Mike Hall came to crew me Friday, as I wanted to sail a day early and get tucked into Lymington before the rush. Whilst the wind Gods were smiling on Mike as he had a superb Northerly giving us a fantastic reach all the way from West Pole, the bad luck that comes in threes decended upon us to just beyond West Pole.

1) We got  a sheet caught around our mooring pole, which duly destroyed the pole and had us dangling off the mooring. We were able to pull ourselves back and un-hook, leaving a passer by to tidy up the mess on the pontoon.

2) Having looked at the tide gauge off C pontoon, there appeared to be 4’6” but as I approached the sill, it showed only 4’0” - however, the spec says we only draw 4 feet, so we should scrape over - oh no! Bang - we hit. I reversed and practised circles for 5 minutes, and as it was a fairly big spring, within that time the sill showed 4’6” and we cruised over!

3) At west Pole, the wind was fairly light, so I thought I’d put up the cruising chute. After attaching the snuffer and hauling the sail up to the masthead, I went forward to attach the foot to the bow. At this point, the snap shackle at the masthead came undone, and down into the water came the chute! (Richard Stoneman very kindly went up the mast on Saturday and retrieved this for us) So we had to sail just with the jib. As it turned out the wind freshened anyway, and we had a cracking sail breaking 10 knots SOG at one point.

Mike really enjoyed himself, and I expect to see him back as crew soon.

We duly arrived in Lymington in short time:

We met up with Seagull on the pontoon opposite the Town Quay, and persuaded the Harbour Master to let us stay on there rather than pick up a mooring. Ellos Star with Alex & Kaye and Flipsam with Jim and Val were already also on the moorings already.

We blew up the dinghy, and went ashore for a few beers with Keith and Lorna. Julia joined us and after a few more beers in the Kings Head, we went back aboard and I cooked us a meal.  Mike was picked up by Graham at about 2300. I somehow got the dinghy to the town quay and back!

Saturday saw the other boats arrive - Kotka with Richard and Helen at 0600 and during the day Elwing 2 with Tony Browne, Elmo - the cruise leaders Mike & Mary Porter and later Dick Tyrell and APB on Vulpes. Eight boats in all.

Julia and I went to the market, had a pint in the Kings Head and then walked to Keyhaven arriving at 1500 but found both the Gun Inn and the Yacht Club both closed their bars at that time, so we took a taxi back and met Richard & Helen in the Kings Head.

Richard then went up the mast to retrieve the spinny halyard for me, and I ferried everyone to the drinks party.

Dinner was at the Angel (not everyone came to this - some eating aboard or elsewhere)

Sunday, Julia and I decided to make for Wootton, partly to put in an appearance at the RVYC and partly to break the journey home. I had taken Hilton up on his offer of a mooring and we moored up and popped down to see him on the Lillian Rose.

When we got back the weather was too cold and miserable to sit outside, and worse it appeared that the mooring wouldn’t float us. Selen sank into the mud, listing to Starboard and then to Port. I fretted for the rudder underneath, but when she floated, we appeared to have steerage, and we weren’t going to go through another low water just in case.

So we set out into the dark, avoiding the ferry coming in, and missing the unlit Winner. there was quite a swell from Langstone, and it was tough coming in - HISC trots were missed and we had to re-round, and coming up the Emsworth channel and into EYH was very very difficult. Anyway we got back at 0220 bang on HW as planned, finally tying up at 0230 as all the ropes were still in a bundle!

At least the weather was better on the Monday, and we sat in the cockpit having a beer and some bubbles. Richard and Helen joined us when they got back and then we all went home.