After the gentle inactivity of yesterday we made plans to sail along the coast to Swanage and then return to Lulworth Cove to spend the night at anchor.
After a leisurely breakfast we slipped the lines at 1000 and motored out of the harbour, hoisted the sails and headed east. Bob deployed his trusty fishing line over the side and we all looked forward to fresh mackerel for lunch.
Everybody was enjoying the sunshine and perfect sailing conditions a F3 over the starboard quarter and speed over the ground of 5 knots. At midday I popped down to the chart table to update the log and was surprised to hear the boat be called by name; it was the Lulworth Range control advising us that the range was active and to offshore by at least two nautical miles and wishing us a good day's sailing. Preferring not to get a broadside we followed their request and altered course to starboard by 15 degrees and continued our passage towards St Albin head.
On rounding the head we snuck close into the cliffs as Bob had climbed one of the long traverses many years ago and was keen to spot the line they had taken, while Alex and I enjoyed the spectacular scenery.
Passing Anvil Point lighthouse and then round to Peveril Ledge we kept the buoy well to port, as the over falls looked not the place to spend the day, we came into Swanage. Bob was dispatched in his kayak for supplies of milk and bread while Alex and I slowly motored round the bay until we spotted him heading out to sea.
All safely on-board we turned westward and beat into wind for the next couple of hours before the wind died and the engine was turned on for the final hour into Lulwell Cove.
Lulwell Cove has been one of those places I've been wanting to visit for decades and here we were heading towards the mouth and spotting five other yachts already at anchor. In we went, drop the anchor and motored back, the anchor biting in hard in the fastest time I've ever known the sea bed must be super glue. A good five minutes taking transits and it was time to open the beer.
Crew: Sandy Garrity, Alex Bowling and Bob Watson
Trip Stats: Distance sailed: XX nm, Moving time: X hours XX minutes, Average speed: X.XX knots, Maximum speed: X.XX knots.
No comments:
Post a Comment