Many thanks to Liz Baker for the very interesting notes on the two rallies I was unable to attend: Chichester (15 July) and Cowes (12 August).

WOOTTON CREEK — 27 MAY

This venue seems to herald the easterly winds and this year was no exception, with E force 5-6 in West Solent early morning. Later the wind backed to NE and dropped 4-5, allowing me to make a fast, but lumpy passage from Keyhaven.

To greet me on arrival was Len Wingfield and Richard Hignett, who were to inform me that The Sloop was closed, but an alternative pub, The Cedar Tree, had been found complete with ‘chippy’ nearby. The Cedar Tree turned out to be a very friendly pub with good ale and food and a very pleasant evening was spent by all. At the final count, 14 members, 3 non members in 12 boats attended.

Due to a very early start back to catch the tide west, I missed greeting David and Jenny Jones who had arrived very late evening in their newly acquired Beaufort 16.

SHALFLEET — 10 JUNE

Light winds and sunshine heralded this rally which was well attended: 9 boats, 11 members and 3 non members.

Most members tied up along the bank upstream of Shalfleet quay, giving easy access to the shore. John Quantrell and Liz Baker (Dabber) anchored off Lower Hampstead farm and joined us later in the pub by walking the coastal path around Western Haven. Jim Smith joined us for a chat. Welcome back Ray and Anne Thornton who spent the 1988 season repairing their Seagull cruiser after the October 1987 storm.

Sunday brought sunshine, but a strong NE wind. OK for us sailors, but hard going for Peter Glover rowing his dory back to Hill Head.

FOWLEY ISLAND — 15 JULY

Weather hot and sunny. I noticed it seemed very windy during the main part of the day, but by the time I had launched it had dropped right away.

Due to other problems at home, this was to be Black Swan’s first launch this year, and on the Saturday morning she was still at home and far from ready. Eventually I reached Cobnor at 6 pm, but it was 9 pm before I was actually sailing — or rather rowing — against a SW f1-2 and the last of the flood tide.

As soon as I was out of Bosham Creek I was offered a tow and a cup of tea. I gratefully accepted the tow, but declined the tea, fearful lest by accepting I should delay progress further. Even so, it was 10.30 and dark before I cast off my tow line at Pilsey Island. Alternately rowing and sailing, it took another hour through Stocker swatchway to reach Emsworth fairway. Now I was stemming the ebb, and instead of freeing off as I had hoped, I still had to beat. Finally scraped onto Fowley Island just after midnight, literally seconds before the last of the water left it.

It was a glorious, moonlit night and had I not been so frustrated I would have enjoyed the expedition. In the dark, I made out five murky silhouettes and another moored outside the lagoon. Everyone was asleep. Disappointed, I pitched camp ashore and went to bed supperless.

In the morning, I discovered:

Phil Nash (West Wight Potter) David & Jenny Jones (in their newly acquired Beaufort 16) John Quantrell (junk rigged Drascombe Dabber) Len Wingfield (Leader) Don & David Alexander (Mirror 16)

And, moored outside, Terry Hughes and crew in a Sailfish.

As the tide returned, everyone went their separate ways. I sailed down to Oar Rythe for lunch. “It’s shallow over there,” called a passing 505 sailor as I beat into the creek. I thanked him and carried on. “All right, go aground,” I heard him mutter. “Better not ground now, or I will look silly,” I thought, as I tacked carefully between the still-covered banks. Later, while anchoring, I heard a splash, and there was my old friend the seal; I was particularly pleased to see him again after learning of so many seals dying in the North Sea, and he helped to compensate for the frustrations of Saturday.

COWES — 12 AUGUST

Wednesday and Thursday had been very windy, and this showed no sign of abating on Friday evening when I arrived at Cobnor. I didn’t much fancy a long beat against a f6 from Chichester to Cowes so decided to hitch a lift with John Quantrell in Rainbow.

We left Rainbow’s berth in Southampton at 11.30 and an hour later were beating out past Calshot in a lumpy sea, which made me glad I was not trying to sail from Chichester. Looking aft, I spotted Len sailing out of the Hamble in hot pursuit. Len disappeared for a while, then reappeared with a deep reef. He overtook us rapidly, heading towards Cowes. The tide was pushing us east, so John decided to make a few tacks to weather in the slacker water off Lepe, knowing that the tide flows much more strongly off Cowes. We had to put in one extra tack to avoid a power boat accompanying a man who seemed to be trying to swim the Solent. Then we had a spanking good sail over, getting very wet in the process and made it into the Medina on a close reach.

Later as we approached the Folly Inn we were hailed by Ray Moore and Anne on their cruiser, and joined them for a cup of tea. We had been chatting for about an hour when Len arrived; even his extra speed and better windward ability hadn’t been enough to compensate for the tide.

In view of the strong winds, I was pleasantly surprised to see several members had made the venue. In addition to the Dabber and the Leader, there were Don and David in their Mirror 16, Richard Hignett in his 14 footer, the two Phils in their WWPs and two cruisers, the second one being John Buckley. At the pub, it was good to seem Jim Smith again.

The wind on Sunday was as strong or stronger and from the same direction, so we had a much drier and very swift sail back. I trust everybody else made it safely.

POOLE HARBOUR — SHIPSTALL POINT — 1 JULY

When I launched at Rockby Sands, the sky was overcast with NW wind, but later in the day the wind veered to N and the sun came out. Four boats met up at Shipstall Point late afternoon; all had launched at various sites in the harbour.

John Perry and Veronica (home design dinghy), Don and David Alexander (Mirror 16), my Tarpon and new member, Terry Burton (Tideway), but Terry did not stay overnight. The evening saw our small party gathered on the sandy shore with deer on the marshland behind us, a very relaxing end to the day. The morning brought sunshine and a moderate N wind as we made our way back to the launching sites. It was disappointing not to meet any local DCA members.

HURST SPIT — 2 SEPTEMBER

As I was unable to attend before late evening, and having to return the same night, it meant giving the Seagull outboard an airing on the Tarpon. The evening was fine but chilly when I arrived at Hurst. The barbeque was well underway and everybody appeared to be enjoying themselves. Ray and Anne Thornton had brought their children; Len and his wife had canoed out from Keyhaven; John Perry had windsurfed from Keyhaven. Welcome new members Bill and Eleanor who had walked around the shingle bank from Milford. Other members present were Liz Baker, John Quantrell, Slade Penirre and Jamie, Richard Hignett, David and Jenny Jones, Jeff Wright, Bob Russell, Derek Thorrington and Roddy Roddis, all in their own boats. As the evening wore on, members wandered among those boats dried out on the shingle discussing their various merits.

Alas, for me, it was time to return home, but it was good to see so many members attending.

BURSLEDON — 23 SEPTEMBER

I came by road for this venue, as did George Dyer, John Perry, Liz Baker and Jack Evans. Jeff Bright with crew Paul and Caroline (Cornish Crabber) and John Quantrell in his Dabber were moored upstream above the bridges, as, I believe, was Phil Nash.

Len Wingfield (Leader) and David and Jenny Jones (Beaufort) were moored just down river from the Jolly Sailor. Gathering together in the Jolly Sailor, we all enjoyed a pleasant evening, so ending this year’s rally season.