HAMBLE RIVER RALLY: Our opening rally as usual brought somewhat mixed weather, which may have deterred some members from launching. Nevertheless, we managed to assemble five boats, which spent a fairly comfortable night up by the Jolly Sailor.

The Saturday evening rendezvous at the Jolly was attended by about a dozen members, all with various reasons for not being afloat, such as still fitting out, still painting, cowardice, etc.

Interesting conversations and ideas develop at these meetings, which is all part of the small boat scene.

BUCKLERS HARD RALLY: May 4th/5th brought dull and cold weather to the otherwise still-delightful Beaulieu River. Altogether five boats turned up, which was all I could expect with the contrary weather.

I was surprised to find launching and mooring fees were more than doubled from last year, which perhaps is the price we have to pay for having an unspoiled river, free from commercial development.

EAST HEAD RALLY: At last we have been lucky with our weather: a light wind combined with warm sun gave us the conditions which we like at East Head. As a result, fifteen boats turned up on Saturday plus a further three on Sunday.

Five of these boats came out from Portsmouth, one of whom was Gordon Hobson, whose boat began to leak rather badly, which kept his crew busy manning the pump. They made it back all right, after some first aid to the hull at East Head.

WOOTTON CREEK RALLY: We launched from Bucklers Hard on Saturday morning with a light north-west wind, which gave us a quiet run to Osborne Bay for lunch.

We met Jack Whitby and Jim Smith in Wootton Creek that evening, and spent a very peaceful night.

With more wind forecast for Sunday, we left after breakfast, expecting to have to beat our way home, but the wind had changed to south-east, so we had a run right round to Newtown for lunch.

With the wind increasing and still going round, we had yet another run back to the Beaulieu entrance, when the promised squall arrived in earnest.

NEWTOWN CREEK RALLY: I left home early on Saturday morning in heavy rain, launched from Lymington in rain, and sailed across to Newtown in rain. So much for summer!

It brightened up after lunch as I made my way up to Shalfleet Quay, where I met the other six boats, which included Ernie Bailey’s Black Jack.

Sunday morning dawned warm and sunny. On such a morning, in Newtown Creek, with breakfast cooking and congenial company — this is what makes dinghy cruising.