Evening sail

As the season draws to a close I find myself trying to fit in as much time on board as possible, conscious that it maybe sometime before I can get out again. I have taken to keeping a change of clothes in the car so that I can go straight to the boat after work.

Last night was one such night and looked like a perfect evening, blue skies, sun shinning and a good breeze. I put a single reef in, slipped the mooring and set of at a pace across the harbour. I'd decided to tow the dinghy as I wasn't going to be out long, it hardly touched the water; almost being flown like a kite. The wind was from the ESE so I decided to go round Brownsea as it would be the only place I'd be able to find enough shelter to get the kettle on.

I love this anchorage, it's quiet and sheltered, it seems a million miles from the hubbub of the main harbour. Once my thermal mug was filled with tea I paddled ashore and had a stroll around the north end of the island; no red squirrels today, oh well, never mind.

With the light fading and the tide ebbing I decided to make my way back around the south end of the island.

I had to stick rigidly to the markers on the way back as the tide was slipping away. Putting in several tacks to get me down to the harbour mouth. On the way down I saw this magnificent Heron fishing on the waters edge. When he flew it was like a prehistoric scene... maybe the squirrels were hiding from a Velociraptor?

Further down the channel I noticed a group of people climbing the soft and crumbling cliffs of Brownsea. I found this a little bizarre as there are steps just a few hundred yards from where they were climbing. At first I thought they were kids but it was a family group. They had an inflatable on the beach and were wearing life jackets. They had obviously come from a large wooden yacht that was moored in the channel. On closer inspection this yacht had actually grounded.... Just west of an East Cardinal! I could now see why they hadn't found the steps on the island.

Even with plenty of wind and Jelly Bean surging through the water I could not overcome the tidal flow near the harbour entrance. I started the engine and with it going flat out and the wind in the sails I was probably making about 1 knot towards home.

I didn't quite beat the tide back so had to sit it out for a hour or so before getting back to my mooring. Not a problem as it gave me chance to brew up and do a few of the little jobs that were building up. Although I have an electric lamp in the cabin I tend to use a hurricane lamp if I don't need too much light as is conserves battery power and also keeps the cabin warm.