Sometimes I pinch myself

This is another, only marginally sailing focussed account, but I hope it does, at least, demonstrate some of the other merits of yacht ownership.

We are very lucky in that our extended family all get along very well and the young grandchildren, all 4 younger than 6, entertain each other in the most charming manner. Previous recent family holidays have been hugely enjoyable and, a couple of years ago, I bought a 9 seater vehicle for a holiday in a rented house on the Isle-of-Wight, so we could all travel together. Since then, unexpectedly, Aubrey has been born to son, Oliver and his wife, Gini, and his arrival has taken the overall number to ten. It was therefore something of a relief, apologies to Michael, Becky’s husband, that his new job has precluded his attendance this year, so we were back down to the capacity of nine, phew!

Our rented house in the heart of Swanage was absolutely ideal, but the demerit of the convenient location was the ‘pub chuck-outs’ at 3am on our first (Saturday) night who congregated under our bedroom windows to continue their revelry, dropping food for the noisy seagulls who followed.

The beach, Punch and Judy, crabbing, the steam train to Corfe Castle and the clay mine entertained the young ones while we were safely ashore as a storm blew through.

Paula’s mother came from Swanage, she was one of nine children, living in a 3-bedroom house. One of her cousins’ husbands, Bryan is a member of the Swanage sailing club. He kindly arranged a mooring and joined Ollie and me sailing Hejira around from Poole to pick up the mooring in Swanage Bay, just off the pier. I had inflated the dinghy (the first time since Covid) in Cobbs Quay, and I stowed it on deck expecting to have to use it to get ashore from the mooring. In the event, a very efficient, and cheap water taxi service made it redundant.

The following day we anchored in Studland Bay, just off the beach and outside of the VNAZ (Voluntary No Anchor Zone, put in place to preserve the sea grass which is home to a species of sea horse) where we swam and the children did ‘beach things’.

All in all, the family holiday in Swanage was a huge success and taking Ollie and his family to Heathrow for their return to America and then, my wife, daughter and her children to Gatwick for their holiday in the Canaries, I was left to catch my breath and check in with the business.

Returning to Cobbs Quay by train and taxi, I caught up with fellow S135 owners, Nick and Carol Bullen who have moved from Reading to make their home in Poole. ‘Sea Spine’ is moored in the harbour and it is almost visible from their completely, and expertly renovated bungalow. They kindly drove me to the Poole Arms pub on the quay where we had dinner and witnessed an impressive biker’s rally. It seems that, during the summer, on Tuesday evenings, the town quay road is closed for a convention of hundreds of mostly exotic motorcycles.

I have a very modest, lookalike, classic motorbike and I ride for fun. This gathering was clearly for the real ‘diehards’ and they displayed all the traits, but, if that is what ‘floats your boat’ (or ‘blows your dress up’, which is an expression I have heard my daughter use) this gathering must be rather special.

It was compelling to take the best advantage from the spring tide on the 38-mile passage to Hythe, the ebb out of Poole then the flood through the Hurst narrows and up the Solent and Southampton Water. This required being on station for the 05.30 bridge opening to escape into Poole Harbour and beyond with nav lights in the gloom.

It was disappointing to suffer a complete lack of wind, so, once again, I had to reluctantly run the engine. With no pressing time constraints, the passage was relaxed, (helped by being on my own) and it was achieved with engine running at little more than ‘tick over’ with the assistance of a tidal stream of 4 knots in places.

Locking into Hythe Marina Village could not have been easier single handed with just a very tight breast line running up a chain as the water level rose. Mooring in the inner basin, I was in good time to do some jobs and take the traditional ‘dirty beer’ in the bar, followed by a curry in the Indian Restaurant, all at the end of the short pontoon!

What a thoroughly enjoyable sojourn!

As my WhatsApp nomenclature states, ‘Sometimes I pinch myself’!