Ashlett Creek 11-12 May

Ashlett Creek was included in our ’96 programme following requests at our winter meeting. This once-lovely creek is now dominated by the Esso refinery on one side and the power station on the other but is still worth an occasional visit.

The Wrights in their Cornish Coble and Mark Tingley in his Roamer by the quay, but Liz Baker in her Mirror and Chris Jenkins in his GP14 had opted for the beach by the sailing club and where I joined them in my Leader. Liz and I each flew our huge DCA burgees (very kindly made up by the Ken Browns) to catch the eye of any further attendees. We were very kindly allowed the use of the Esso SC changing rooms and toilets. In the pub we were joined by the Kuysers who arrived by motorbike. Incidentally the snag with launching from Ashlett Creek is that public parking is almost non-existent.

Cobnor Camping and Family Weekend 1-2 June

The Marinecall forecast no doubt put some members off, but the weather was superb except for the very strong breeze on Saturday, generally agreed to be up to force 6, perhaps heavier in the gusts. Geof Wright with young and inexperienced scouts on board, reefed his Cornish Crabber’s mainsail for the first time ever. The first leg of the programme, up to Bosham and back was enough for most members, who then either anchored and sunbathed or went on shore to enjoy the superb coastal walking on the Chidham peninsula. Only three of us made it to Dell Quay for lunch, and on return Bruce Longstaff found himself aground on a soft lee shore. Only the heavily reefed Leader completed the full day’s programme by sailing down to East Head. The head was almost deserted and at its loveliest, and well worth the hard sail.

In the evening a number of us walked to the Old House at Home where we met David Weinstock and his party. Bruce Longstaff was not forgotten, but by now the wind had dropped and we decided that he would be able to motor out unaided when the tide rose, which he did.

On Sunday morning the wind had dropped to little more than force 1 and we had to row out of Bosham Creek against the strong flood, but it picked up just enough to enable us to tack down over the flood to reach Pilsea Sands. These were covered sufficiently for us to reach across in the slacker water of the Emsworth Channel. In Sweare Deep we met Colin and Diana Newnes who had sailed out to meet us in their immaculately varnished Tideway 14. John and Helen Kuyser in their Westray 16, John Buckley in a 15’ Kestrel and Mark Tingley in his Roamer followed on and we had time for a quick drink in the Royal Oak before the falling tide forced us to leave. To our surprise Liz Baker then turned up in her little Mirror dinghy. Had she only reached East Head in such difficult conditions she would have done well!

No Leader Class people turned up except one who walked in and introduced himself, but the total turnout was 21 including Geof and Claire’s boy/girl scouts. No doubt Saturday’s winds put some people off, but we could have provided crewing places for ten or more with valuable training for open sea conditions.

Newtown Harbour 13-14 July

Marinecall gave a forecast for Saturday of SW 3-4 gusting 5 for the West Solent but in fact it was force 5 for most of the afternoon. This made fairly hard sailing for those of us beating up from the east. Don Alexander, Mirror 16 and Mark Tingley, Roamer had launched at Hamble on the Friday and so were able to use the full ebb current and arrived at Newtown early. A DCA ketch (Martin Corrick’s sprit-rigged Torch?) was sighted in the entrance and Julian Shaw had arrived in his small yacht. Unfortunately Don’s motor had cut out when motoring up the narrow creek against the fresh breeze and his high sided boat was immediately blown ashore and stranded near the high-water level. Chris Jenkins had started from Lee-on-Solent but the flood tide combined with the headwind stopped him before Gurnard Ledge so he turned back into Cowes. I had launched my Leader at Warsash and reached the Salt Mead Ledges before the tidestream turned and so was able to tack in to Newtown against the weak inshore flood. At Shalfleet Quay we were joined by Richard Hignett and Diana from Keyhaven in a Cornish Shrimper. Not a large turn-out for our loveliest venue, but probably the prospect of force 5 headwinds put some members off.