Some pictures from the Dorset & West Cruise. (click on each photo for a full-screen version, these may take quite a few seconds to load depending on your connection speed so please be patient.....)

Photos courtesy of David Luetchford

Tina and I were looking forward to the Poole weekend as it would be the first time this year that we have overnighted on Hawkeye.  As usual I watched the weather forecasts all week to see what trends there were in the movement of Highs and Lows and accompanying fronts.  It all looked good other than a few light mist patches around the coast line.

Friday night and provisions were stowed aboard ready for an early start on Saturday.  We needed to get out of the lock at Port Solent before the rush.  Saturday 05.00hrs we could not sleep so we had breakfast and I took sleeping bags and other kit down to the boat.  Tina had another hour in bed.  Hawkeye was prepared for cast off and was through the lock at 07.30hrs, placed on the holding pontoon where she was given a quick washover and clean ready for inspection.  Tina arrived, and after checking that all was OK we cast off at 08.00hrs.

As we left Portsmouth Harbour, we encountered some light sea fog, which progressively worstened as we past Cowes, but visibility was 150 yds so not too much of a problem.  GPS backed up with chart was put to good use.  We called in to Yarmouth to top up with LPG, and checked out local reports of fog with the Harbour Master.  “ Yes it’s thick out there, but improving”.  GPS waypoints for Hurst and Poole entrance selected and we set off.   Tina lookout for Ahead round to Port, me Ahead and to Starboard.  We past close in to Hurst towards North Head buoy before heading across the bay to Poole.  Visibility was still 150 to 200yds, but at 22+knots it was a high level of concentration.

We entered Poole Harbour and up to Poole Town Quay at 09.57hrs, where I dropped Tina off for some last minute shopping.  When we arrived at Cobbs Quay the fleet were ready to go, but the fog had thickened.  We stopped at the entrance to Poole Harbour to check things out, it did not look good.  Geoff persuaded us to move out past the Training Bank and in to Studland bay where we found that the fog had cleared.  So off we went to Lulworth Cove via Chapmans Pool.  Some of the fleet venturing further West to Durdle Door.  By this time it was late afternoon and the fog was seen to be returning, so we set sail back to Poole with initially poor visibility which cleared as we past Anvil Point.

We overnighted at Cobbs Quay and were ready fueled up etc. by 10.30hrs Sunday Morning.  The fog was thick, but did show signs of lifting.  We went down to Poole Quay where quite a few other boats were milling around. Visibility was less than 100yds.  Nexus lead the fleet through the North channel and out to Studland to see if there was a chance of the fog lifting.  No luck this time, we anchored off Old Harry and had lunch.  At approx 14.00hrs the trailed fleet headed back up to Cobbs Quay leaving Brinsmead and Nice One Too with us to return to Southampton, Cichester and Port Solent respectively.

Brinsmead led the way with Hawkeye and Nice One Too in echelon.  Fog was fick, down to 25yds in places and our speed cut to below 19knots. We were in bright sunlight a beautiful day.  We decided to go our own ways from North Head.  Nice One Too hurtling off towards Hurst, us following and Brinsmead taking it easy.  It was so nice that we anchored off the Island between Yarmouth and Newtown Creek for a bit of sunbathing and a cup of tea.

A Westerly breeze came up at around 16.00hrs and we set off for home.  As we neared Cowes the wind direction changed to Easterly and thick fog.  GPS and depth finder being used to navigate and keep out of deep water and the way of big ships by keeping close in to the North East coast of the island.  Visibility was 10 to 15 yds in places, very scary.   We stopped frequently to listen for ship’s horns, engine noise, or anything to indicate shipping movements.  We passed the Portsmouth to Isle of Wight car ferry going into Wooton Creek, we did not see it but heard it and caught the wash.  We progressed on, aiming for North Sturbridge Buoy, which was mid Solent.  We kept to the shallows until the GPS indicated that the buoy was at 90deg to our course.  We stopped, listened, we could not look as vis was less that 50yds.  Sound of large fans, throb of a large vessel passing from Port to Starboard.  Then the rolling wash, she was travelling very slowly.  1.5 Nm to North Sturbridge, satisfied that we had heard as much as we needed too, we set off.  Eyes and ears on top alert, half way, quick stop to check for noise etc.  Off we went and in short time North Sturbridge appeared 10yds to starboard.  If I had been dead on with the GPS I would have missed it !!!!!!.

We held station on the buoy whilst we gathered our thoughts and pictured ship movements  by the sounds we could hear.  Fort Gilkicker 1Nm due North of our position, again crossing the shipping channel.  We saw ghostly shapes of yachts and cruisers as we crossed this section of the Solent.  Obviously all heading for Portsmouth.  We saw the beach at Gilkicker when we were less than 50 yds of.  I had slowed as the depth had suddenly reduced to 20ft.  Keeping close in we followed the sea wall and into Portsmouth Harbour.

An enjoyable and challenging weekend.  By using both GPS and chart work we were able to get back to our home port.  I checked with Brinsmead and Nice One Too later on that evening, Brinsmead had a clear passage back to their recovery point in Southampton Water, but Nice One Too had the same problems as we experienced, but only one crew to carry out all the tasks necessary to ensure a safe passage.  It was nice to get back to Port Solent and tell the story of our weekend in Poole to those Yachties that did not venture out of the harbour due to a bit of Fog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

Colin Harris