Cruise Reports
- April 27th 2008
Cruise 1 - Abandoned - bad weather.
- May 4th 2008
Cruise 2- Abandoned - bad weather.
- June 1st 2008
Cruise 3 - Abandoned - bad weather.
- July 24th 2008
Cruise 4 - Abandoned - bad weather.
- August 9th 2008
Cruise 5/6 - Overnight Cruise.
The timing of the tides this year meant that, if we had done the usual one night stay, we would have arrived at the camp site at around 16:00 on the Saturday and would have had to leave early on the Sunday. Therefore we decided to make this a two night stay, with most members opting to set out on the Friday.
Friday's forecast was not as favourable as we would have liked and we were not very confident that it would be possible to sail over. To take account of that, and to ensure that we would still have a reasonable size group on the island, we decided that, should the weather make sailing difficult or impractical, a cycle/ferry trip would be an alternative option.
The size of the party fluctuated up and down as the date approached but on the Friday the party set out as follows: Sarah, Chloe, and Harvey Austin in the Austin Family, car loaded with Kit; Alistair and Alexander Austin with Peter and Charlotte Cox, as foot passengers on the Ferry with their cycles; The West family (Steve, Sarah, Claire and Callum) were holidaying on the Island and moved to the Corf Site to join us on the Friday.
Meanwhile WF 7553, helmed by Andy Barham and crewed by Gail Hine, and WF 3282, helmed and crewed alternately by Tim Wadham and John and Laurence O'Neill, set out from the club at around 11:30 for the first leg to Gurnard in good conditions (F3 and fairly flat seas) .Both sailed on a reach as far as Bramblenet when a very nice turn of wind allowed us to sail straight into Gurnard. WF 3282 landed first, followed closely by WF 7553 and between the five of us we lifted the boats up the beach and out of the rising tide in fairly rough conditions. We then had a very welcome cup of tea and a round of Bacon and Sausage Baguettes. Lovely.
We needed to be at the top of Newtown creek by around 15:00. We left Gurnard at 14:00 and ran straight down to the creek, arriving pretty much bang on time. Both boats then ran straight down the creek in encouraging sunlight, arriving at the campsite at around 16:00 to be met by Callum and Steve West.
As well as the West Family, Sarah, Chloe and Harvey Austin had also arrived at the site and were in the throes of pitching their tent.
After mooring the boats near the usual tree, we went up and began to pitch our tents. Shortly after the two boats had arrived, Ali, Alexander, Pete and Charlotte arrived from what appears to have been a long but (leaving aside by various complaints of sore body parts) enjoyable cycle ride. After some confusion as to whose tents were whose, a few bottles of London Pride resolved the issue, and enough tents were pitched to ensure everyone had a shelter for the evening.
After pitching the tents and the club pergola, we all had a well earned rest and a cup of tea or beer according to taste. Tim, Steve and Laurence then set out to get the supplies, paying particular attention to the needs of everyone not to become dehydrated. As a bonus (unlike in some previous years) they actually came straight back! A tip for next year, shopping at Lidl shaved a few pounds off last year's spend.
In true Enid Blyton fashion, despite a complete lack of electronic games, DVD's, TV, radio etc... all the children were well able to keep themselves occupied and amused with a length of old rope hanging from a tree across a puddle and by gathering wood to feed the two fires that were kept constantly burning throughout the first evening.
The evening meal was pasta with a choice of carbonara or tomato sauce (with peas of course!) followed by rice pudding and custard (my personal favourite). It had been a pretty tiring day for everyone so most people turned in by about 23:00 and soon all that could be heard around the site was the gentle buzz of hard earned rest ("buzz", as in the sound made by several busy industrial chainsaws).
Saturday's forecast was for rain but started out fine and dry. The plan was to take a "45 minute" walk into Yarmouth in the afternoon. A fine breakfast (cereal, fruit. bacon, egg, and mushrooms) was available to all and, after a morning spent pretty much lazing around, we lunched on sandwiched before setting off for Yarmouth in a gentle rain, which got progressively heavier minute by minute. I am not sure who has timed this walk at 45 minutes and whether that estimate made allowance for wrong turns and being escorted off private property but, suffice it to say, we reached Yarmouth a bedraggled and exhausted mess in the early afternoon, somewhat more than 45 minutes later We quickly sought shelter in a building that turned out to be a public house. This was particularly fortunate and was just what we needed.
At around 17:30 a few of the group then returned to the camp by bus to get the evening meal on the go. The rest of us waited for the 18:00 bus. Unfortunately, as it transpired, there was no 18:00 bus, which meant, reluctantly, we had to return to the pub to await the arrival of the 19:00 bus. Eventually all arrived safely back at the camp where we had a very nice curry and a few more drinks. Rather unusually the weather forecast proved accurate and soon the heavy rain came along that we had been fearing. Consequently, Saturday night was spent with all present inside the club pagoda.
On Sunday, those sailing back had to set out quite early to get to the top of the creek with the tide. Those cycling/driving very kindly offered to pack up our kit so we did not have to rush as much as we would otherwise have had to.
The wind was blowing up and the forecast was for F4/F5 in the Solent so Wayfarer (7553) was reefed right up and Wayfarer (3282) had the cut down sails on. We set out up the creek in reasonable sailing conditions but once again (as in previous years) the weather in the Solent was a lot less hospitable.
The sail to Gurnard started reasonably well although we were running in front of a good F4. However, it soon became clear that WF 3282, with three men in, was having it easier than WF 7553 with just Andy and Gail on board. Our original plan had been to beach at Gurnard and wait for the tide to turn in our favour. However, considering the forecast for the weather to blow up later and the fact that we felt we had ample wind to get over the tide we then decided to go straight home. This all changed though as we passed Gurnard, when fate intervened and the rudder hold down cord on WF 3282 gave way. This meant that, again, Gurnard seemed the best option. At Gurnard the surf was high and rough with waves coming in hard on the beach. This made it very difficult to control our landing as we would have wished.
After a difficult landing we repaired the rudder cord and decide to wait until15:00 to see what the wind conditions were like then. Things did not look that good but at 15:00 there was a lull and we decided to brave it. However, we then found that it was not possible to get the centreboard down on WF 7553, as we had picked up what seemed like half of the pebbles on Gurnard beach when coming ashore. We had a rethink. Calls were made to members on route to the ferry. Alistair and company were already on the ferry but fortunately (for those beached, anyway) Steve West was not. He received the SOS call and in heroic fashion extricated himself from the ferry queue and came to our assistance at Gurnard. When we called Steve our plan was for Gail to return with Steve on the ferry and the 4 remaining to sail across in WF 3282. However, whilst Steve was en-route we discovered that we could not get the centreboard on WF 3282 either.
Steve had arrived by this time with some tools. Once we had tried all the normal means of freeing the centreboards we realised we would have to remove them entirely in order to free the obstinate pebbles. Fortunately we had taken the rollers with us so we rollered the boats onto the green behind the beach and began to strip the interiors. We also had to ask around for some more tools as we did not have enough spanners to undo the bolts holding the centreboards. Fortunately, a few helpful islanders obliged. Even when we got the bolts out, the centreboards did not want to shift and it was around 19:00 before we had them both out, cleaned and replaced. We then rollered one of the boats down on the beach ready for the off. During this activity numerous communications took place between ourselves, Joy and Dave Grout so that we could update on our progress.
By this time it was too late to consider sailing back so other plans had to be made. After various options were considered, John, Gail and Laurence returned on the Ferry, while Andy and Tim opted, like loyal soldiers over wounded comrades, to remain on the beach with the club boats.
On Monday morning following a restful night's sleep on Gurnard beach Tim and Andy set off from Gurnard at around 07:00 in WF 7553 and by 07:50 were at the club where they were met by Mike Burlingham. Other members had offered to return on the safety boat to bring back the other boat but Tim and Andy were enjoying themselves too much and insisted on returning themselves to finish the job. Mike took them back and they rigged WF 3282 and sailed that back as well. The centreboard on WF 3282 was pretty well shot but fortunately Edie had a "spare" which went straight in. I also understand that a use was found for the old centreboard (recycling at its best).
Despite the poor weather, and the trouble with the boats, it seemed as though a good time was had by all. The site always provides a friendly and restful environment and, in particular, the children appear to enjoy the freedom of being able to just wander about in safety, climb ropes and build fires to their hearts and hearths content.
- August 24th 2008
Cruise 7
- September 6th 2008
Cruise 8 - Abandoned - bad weather.
- September 20th 2008
Cruise 9
- October 4th 2008
Cruise 10