saved the day.
Told Doug about the fender and buggered off home.