Flying Start
PROGRESS
Andrew and Hilary Clark
Sun 10 May 2009 20:46
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50.40N 01.56W
We managed to get away on time on Saturday morning
for the first leg of our Round Britain cruise. We made really good progress to
Start Point, and with ideal downwind conditions decided not to stop at
Dartmouth, but to press on across Lyme Bay to Portland.
Missing Dartmouth was a disappointment, as the
first few weeks of this trip are going to take us to a number of places, many of
which we have not visited for years, and I was looking forward to anchoring off
Kingswear again. The last time I did so was in 1977, when the harbour dues
were charged at the rate of 3p/ft/night. I guess that things might have changed
since then. In Portland we went into the new, not quite complete, marina, which
I thought was really impressive. Well sheltered, easy access, good
facilities.
The forecast began saying confidently that our
benign, following, south-westerly, was going to turn into a snarling F7 gusting
8 easterly, bang on the nose. As we had an appointment in Poole on tuesday, we
decided to press on Sunday before the wind strengthened, and made our way into
Poole to berth at the Poole Quay Boat Haven. Here we had some interesting
neighbours; 'BLOODHOUND' was berthed just ahead, and to starboard we had a large
and very modern motor yacht. But it cost a lot more than
3p/night!
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