It has to be said, that the HSSC has had little recent luck in matching clement beautiful and sunny sailing weather with the dates of our proposed club sails. Moreover we have had to cancel, curtail, or severely alter passage plans of every event from last December onwards. Finally however, despite desperate attempts by the weather-men, frontal systems and tidal windows to foil our maritime endeavors, we finally made it! Victor skippered Blue Lady, a 34 Rassy, with crew of Wendy, Michael, Farrol and Robert, whilst Paul skippered Dumbledore, a 37 Oceanis, with crew of Martin, Sandy and Avi and Diana A. Our plans were to meet at Hamble on Friday evening, eat and set off for Bembridge between 07.00 and 08.00 on Saturday in order to be sure to approach the Bembridge entry at about 1 hour before high water, which was roughly at 14.15. We had accounted for most eventualities and added on a degree of contingency, and allowed up to 5 hours to make the 18-mile passage! We on Dumbledore awoke on Saturday morning to find mist and downward fine precipitation… much as the weathermen had predicted, however, we donned wetties, supped a quick coffee, and cast off for Bembridge at around 07.15 undeterred. Blue Lady followed at just gone 8 having taken on board the late-comers. Just past the end of Southampton water we hoisted main and jenny and settled into a comfortable sail with about 12-15 knots of wind. Rain had ceased and visibility much improved, and before we had been underway for more than an hour the odd pale blue patch appeared, finally followed by that yellow orb in the sky called the sun!! With the tide running with us, and a high spring at that, progress was swift to say the least. It was obvious we were going to make the entry with about 3 hours to spare, and hence a joyful crew aboard Dumbledore sailed happily around the Eastern Solent on most points of sail for the next two hours. Finally Dumbledore and Blue Lady rallied and made the entrance to Bembridge line astern in good style, at high water, and rafted up on the visitors’ pontoon. The channel was very well buoyed and hence the approach well controlled and uneventful. Just two rafted seemed quite a good deal, but that was too good to last. By the time the tidal gate had closed at the bar all lines were rafted six abreast.

More food followed, with afternoon walks to pleasantly fill the afternoon, as well as our stomachs! Bembridge is a truly picturesque spot, relatively unspoilt and usually full of companiable boaties all striving to be pleasant and chatty, and all with a tale or two to tell.

Victor was celebrating his 21^st birthday, (how many times around was that Victor??) and so we booked a nice place, Foxes Restaurant, for dinner and finished off the day in style.. So far so good. Sailors 1, Weathermen 0!

A lie-in was the order of the day for the majority, except for Paul, who was striding out at 06.30 for a 10k walk!!! Oh well, someone had to do it! Thanks Paul. During the night, it had been noted by some, (namely Sandy) that the wind had strengthened and halyards were playing on the masts sonorously with ever increasing strength. As we were sleeping exactly beneath the echoing cylinder, a midnight visit to the mast confirmed that the weather might be changing! Having tied up offending halyard, sleep soon returned. It was a night not to leave portholes open, but tucked up in one’s sleeping bag these things are not apparent till later. When the eyes finally reopened at about 09.00, it was blowing a veritable hooley in the harbour, with white horses showing their little heads! F6/7 SW predicted which evoked phrases like. “Should be interesting getting out of here” and “how the **** do we do it.   

Because we are a Jewish club and sail on our stomachs, we adjourned to a beach café called Baywatch, (without Pamela) that Paul had discovered earlier for “Brunch”… full English or veggie!! The sun was fully glowing by the time we had eaten, and although the wind was unabated, the crews returned with fresh vigour and resolve. Some of us had a longer lie in, realised the enormity of fresh air – the clothing and towel that got wet overnight were put out to dry, had a light breakfast on board having learned on an immediately previous trip that a heavy meal and heavy weather don’t mix – my mother always said – “it tastes better on the way up than down” (too much info again!).

Fortunately we were rafted inside the other boats and could watch for a while and learn how not to do it before we had to demonstrate how its done! Some went out bow first, other stern first. All this waiting gave Blue Lady time to add ballast – refill the water tank, in the event perhaps she would have sliced through the water just as well without it. Paul and Victor sagely conferred with the other skippers and sense of camaraderie prevailed. Bit like the war effort really, but with concern as other boats were coming in to the empty gap astern of us making our departure potentially more hazardous. As it turned out, the skill of our skippers and crews made it look relatively easy, springing off bow first, as we rocketed away from Duver marina and entered the channel towards the Eastern Solent. Once in clear water, Dumbledore hoisted 2/3 foresail, and sailed without main for a while, wind gusting up to 30, but averaging around 25-27 knots. Blue Lady was more intrepid and hoisted a three-reefed main immediately together with a well-reefed jenny. In any case we were both storming along, and once Dumbledore got the second reef in the main, enjoyed a spirited and really fast sail back to the Hamble completing the passage in about 3 hours. Blue Lady was not far behind, spray flowing off the coach roof down the gunwales, Moreover, and more notable was the fully exposed sun and absence of any clouds, (even pretty fluffy ones) or rain!! Sailors 2, Weathermen 0, I believe. And that was the final score!!

In order to celebrate a cracking good weekend, Dumbledore discharged the remaining contents of fridge and larder onto table for continued consumption before clearing up and cleaning boat and leaving all in good order – that’s what we mean by most eventualities, we parcel out the food at the end of a trip whilst others parcel out the booze. It seems it is a while since the club has visited Bembridge and Avi and I were extremely glad to have made the passage in company and with full crew before we attempt it later in the year alone. Bembridge is really well worth visiting often, and out of Chichester a relativity short sail for us.

Thanks to Victor for organising the event, for having a birthday and for choosing Bembridge as our overnight port.

Sandy Riegler – Dumbledore

Robert Falk – Blue Lady