We are now on a mission East to get to Ipswich for our winter mooring.
26th August – Friday – To Weymouth
We left Dartmouth at 2:15am because we wanted to round Portland Bill at slack water when the tidal flow is most favourable. We had our inward track on the navigation system to follow on the way out of the harbour, but even at this time there was still another boat entering the harbour.
Portland Bill on a relatively calm day.
The 59 miles miles took 12 hours and we arrived in Weymouth to access the marina for the 2:00pm bridge opening.
Weymouth Harbour in the evening light.
27th August – Saturday
The morning started with thunder and ended with a beautiful sunny day. We had not seen a promenade and beach so busy for many years.
The boats started to arrive in the afternoon into the outer harbour and were rafting 7 deep.
We had a lovely few days walking the promenade and the Olympic sailing venues.
Weymouth Marina
£32 per night. Good new facilities in a modern building. Plug socket in the corridor. The Laundry was only £2 per wash and £1 per dry. Wifi good. Aldi in the retail park and Tesco in the town centre nearby.
30th August – Tuesday – To Lymington
Beautiful morning to leave Weymouth. We left the mooring at 07:50 to mill around with the fishing boats until the bridge opened at 08:00, to start the 43 mile trip. We were greeted with a glassy sea as we left.
We quickly passed Lulworth Cove. No time to stop and admire the Jurassic Coast geology.
An escapee floatation device made a handy resting spot for this bird. We had a calm trip apart from rounding St Albans head which we steered well away from.
The Needles off the Isle of Wight were a welcome sight. We arrived in Lymington after whizzing passed Hurst Point into the Solent at 8.5 knots. Entering Lymington harbour at 17:00 at low water with the obligatory ferry to make it just that bit trickier.
We had a good view across the Solent at high water from the outermost visitor pontoon.
Not so good view at Low Water.
31st August – Wednesday
After a morning of urgently needed home-hairdressing, we had a good mooch around Lymington. Being an affluent town it has the best set of Charity Shops. Mick went for a look around the chandlers and we met for Liquorice Ripple ice-cream, which we had both been looking forward to.
Lymington Harbour with the obligatory crab catchers.
Lymington Yacht Haven Marina
£37.50 per night it is not the cheapest, but it is one of the best. Tesco on the High Street, Waitrose beyond. Good Wifi. Excellent facilities with hairdryers and straighteners. Several chandlers on site and in town.
1st September – Thursday – To Brighton
When we set off at 06:45, we had every intension of going to Portsmouth, but fortunately Mick had already planned the route to Brighton also.
We changed the plan because we shot out of Lymington passing the obligatory 2 ferries and quickly reached 8 knots with the tide which had us passing Portsmouth at 10.30am. It seemed daft to stop so soon so we changed course for Brighton.
The 59 miles took 11 hours and we had a good tide for the start and the ride into Brighton. It was a beautiful sunny day and the wind got to 15-18 knots to also aid the journey. The sea gets very rolly for 2 hours west of Brighton and we were glad to bounce through the shallow harbour entrance an hour before low water. Just enough water beneath the keel. Larger vessels were turned away in the following 2 hours.
Work in progress on the new windfarm near Brighton.
The piling machine was in full operation as we arrived and contributed to our decision not to stay in Brighton for winter. It is a noise that can get on your nerves, get on your nerves, get on your nerves.
These flats have been built since our last visit and there are many more to come according to the plans on the promenade.
2nd September – Friday
A very rainy day which was not forecast. The new marina development was having its opening in the evening with Fireworks and Gok Wan on the music decks.
Gok has such a distinctive voice which was only used to announce the fireworks then he mixed the music non-stop til midnight.
We were sad to see the old Chinese boat floating restaurant was closed, pending re-development.
3rd September – Saturday
We walked into town which is a 30 minute trip passed the National Speed Trials which were in full swing on the lower promenade. Cars and motorbikes challenging each other over timed quarter miles.
An excellent view from the upper promenade.
A speedy angle-box (Ford Anglia)
Big telly showing the competitors, their times and the end of the measured track.
Impressive wheel spinning at the start line. The whole thing is organised by the Brighton and Hove Motor Club and the entrants need a Class A racing licence to compete.
Mick outside the new i360 British Airways observation tower which is 162 metres high. A couple of days later it got stuck 30 feet up for 2 hours! It holds 200 people and had one pop-up portaloo!!!
We really like Brighton and spent a happy few hours in the bohemian North Laines. Then a lazy Sunday.
Brighton Marina
£32 per night. Good facilities on the main jetty. Asda on the marina complex. Poor wifi.
5th September – Monday – To Eastbourne
We left at 09.30 in the mist, drizzle and rolling sea. Without previous experience we may have gone back into port when we saw the heavy mist.
Everyone back to work on Monday including the fishermen. This guy emerged from the mist along with several others. Thank goodness they use AIS in bad weather.
The mist cleared mid-morning and at just 23 miles it was going to be a short-ish day and we arrived at 2:00pm into the lock having passed Beachy Head.
I had a good look around the nearby retail park in the afternoon.
Eastbourne Marina
£32.55 per night. Good facilities. No chandlers. Asda nearby behind the marina shops across the car park (there are no signs for it).
Next stop Ramsgate, then a few days rest.
£32 per night, heck! And Eastbourne doesn't even have chandlers! Our dearest campsite this summer was £12 .... 🏕
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