It has a relatively smooth inshore passage except but it's usually packed with semi-submerged lobster pots. And semi-submerged because the extreme peninsula accelerates hugely the tidal flow on both flood and ebb.
The speed of the water often drags the pots low in the water.
Yesterday (Saturday) after collecting Black Gold from Lymington, I just reached the Hamble in time for Jo Robinson to swing the compass.
I have been cynical about the need for compass swinging - but Jo found we were out 12° to the East. With the compass corrected, we knew we now possessed one accurate instrument that doesn't need power, and is to be relied on.
Roger and I ran over to Cowes to deliver five sails to his sail designer, Ken Black. Then, after lunch in the Anchor (famous for their Anchor burger), it was down to Portsmouth to have a run at the race start.
We know the area well, but there is nothing like plugging in all the waypoints and having a run down the course, taking note of the skyline on each leg.
As sail-racers, we tend to worry a lot about what the tides are doing and how much we need to account for this in our courses. Out past Hurst castle, we turned briefly to the right in order to run down the other side of the Shingles bank.
Less tide and today less sea, so more speed.
Despite a calm night, there is a bit of a chop. You wouldn't describe the ride as comfortable. Next headland was St Albans when there are overfalls but close in a surprisingly quiet passage. Portland Bill from a distance resembles a slice of cheese. The low bit is the Bill itself.
We were in neap tides but wanted to look at the Bill close in - where the lobster pots wait - and then to see how far out the famous race extends. We went through the race in this process but of course, we wouldn't do that in our race.
We turned and ran back to Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, for fuel. You'll remember that we had already done a return channel crossing on the last fill and were down to our last 50 litres. Fuel in Yarmouth, although not cheap at £1.29 a litre, is much less than Port Hamble at £1.40 this week.
On our way back down the Solent at 7pm, we passed Seahound going the other way. Seahound is a Scorpion cabin rib that is likely to do well in the race and is owned by Chris Strickland who helped me sort out race numbers issues.
You might have thought that getting back to the Hamble at 7pm meant the end of the boating day.
However, the day's programme was not through. We picked up my wife Nicki, middle daughter Kirsty and boyfriend Simon and headed back down the Solent to friends the Martins anchored at Newtown Creek in their Oyster 61, Galapago.
They managed to get an extra five seats for dinner in the New Inn at Shallfleet, a beautiful pub with great seafood. At high water you can take a rib up to the quay and enjoy a short walk to the pub.
Back on board at midnight, we found the control for the night screen on our large and bright GPS. We headed cautiously over to Lymington to collect my car. Roger and his young crew drove Black Gold back to the Hamble on a very black night, looking out for unlit buoys.
After loading some stuff onto our sailing boat, Black Tie, we headed home - and arrived at 3am, tired but satisfied that everything had worked.
Of course, there's still a list of outstanding items, but what's new? I know that they have to be resolved by Thursday morning ...
- Gavin Sunday March 15th
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