OYT Trip 04 of 2025 - Day 3

Saturday 12th April 2025

0000 hrs
Lat:
50° 425.63' N Long: 001° 29.65' W
Off Yarmouth, Isle of Wright

0800 hrs
Wake, breakfast then 'Happy Hour'.

1000 hrs
Depart for Portland. Sails hoisted we head out past the Needles across Poole Bay with its minefield of pots in a cracking spring day. Bright skies and warm sunshine out of the breeze.

2000 hrs
Lat:
50° 34.42' N Long: 002° 27.18' W
Fuel Berth, Portland Marina.

Following arrival at the fuel berth the crew went off for a visit to the local shop, more sugar rashions, while we got on with the process of fueling Prolific, a task that usually takes a couple of hours. Following fueling we moved off the berth to allow others to use it. Convently the crew arrived back just after we had completed refueling thus it was time to start supper.

I had not visited Portland Marina for some years, but being with a young crew did not allow us any time to enjoy the facilities.

All times are UT.


Prolific Log


Distance
NM
Underway
Avg SOG
knots
Max SOG
knots
Night
Hours
Day: 50.00 10h 00m 5.00 12.00 00h 00m
Trip: 73.85 16h 30m 4.48 10.00 00h 00m
Year: 228.45 46h 20m 4.93 12.00 00h 00m


Crew: Andrew W (skipper), Brigid, Katie, Josh, Sara, Si, Harry, Sandy and the MDL group.


Sunrise: 0527 hrs    Meridian Passage: 1201 hrs   Sunset: 1849 hrs


The Shipping Forecast

Forecast:
Not available

Image of the Met Office Synoptic Chart for the day.

© Met Office Synoptic Chart 12/04/2025


Update: 15/12/2025


OYT Trip 04 of 2025 - Day 2

Friday 11th April 2025


0000 hrs

Lat: 50° 45.70' N   Long: 001° 17.67' W
Sheppards, Cowes, Isle of Wright

0800 hrs

Wake, breakfast then 'Happy Hour'.

1000 hrs

On a bright, sunny day the crew accompanied by several sea staff venture into Cowes for a spot of 'shopping', a very popular activity, where significant amounts of sweets were purchased along with some souvenirs.

On spotting that Neil Williams Photography shop was open I popped in and thanked the man himself for his amazing photographs and YouTube videos about his trip round the UK. He was more than a tad surprised!

Neil Williams Photography shop

Neil Williams Photography Shop, Cowes Isle of Wight.

We continued to amble up the High Street to the ice cream shop last visited in 2024. I was delighted to see that they had changed brand from Kelly's of Cornwall to an island brand. It is always good to support your local ice cream manufacturer.

1230 hrs

Back onboard Prolific for lunch and prep the boat for an afternoon trip down to Yarmouth along with winch drills and sail hoists.

1630 hrs

With Prolific being helmed by a crew member. Katie, Harry and I went forward to pick up the mooring buoy. Out of the three of us I was the only one who had done this before, Katie was out on the netting and Harry assisted me at the tide was running swiftly. We were all rather surprised when we picked up the buoy first time. On chatting to the crew member later she said this was the first time she had helmed any boat, even more surprising as she did it like a pro.

All times are UTC.


Prolific Log


Distance
NM
Underway
Avg SOG
knots
Max SOG
knots
Night
Hours
Day: 15.60 5h 00m 3.10 10.00 0
Trip: 23.85 6h 30m 3.70 10.00 0
Year: 129.00 26h 30m 4.86 12.00 0


Crew: Andrew W (skipper), Brigid, Katie, Josh, Sara, Si, Harry, Sandy and the MDL group.


Sunrise: 0527 hrs    Meridian Passage: 1201 hrs   Sunset: 1849 hrs


Weather: Not available

© Met Office Synoptic Chart 11/04/2025

© Met Office Synoptic Chart 11/04/2025


OYT Trip 04 of 2025 - Day 1

Thursday 10th April 2025

0000 hrs
Lat:
50° 53.66' N Long: 001° 23.34' W
Ocean Village, Southampton, Hampshire

0800 hrs
Wake, breakfast and sea staff change over.

1400 hrs
The new crew are welcomed aboard. A group of youngsters that MDL, one of the OYTs major sponsors, had funded their berths.

1700 hrs
After settling the crew in, welcomes and briefings we made a quick dash under motor to Cowes for the night.

1830 hrs
Alongside at Sheppard's in Cowes. Supper and showers.

All times are UT.


Prolific Log

Distance
NM
Underway
Avg SOG
knots
Max SOG
knots
Night
Hours
Day: 8.25 1h 30m 5.50 7.00 00h 00m
Trip: 8.25 1h 30m 5.50 7.00 00h 00m
Year: 162.85 31h 20m 5.20 12.00 00h 00m


Crew: Andrew W (skipper), Brigid, Katie, Josh, Sara, Si, Harry, Sandy and the MDL group.


Sunrise: 0521 hrs    Meridian Passage: 1201 hrs   Sunset: 1852 hrs


The Shipping Forecast

Forecast:
None available.

© Met Office Synoptic Chart 10/04/2025

© Met Office Synoptic Chart 10/04/2025


Update: 15/12/2025


OYT - Change Over Day

Wednesday 9th April 2025

0000 hrs
Lat:
50° 53.66' N Long: 001° 23.34' W
Ocean Village, Southampton, Hampshire

0800 hrs
Wake, breakfast and Prolific given a deep clean.

1100 hrs
Voyage sum-up and crew depart.

1200 hrs
Lunch and prep Prolific for the next crew.

1700 hrs
All Sea Staff head off for a pint.

All times are UT.


Prolific Log

Distance
NM
Underway
Avg SOG
knots
Max SOG
knots
Night
Hours
Day:
Trip:
Year: 154.60 28h 50m 5.18 12.00 00h 00m


Crew:


Sunrise: 0527 hrs    Meridian Passage: 1201 hrs   Sunset: 1849 hrs


The Shipping Forecast

The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 00:15 (UTC+1) on Wed 9 Apr 2025 for the period 01:00 (UTC+1) on Wed 9 Apr 2025 to 01:00 (UTC+1) on Thu 10 Apr 2025.

There are gale warnings in:
Trafalgar.

The general synopsis at 1800:
New high expected Forth 1033 by 1800 Wednesday

Sea Areas:
Dover, Wight, Portland, Plymouth

Forecast:
East or northeast 4 to 6, occasionally 3 at first. Slight or moderate. Fair. Good

Image of the Met Office Synoptic Chart for the day.

© Met Office Synoptic Chart 09/04/2025


Update: 15/12/2025


OYT Trip 03 of 2025 - Day 4

Tuesday 8th April 2025

0000 hrs
Lat:
50° 42.70' N Long: 001° 59.11' W
Poole, Dorset

0700 hrs
An early start for breakfast and happy hour.

0945 hrs
Slipped the lines and head out into the Poole Bay, renamed 'Pot Hell', eastwards towards the Solent and back to Ocean Village.

1200 hrs
Lat:
50° 39.14' N Long: 001° 47.40' W
Noon Position

1400 hrs
Another afternoon in 'Pot Hell' the lookouts being kept busy as they searched for pots. Back into the Solent via the North Channel.

1600 hrs
The Trust has use of a mooring off Yarmouth that we were to pick up, prepair supper then do some pilotage work before motoring Prolific back to Ocean Village after sunset.

Chris and I were asked to go forward to pick up the mooring, armed with the longest boat hook I've ever used Prolific was skilfully manoeuvred to the mooring where I was lucky to get the pickup buoy on first strike and brought the mooring line inboard.

Image of Getting Ready to Picking up the buoy

Getting Ready to Picking up the Mooring Buoy
© OYT South 08/04/2025

1820 hrs
With the sun setting we cast off from the mooring and the crew navigated Prolific back to Ocean Village.

2100 hrs
Happily tucked up on the pontoon in Ocean Village.

All times are UT.


Prolific Log


Distance
NM
Underway
Avg SOG
knots
Max SOG
knots
Night
Hours
Day: 42.20 08h 30m 4.96 12.00 0h 00m
Trip: 124.60 25h 55m 4.87 12.00 0h 00m
Year: 154.60 28h 50m 5.18 12.00 0h 00m


Crew: Constantinos (Skipper), Michelle, Katie, Cathy, Sara, Chris L, Sandy and the school group.


Sunrise: 0531 hrs    Meridian Passage: 1202 hrs   Sunset: 1850 hrs


The Shipping Forecast

The shipping forecast issued by the Met Office, on behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, at 00:15 (UTC+1) on Tue 8 Apr 2025 for the period 01:00 (UTC+1) on Tue 8 Apr 2025 to 01:00 (UTC+1) on Wed 9 Apr 2025.

There are gale warnings in:
Trafalgar.

The general synopsis at 1800:
High Forties 1029 slow-moving with little change

Sea Areas:
Thames, Dover, Wight, Portland, Plymouth

Forecast:
East or northeast 3 to 5. Slight or moderate, occasionally smooth in shelter. Fair. Good

Image of the Met Office Synoptic Chart for the day.

© Met Office Synoptic Chart 08/04/2025


Update: 15/12/2025