A WhatsApp message from Alex inviting me out for an afternoons sail on his lovely wee Hunter Medina 20, Jammy Dodger, saw me at the Cobb in Lyme Regis at noon the next day. Due to heavy traffic Alex turned up 15 minutes later.
The Cobb is famous for "The French Lieutenant's Woman", by John Fowles and I had not visited for years so it was great to be back.
It is normal practice when getting to a boat on a mooring to use a small tender, not in Lyme. I had seen a couple of people in chest waders walking boats from their moorings to a pontoon, Alex being Alex swam over to Jammy Dodger and towed her back the the small pontoon.
We all jumped aboard, rigged the boat for sea, started the outboard and left the harbour into a very pleasant day. Once out of the traffic, hoisted the sails and set off towards West Bay about 7 nm to the east.
Alex and Sandy on Jammy Dodger at Lyme Regis Credit: Alex Bowling
A lazy relaxed sail to West Bay, where we came into their lovely wee harbour, tide the boat up and headed off for some liquid refreshment in a Covid safe way at the George Pub before heading back to Lyme.
Crew: Alex Bowling (Skipper), Sandy Garrity