Explore Sailing Voyages in United Kingdom 🇬🇧

With high spring tide at 1300 today was ideal to introduce Liz, a family friend, to Lou-Lou Belle and the Blackwater. The wind was decent and rain wasn’t forecast until later so we set off, hard on the wind with a reefed main, towards Osea. The boat was bounding along, dipping her gunwale every now and again, with the odd lump of spray. Once past Ross Revenge we hove to so we could add some waterproof trousers and make a cuppa. The change of motion didn’t suit Liz and she was soon throwing up over the side and looking none too clever. We turned for home with the wind on the stern and soon back in the marina where I did some top banana parking! Despite the foreshortened trip it was still brilliant to be afloat again and Lou-Lou Belle felt very good. Removing the 31kg battery from the front of the cabin and cleaning her bottom seems to be appreciated.

A fresh day which looked promising 10° and low sun. Sailing on two reefs. Lovely, if slow, sailing/tacking all the way out of Poole Harbour. The Easterly wind in the bay made hard work in all directions, with big swell, so skipper suggested we return to save our spirits and to keep the boat whole. No argument from crew. A short time on the buoy for a cuppa and pre-sunset, and then back. A small embarrassment with the crew's inability to translate instructions into meaningful and swift rope handling, but made it safely and happily back into dock.