Rob Howes

Slipped berth at 12.15, Wicked had already called Bridge control asking for an outbound so motored slowly round to Twin Spar Bridge, once Bridge started to lift motored through, cleared Town Bridge by 12.50 made way for Sea Cat at Brownsea Island. 13.30 rounded South Hook buoy shortly afterwards heard a pan pan, for a boat with its pickup rope around its propeller, answered by Solent coastguard & was responded to by a Boarder force crew. 14.30 another pan pan but reception so poor I couldn't pick up any details. 16.30 Calshot uneventful journey though the forecast promised low wind & calm the opposite occurred, white horses & boat covered in spray, did notice 1 sunken yacht & 1 yacht aground so eventful for some. 17.30 outside Hythe Village marina. Footnote Not my original intention to return to the Solent, but whereas I thought I'd bruised my chest when refueling at Northney I now have apparently fractured the bottom Rib on my left side not yet confirmed medically but didn't fancy tackling Portland Bill on the off-chance of getting thrown about & causing more damage

Slipped berth at 10.00 11.00 - West Pole tide still against me 12.00 - Ryde tide now swinging my way but typical Solent chop 14.00 - North Head, over 5 knots of tide speeding me on my way 15.00 - lumpy water all the way tide with me but wind against. 16.30 - just made the Town Bridge opening if I'd missed it I'd have to drift around until 18.30. 17.15 - berthed

Fair, light winds, cloudy. 6.00 - first into lock. 6.30 - fenders stowed, lines secure. 9.30 -Shoreham to starboard windfarm to port, not one blade moving. 12.10 - fed up with looking at Bognor Regis time for the regulatory bacon sandwich 12.30 - Boulder a convoy of 13 motor cruisers closing astern, showed up on AIS as a very long red blob, last seen heading up the Solent. 12.45 - 2 x dolphins jumped then dived under Tarka before jumping again just astern, not seen again. 13.30 - West Pole, slight wind & swell increase, kept eye on depth gauge while crossing the Chichester Bar. 14.20 - Secure in berth, greeted by shore crew & ships dog

Fair, light winds, Northerly 8.30 - exit marina (engine had been warming up whilst readying Tarka for sea, all instruments showed normal) 8.35 - overheat alarm sounded as heading out past Prince of Wales pier, temperature gauge rapidly climbed, quick decision to head out as Western entrance was much closer, tide was at high & slack & exceptionally calm,engine cut out as I passed through the entrance, quickly checked engine bay & found belt had broken, called Dover VTS & established I had a short window to effect repair before I need to move, amazing how quick you can effect a repair when the adrenaline kicks in. Engine was red hot so once belt replaced, I called VTS to notify repair effected, but would like time for engine to cool, which bless their cotton socks they accepted. 9.20 - started engine & keeping an eye on instruments & engine bay, resumed my voyage. 11.15 - worked up an appetite think I deserve a bacon sandwich. 11.30 - Darn not my day, approaching Dungeness I found the firing range was in force & has to swing further out to sea, added to the delay at Dover it now meant I would be pushing against the tide for the last 2 hours of the voyage, plus the wind had increased & now was accompanied by white horses until the entrance to Sovereign harbour. 15.30 - lock. foot note recovered belt from bilge, it was absolutely shredded, it was the tooth type & had lost teeth all round but mostly in the area it snapped, the spare is a conventional v shaped & appears to be ok, ordered a Yanmar replacement to be delivered to Cobbs Quay.

Fair, light winds & mostly sunny. 6.00 - entered lock. 8.00 - The Cant, large swell 8.30 - Installed SailTies app, excuse any errors as I'm making it up as I sail along, luckily it seems fairly straightforward. 12.05 - Goodwin Sands sheltered me enough to make a bacon sandwich 13.00 - Awaiting permission to enter Dover Eastern entrance 13.40 - berthed

Slipped at 7.30, quiet run down the river Orwell no other traffic even the container port at Felixstowe was silent. 10.30 - Whitaker buoy calm sea little wind 12.30 - Sir Richard Montgomery apparently having its mast removed in September 14.30 - free flow into Chatham Maritime marina, that's a rarity I'm seldom that lucky, even rarer the fuel berth was empty. no dramas sea trial & shakedown went well

Sunny, clear & dry, light winds. Skipper- Rob Howes Crew - Julie Berry & Kara (ships dog) new Garmin Radar & steadycast heading sensor fitted plus GPS map & speed through water will all need recalibrating 5.00 - lock. 6.10 - calibrated heading sensor 10.00 - Spitway, low water alarm sounded but had 6' under the keel so not concerned, even though a fishing boat appeared to be anchored across the deepest part of the channel. 12 - Harwich no container movements so a quiet run up the river Orwell. 13.05 - berthed at Woolvestone. footnote Jabasco toilet wouldn't pump water in. fitted new service kit to the top end of the pump.