Introduction

My boat is a self-built Yachting World GP 14, which I sail single-handed. Normally I sleep ashore in a tent, but when necessary I sleep in the boat, on the floorboards, without any form of awning. For this reason I have removed the seats from my boat; otherwise it is a standard GP 14.

Summary

This is an account of a cruise from Gravesend to the Solent and back, circumnavigating the Isles of Sheppey and Wight. It occupied my weekends from July 8th till November 25th, and also my two weeks holiday. During July and August I was able to sail on twenty-two days out of a possible twenty-six, but Autumnal gales reduced the overall figure to thirty-one days out of forty-nine.

I would like to apologise for the omissions and brevity, but two thousand words are too few to describe this cruise in all its detail. Due to a capsize earlier in the season, my radio and clock were both made unserviceable therefore weather forecasts were obtained on shore and times are estimated.

July 8th Wind: West - Force 4-5. Ran under jib to Holehaven where I ate a meal, whilst wind moderated. Sailed for Queenborough under full sail but had to reef as I approached the Medway.

July 9th Sailed around the Isle of Sheppey. Wind: West - Force 2-3. Queenborough to Queenborough - 7¼ hours, which is a personal record. It was a dead beat at low water from Harty Ferry to Milton Creek (five miles) but I could sail straight under Kingsferry Bridge.

July 22nd Left Queenborough at HW with a NE wind - Force 2-3. Close hauled in fine weather and moderate sea to Margate where I had a break ashore. Rounded North Foreland with a good breeze and a bit of a swell, on to a dead run past Broadstairs and Ramsgate into Pegwell Bay, where I camped at Shellness. The tide had been favourable all day.

July 23rd Departed 0900 hours in brilliant sunshine and a light northerly wind. Hoisted spinnaker until wind became moderate SE. Went ashore at Folkestone to enquire the time. Pleasant reach to Dungeness, where I came very close inshore on a dead run. Although the wind was only moderate, it was against the tide and a lively sea was running astern - these were a tense few minutes.

Sailed into Rye Harbour with the flood at about 1900 hrs. It had been a very good weekend. July 29th Departed Rye Harbour 1000 hrs. on a planing run against the flood tide. A planing reach, wind N force 4, past Fairlight Cove, when the wind backed to West, but I could just point at Beachy Head. The sea was a little bumpy so I called in at Eastbourne Sailing Club for some advice about the Head.

Left E.S.C. at 1700 hrs., with a SW wind force 4. I close hauled until the wind was clear of the Head, and then tacked within 400 yards of the lighthouse (as I had been advised). Then the wind fell light and the tide became foul, so I went close inshore. By the time I reached Cuckmere Haven it was dark, but an offshore breeze had sprung up, which I lost by getting in the lee of the cliffs before Seaford. I paddled clear and persevered until I made Newhaven by 2400 hrs.

July 30th Departed Newhaven 1000 hrs. with a light southerly which veered to a moderate SW wind. Glorious sunshine all day. Uneventful but pleasant sail to Bognor. Left boat at Felpham Sailing Club.

August 5th and 6th There was too much wind on these two days to attempt Selsey Bill (Force 6-7). On Sunday, I entered for an open race (and capsized) - an advantage in cruising in a class boat.

August 7th Left Bognor 1200 hrs. with a light southerly breeze, which increased to moderate later. Close hauled for Selsey, then bore away for the Solent in brilliant sunshine. Looking into Chichester Harbour from the sea, there appeared to be one solid mass of sails - I did not envy them - I was alone on the glorious sea.

This was a day of great privation - I lost some cigarettes somewhere in Bognor, and did not discover the loss until well out - so I did not have a smoke from Chichester to Warsash - a great hardship for me!! Arrived Warsash 1900 hrs.

August 12th Left Warsash 1100 hrs. with a light SW wind, which increased to fresh later, bound for Yarmouth.

This was my first experience of sailing in the Solent and I was very impressed. There was always another boat to sail against; my helmsmanship would improve tremendously if I could always sail there. The sea was also interesting; choppy in places, smooth in others. I had intentions of going on to Swanage but the choppy sea in a freshening breeze made me think that it would be worse outside, so after a look at Yarmouth, I sailed to Lymington.

August 22nd Wind SW - strong. Lymington to Yarmouth; a planing reach with six rolls in main and no jib, yet I was nearly overpowered. Yarmouth to Cowes under jib only, on a run. It took two hours with a favourable tide. I find that if I goose-wing the jib it pulls very efficiently and gives a safe comfortable sail with a strong wind astern, particularly in a sea.

August 23rd Around the Isle of Wight. Cowes to Cowes - 12½ hours.

August 24th Cowes to Lymington. Wind SW - force 5-6. Five rolls in main and no jib. A very interesting sail racing a Debutante, which was a good match under these conditions. This sail was mainly to relax after yesterday's effort.

August 25th Renewed standing rigging and cleaned boat.

August 27th A gloriously sunny day, with a good SW wind in the afternoon. Made Lymington to Hamble against tide.

August 28th Departed Hamble 1000 hours against head wind and foul tide. Hasler’s Jester was sailing up Southampton Water as I was going down. The head wind continued so I dropped anchor in Stokes Bay and ate lunch. Carried on beating until I cleared Portsmouth Boom, when, for the first time, I could close haul on a course along the coast.

The wind strength this day was such that, with all sail, it was comfortable to sail to windward. Overtook a cruising yacht, which gave me the time as 1800 hours so I set course for Chichester Harbour and reached in against the weakening ebb tide. Anchored off Hayling Island Sailing Club in water which seemed sheltered at low tide, but sleeping in the boat became very uncomfortable at high water.

August 29th Gave Selsey Bill best, this day, as wind was Easterly - force 5-6.

August 30th Hayling Island to Brighton. Westerly - force 4-5 to start with, backed round to Easterly after being light and variable at times.

Selsey Bill, with wind and tide together, was innocuous but the tide ripping past the Looe Channel buoys was impressive since it is two miles off-shore.

Went ashore at Worthing to get cigarettes etc. Heavy swell running so that I had to swim ashore, and even that was tricky. On this day two people were drowned at Peacehaven by a large swell sweeping them off the beach. At Brighton, with the light failing, I saw a Heron and a Graduate sailing off the beach, so I landed and the group carried my boat up above the high water mark where I slept the night.

August 31st Another bright and sunny day. Due to my carelessness, I lost two hours of favourable tide so that approaching Beachy Head I found the tide had turned against me.

The wind, which had started light and offshore, veered and then backed to a fresh ENE breeze. At one stage I had three rolls in the mainsail but mistakenly shook them out in a lull. Against a dead head-wind I tacked past the lighthouse, keeping close to the cliffs to avoid the nasty sea which was running.

At last I sighted Eastbourne and I felt relieved. Approaching Beachy Head from the west one sees the lighthouse, and it does not look far, because it is a big structure. When one reaches it, one finds that there is still nearly a mile to go before seeing Eastbourne - and against wind and tide that is a long way. Hence my relief.

Once around the point, it was a long tack, closing with the shore, and a short tack off-shore; the latter head on into a shortening swell. I could not get too close to the shore as the sea was dangerously shirt and steep. After two tacks, I realised that I was back where I started. So, sailing very carefully, I checked my progress and found that I had to sail 800 yards to make 25 yards over the ground. This was a relief - at least I was making progress. If I stuck at it, I must get around this terrible Head. Finally, I was abreast of the first buildings in Eastbourne and out of the strong tide.

Whilst running ashore under jib only and the helm lashed amidships, I was ignominiously pitched out of the boat on to the shingle when a breaking sea made the boat broach to and capsize. As a result of this calamity the cruise was temporarily suspended.

September 9th Paddled clear of beach at Eastbourne, misty with light easterly airs. Wind freshened to south westerly off Fairlight Cove.

Approached Rye Harbour entrance on a planing reach with seas breaking at entrance and the tide ebbing. Then the plate touched so I went about immediately and kept clear. Lay at anchor off Camber Sands for about six hours until the bar was well covered and then sailed into Rye Harbour.

It was five weeks later when I finally left Rye harbour. This was due to hospitality fog, adverse tides and too much wind.

October 14th Departed Rye Harbour 1200 hours. Wind E to NE - force 3-4. In three long tacks I was off Folkestone after a bumpy passage past Dungeness. Tied up in Folkestone Harbour after dark.

October 15th Left Folkestone Harbour 0730 to avoid being grounded. Dropped anchor outside as wind was too light to stem a foul tide. About 1100 hours wind came light from sou'west so hoisted spinnaker and made good progress to Dover and then Deal. Up till then I had been sunbathing but a sudden change of wind to due north brought fog. It was then a dead beat, but with a favourable tide, sailing on compass and mental arithmetic until Ramsgate Harbour came in sight. I tied up fore and aft in the outer harbour and went home.

During the week a gale sprang up and the boat capsized but she was well cared for by the local people and no damage was incurred. Due to gale warnings it was ……

October 29th ……before I left Ramsgate and plugged the tide in a very light westerly to the North Foreland. Off Margate the wind died so I drifted till high water, then went ashore at Minnis Bay Sailing Club where I left the boat.

November 11th Departed Minnis Bay 1000 hours. Wind due East - force 4-5. An awkward sea was running and the wind astern, so I ran under jib only until past Whitstable, when I hoisted the main and planed up the East Swale.

It was getting dark as I passed through Kingsferry Bridge and 1700 hrs when I tied up to Queenborough causeway.

November 25th Departed Queenborough 1100 hours. Wind SW - 4-5 at first, but as I sailed up Sea Reach on a long and short it fell lighter and lighter until at high water it was non-existent. After a battle with an ebb spring tide, fog and puffs of air I arrived Gravesend at 2000 hrs.

Conclusion

How on earth does one describe such an experience in two thousand words? There was so much to learn, so much to remember. And yet I am left with the feeling that this was just a taste of the knowledge that is sailing.