PAUL ROSE SAILING LOGBOOK 2015

RYA Coastal Skipper Practical in a Rustler 37 “Eagle”.

Personae: James Miller “JM” Paul Rose “PR” Lachlan Mulholland “LM” Nigel Tuttle “NT”

Thursday 16 April 2015

0710: Picked up fellow course candidate LM from Albert Hall, Drive down the A3.

0830: Arrival at Northney Marina and meet up with boat owner JM. Assist JM carrying bags of victuals from his SUV to the wheeled trolley. The tide is still low but filling so the ramp down to the pontoon is at a relatively steep incline. Takes two of us to manoeuvre trolley. Stowed kit and food and drinking water bottles on board. JM has brought a bottle of Grahams 85 Port for decanting. I have brought the boat champagne and another bottle of Port – but LBV.

0840: Obtained shore fresh water hose and boat broom and commenced scrubbing down deck and coach top which was covered in seagull guano. A messy but necessary job.

0855: Filled up fresh water tank. Equally vital task for a cross channel crossing.

0900: Breakfast break with Jim and Lachlan both of whom have been checking the engine.

0915: All three of us check weather forecast from Navtex and notes taken by Jim from HMCG broadcast.

0930: Lachlan and I remove sail cover and shake off rain water; final brush down and remove the sponge squeegees in cockpit and ensure all sheets loose; all fenders in place and spares neatly stowed. Another cup of tea and as the sun comes out we relax in the cockpit. WX F3 and slight. No rain forecast.

0950 NT our Yachmaster Instructor (Ocean) and head of Hayling Sea School, carrying a battered wheelie suitcase and battered laundry bag with clothing. Introductions accompanied with a cup of coffee. He appears friendly but clearly does not suffer fools.

10:05 Cast off with Jim on helm. Northney Marina is a tight squeeze. Lachlan and I on fender duty. High tide is 10:30. ETA 45 minutes to reach Bar Beacon.

11:00 Past Bar Beacon with West Pole in sight. Change helm to PR and LM as skipper takes the con. Motor cruising. Reminds me of my Day Skipper Practical in 2001.

11:07 LM points for my direction ! NT has suggested 265 (M); I discover to my horror that Eagle’s compass is wildly inaccurate as to be useless. It has not been swung for at least two years, maybe more. LM, JM and NT now search in vain for possible interference. No joy. JM has a hand held GPS so no dramas.

11:18 JM and LM hoist mainsail and genoa. Motor cruise to the west. JM and LM and I have sailed together since September 2013 and during 2014 including training for and sailing Round the Island Race. We are familiar with these waters.

11:40 Engine off. Starboard tack broad reach. Wind ENE F3. Sunny.

11:50 NT requires LM to go over to Cowes. JM brews up. LM orders me to port on a close reach.

12:50 We pass Cowes and now turn to starboard. JM on helm. I demonstrate plotting transits.

13:45 I prepare ham and cheese rolls for lunch. JM still on helm.

14:15 I relieve JM on helm. Sail on stbd. close reach down the Solent. JM and NT liaise over tides at Yarmouth using Tides Planner. Decision to head for Yarmouth for the night; then leave early morning for Cherbourg to obtain night passage out and night passage return. JM to skipper outbound to Cherbourg.

16:50 PR on helm. Arrive Yarmouth Roads Fl.R. 2s to port. Line up with hand compass 187.6° on leading lights/diamonds. Lower sails. LM skipper – motor in.

17:00 Mooring up. Farce. I line up, JM very nervous. First time anyone else has ever manoeuvered it into harbour. He reaches over me to turn on bow thruster. LM gives up as do I as JM now takes over. Mooring simple. LM does OK. On pontoon, NT goes berserk at all three of us yelling at us to get ourselves sorted out as to who is performing what function ! NT storms off to HM. We three stand around slightly bewildered but appreciating that it is time for each of us to accept responsibility – including JM trusting us with his pride and joy.

17:30 off to the Pub. Close to but not the George. We have several pints and discuss leaving in the early hours. Order steaks and chips. NT in better mood and signs off personal logs 25 miles.

20:45. Leave Pub to get early night. JM prepares passage plan prior to departure. PR selects NT as joint on watch for Friday. 21:30 lights out.

Friday 17 April 2015

03:00 JM alarm goes. Get dressed including foulies and lifejackets and safety lines. Helm and Skipper have headbands with red lights. I feel nauseous and overtired. Drink water.

03:35 Cast – off. Get fenders in. Motor only. NT and I in cockpit, JM as skipper has the con. LM on helm.

03:45 Bell Sconce N. Cardinal to port; Hurst Point Tower ahead and to starboard.

04:15 Fairway safewater mark. Turn to port heading 183° M. Wind east 20 kts. Hoist Mainsail with one reef and genoa. Sea state supposed to be slight. NT and I go below to sleep.

08:15 Change of watch. Daylight. NT and I get foulies and lifejackets and lines back on. 50°.30’ N 1°37’ W. Wind from east and is fresher and sea state appears moderate. PR takes the con. LM goes below to make breakfast. Cheese sandwiches. He eats one, makes a strange noise, clambers up the companionway looking very pale. No line. I move to grab back of his lifejacket as he leans over to Ieeward and chucks up breakfast. NT shouts “Good shot sir”. LM takes some air, improves returns below and then produces cheese sandwiches for NT and I; appearing again at head of companionway with sandwich in his mouth. NT shouts “Respect !” NT and I have tea. I sit to windward. A large wave breaks over the port side and as my hood is not up, nor neck fastened, half

a cupful breaks on my head and down my neck. I’m surprised it does not feel particularly cold. NT laughs. Serves me right for not ducking. He is calling his wife on his mobile. Mine has run out of power. So he obligingly calls my wife and regales my getting wet. Twisted sense of humour.

10:00 NT passes me the helm. Sea state moderate with 5 foot swells and easterly wind. All 3 of us candidates feel motion sickness.

11:15 I lose direction as Eagle’s long keel and sail set makes her vulnerable to weather helm. NT shouts at me. I determine not to lose direction ever again. He is a hard task master.

11:30 NT insists on using autohelm as he reckons I am an awful helm. Is he being fair ? Autohelm goes on and within a few minutes it makes an unpleasant and ominous metallic sound. The handle then flies up and the bow swings to port. NT calls me a “bloody idiot” and I put the autohelm on again.

11:45 Autohelm has switched off three times now. NT had gone below for 5 minutes. He comes up to see me with my hands behind me as the autohelm disengages yet again. I say that it is broken and I have no intention of leaving post on helm with the autohelm inoperable. I steer better than I have ever done and NT now appears genuinely sorry for being so critical of me. Course is good despite the lumpy sea. NT goes below deck. I enjoy the solitude and responsibility. This is better and more challenging than my Day Skipper practical.

11:55 NT comes up from below deck. He apologises for shouting at me. I say that’s OK. He now appreciates that the autohelm is inoperable. It probably needs washing in fresh clean water due to being encrusted in salt.

12:30 Watch change. NT and I go below. We make coffee and serve up to LM and JM. Strip off foulies and get some rest. NT’s apology now makes me feel more confident. I can helm perfectly well. Lesson though is always be aware of wind, however tired I may be.

15:45 Wake up and come on deck. Land in sight but only just. Long coastline and low lying. Cannot see cliffs. Other watch goes below. NT asks my opinion on position. I state that we are east of where I would have wanted. We are 49°.46’ N 1°.34’ W. NT discusses with me sailing plan. Is this new respect maybe? He says he does not want to criticise the other watch to their face but will alter course if necessary. I say we can always bear away to turn further west. He agrees. Looks like I’ve learnt some good basics already.

16:00 PR on helm and NT now seems to trust me. Might I actually pass?

16:15 I decide to bear away by 5°. Brave decision. My dead reckoning as a former pilot has kicked in.

16:50 Excellent decision ! NT now clearly impressed at my dead reckoning. We now see the eastern end of the outer mole of Cherbourg. The plan has come together. We wake the others and get them on deck.

17:15. Mole clearly visible. JM takes over as skipper. He decides we head to wind inside the outer harbour to drop sails. LM on the helm. NT can now shout at him. NT warns him about the lights on the western approach to the outer harbour.

17:40 Outer harbour. Entrance safely cleared and as we turn into wind we are still exposed but less sea than outside the mole. Sails down and fenders out. Engine on. Cherbourg looks huge.

17:55 We motor into inner harbour and look for mooring. Find one. LM on helm. We have little choice but to take one of the few moorings left which and face into wind.

18:05 LM makes first attempt to moor and is blown off. Bow line is thrown to neighbouring lady who offers help. She is moored at end of pontoon in a 47 footer. Magnificent boat. She says they, too, had a bit of a rough crossing. JM and NT are off the boat on first attempt. But only one line on. NT tells LM to power it in. I remain on board with LM for moral support and to see how he does it. LM put on throttle gently and almost makes it but is again blown off. JM looks very concerned for his boat. NT then yells “Don’t pay attention to him (JM) He’s only the owner. Go on Lachlan, give it some wellie!” I tell LM to take it firmly but gently. LM ignores me and doing as NT orders, powers on throttle. He rams Eagle’s bow onto and up the pontoon, gouging the bow. JM is horrified. NT thinks it is highly amusing and shouts out – “Excellent”. I get off toward the stern and secure stern sheet; then take surplus back toward centre cleats as a spring. NT takes the passports takes the passports up to HM while JM LM and I head for the facilities. We meet NT in the bar. Beers followed by Pernod then dry white burgundy and the set supper of pate de compagne followed by duck legs; then cheese and a very sweet cake. Cognac all round. The three of us candidates needed to get drunk. We are exhausted and bonded.

Saturday 18 April 2015

In port. Breakfast on board.

Weather still blowing an easterly but picked up with 25 - 30 knots and overcast. Seas look moderate with white horses. We do not see anyone leaving harbour. NT has risen early and brings back croissants. Fantastic. We brew proper coffee. We congregate in the showers and then set off to explore. Market is interesting with fish stalls. We walk across the inner fishing harbour bridge to big hypermarket to buy food and large thermos flasks for soup on return trip. NT teaches us not to attempt to heat up food in rough weather; better to have prepared hot soups.

There is a nautical fair on. We inspect a line of clothes stores and are more interested in the boats, particularly the J models. NT is looking for boats for sail. He likes to be a yacht broker. When he isn’t teaching at Hayling Island Yacht Club as Hayling Sea School, or teaching and assessing Yachtmasters, he spends the rest of his time ferrying new and power boats across the North Sea to Sweden and Norway.

Early afternoon. JM and NT remove the autohelm cover and hose it down with fresh water. It was heavily encrusted. Putting it back together, it looked a lot cleaner.

Late afternoon: We have a few drinks at the Yacht harbour bar, then into town for dinner. A super menu of fish, washed down with lots of burgundy. Desert is again sweet so we all opt for cheese. The variety and quality is superb.

Sunday 19 April 2015

Still in port. Weather not improved. We decide to stay in port and sail back the following day as the forecast is set to improve.

A walk in the morning after coffee. We inspect a 60 footer moored in the harbour behind the bridge. It looks used battered and is filthy. But the engine has been kept well and with some work will be a desirable yacht.

Sunday lunch on board. A feast.

After lunch NT and JM teach me the AIS and Plotter.

Afternoon. NT takes the LM and I through engine checks. JM as boat owner is deemed to know what is on board. I am the first to be able to locate and remove check and get replace the oil dipstick. It is not easy to reach. Raw water intake is even more difficult to reach. I learn to adjust fan belt.

NT puts the three of us through secondary port tide calculation exercise.

Afternoon walk around the harbour. I am shown the tide gate at eastern end. We have drinks in a local bar for tea.

Evening. Meal on board. Then NT designates me as skipper for the return journey. I get to passage plan using the white board plus course to steer on the chart. I set 358° having worked out my cross channel tides and passage. Wind is still from the east reducing to 15 kts. With a slight sea. I hope so.

NT goes for a shower. The three of us get together in the cockpit and I piece together from both my compatriots a check list for the pre-dawn start. This is really my first time as skipper. I am nervous as I want to get the order of sail correct. Brainwave – I write down a check list. Now I can get to sleep. Retire at 21:45.

Passage Plan for leaving Cherbourg and entering Northney Marina

Monday 20 April 2015

04:00 Alarm goes. I rise first and rapidly get dressed and into foulies. I turn on lights and the kettle and prepare three cups of tea and one coffee. I square away my bunk, then I put into practice the important points of skippering; calm authority and delegating tasks according to the check list. LM for internal items, JM for external items; NT to secure the galley. Then with all reporting completed everyone up on deck. I ensure NT is as far away from me as possible. I put him on the second bow line so he cannot interfere and make me nervous. I run through the external check list for departure with the other two; then safety brief for everyone.

04:40. Engine start and NT on prime bow line, with JM on stern. LM and I have headband lights. LM allows throttle to run gently to warm engine and JM slips stern and climbs aboard. Wind will blow us off. I ask NT to place a slip on the bow line and climb aboard. NT to slip the bow and I order LM to gently reverse. He is to focus on my directions as I have the passage plan. He slides neatly out of the berth and I order a slow turn to port as the wind pushes our bow around to port anyway. Throttle ahead and slight turn to port to clear the floating pontoon to starboard then head out to the outer harbour; avoid the yellow buoyed area (military) and straight ahead. Stop in the outer harbour heading about 040° and hoist mainsail with one reef and unfurl genoa.

05:00 Turn to port 005° to clear the outer harbour and steer 358°. En route. I let the other two go below for more rest and NT and I will take the first watch as dawn comes up. NT congratulates me on the check list and a smooth calm no drama style departure while in darkness for homeward voyage. I ask him to put the kettle on and make two cups of coffee. Its going to be a long day but a nice one. Wind easterly at 15kts and sea stare is slight. I’m now feeling confident I can skipper. The autohelm now works having been cleaned up.

09:00 50°.00’N 1°.36’ W. Good progress and its time for us to change watch. I ask the other two to take their turn and keep a good watch out for cargo ships (see photo belo). NT and I go below. I make teas for the chaps on watch then settle down for rest on the bunk.

13:00 Time to rise and get back on watch. NT wakes me and asks if I’m OK. He then says that JM has passed and he is fine with me but wants me to do 250 miles of skippering unsupervised to build confidence, after which he will give me my ticket. He asks if am I OK with that. I am thrilled. I’ve passed, subject to getting some necessary experience. He will give LM his Day Skipper as he does not have this qualification yet. I check the GPS and plot the chart. We’ve made another 20 miles - 50°.20’ N 1°.37’ W.

I punch in the next waypoint.

15:15 Land ho. We’ve travelled 14 miles and can make out Freshwater Bay of the Isle of Wight. Bear away 10° to port and allow windage so we can clear port side of the fairway buoy.

16:20 Over the radio we hear the Coast Guard asking all vessels to look out for some object. Some kayaker had drowned on Saturday and the kayak had just been found. NT mishears and asks us to look out for a corpse. The corpse had already been found.

16:25. We come round the fairway buoy and NT suggests we head for the north channel. The tide is hard against us if we were to head into wind through the needles channel. Good idea. We head to Milford. About a mile off I order head to wind so we can lower the main sail and furl the genoa. Then we motor toward Milford and into relatively slack water as the tidal ebb slackens. We see a vessel in the Needles channel really struggling. What a good idea to navigate the tides this way. Under my command we turn toward Hurst Castle. Just past Hurst Castle, I pass command to LM to skipper us up the Solent.

18:45. Dusk. I am on the helm. We are now passing Portsmouth. It is dusk. NT is chatting with JM up forward. LM is skipper and he is becoming tired and anxious with the lights. I can see the Normandie leaving harbour. LM has his back to it and does not see it approaching rapidly on what is definitely a collision course. I tell him as skipper and suggest that I slow down and turn to starboard to allow this large passenger ship to pass ahead of us with plenty of clearance. LM is unsure. Although we are both under power and I am to starboard and therefore have right of way, nevertheless, the really safe decision is to be nowhere near. Normandie steams ahead and NT decides that I can beat it (!) so he orders me to apply full power ahead. I’m unhappy with this decision but he is the YM Instructor – on his head be it !. I follow orders. Normandie actually gives way to my astonishment and turns to starboard allowing us to pass ahead. I lose several ounces of perspiration.

19:45.Darkness. Navigation and steaming lights on. We arrive at West Pole. NT orders me to take command. I have to make night passage as the incoming tide slackens up the treacherous Emsworth Channel in the dark. Everyone now keeps quiet and I give instructions light by light to LM. Past West Pole 013° to Bar Beacon 0.6nm Fl (2)R.; Maintain 013° to Eastoke (Q.R.) keeping slightly to port of West Winner (Q.G.) at 022°; then 355° up the channel keeping as close to the moored vessels on the

buoys as possible. 20:15. We pass Hayling Island Sailing Club and I look for the two fixed vertical red lights and the green marker opposite marking the entrance to Sparkes Marina.

Eastoke to Fishery 0.7nm. Look for the Fishery south cardinal V.Q. (6) and l.Fl 10s and keep it to starboard. Turn slightly to port 350° and watch out North West Pilsey Fl.G 5 s. Then watch for North Pilsey also keeping it to starboard. It is unlit. Fishery to N W Pilsey is a course of 340° and 0.15nm. LM had become disorientated. I guess he was very tired. He turned to starboard whereas NW Pilsey to N Pilsey is on the same course 340° and 0.25 nm. North Pilsey somehow came up by our port bow. I ordered him to turn to port and head for the dark shapes of the moored vessels and into deeper water. No drama and no running aground.

The next light is Verner, a port market Fl R 10 s. N Pilsey to Verner is 340° at 0.5nm. It came up on our port side as predicted and I told LM to watch for and keep to port of Marker, the starboard marker Fl 2 G. Verne to Marker is 357° 0.70nm. The next light is the first of the three port markers marking the bend in the channel to the west. In front is the channel dividing marker at a shallows – a south cardinal - Emsworth Q(6) + l.Fl 15s Course to steer is between the first channel marker North East Hayling. Fl (2) R and Emsworth.

NT wanted JM to take over the helm and con at N E Hayling because of his familiarity with the waters. I was happy to pass control. However JM was busy tying on fenders as I had earlier requested; so I continued. Marker to N.E.Hayling is 354° 0.73nm. Motoring slowly as the fill slackened off, I ordered LM to turn to port 317° 0.5 nm to the next marker Sweare Deep Fl (3) R.

This is the most important of the three markers because the channel shallows severely to port even at the flood; and the channel veers sharply to port for the entrance into Northney Marina. At Sweare Deep I ordered LM to turn to port 293° for 0.28 NM until the Northney marker can be seen. That is just north of the entrance to the Marina either side of which are swithies. About 100 metres short of Northney, JM took control and helmed us over the mud bar entrance into the marina; at which point NT quietly congratulated me for my command. I had commanded it safely without running aground.

21:45 We have secured mooring lines and springs and tidied up and unloaded the boat. NT asks JM to monitor my progress and JM offers to let me skipper for a bit to build up miles. As part of the plan NT wants me to do some dinghy sailing. NT is satisfied with my theory and general knowledge and ability as a member of crew. He is satisfied as to my qualities as a Day Skipper. I have passed the Coastal Skipper practical and he is impressed by my skippering in both foreign waters, the Solent and especially in difficult waters at night. Navigating up the Emsworth in the dark and not running aground, in his opinion, is no mean feat. He wants me to cement those skills and be confident in boat handling. He insists I do some dinghy sailing.

I have sailed 179 nautical miles on this trip.

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4th May 2015

A day sail on Eagle for skippering experience. Paul Rose “PR” Jim Miller “JM” and Alastair Mazumdar “AM”.

Preparation starts on the evening of the 2nd May 2015 when I plot a course from West Pole to Portsmouth Harbour through the submarine barrier. This is a navigational challenge because with a potential wind shift, it means having to tack through it. The object is to gain experience as a skipper and build up mileage. The Yacht belongs to JM. It is Eagle a 37 foot Rustler.

2nd May 2015 - 21:30 After supper I spread the MCA chart and plot the course. I work out tides and the important times other than high and low water Portsmouth, are the heights of tide over Chichester Bar. On an ebb, that tide race will cause tremendous problems as the Emsworth empties out at 6 knots. Eagle’s engine could not cope.

3rd May 2015. I shop for victuals for the following day. 22:00 I prepare breakfast of smoked salmon and cream cheese with chive bagels and wrap them in tin foil for the fridge.

4th May 0615. Rise and collect food from fridge and pack into freezer bag along with sailing kit. Drive down to Hayling Island. I am due to meet with JM at 09:00.

08:50. Meet with Jim, unload car and stow kit and food. Clean down the coach top and check water and fuel. This will be my first time as skipper unsupervised by a Yacht Master Instructor.

09:00 AM arrives. He is a Merchant Navy officer – 3 rd officer on a 98,000 tonne gas carrier. Lovely fellow and very strong. He has a Yachtmaster Ocean but power. However he wants to learn to sail and I’m not sure that he will not be a liability for me. Thankfully JM is there for safety.

0915: Kettle on – tea and crew safety briefing. Check boat and open cocks and remove instrument covers etc. Tide is on the ebb.

09:45. Set off. JM takes us out of the tightness of Northney Marina and at Sweare Deep I ask AM to helm. He is very good in calm conditions. WX is F3 south westerly with slight sea state and no rain forecast until the evening. Will that last ? Down the Emsworth channel and keeping red markers to starboard and the green to port, we do not run aground.

10:20 Coming up to Hayling Island Sailing Club I take the helm. Was that a good idea ? Not sure. We pass Eastoke to find two yachts heading straight at me sailing parallel. Do I have sea room ? JM below and AM who is used to power, appears laid back. I choose to turn to starboard. JM comes up has a panic attack and yells to go to port. AM reckons I ought to have stayed on course and gone between the tow. I explain it’s not my boat ! I turn slightly to port without running out of depth or sea room and the danger passes quickly. Lesson learnt. Make a robust decision, demonstrate what I intend doing to the other vessel (s) and make that decision early.

10:40 We are past West Pole so I turn to starboard on a close reach. Time for breakfast and a cup of coffee. I settle down and ensure that the course is good so as to be able to sail straight through the two dolphins that straddle the gap in the barrier. West Pole to the dolphins is a course of 277° and 4.8 nm.

11:45 Submarine barrier not only in sight but I see two yachts coming toward us on collision courses. I make my decision to turn to port for the first and starboard for the second. Good decisions. JM approves. The closing distances were considerable in both cases. No other vessels in the vicinity and I helm her through the barrier on the same close reach.

12:15. JM on helm. Pull out my passage plan in file for entrance to Portsmouth Harbour. Portsmouth Harbour is controlled by the QHM and the rules of passage are very strict. The entrance to the harbour is narrow and there is a zone to starboard of a red buoy No 4 Q.R. which is the deep channel for commercial and military vessels. Nothing below 20 metres length may go in that zone. Its widest point is between No 4 and 3 Bar Q.G. a green starboard buoy There is a transit line of 229°/049° between the two lining up with 2 fixed green vertical lights by the amusement park.

I2:30 We arrive at my way point 50°.46’.95 N 1°.06’.4 W. High Tide in 9 minutes time. I call up QHM on Ch 11 and no problem to enter and proceed north. The object was to motor across and moor at Gunwharf Quay. However, I decide instead to moor on a buoy for lunch further up toward Royal Clarence Marina. Head to south west and “in irons” and drop the headsail and furl the genoa. Motor on. Entrance cannot be undertaken under sail alone but motor cruising is not forbidden.

12:45 proceeding on course of 335° passing to port of No 4 and as close as possible to the spit of Alverstoke by Fort Blockhouse so as to pass on port side of Ballast Fl. R 2.5 s. Passage to starboard (in) of Ballast will incur the wrath and a possible fine from the QHM.

13.10 We pass Ballast to port of it keeping to the small boat channel and head further north to the small craft moorings at Cold Harbour. We motor up to a buoy and pick it up with the hook. Good mooring practice. Hooked on to the starboard bow cleat, we have lunch. I have bought coleslaw, tomatoes, cold ham and baps and mixed leaf salad and cheese slices. The lads congratulate me on victualling. We then have tea.

14:15 With the tide now ebbing faster after the passage of almost two hours after high water, engine on, slip the mooring and motor back out. Past No 4, I turn to wind and we hoist main sail and genoa. We head over to the Isle of Wight in the direction of Ryde.

15:45.Weather starts to deteriorate and I take the decision as skipper to turn and head back to Northney Marina. We might as well put the motor on. AM on helm. I give a course to steer to the dolphins at the submarine barrier gap.

17:00 Becoming overcast and wind freshening to F4 with the odd gust to 5. Sea state is slight still. It starts to drizzle and we are getting progressively wetter. Foulies on. Lower the sail and furl the genoa.

17:30 Arrive at West Pole and head up to Eastoke and up the Emsworth Channel.

18:45. We arrive at Sweare Deep marker and turn to Northney. A pleasant days sail, some good experience and notched up 41 nm.

Dinghy Sailing is part of the programme so that has to be arranged.

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Friday 29th May 2015. Dinghy Sailing at Queen Mary Reservoir Staines under supervision.

14:15. I am 15 minutes late having been caught in heavy traffic. Report in to the office at first floor level. I meet Vicki Thurston, Chief Instructor RYA of the Queen Mary Sailing Club. She places me under the tutelage of an instructor, Julio, from Barcelona. We converse in Spanish.

14:45 I change into bathing shorts and a wet suit with plimsolls and my instructor kits me out with a plastic helmet and a buoyancy aid. WX is cool with a north westerly wind F4 gusting 5. Overcast and somewhat unsettled. I’m trepidatious. I’ve no intention of capsizing.

14;50 He introduces me to the Laser Pico. OMG ! I weigh twice its weight ! It is on the flat concrete and he demonstrates how I should shift position and keep control on tacking. He briefs me on what to do if I lose control or capsize. He is going to be behind me in a rib. Great ! He keeps upright and I get wet. Oh well lets see how it goes.

15:00 I climb in and prefer to kneel down. With bi-lateral metal hips and two months before my 64 th

birthday the object is to be able to move swiftly and not be passive should either of the tensor fascia latae or ileo tibial bands or abductors or glutei involuntarily spasm (not unknown). How else will I acquire the knowledge ? Am I brave; or just plain bonkers ?

15:05 He casts me off requiring me to sail on a beam reach to the other side of the reservoir. OK I know what that is. I can do that. The Laser is amazingly responsive to wind. I’ll have to get accustomed to that. It is also jolly quick.

15:10 Julio wants me to try the two methods of speed control – turning into wind to induce a stall; and remaining on the reach but releasing power by easing the sail. As a former pilot, I understand the concept which is to change the “wing” shape effectively inducing a stall; save that the latter does it while maintaining direction. Got it. I’m settling down to this and surprising myself by enjoying it. It is all about control.

15:20 The weather has deteriorated. The wind is picking up and now F5 gusting 6. Flags are now straight out and the sky is getting darker. More ominously, the aeroplanes taking off at Heathrow just to the north have stopped taking off. But I focus on my job.

15:25 I lose control. The wind has backed about 30°. It is now raining – hard ! I am getting soaked. I cannot keep up the beam reach. I do exactly as I have been taught not a half hour previously and I let the sheet go but not the tiller. This is obviously a miniature low pressure coming through. The boat spins around. I crawl to the base of the mast and hold on. There is no way I ‘m going to allow any vessel under my command to capsize never mind run aground. The boom is swinging back and forth across the boat and has hit my helmet (thank goodness for safety equipment) at least a half dozen times. Julio comes speeding up to me shouting am I alright. I give him a thumbs up. He grins at me and offers to let me come aboard the rib while the low passes over. I gratefully accept. Both of us are soaked.

15:30 We motor back to the pontoon. I ‘m hoping that he will let me climb ashore, shower and go home for a medicinal double Laphroaig after being whacked across the head that many times.

No such luck ! Like falling off a horse, I’ve got to climb back on. But he is treating me with enormous respect. So I start all over again. The wind has regained its former direction and died down to a respectable F3 gusting 4. The sky is lighter and its stopped raining. The sun emerges.

15:45 I have released the painter this time and I’m sailing on a beam reach across the Reservoir practising my new found skill in speed and directional control of this amazingly sensitive craft. The real pleasure for me is not the speed; but the physical handling and absolute control with regard to the conditions. My confidence on the water has taken a quantum leap in the last 30 minutes.

16:00 I have sailed across the reservoir and now very close to the concrete bank on the opposite side I must go about and reverse my course on the opposite beam reach. Control. Do it in a measured and calm manner. Like an aeroplane, think ahead, prepare, execute and control every single movement. As taught, I tense up my legs, put the tiller over and as the boom comes across, I shift my weight across and take up position on the other side of the lifting keel looking ahead and directing direction with the tiller, pulling in the sheet to gather speed. Julio is clapping me. He tells me I’m doing great ! He certainly knows how to encourage.

16:10, I am halfway across because I’m not racing. I have demonstrated control and direction. I play with points of sail. I bring her into a close reach. Then I sail her close hauled and counter balance by shifting my body weight outward. I bring her into a beam reach again. The sun is out and the temperature has warmed up. The wind is easier closer to the shore line; I am feeling 20 years younger and thoroughly enjoying the experience.

16:20 I am approaching the pontoon. Julio asks me if I want him to grab the painter and he will tow me in. I adamantly refuse and tell him that I intend sailing it under my momentum/power to moor up. I’ve picked my aiming point but he tells me where to point nonetheless; which is about where I was aiming for anyway. !

16:25 Having aimed, I slowly release power from the sail easing the sheet to slow the boast as I put the helm over and she glides toward the pontoon. It isn’t perfect as the angle is a bit steep; but just before the bow touches, I grab a cleat and using a weight shift swing the Laser side to the pontoon. Julio docks the rib, ties it on and comes over to me and takes my painter. I get off. What an afternoon !

17:00 I have taken off my safety kit and undone my wet suit zip. Julio congratulates me as the Club’s oldest student and tells me that not capsizing in those conditions is unique. Even Vicki Thurston the chief instructor is impressed. She signs off my log book. I have to do this again. I log 2 hours but with a ships log – this is after all a Laser Pico – no miles.

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Waterloo 200 - the 200 Year anniversary celebration of the vixtory over Napoleon Bonaparte at Waterloo.

Background: The East India Club Yacht Squadron has been invited by the New Waterloo Dispatch, headed by Club Member Peter Warwick, as the chosen sailing unit to escort the replicas of the captured two French Regiments’s standards following the defeat of the Old Guard and Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. A section of our sailing squadron were invited to the party to be hosted by the British Embassy in Brussels in conjunction with the Royal Navy, one of whose vessels was commandeered by the honourable Major Percy to bring the news of the victory back to England. Being mid - June, the naval ship was becalmed in the Channel so Major Percy managed to persuade the ship’s Captain to provide him with a jolly boat to be rowed ashore along with the Standard. The boat beached at Broadstairs.

For the bi-centenary, the town would provide a civic reception. The squadron members were invited to that also. First of all we had to sail to Ramsgate. Then be driven back to Ashford, board a cross channel tunnel train and then drive up the coast to Ostend for the reception on board HMS Northumberland, a working fully armed Frigate. Afterward we were then be driven back to Calais, train to Ashford and then onto our various yachts in Ramsgate harbour for the night. The following day we sailed up the coast to Broadstairs, provided the escort fully “dressed” and saluted the row boat carrying the actors playing Major Percy and the ship’s captain, then sail back to Ramsgate, dock the boats and be driven back to Broadstairs for the reception. Following release from duty we were driven back to Ramsgate and permitted to depart for our various home ports.

Crew: Paul Rose “PR” Jim Miller “JM” Lachlan Mulholland “LM” and Alastair Mazumdar “AM”. Skipper to Ramsgate will be PR. Skipper return journey will be JM the boat owner. Vessel is Eagle a 37 foot Rustler.

14 June 2015 (Sunday) Preparation for Waterloo 200. I am to skipper us to Ramsgate on Eagle a 37 foot Rustler. This will be a considerable passage and highly useful to provide the miles necessary to complete my plan for provision of my Coastal Skipper certificate.

I have purchased a set of charts SC 5605 for the coastline Chichester to Ramsgate and Calais to Ostend; and I prepare the passage plan. It covers four of the charts. Leaving Chichester Bar, we must sail out to Bar Beacon, then alter course to the south east in order to avoid being caught in shallows off Selsey Bill. We must clear the Owers with their dangerous overfalls and then make passage east well off the coast past Bognor Regis, Littlehampton, Worthing Hove, Brighton Newhaven and keep out in the Channel past Beachy Head before altering course east north east past Eastbourne, Pevensey Bay, Bexhill and Hastings. Past Hastings the plan takes me past Fairlight, Rye Harbour, off Dungeness, then St Marys Bay, Folkestone and Dover. After Dover the course is north past Walmer, Deal and Sandwich Bay, then into Ramsgate. Ramsgate to Broadstairs is only 2 miles and that will be sailed to arrive on station on 20th June at 09:00 when the plan is to anchor in line astern facing into a receding south flowing tide. This will enable us to gather in the cockpit to salute the jolly boat.

This will be a challenging piece of sailing and navigation. There is first the question of tides. The Chichester Bar has to be cleared by 04:45 else we may not clear it at all delaying us sufficiently to

miss the rendezvous planned for midday on the 19 th June in Ramsgate when we embark on a hired minibus to get to Ostend. When the Emsworth empties out into the Solent it ebbs at about 6 knots over the sand bar. It is one of the many hazards. The Grounds and Malt Owers and Boulder Bank off Selsey is another; and we must keep well clear of Beachy Head. We must keep a good look out for the cross channel ferries emerging at considerable speed out of Newhaven bound for Dieppe. Likewise we must maintain vigilance regarding the heavy commercial vessel traffic leaving and entering Dover.

My passage planning has taken me since Sunday afternoon and I have added and modified it on both Monday 15th June and Tuesday 16th June.

17th June 2015. 14:00 LM arrives with his kit at my office. Leave at 14:30 and drive down to Hayling Island. Stop at Havant at giant Tesco and shop to victual the boat allowing for 4 crew and 5 days at sea.

17:00 arrive in Northney Marina, unload and stow victuals. LM and I meet up with JM. 18:40 AM arrives having been caught in traffic. There is still light left and I execute a check of Eagle and order the spring lines to be released and Bow and stern lines made into slips. We shall be slipping moorings in the dark and we have a tight time frame to clear the Chichester Bar.

19:15 Rather than cook on board, we all go out to dinner. Venue is a theme bar and eaterie in Port Solent.

20:15 We inspect AM’s father’s power boat moored in Port Solent. An impressive “gin palace”.

21:45 Returned to Eagle and lights out. It is going to be a very early start and long day.

18th June 2015

Log of first section of passage

03:00 Reveille. No time to wash. We have to beat the ebb. I order all crew up on deck fully kitted and with life jackets and safety lines. Planning for departure during daylight the previous night pays off as LM and I with AM slip the mooring and JM, the boat owner reverses out and departs Northney Marina. We head down the Emsworth channel using my passage plan prepared for the Coastal Skipper practical and it works perfectly. Weather is heavily overcast. Sea state is slight. F4 and occasionally 5.

04:00 We clear Chichester Bar. The plan is coming together. I order the helm to take up 129° - 130° as corrected course to steer and this takes us just past two wrecks and across Medmery Bank with a view to passing between two important buoys Street and Boulder. We shall motor cruise because of the time.

04:30. AM makes us all tea. Well done. None of us want anything to eat. Slight drizzle but it doesn’t last long.

0510: Boulder Fl. G 2.5s. A green (starboard) can. We are making good progress. I order course change to 090°. Next point is East Borough Head an East Cardinal Q (3) 10S approximately 5 ½ miles virtually south of Bognor Regis.

06:20. We are slowing slightly as we reach East Borough Head where I order another change of course to 085° for a long run toward Selsey Bill.

O8:00 Coffee time and LM makes us his favourite simple breakfast of sliced cheese sandwiches. Its not gourmet but its fuel.

13:00 Beachy Head almost abeam to port. Ham and tomato sandwiches for lunch.

14:10 Royal Sovereign visible just off port bow. I had never seen this light structure before. It is huge. AM who is a third officer Merchant Marine on a 97,000 gas tanker tells me that it is designed for the large shipping to avoid and remain out in deeper water.

14:50 Dover Coastguard call us. I respond thinking I ‘ve done something wrong. They ask us where we are headed. I respond – Ramsgate. They inform us that a houseboat boat was towed across the channel the previous week and was sunk in a storm. We were tasked to report in any wreckage but to keep a particular lookout for a floating hot tub ! The first wreckage we sighted about 10 minutes later was some floating timber. Then we encountered the roof of the vessel. It was very large. I called this in to the Coastguard with coordinates. About 5 minutes after that, still proceeding toward Royal Sovereign which is 6.5 miles south of Pevensey Bay, we saw two sofas floating in the water. I had no idea sofas could float.

What puzzled us was that there three or four small fishing boats clustered around Royal Sovereign and they could have kept a lookout. As one came alongside he told us of the sinking the previous week.

15:25. I sight the hot tub - a grey large sink – like object floating high in the water. A definite hazard to shipping as was the rest of the wreckage. I called it in to Dover Coastguard with coordinates.

18:35 Off Dungeness. I am wondering if we are going to be able to reach Ramsgate before dusk. After discussion with JM he leaves it to me to decide whether to make for Dover overnight. The crew

are very tired. We’ve had little rest and both LM and AM are flagging. So is JM. I need to put someone else on watch but there is no one fit enough to replace me. I decide that we head for Dover at top speed with the engine. There is not much wind now to be of much assistance. CTS is 055° 18 nm distance to go before we can turn into Dover Harbour.

20:50 Dover Harbour well in sight. I place AM on helm as he is experienced in entering this Port. The tide is pushing against us and he is struggling, as is the engine, to make headway. Dover Harbour Master cannot hear him on his hand held VHF so I go below and speak to them on the Yacht VHF because of the mast antenna. We are given the green lights to enter at the western entrance and the difference in water behind the harbour entrance is considerable.

21:15. We are in the inner harbour and have been directed to a mooring. Bows, stern and spring warps set and we are glad to disembark, visit the shore facilities, then walk around the inner harbour to a local restaurant bar. We all tuck into beer fish and chips. We need the rest. I have logged 81 nm as skipper.

22:30 Back on board and lights out.

Friday 19 June 2015 Dover to Ramsgate

04:30 Reveille. We slip the mooring knowing it is 3 hours after HW and the tide is well on the ebb. We motor out as the sun comes up and leave harbour to head 070° to SW Goodwin a south cardinal; then a turn to 005° to run up through the Downs into the Gull Stream channel which is the safe route to RA a south cardinal.

06:00 In the Downs with Deal to port.

08:00 We reach RA the south cardinal and turn due west and motor into Ramsgate Harbour. I replace AM at the helm with JM. We dock at 08:40 and secure the boat. We visit the facilities and take overdue showers, then change into Cowes Rig and walk up to the Yacht Club to rendezvous with our transport and fellow Club members who have sailed in or driven. I have logged a further 20 nm as skipper.

With several hours in hand before the rendezvous we were able to purchase some items from the chandlery and dress the yacht ready for the celebrations the following day. We were driven in a minibus to Ashford, board the channel tunnel train and are driven by our fellow Club member to Ostend for the cocktail reception on HMS Northumberland

Photographs below.

Part of HMS Northumberland’s armoury.

Part of HMS Northumberland’s armoury.

Sunset ceremony on the aft flight deck.

Being in a foreign port in of all places, Belgium and with a heightened threat from Isis, the aft rail has general purpose machine gunds mounted on either corner with live ammunition in the breach and ready for firing. In addition there were ratings patrolling the deck with SA 80’s the standard issue rifle with live ammunition in the magazines.

Two items of navigating equipment on the bridge of HMS Northumberland.

The reception was a treat although we found the ship’s Captain Commander Trish Kohn quite taciturn and a great many of her junior officers appeared to lack basic social graces. We were informed by a matronly and mature Warrant Officer that the ship’s company were not in the best of spirits having been briefed on arrival in Ostend that shore leave had been cancelled and the Company had to prepare the vessel for a cocktail reception on the flight deck. We were treated to a tour of the vessel and entertained in the operations room to a simulated airborne attack which was duly seen off by a variety of weaponry. The crew found the Belgian VIP’s a bit trying.

Saturday 20 June 2015. JM took over as skipper. We rose at 07:00, and then motored out of Ramsgate Harbour at 08:15 proceeding north to Broadstairs. We anchored about a mile offshore. Acting as JM’s No 2, I radio the other vessels in the Squadron now in line astern, to standby to salute by lowering the red ensign as the gig rowed past with the two actors aboard. This part of the ceremony passes without too much of a hitch save that a little earlier, one of our number decided to replace his shower with a swim just off his boat. With a strong tidal rip to the south, both JM and I felt this was somewhat foolhardy; despite the Ramsgate lifeboat being in attendance.

12:45 We arrive back in Ramsgate and change again into Cowes rig for the trip back to Ramsgate. The entire ships crew is invited aboard one of our member yachts n Ramsgate, a 47 foot Beneteau and we drink champagne.

13:45 We arrive in Broadstairs having now missed the main part of the ceremony and the lunch afterward. However we are greeted by the Lady Mayor very warmly, thanked and given several bottles of champagne to share, along with free beer, large plates of cold meats and salad and strawberries and cream for dessert. Our Squadron members do not go hungry ! We are driven back to Ramsgate.

19:00 Eagle under the command of JM now sets off back to Hayling Island. He rapidly plans a night passage under motor only.

22:00 I am on watch with AM who, as above is a Merchant Marine 3 rd officer with a Yachtmaster (Power) ocean qualification. JM makes him watch leader. AM spends about 40% of his watch time below deck, leaving me on my own. Autohelm is working.

Sunday 21st June 2015

02:00 Watch relieved by JM and LM. AM and I retire below for some rest. Dungeness well astern to starboard.

06:00 AM and I come back on watch. I make breakfast of porridge for the other two. AM not hungry. I brew coffee and tea. Weather is worse with sea state moderate and F4 gusting 5 but worsening.

14:50 At 50°.43’.0N 0.22°.0’W in a moderate sea with a F5 gusting 6. The engine warning signal comes on taking us all by surprise wondering what it is. I check RPM and temperature which is running hot. JM orders the engine to be shut down. Main is down and only the Genoa is up. JM orders AM on helm and LM to accompany him below where they remove the companionway ladder and engine cover and in this sea state JM decides to strip the raw water intake believing it to be ingestion of seaweed causing the engine to overheat.

AM has never sailed. His experience is power. The sea state is now moderate – to a non-sailor - !lumpy” and wind is west south west F6 gusting 7. Within 4 minutes, he complains to me that he has lost control of the helm and gybes the genoa. I realise that he is a novice and has no experience with sail. He lost attention.

The yacht has no power and now no leeway. I am disturbed by what I feel are three poor skippering decisions namely (1) to put a non - sailor on the helm (2) to attempt to strip down an engine part in those sea conditions and (3) not to consider sailing using the genoa into Brighton Marina, a sheltered haven. We could even have used the genoa to sail into wind in order to hoist the main Sali with two reefs. It would have been sufficient. But JM was skipper, not I.

I immediately realise that the situation is dangerous. The yacht is out of control and wallowing in a sea state that could easily result in injury to two crew trapped below deck without the companionway ladder. My priority is assume command and sail the yacht by regaining leeway. I tell AM not to worry and hold his present course (such as it may be) while I “reef” the genoa by furling it half way; then I alternate the genoa sheets to fill and obtain leeway. Immediately the yacht gained leeway. I ordered AM back on course and tacked the genoa for him to maintain that course. In order to make better leeway I eased the genoa furl to obtain greater sail area. It worked and with increased power AM was able to hold a steadier course.

JM and LM, having checked the condition of the raw seawater intake piece it back together and place back the engine cover and companionway ladder and re-start the now cooled down engine. It starts first time without any strange noise. JM has burned his arm but fails to present to me as the other first aider on board.

15:00 JM and LM are on watch. AM is now asleep. The engine is running. No cause was found for the overheating. The raw seawater intake was clear. The oil check roved satisfactory. Fan belts were running properly and of sufficient tension. JM is having a difficult time maintaining course. He and LM have not eaten. I prepare club sandwiches for them both with hot tea. I then get some rest.

17:40 We arrive at East Borough Head.

18:15 As we approach Boulder Bank off Selsey Bill we start to feel the benefit of the lee of Isle of Wight.

18:45 Solent Coastguard call us and ask our help in pinpointing the position of Boulder, the starboard buoy which has slipped its anchorage and has drifted. We sight Boulder about 10 minutes later and moor up to it to make as good a GPS fix as possible. It is about a quarter mile south of its charted position.

19:45. West Pole. We have barely 15 minutes left to make it over Chichester Bar to get our 2 metre clearance.

20:00 Low Water Chichester Harbour entrance. We have made it with 7 minutes to spare and are motoring up the Emsworth channel. We arrive back in Northney at 20:45 and unload the yacht. I agree to meet up with JM later in the week to debrief the incident.

I have notched up another 101 miles.

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Round the Island Race 27th June 2015 RTIR

I am crewing on Eagle owned by Jim Miller Crew are; Jim Miller “JM” “PR” Mike Smith “MS” and Alastair Mazumdar “AM”.

Friday 26th June 2015. Drive down with MS and meet up at Northney Marina. Traffic is bad. JM’s wife – lovely lady - has made us blueberry muffins and chocolate fudge bites as well as acquiring all necessary victuals for the day’s racing.

18:30 Arrive in Northney Marina. AM not yet arrived. MS and I help JM unload and stow gear. We take off covers and I wash down the deck. The three of us check out the boat.

19:15 AM arrives. Greetings all round.

19:45 We drive round to Port Solent to the same eaterie for pasta and beer.

21:45 Drive back to Northney. We have an early start. Jim plans tides with me. See picture below.

RTIR Planning. “Winning Tides” is an essential to have on board.

Saturday 27th June 2015.

We have to be at the start line at 07:30 on the ebbing tide.

04:45 Reveille. We slip the mooring in Northney and JM hands helm to AM as we are under power. MS puts on the kettle. MS and I relax. We have sailed in races as a team in 2014 undertaking the RTIR several times before and we were a team not only in RTIR but also the Chichester Sailing Club clocks race to celebrate putting the clocks back for winter. In the 2014 race Eagle came 5 th out of 15 yachts – a creditable result.

06:45. We arrive North Ryde Middle, a starboard marker. We ensure cups are washed and loose equipment stowed. The sea state is slight but the wind is perfect for Eagle which weighs 7 tons and has a long keel. It is F 4 gusting 5. The lighter yachts will have a tougher time. Eagle is very stable in these conditions. If anything she has a tendency for weather helm which will challenge MS who is the race helm. My role is main sheet and traveller. Whereas on Waterloo 200 JM was content for AM simply to helm while it was under power, the incident off Brighton/Hove and my reaction has clearly sunk home. MS has sailed 4 transatlantics and was a Lieutenant in the South African Navy based at Simonstown. He does not suffer fools. He and I think as a team.

07:00 There are many hundreds of boats around us. We cannot see the mast of the Royal Yacht Squadron because there are so many sails. JM has plotted the start line electronically and decided that we shall keep to the north side east of the start line where there is less chance of pre-start collision. We hear over the radio of lots of false starts.

07:30 Our class has started. Unlike last year when tide forced us over the line stern first as we were attempting to regain our position behind the start line, this year we deliberately hold back and at the start we are a safe distance behind. We set off on a port tack. JM is conning; MS is now race helm with me on main sheet and traveller. My perspective is that I am helping to sail a large and heavy dinghy.

07:40 First tack to port. MS calls it. AM lumbers slowly over to the port winch and fails to load it correctly. JM tries to rescue him. I’m too busy to interfere but MS loses his temper and shouts at AM to get on with it today rather than sometime tomorrow afternoon. JM is clearly aware that MS not only dislikes AM but considers him a liability. I keep quiet. I already know that he is.

07:50 Next tack. Again AM is slow. JM now steps in to operate both winches realising that trying to teach someone how to load a winch in the middle of one of the more dangerous races in the season due to sheer numbers and dangers of collision is not such a good idea ! MS cannot contain himself from shouting at AM. It isn’t fair on AM but it was AM’s choice; he wanted to take part. I told AM that he would be useful ballast and to counter-balance the boat while we were sailing close hauled.

08:30 JM has had to work very hard handling both winches. He has relied on MS and I as he knew he could, to sail the boat. We are doing well. Although I have plenty of clothing and life jacket and safety line on I am sweating. We are making very good time. Eagle really performs in these weather conditions.

09:15 We are rounding the Needles. One yacht has attempted to sail through the gap despite the organising committee having warned vessels not to do so. It has to be rescued.

09:45 Around the Needles and into Freshwater Bay. We are now on a very broad reach. Not quite a run downwind. Mainsail out to port. Genoa is ballooning out. We hear the first distress call. A lady has fallen, hit her head, got up and a half hour later collapsed. She has to be airlifted to Southampton General still unconscious. It sounds life threatening. We see the orange smoke from the flare guiding the helicopter.

Shortly after, we hear another distress call. A gentleman in his 60’s has fallen and hurt his arm and elbow. He is in considerable pain but declines an airlift preferring no fuss and waiting for a lifeboat evacuation. Solent Coastguard have spoken with a trauma doctor. They are taking no chances and insist on airlifting him also to hospital.

10:30 Still on the broad reach toward St Catherine’s Point. We hear another distress call, this time from a skipper who has a member of crew feeling nauseous with a headache. We all consider that exhibiting symptoms of a hangover do not present HMCG and the RNLI with anything other than a waste of resources. [We learn two weeks later that the “victim” was overcome from substance abuse the night before; and the psychological terror of facing a long term prison sentence for a drug related offence.]

11:00 MS needs to be relieved for a comfort break. We are on a very broad reach and only making 4 knots presently. MS hands me the helm. I maintain 107°. JM is content for me to remain on the helm for an hour. MS comes up and I pass him the helm.

11:45 In sight of St Catherine’s Point. The Yacht Lutine sails effortlessly by, making Eagle look like a lumbering barge.

12:15 Approaching St Catherine’s Point. I had warned JM to avoid the overfalls which had gotten the better of Eagle in the calm of the 2014 RTIR. JM has positioned us well off shore. We easily pass the problem area without incident and prepare to swing to the north east.

13:40: Another distress call is in operation. A vessel has lost member of crew who has gone overboard (Was it accidental > Was he pushed ? Did he jump ?) and is promptly rescued by a nearby photographer’s boat. Barely a few minutes later, the yacht runs aground on Bembridge Ledge. It is stuck fast and as the tide is turning to ebb, the owner/skipper is clearly panicking. Every lifeboat from Weymouth to Eastbourne is out on the water attending to this race. The owner took a chance sailing so close in to the shore line.

14:30 East side of the Isle of Wight. On a reach Eagle lumbers along. We are being overtaken by the lighter boats, especially the Contessas, Bavarias and Beneteaus. Nevertheless we make reasonable progress.

15:30 We are now coming around the north east part of the Island and our broad reach finishes as we come closer to the wind. Eagle now comes into its own.

AM in yellow foulie still trying to work out how to act as ballast ! MS on helm and holding against weather helm. I am adjusting traveller fighting for speed.

Concentration. AM has now worked out that the windward side is the best side to place himself. MS is looking for water, with another yacht very close to port and one just off our starboard bow. I am hauling in traveller. It is hard physical work.

18:50 We pass through the finishing gate. A good race and no disqualification. Our Club competitor Sea Spice, a catamaran, has incurred a penalty and having started a half hour late anyway, we have beaten them and won the inter East India Club RTIR trophy.

Eagle’s track.

A total of 84 nm.

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Friday 10 July 2015 Dinghy Sailing at Queen Mary Reservoir Staines under supervision.

I have arranged my second session as part of my plan agreed with Nigel Tuttle of Hayling Island Sea School in order to complete the mileage and skippering experience required for my Coastal Skipper.

The experience gained in skippering 41 miles on 4th May and 101 miles to Ramsgate; plus my observations on the return journey of 101 miles aside from my first experience on a Laser Pico have provided me with a quantum leap in confidence.

14:00 Arrival on time. I am going to sail a Laser Bahia with a dinghy instructor called Alex. He is 8 years younger than my youngest daughter. He has seen my record, had a briefing from Vicki Thurston the Chief Instructor who remembers me. He will act as crew. I have to helm and control and he will offer suggestions.

14:15. I suit up in my trunks and wet suit and plimsolls and get kitted out again with safety helmet and floatation device. Once again I promise myself that there is no way I am going to permit a capsize. Chris thinks that capsizing is fun. I tell him that I can recommend a good psychiatrist.

The weather is lovely. It is bright, sunny and the wind is a pleasant F3. I could not wish for better conditions.

14:20 The Laser Bahia is larger and being heavier is fractionally more stable than a Pico – which doesn’t say very much. I have helped ease the Bahia down the steep concrete ramp from the top of the reservoir where the boats are parked on trailers, down to the water edge. We take it around to the pontoon I climb aboard and adjust the lifting rudder and take the main sheet. Alex climbs aboard and slips the painter. I ease in the main and aim for the far side of the reservoir on a beam reach.

When we are about halfway across Alex suggests I alter course. He wants to put me through my paces on points of sail. While I am at it he asks me to increase speed. I am now convinced that he wants me to lose control and capsize like all the schoolchildren do. I point out that as by far and away their oldest alumni, I am going to demonstrate control and I refuse to place myself in a position I am unable to control. I gently push the helm over to bring her into a fine reach, then close hauled and he leans out to counter-balance.

I tack it and perform this manoeuvre about 5 times. He then asks me to demonstrate a broad reach. We sail up and down on such reaches for another 15 minutes. Next he wants me to demonstrate a gybe. I appreciate that he wants to make sure I can control the gybe. I do this slowly and methodically while maintain leeway. On the next run, coming at us in a rib is my first instructor Julio who motors up to me to touch hands in an American style “five on the side”. He tells Alex that he thinks I am a hero (!!) for not capsizing in the storm when I went out with him. Clearly they are used to teaching schoolchildren who simply want to have fun and are not seriously interested in learning how to sail.

I demonstrate three gybes for him; then I sail on a beam reach to make up a triangular course and we do this for another half hour. It then becomes time for me to sail back to the pontoon. I decide to proceed to a point where my approach is close hauled; then I shall bear away to a beam reach and tack around to approach form the opposite beam reach.

I perform these manoeuvres and as I approach the pontoon on the opposite beam reach, I ease off power from the mainsail and we glide toward the pontoon. Alex is able to grab the pontoon and leap off the boat grabbing the painter. He pulls it bow to the pontoon as another boat is coming alongside and I bring up the rudder and move forward to step from the bow to the pontoon.

We then bring the Bahia to the edge of the slipway, pull her onto the wheeled carriage and haul her with the winch up the slipway. This is hard work.

I have sailed for 2.5 hours. In the Sailing Club office, Vicki Thurston writes a short report declaring that I have demonstrated competence in the various points of sail, having sailed a triangular course around the Reservoir; and in mooring alongside a pontoon. This is for presentation to Nigel Tuttle.

17:15 Depart for home feeling competent.

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20 July 2015. Nigel Tuttle informs me that he is satisfied that I have achieved in principle the experience that he required me to have He presents me with my Coastal Skipper ticket.

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Saturday 22nd August 2015 – Sunday 23rd August 2015. A weekend sail in the Solent. My first charter.

I arrange to charter a Beneteau 34 from Hamble Yacht Charters Mercury Marina. It is Yacht Ette. Skipper PR. Crew: Mike Smith “MS” and his son Matt “Matt”.

Friday 21st August 2015: I drive down to Mercury Marina and pick up the boat. She is moored in a position from which I can easily slip out of the Marina. I have planned for this charter. We shall sail toward Ryde to avoid the main channel, then turn west past Cowes and down the Solent to Lymington.

I have prepared a passage plan for both Marinas and the tides for Warsash and Lymington.

18:00 I pick up the boat first, check her out with the staff member and having checked the equipment and noted all the safety equipment, I pass over my credit card for the deposit and sign away a fortune in case of damage or worse. Ette is at least 10 years old and has been last sailed by a sailing school. I was to find out the lesson to be learned from that one.!

18:45 Meet up with MS. Matt has come on his own and is in the Bar at Mercury Marina chatting up an old University chum of his. MS informs me that Matt is acting as a lonely heart for her. I point out that she is not coming with us. When we all meet, MS is grinning. I can see why. The girl has to be a model, she is quite stunning. Apparently she is a trainee lawyer.

19:00 MS and I drive to the large Tesco store and buy food for the weekend on board. We know we are dining out on both Friday and Saturday nights.

19:40 Return to the Harbour and Matt helps us unload and stow victuals.

19:50 MS drives us into Hamble Le Rice and we dine in a pub.

22:00 Back to the Harbour and into bunks.

Saturday 22nd August 2015:

07:00 Rise. Kettle on and visit shore facilities.

07:30. Tide is ebbing. I make sandwiches for breakfast. Matt clears away.

08:10 Tide ebbing fast and I need to clear Warsash with at least 2 metres. I have until 09:00 to clear past Warsash. Matt hoists my East India Club burgee.

08:15 I order both to slip the warps and with engine on and MS – who is very experienced and providing helpful tips on boat handling – I gently pull away from the pontoon with the outgoing tide. I manoeuvre with combination of reverse thrust and rudder around a tight bend to port; then around the last post and slide out into the Hamble. I helm her as skipper down the Hamble and into Southampton Water.

08:50 At Hamble Point south cardinal I bring her head to wind in a sea state which conforms to the weather forecast of slight with a south westerly F3 – 4, and with a warning to the lads that the tide ebb is pulling us further out into Southampton Water so I keep a good lookout for emerging ferries from starboard; and I aim to keep within the small ships anchorage area, the lads did a smooth sail hoist. I was more concerned at the sail hoist taking place quickly then I was with the sail shape which bothered me slightly for the remainder of the day.

09:00 For safety I keep the engine on as we motor-cruise close inshore to port of Calshot Reach and watching depth at all times head off for a sail south west.

We have a pleasant sail and tack over toward Ryde; then turn around and head off toward Cowes on a broad reach. The Beneteau 34 is an easy boat to sail and helm. Aside from the much used and battered cooking utensils aboard, the rest of the boat is clean and there is plenty of storage space.

12:00 I put Matt on helm to give MS a break and Matt is every bit as good as his father. I make a note that I want them as my crew for all other charters.

14:00 We are abeam Newtown Creek and Hamstead Ledge a starboard marker buoy is in sight.

15:15 We arrive at the Lymington Yacht Club platform and lower sail. Motor on and having my passage plan to hand I take up a course of 319° until I pass Tar Barrel on my starboard side and Seymour’s post a port channel marker. I turn to 187° and motor to port of the two fixed black and white posts and turn to port 007 ° with the two posts in transit, at Harper’s post a port marker. I then see the Dan Bran pontoon where I have arranged a mooring. I call up the Harbour Master on channel 80 and they guide me in. I have to raft. This will be tricky. I order fendrs and mooring lines to starboard and will raft starboard side to.

15:30. Rafting up. I take it very gently and seeing the boat to which I have to raft, I gently stop, then reverse to bring my bow around and facing downstream and with a touch of power, thank fully being blown off by wind, I glide Ette gently so that she is abeam the other boat. By now one of the Harbour Master’s has docked and has come aboard the other boat to take my bow line and with that secured, MS throws the stern line over. Fenders are almost touching at this stage. We slide gently

into position and I turn off the engine. Job done. The Harbour Master congratulates me on a nice docking. I think it is a fluke.

16:00 We have secured Ette and gone into Lymington for a drink and to scout out restaurants. We have several drinks at one bar overlooking the slipway in Lymington Harbour; then manage a booking in the hotel up the High Street for 19:30 hours. We have drinks at the bar and then a superb fish dinner washed down with a decent white burgundy. MS pays as his treat to me.

23:00 We walk back to Ette and settle down for the night. I log 29.4 nm because of the morning sail around toward Ryde.

Sunday 23rd August 2015.

08:00 It is raining hard and the wind is F5. A low is passing through. We see that some dinghy sailors are keen on getting soaked and we leave them to it. Listening to the forecast I decide that wen the low has passed through around 11:00 – 11:30 we shall sail back to Mercury Marina.

08:30 We all visit the facilities in the Yacht Club. I note that the male changing room is dire and that the facilities are inadequate and dirty. I promise myself not to stay overnight again in Lymington unless the public toilets in the harbour are open. However, needs must and we make the best of it – typical for sailors.

09:00 I cook a bacon and eggs breakfast for the crew. The utensils are awful and I note to complain to the charterer, given the amount of money this is costing. Poor Matt gets the broken eggs but he doesn’t complain. I offer to cook more but he seems satisfied.

10:00 Matt clears away. Good chap.

11:00 The rain clears and the wind does down a little. With a F4 blowing me off, slipping the mooring with the engine at low revs is very simple. MS had suggested that I spring it off the bow line by reversing so the stern away first. I shall use that technique if the wind is onshore.

11:20 We have passed the Yacht Club start platform and headed out into the Solent. I turn to starboard into wind and we hoist the main sail and unfurl the genoa. At this stage I realise my initial mistake when we hoisted the day before at Hamble Point. Looking at the sail shape, I realise that it is far too baggy. It just does not look right. The foot of the sail is too far down the boom. It is the outhaul. Whoever sailed it last had obviously let off the outhaul and had not reinstated it. I order Matt to identify and put on outhaul which he duly does and the shape filled again. This made a considerable difference to the boat’s performance. Lesson learned. If it does not look right, then it is not right. I curse myself for not having worked it out yesterday. That is the skipper’s job.

12:00 We sail at a leisurely pace over toward Newtown Creek on a broad reach and then tack across towards Beaulieu spit, turn at Lepe Spit, a south cardinal.

13:30 At Lepe spit we then turn northeast to North East Gurnard which marks the port edge of the Thorn channel. Keeping the Thorn channel to starboard, we sail up to Calshot Spit and effectively at right angles on a port broad reach cross over the Calshot Reach channel now traversing as swiftly as possible the precautionary area to Calshot north cardinal.

14:50 We then tack across to the eastern shore away frm the shipping channel and toward a buoy called Coronation. I then ordered Matt on helm to bring her around head to wind and switched on the engine to hold position while Matt and MS dropped the sail and furled the genoa. I then turned her northward again toward Hamble Point under power and we motored back up the Hamble back to Mercury Marina.

15:30 I called up Mercury Marina and they gave me a pontoon letter and berth. With more helpful hints from MS I brought her round the post and slid alongside the boat which I had thought was where I was supposed to raft. This turned out not to be the case and instead having moored alongside I was asked to reverse her out again and come around the end of the pontoon and onto another berth. With plenty of coaching from the Marina Master, I accomplished this without mishap and so moored up again.

16:20. Moored successfully and all tied up with bow stern and spring mooring lines I said my goodbyes to my crew and went through the hand back inspection with the charterers. They were satisfied and also promised to replace the battered and defunct cooking utensils.

I logged 14 nm on the return trip as skipper.

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Cowes Week 2015

I have been invited to sail on Thursday August 20 2015 crew on board a Beneteau First 40.

Wednesday August 19th 2015: I travel down to the Isle of Wight and stay in a bed and breakfast in Gurnard.

Thursday 20 August 2015:

06:00 Reveille and shower.

08:00 Taxi pick up to the Yacht haven. I meet up with the team from Bordier. I am asked about my sailing experience by some of the other guests on board. I also meet the two RYA Yachtmaster (Ocean) paid skipper and mate of the Beneteau First 40. I keep a low profile on sailing experience. It is clear that the guests have mixed backgrounds. One is a Day Skipper; other have some dinghy experience in their youth. The majority are novices.

08:15 The organiser hands out branded tee shirts. They are not great but it is all about the branding and competition.

08:30 We walk out to the boat and climb over several rafted together onto the actual vessel. This will be a day sail. The weather is set for the passage of a contained low pressure system followed by a small cold front which should produce clear conditions. We are given a safety briefing and told to pick out foulies – equally of questionable quality and with plenty of holes. We are provided with one safety line and state of the art life jackets, on the latter of which a lot of money has been spent. Bordier my host has chartered this yacht and the two paid skippers.

We are then assigned places and roles. I have tried to avoid answering questions on experience but one of the Directors sailing with us already knows.

Photo in the hospitality area as T shirts are distributed. Two of the guests and one of the Directors in blue shirt.

The two foredeck men are selected; then I am placed in charge of the cockpit. The remainder are either ballast or on the winches; save for one who has sailed with the Company before and will do some helming.

08:45 We motor out of Cowes and to the east to undertake some pre-race training. We practice tacking between West Ryde Middle and South Ryde Middle. The weather deteriorates very rapidly and soon it is raining hard with visibility severely reduced. The low pressure system will pass quickly.

09:30 Start. Tacking the First 40 requires all of us. My job entails raising and lowering the spinnaker pole from the cockpit plus some supervision of the crew loading and unloading the winches. One wrong move and a finger will either be crushed or torn out. There is one lady on board who insists on loading the winch with her hand facing the wrong way and her thumb has nearly been caught twice. The loads on the sheets are enormous. I’ve spotted her problem as has the skipper, fortunately. She is shifted back to act as ballast and replaced.

10:00 We are doing quite well although there are some professional teams taking part including one from the Army. We stand no chance against them.

11:00 Up to one of the racing marks and we now run down the Solent. With the spinnaker flying we have put up a great amount of sail. It looks awesome. We are making perhaps 9 -10 knots.

12:00 We come up to another mark and now have to drop the spinnaker. I Am controlling the spinnaker halyard and pole. They are not well marked. Nevertheless, as the spinnaker is dropped I

make the gross error of releasing uncontrolled the spinnaker halyard. It drops and flies out toward the water. I catch the halyard and start to haul it in just in time and the two foredeck crew grab the spinnaker and bundle it below. An enormous error on my part but no-one seems to notice because instead of losing the spinnaker and shredding several thousand pounds worth of sail it has been recovered almost miraculously. I am not the only one to make an error. The skipper has gone around the mark the wrong way and he now has to reverse his actions using just main sail and genoa and do it again. We are overtaken by at least three competitors. That is a much more serious error in racing.

12:30 The race is over. We’ve lost position and we now head back to Cowes; along with 20 odd other yachts plus a ferry. Our skipper seems non-plussed as he shares narrow passage with the ferry and continues under power toward the Yacht Haven. My knees are very bruised from clambering around midships over the coach top when tacking. Maybe I’m getting too old for this sort of thing.

13:00 We are moored up again. We strip off our foulies shed the lifejackets and lines and below decks is a mess of kit clothing and two spinnakers.

13:30 Our host is handing out chilled beers and has made a pitcher of ‘dark and stormy’ rum with Jamaican ginger beer. The guests are getting drunk quite quickly. I start to pack the spinnakers to the astonishment of our host and the two paid Yachtmasters. Apparently no guest has ever done that in the 10 years they have been hosting Cowes Week to their clients and friends. I was taught by the Metropolitan Police Club Vice Commodore for whom I crewed 1999 – 2000.

14:00 I have packed both “kites” within confined space below deck. A bet is taken whether they will fly first time following my packing. I won the bet – they each “flew” without a hitch, and I have been invited to crew again for 2016; again in charge of the cockpit.

15:00 We disembark and head off to the hospitality tent for late lunch and a case of wine. All in all a fairly good race except for the skippers last rounding of the mark which went awry. I logged 15 nm.

16:00 I take the ferry across to Southampton and the train back to London.

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23rd to 27th September 2015 City Livery Yacht Club rally to St Vaast

I have entered for this rally and attended the skippers briefing. I charter a Bavaria 37 Appaloosa from Hamble Point Charters, Hamble Point Marina.

Crew: PR (Skipper) Mike Smith “MS” Matthew Smith “Matt” and Liveryman Clifford Dammers “CD”

20th September 2015: Planning. I have reserved the yacht. I wish I had managed to charter a Beneteau 37 but because MS was late in confirming, I was left with the Bavaria 37 Appaloosa. Appaloosa is well appointed but the AIS does not send; it only receives. No-one can find me; but I can find them.

I plan for tides cross channel, tide at Hamble Point/Warsash and most importantly tide at St Vaast. The limitation of a Coastal Skipper ticket is that chartering is confined to voyages both night and day but always within 20 nm of a safe haven. Individual charter companies may permit up to 30 nm a safe haven. For cross channel given my previous experience as crew on JoG races qualifying for

Fastnet in 1999 and 2001; as well as my Coastal Skipper Practical, so long as I have an experienced sailor with me regardless of qualification, then I may charter Appaloosa. With MS and CD who have many years of experience I have no problem with the charter.

My passage plan out is as follows:

From Via Position Course DistanceHamble Point Hook QG

Reach Fl (3) G 10S 150 2Calshot Calshot – N Thorn QG

Thorn Knoll Fl. G 5sW.Bramble West Cardinal VQ (9) 10s

225 3.6

East LepeEast Lepe WPT 1 50°.44’N 1°.28’ W 247WPT 1 WPT 2 50°.42.8’N 1°.31’.4 W 242WPT 2 WPT 3 50°.41’ N 1°.33’ W 232WPT 3 Mid Shingles 50°.41.5’N 1° 34.7’ W Mid Shingles Bridge 50° 39.6’ N 1°37’ W 224 12Bridge RORC Buoy 50° 20’ N 1° 30’ W 166 20RORC Buoy French border 50° 9.5’ N 1° 26’W 166 11.5French border Compass Rose 49° 50’ N 1° 18’W 166 20Compass Rose Pointe de Saire 49° 36.3’ N 1° 10’ W 160 14.6Pointe de Saire Le Gavendest

S.Cardinal49° 34.3’ N 1° 13.88’ W

218 3

Le Gavendest Mole. 310 1.3St Vaast HM /Marina 02 33 23 61 00VHF Ch 09 TOTAL 88.0 NM

I calculate it will take us 13 hours. My course to steer from Bridge is 169° allowing for the tidal stream. Return journey is the reciprocal.

Wednesday 23rd September 2015

Drive down to Hamble Point Marina with MS. Together we pick up Appaloosa and check out all safety gear and equipment. Take over boat and sign for it. Deposit is £900. Meet up CD. The three of us go to the supermarket to stock up victuals. We unload and stow gear – then drive to Hamble Le Rice to meet up with the other crew and members of the CLYC and have dinner in restaurant. Matt joins us. Then drive back to the Marina for early night.

Thursday 24th September 2015

Reveille at 03:15. We must slip the mooring and be at Hamble Point South Cardinal at 04:00 in order to take advantage of tide; plus be at St Vaast before the lock gate closes. It is pitch black. I ask Matt to take care of fenders, CD to handle mooring lines and MS on helm. We slip the mooring without any drama and MS gently takes her into the tidal stream in the Hamble and we motor to Hamble Point. My plan is a sail hoist before Hurst Castle and in daylight.

04:45 WX is not great. Forecast is for a moderate sea state when exposed and F5 westerly. By the time we get to Calshot, visibility has dropped to barely a kilometre and rain appears imminent. Past Calshot the rain comes. Visibility is now very poor.

05:00 Past Lepe, the rain passes over and visibility improves. MS has not put a foulie on and he is soaked. I place CD on helm and send MS below for a change of dry clothing. His shirt will dry. Whiel changing he thoughtfully puts the kettle on and coffees and teas are served. Matt is awake and mumbling about needing to make a business call. He has brought along his lap top and is below deck typing away on some spreadsheet or another.

06:00 Light. Matt is still typing. Fortunately the sea state in the Solent is slight. CD on helm. We are past Beaulieu and I ask MS to enter waypoints on the helm mounted plotter. He cannot work out how. Neither can CD or I. I am relying on my hand held Garmin GPS. I ask Matt to help. He seems technically minded. He is still below.

07:00 I am anxious to have the waypoints entered and to reach Bridge Buoy by 09:00

08:15 Rain has lifted, sun such as it is, is out and we are motoring along quite nicely. Lymington is to starboard and Hurst Castle is in sight. Matt is below typing. I ask him to come up and plot the first few waypoints. He does, then disappears below in a state of high anxiety as he has a call to make at 09:00. I tell him that at around that time we shall be past the Needles Channel and I need hi aloft for a sail hoist.

09:00 We are in the Needles Channel and MS is helming. I am concentrating on depth and position. Tide is running and focus is on reaching Bridge Buoy as soon as possible. Matt comes up for air. He looks pale. I suspect that in the sea which is now lumpy he is suffering mal de mer. He is. I tell MS to keep a straight course and grab the back of the lad’s life jacket as he leans over the leeward side (thankfully!). The act done, he decides that sitting below with a laptop might not be such a great idea; and he acknowledges the advice of the three of us sextuagenarians on board.

09:10 Bridge bouy. I order a sail hoist with one reef and taking a chance, full genoa. It will be a beam reach and we need as much speed as possible. Sea state is definitely moderate and wind is F5 -6 and appears to be increasing to a steady F6. This is not Eagle. It is a boat that is new to me. I was informed that she is rugged and stable in such seas. We shall see.

09:30 On course and I place CD on helm. Matt has been heroic with the sail hoist but I am worried about him being dehydrated. I get him a bottle of water and also a stugeron tablet which he dutifully swallows. He’ll be alright up on deck. I think of the line from Henry V “fair blows the wind for France”.

10:30. Coffee time. Matt sticks sensibly to water. He is certainly hydrating and on his 2nd bottle. CD is getting tired which given the sea state is unsurprising. We are being thrown all over the place with these waves. I place Matt him on helm and he does it well.

12:00 We have missed the first waypoint by several miles, principally because of the sea state. But my hand held Garmin shows that we are heading in more or less the right direction. I order a change of course to steer of 5° to port. That ought to do it. There is much to be said for dead reckoning especially when aided by a GPS that actually functions. My course to steer allows for tide of course. I

wonder whether my Yacht Master Instructress will approve but the boat is pitching furiously in this sea; and trying to plot this accurately below is not likely to be easy or even more accurate.

14:30 We have missed the next waypoint French Border by about a mile. I feel vindicated on my course change. We are not doing too badly. However the weather is not improving as forecast.

16:50 We are parallel to and about a half mile off course on our next waypoint. French coast is now a hazy edge on the horizon. Within 10 minuites we can make out the Barfleur lighthouse at which time, the sea state starts to calm down as the wind drops to F4. Our SoG increases.

18:15 Pointe de Saire. We are looking out for Le Gavendest and I ask CD to act as pilot since he has been to St Vaast so many times before. I have only been twice before, the last time in Lightning Reflex a 38 footer on a JoG race back in 2000; when we turned around and went back home.

18:45 Le Gavendest, the south cardinal is in sight. There is another cardinal and the two must not be confused. CD IS A GOOD PILOT. The sea is quite calm and I order a sail drop. I’ll take the helm. Sun is in my eyes.

19:15. Harbour entrance and we all feel a sigh of relief.

19:30. I helm her gently to the pontoon and the other attending members of the CLYC offer to take a line. I get the angle of approach slightly too steep because Nota Bene, a 47 foot Beneteau has taken the better position at the end of the pontoon and I have to sandwich Appaloosa between that vessel and the one in front. I gently bump the bow off the edge of the pontoon marking it slightly. I am worried I have scraped it and caused damage despite it being a tiny bump. Nothing at all like the impact of my friend LM at Cherbourg.

20:15 Walk to the Harbour bar to join every one else. We drink beer, Pernod, oysters steak and fries and red wine with salad followed by cheese. All prix fixe. Nous sommes en France.

Friday 25th September 2015

07:30 CD is up first and goes to the facilities; then for a walk. The three of us laze for a bit, then I make tea and go to the Harbour Master and register, pay for my mooring and shore electricity to which Matt hooks us up. The facilities are modern clean and knock spots off those at Lymington Yacht Club.

08:45 CD returns with croissants, brioches, pain aux chocolat, melons and Normandy butter; and papers. He prepares the melons, brews coffee and tells us to help ourselves to a French breakfast. He then sits contentedly reading the French newspapers. He has lived and worked in Paris as a Banker for many years and is fluent in French. Magnifique !

10:00 MS and I saunter across to the other side of the harbour to a Yacht Chandlery to buy something sensible to clean off what I had thought was a rubber mark on the bow. It turned out that the trip was unnecessary. It was a dirt mark and a little rub with a sponge and detergent I had on board was sufficient to remove all trace.

12:45 We’re late! We were supposed to be joiningg the others for lunch in Barfleur. The Commodore’s wife fetches us and herds us toward the bus stop. We catch a bus for Barfleur. It takes the scenic route but never mind. We see the rural side of this part of the Cotentin Peninsula.

13:45 We arrive a bit late but at least we get to the Café de France in the harbour where everyone has congregated. The lunch lends a whole new meaning to moules et frites. We wash this down with numerous bottles of Normandy cidre (not cider).

15:00 The crew of Appaloosa take a taxi to the Airborne Museum in Sainte Mere Eglise dedicated to the famous 101st “Screaming Eagles” US Airborne Division as well as the 82nd “All American” US Airborne Division that had captured the town and surrounding countryside in the early hours of D-Day. The 82nd later parachuted into the Nijmegen area in Operation Market Garden in September 1944.

CD’s father had been an officer in the 101st and had taken part in the parachute drop.

Below is a photo of the actual Church of St Mere Eglise. The French have placed a model of a parachutist hanging from the steeple as actually occurred.

In the evening the crew of Appaloosa ate in one of the restaurants that line the St Vaast harbour. CD left early to catch up on sleep leaving MS Matt and I to find a local bar, drink calvados and watch the rugby on television.

Saturday 26th September 2015

A.M. A trip to the local market in St Vaast and the acquisition of cider, as below

Plus a visit to Monsieur Gosselin’s famous emporium to buy good cheap wines.

In the afternoon the crew of Appaloosa visited the local fortress of Tatihou, taking a DUKW from St Vaast harbour across the vast area of oyster beds – photograph below that lie just to the north of the harbour.

The oyster beds at low tide. This is only a small portion of them.

These photos show Appaloosa in harbour and proudly flying the burgee of the East India Club since it is a chartered boat.

With the Burgee.

Evening: The group combined for drinks in the garden followed by dinner at the Hotel Les Fuchias on the Avenue Marechal Foch.

Sunday 27th September 2015

06:30 Reveille. Breakfast of tea and the remains of the croissants now hard with butter and jam. I go to the harbour master to look at the weather chart. It does not look great. Winds are now easterly as a result of the newly arrived high pressure system and a Force 5 gusting 6. If we leave much later, we are in for a rough passage home.

07:30 Battened down, we slip the mooring about a half hour after Nota Bene, the 47 foot Beneteau has departed. I place CD on helm and Matt and I slip the mooring lines. CD competently reverses out and then turning her around aims for the lock gates. We see Nota Bene in the near distance and I determine that we give her some competition on the return journey given that she is much faster than are we.

07:45 I order a sail hoist of one reef and a partly furled genoa.

08:45 Past Barfleur and the wind speed has increased to F6. Interestingly the sea state is not as lumpy as the outward journey. I put this down for the present as wind and tide together. The swell is gentle.

10:00 Wind has now increased to Force 7. My sail set is good. We are making very good progress and even motor-sailing making 7.5 knots SoG; which for this boat is gratifying.

11:30 We still have Nota Bene in sight but they seem to be veering off to port. Do they know something that I do not. ? I check the helm plotter and we are actually on the reciprocal course for the outward journey and much closer to our plotted waypoints.

14:00 Past French border and while Appaloosa is about 7 miles miles west of course, Nota Bene is now well off to the west. What has made me question is because their skipper is very experienced. I tell my crew that it is time for me to ignore them and concentrate on our own course. If they want to go to Poole that is their choice. I want to reach Bridge Bouy at about the time the tide fills so as to carry us into and up the Solent.

15:30 We have made tremendous progress and are 27 nm south of the Isle of Wight. However my mistake was to emulate Nota Bene’s course instead of holding to my plotted course. I shall not make that mistake ever again. With an easterly wind, I have to order CD on helm to harden up and we sail close hauled on a course of 040°. However we are also now making a creditable 8 knots SoG.

17:15 Land ahoy. It looks like the cliff of Freshwater Bay but I cannot see the Needles – yet. I am hoping that my dead reckoning course change has worked.

18:30 Needles not only in sight but I am thrilled. I am where I am supposed to be and Bridge Buoy comes into sight.

18:47 Passing Bridge buoy without having to change course –passing within 20 metres of it and on the safe side to the west.

Head to wind, I order a sail drop and we motor into the Needles channel with the filling tide. We docked at Hamble Point barely 10 minutes behind Nota Bene. A brilliant weekend. I notch up 155 nm, which safely carries me past Nigel Tuttle’s mileage requirement of 250 nm.