Off to Weymouth for the weekend. Left Lymington on Sat at about 10:15. Was hailed by Arcadia (friends) as they left Yarmouth, while I was bobbing around waiting for Headhunter to arrive from Hamble. Ooops! BlueStorm, with Mark and Pete, radioed to say they were on the way. Directory not up to date.
Picked up Escapology with James onboard at Old Harry just off Studland Bay outside Poole, and on to Weymouth.
Only mishap was not having checked with Lulworth firing range. They had to be firing this weekend! Safety boat stopped us at St Alban Head and told us to steer 240 degrees for 5 miles. So we set off out to sea, met second safety boat bobbing around looking for miscreants and left it well astern. Actually checked it later and was a little less, well more than a little less, than 5 miles when we headed to Lulworth. Second safety boat started gunning on intercept course (what chance did they have of catching 3 sports boats doing over 40 knts!!!) so we headed back out, with good safety margin before heading to Lulworth.
Moored in Lulworth for lunch. Heard thump and buzzing firework sounds of rounds heading out to sea (presumably now we'd cleared the area!) Pottered along the coast to Durdle Door. Escapology (21' Rib) decided to go through the arch. Bluestorm (29' rib, with about 60' beam) wisely decided to bottle out, so I went through on gentle swell with leg fully up. Very disconcerting to look over side and see kelp covered rocks just under surface to either side. Swell caught me, and hull slid nicely down the kelp lubricated rocks.
Then headed for Weymouth. Bit boring getting there that early on such a nice day, so headed off for photo shoot round Portland Bill. Boringly flat (apart from a few bumpy bits) Back to Weymouth Marina for meal in Royal Dorset YC, and far too much to drink. Back to boats for even more far too much to drink.
Woke, shook thick heads, went to caff near sea front, where we made the mistake of ordering Large rather than Normal breakfasts which came on 3ft platter piled to a similar height. Thank god we didn't go for the Giant
Headed out of Weymouth, where confronted by prospect of glassy smooth sea (I always wondered what glassy smooth meant) with brilliant sunshine. Had been informed Lulworth Ranges firing again so went for the outside route round St Albans and headed many miles out. Flat, flat, flat seas. So did what you always do when confronted by boring flat conditions, and belted along at high speed seeing who could get the other boats to jump highest on your wake - thanks Mark! Though Bluestorm stopped for several ciggie and sunbathing breaks, blaming this on engine hunting problems
Pulled into Studland at well before noon, anchored and rafted 3 boats together. Sunbathed in glorious sunshine, remarking how unseasonable it was to have cloudless skies in Summertime in UK, and chatted and hurled abuse at pwc's bouncing us around in their wake (except the one with the blonde lass on it). Mark steered the whole pontoon around Studland several times looking for somewhere his anchor would hold all of us. James did it once and for some reason we stayed there for a while
Until a bloke turned up in a little inflatable tender with outboard. He was looking for a wetsuit. Little flustered. Had rope around prop of his rather nice 35'ish boat, couldn't stay down long enough to clear it, and had wife and kid onboard and, and had only had boat for two weeks, and what the hell did you do in these circumstances cos wife was talking about selling the thing already. Told him about Seastart and that they would rescue relationship with wife in future emergencies. Tears of gratitude
Mark and James mounted rescue mission in Escapology, towed him somewhere useful and reanchored him, put on wetsuit, cleared prop of long line that they had been towing tender on and forgotten about.
Mid afternoon upped anchor, and Escapology headed of to Poole. Iditarod and Bluestorm headed back home on rather rougher waters still in glorious, glorious sunshine! Despite relatively smooth water, I headed into North Channel where absolutely flat, and bombed along just feet off the steeply shelving beach (one guy was water skiing just three feet from the waterline) watching the grockels sunbathing look up. Bluestorm though this meant a race was on and took the direct line to Hurst Castle.
We parted company off Lymington, where I was meant to be heading, and Bluestorm headed back to the Hamble. The wonderful day got the better of me, and I swooped back around waving to Mark and Pete, and headed back out to sea for a bit more of a cruise
Wot a wonderful sunny day. Thanks guys