Weymouth to Poole

We were on a collision course with the other vessel, a medium sized motor boat. We were under sail – a reefed main and genoa. Clearly we were the stand on vessel, and the motorboat the give way vessel. We were getting rather close and starting to sweat. Stand on or give way anyway? We bore away to port, as the collision regulations require of us if it seems a collision is otherwise unavoidable. Blow me! The motor boat changed course to put us back on a collision path! We hardened up and headed more to starboard again, on our original course. The motor boat again changed course so that we were on a collision path again! There was really nothing more we could do than to allow the motor boat to approach very close, at which point it slowed right down to have a good look at us. A large sign on its side read ‘Sea Cadets’! Then away it zoomed! We gave them an icy stare as they sped off. We really could do without motorboat crews who thinks it’s a good idea to keep on altering course so as to threaten a collision. It has happened to us before, and really annoys me! I think maybe they just wanted to have a close look at the yacht with all those sponsors' names on, but even so!

Earlier John-Francois’s wife, Joan, had joined the crew. We had motored out of Weymouth into a choppy sea, heading out to avoid the army firing range zone where we might otherwise have a shell put through our hull. (Hazardous preoccupation this sailing business!). It was not comfortable at all. Once we were able to turn east, having reached the limits of the firing range, we were able to sail and the motion of the boat was slightly more comfortable. Once around St Alban’s Head and then Anvil Point the motion improved again. We took tea and sandwiches (OK and biscuits too) for lunch. We looked out for fishing pot markers that we needed to avoid hitting, then passed Old Harry and his wife before entering Poole harbour. All done after about 6 hours and 29 miles.

Joke:

They told me I had type A blood, but it was a typo.

Approaching Anvil Point

Old Harry, just outside Poole harbour