Today we do the last leg of our "around England and Wales - through Scotland" sail - from Weymouth to Southampton. The eta in Southampton Ocean Village is 16:00 after an 08:00 off here at Weymouth on the first bridge lift.

Yesterdays sail from Brixham Marina across Lyme Bay and around Portland Bill was pretty calm and peaceful. We got caught up in fog and Nicky played fog horn at the bow of Debanessa. We just had the one scare with a large Japanese registered cargo vessel appearing close by out of the fog to our Starboard side - no fog horns from her, I hope she saw us and the other three yachts clumped within a half mile rage of each other making the same trip.

The Race (off Porland Bill) caught us out a bit. A combination of the strong tide pushing us towards it and the Race moving towards land, seeing our efforts of cutting inside it thwarted. It was not very rough, but was absolutely crowded with fishing boats all being tossed about and rushing hither and thither, trying to stay in the race and make best use of the fishing that I guess it affords. We made excellent time across Lyme Bay, and after our 05:35 start from Brixham, had a nice Northerly wind to take us to Weymouth in time for the 14:00 bridge lift.

The rest of the afternoon was spend walking around Weymouth. Nicky and Tarryn had a go on a Mechanical Bull seaside attraction and we bought some nice earthernware pots at a French market. Thursdays sightseeing trip to Peignton by bus, and then Dartmouth by steam train and ferry was fun and we had a great day in what turned out to be a sunny day afterall.

Today we have a well sailed route around Start Point and then across Poole Bay to the Needles which we plan to get to just before slack tides at 01:00. Then we go a bit against the tides up the Western Solent and Southampton Water to Ocean Village and home.

Baths, clean clothes, fast Internet Connections and TV awaits us tonight.

Printed/Emailed at : 13:45 on Mon 23 Nov 2009 (GMT)
Last Updated On: 09:22 on Wed 26 Jun 2002
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