Michael Lithgow

Woke up to thick fog and the sound of ship’s fog horns from the Solent. We were the only one on a buoy with a couple of other boats anchored downstream. By midday it had cleared and it was a motor back.

Well I cannot pretend that this was a sail! No wind and motored the 10 miles to the Beaulieu river where we picked up a buoy for the evening. Some excitement when my trisensor failed as we were going the bar. A lovely quiet night. Perhaps the last warm calm weather of the year.

Pleasant sail back in a S-SSW breeze of 15kts. With tide under us we averaged around 6.5kts.

Departed 0830 from Hamble to anchor and have breakfast in Osbourne Bay. Lazy full fry breakfast before sailing down to Lymington in light breezes. If only the whole of Autumn would be like this.

Great BBQ at Buckler’s Hard organised by RSrnYC. Lovely social evening. Lack of wind made this a motoring rather than sailing event.

So little wind I did not even unpack the mai sail! Motor all the way. Just creative the bar at low water neaps avoiding yacht that u-turned in the channel who did not want to risk it.

Each year I offer for the NCI raffle a days sailing. Will won for the 2nd time. A hot and variable wind day from 20kts to 0kts. We sailed and motored down to Yarmouth where we picked up a buoy for lunch. Coming back in Stansore Bay we were admiring a yacht under spinnaker and main when they called across and asked for a tow as their engine had failed. An NCI dream finish to a sail giving a yacht a tow. We coordinated with HMCG, Southampton VTS to cross the channel and finally Hamble Harbour Master to pick up the tow from us once we were in the Hamble river.

Quite a strong sea breeze into early evening and it then settled down to be a lovely night. Woke at around 3:30am as tide turned. Up at 7:30 and was just pondering what time I should leave when the anchor alarm went off! Decision made. A motor back to the Hamble in windless conditions.

Absolutely no wonder today. Motor all the way to the Beaulieu. However when the sea breeze kicked in around 1500 it was very strong. 20kts plus.

A lovely sail to Itchenor via the small boat channel in the submarine wall. Berthed on the mid river pontoon which is soon to be no more as it is converting to permanent motor boat moorings.