Al Mills

The crew assembled aboard Athene at midday, with spirits high and conditions looking promising for a short work-up in Southampton Water. We slipped lines at 1500 and enjoyed a few hours of sailing before returning to the Hamble entrance for dinner and final preparations. The forecast predicted a southwesterly wind of 15 knots, gusting up to 28 knots, easing later in the evening to 15 knots gusting 18, and eventually settling to a favourable 10–12 knots from the southwest — ideal for our planned overnight crossing to St Vaast, France. We departed at 1800, riding the flood tide east of the Isle of Wight, aiming to rendezvous with Elfriede off Priory Bay. With one reef in the mainsail, we set out into a headwind that made for a lively and bouncy passage toward No Man’s Land Fort off Portsmouth. Turning south to round the eastern tip of the Isle of Wight, we encountered extremely rough conditions for around 20 minutes. Athene handled the sea admirably, but waves broke over the deck and the motion was uncomfortable. As we passed several large ships anchorage, the sea state began to settle, though light rain and choppy waters persisted. Unfortunately, two crew members began to suffer from seasickness. Despite the improving conditions, they’re sea sickness did not improve. With approximately nine hours of sailing still ahead to reach France, I made the decision to abort the crossing in the interest of crew welfare and safety. We altered course and made for Gosport Marina, arriving safely and allowing the crew to recover. While the Channel crossing was not completed, the experience provided valuable lessons in seamanship, decision-making, and the importance of prioritising crew health.