Well the wind howled through the night and the rain lashed down so nobody was leaving! We looked at the possibilities for going west the following day and it was either sailing through the night, leaving very early in the morning or leaving at late morning to go round Portland Bill through the inshore passage. […]

We were up really early at first light to catch the last of the ebb tide through Hurst Narrows. A beautiful dawn, quiet and still. Just made it on time and once out into Poole Bay the tide was against us and with no wind we just pootled along on the engine. We tucked in

The wind blew strongly throughout the night and our plans to push on towards Poole were abandoned as first of all it would mean tacking all the way in a very fresh breeze (of which we have had more than enough) and the forecast is for the wind to go easterly tomorrow morning that would

A quiet night on the pontoon and left Marchwood YC mid-morning to catch the ebb tide. Raised full sail at Dockhead and actually managed to sail down Southampton Water in an increasing south westerly breeze. Once at Calshot it was again 20 knots apparent as we tacked down the western Solent. The wind came up

Well we have decided to have another attempt to leave the Solent. The forecast still looks pretty unstable and changes quite often but Sunday was a better day after heavy rain yesterday. We soon had Harvard on the pontoon and Anne took the car home (again) whilst Richard put provisions and clothes away. By the