Sunday 30^th August 2009     (Lini’s Journal)

   6am. Bells chimed from Si’s iPhone waking me from a restless night. I threw off the covers and with a cry of, “Sail me away!” I leapt out of bed and chopped fruit for breakfast.

   Brindabella was practically ready to leave after our abandoned departure, so a quick top up of water and removal of extra lines was all that was needed to allow us to quietly slip away at 7.30am. Friends waved from boats and pontoons and suddenly I realised after years of dreaming and preparations, this was the moment: We were departing on our adventure.

   No epic voyage was planned for today; every cruising book I’d read suggested a short hop the first day to recover from the preparations and settle into life afloat. An overnight stop in Newtown Creek seemed perfect and I confess to ambivalent feelings as we beat west in force 5/6 winds. I’d hardly been sailing at all in the last year and here I was setting off on a huge adventure with no confidence in my sailing ability and no idea how to work all the newly installed equipment on board. I made Si coffee and hot buttered crumpets, then taking the helm for a while realise why I was there. What a blast! Brindabella topped 9kts as she ploughed through the choppy waves with spray flying back into the cockpit.

   Through the binoculars I searched for Ami’s apartment in Southsea but the sleepy voice from my mobile reminded me it was far too early on a Sunday morning for her to rush to the roof terrace to wave at boats should mum be watching from the distance. My heart sunk to think how long it will be before I’ll hug my children again. Thank heavens for Skype!

   A sea of masts came into focus as we approached Newtown Creek: I suppose it was inevitable on a bank holiday. Inside however luck was on our side and round in Clamerkin Lake a buoy was free. We grabbed it. Si is never a good sleeper, but at anchor he’s on deck checking it half the night. I hoped he’d sleep well tonight.

   The skies brightened allowing us to celebrate our departure and first leg on deck. Si popped the champagne (nearly taking out a seagull!) and we tucked into baked camembert, toasted oatbread and grapes. Ignoring the huge list of things still to do, I opened page one of my journal determined to get the blog up to date as promised. Si pinged our position for the website then set about some passage planning for the morning.

   A far cry from my memories of the creek with long summer evenings dining on deck with the setting sun, today the cloud thickened and the winds picked up. We escaped below to the cosy saloon. Eyes heavy as events and champagne took over, we snoozed into holiday mode. Bliss!

  We washed the remaining smoked salmon and blinis down with the remaining champagne while I cooked steak, chips and steamed vegetable for our first dinner afloat. There was also remaining rhubarb pie to make sure we didn’t waste away! Oh! And a very nice bottle of wine to make sure we didn’t get thirsty! Hhmm! What was that I said about losing weight? Needless to say we were early to bed as we were early to rise in the morning.                                   ---Lini---

Monday 31^st August 2009     (Lini’s Journal)

   The forecast was increasing winds so while I boiled steeped oats for porridge, I quickly made some ham salad wraps for lunch. The creek was calm and cloudy as we motored out at 7.30 between the sleeping boats. Not one motor boat was there for a change; not the right weather I suspect.

   The wind was bang on the nose so we motored out through Hurst Point and the Needles, hoisting sails then bearing off the wind as we set a course off Anvil Point. The wind increased and the seas became choppy, but at least the south-westerly wind allowed us to stay on our intended course. The Aussie skipper ate Aussie Vegemite on his toasted muffins no doubt dreaming of Aussie sunshine!

   Well his dreams came true! Unfortunately though, as the sun burned through the breaking cloud, the wind, far from increasing as forecast, practically died just as we caught the remnants of the overfalls off St. Alban’s Head. Si put his angry head on as the boom thrashed around. We dropped the mainsail with the wind now backed even further and bounced along with just the genoa. The stunning Dorset coastline crept slowly past.

   For someone not keen on eating fish, it was probably a little silly for Si to suggest we were going slow enough for me to do a spot of fishing. To his surprise I pulled in one mackerel after another. We kept enough for dinner.

   I reminisced my childhood and all the wonderful days spent fishing with my dad and remembered also a photo of my boys standing proudly in a Cornish harbour with heavy strings of mackerel caught on a fishing trip. Preparing my catch for the pan wasn’t a pleasant task, but how nice to have caught our own supper.

   Si rang the new Portland Marina for a berth and as we approached the huge grey smudges rising into the hills became hotels under construction ready for the 2012 Olympics. The marina complex was huge too with several businesses already open and many more units to be filled. Three wind turbines made use of the wind whipping in from the south-west. We tied Brindabella up in our generous berth then I quickly made guacamole before Si got to the crisps. The chilled Peroni slipped down a treat as we unwound in the early evening sunshine – not the weather we were expecting at all.

   Si had that sort of polite smile on his face as he tucked into his mackerel, new potatoes and salad. If I catch a Dorado in the Atlantic he could be eating fish for days on end. I wonder if the fishing gear will go overboard!

   Grabbing our shower gear we took a stroll to check out the facilities which were all squeaky clean and new. I had a very long shower, then woozy after too much unexpected sun, decided to skip a drink in the bar and head back to the boat. I fell straight into bed while Si planned our next leg.                                                                                                                                 ---Lini---