Very light winds, and a late departure mean we have to motor around St Albans and we decide to stop at Swanage to swim and await the tide change. Motoring is unusual for us, but as we have guests it doesn’t make sense to float around until the tide changes.
Alex and Jane spend some time cleaning the waterline, and once the tide changes Roo takes us to Poole and onwards to Brownsea on the Yankee.
The Pottery Pier anchorage is busy and we motor around for a good spot. I feel we could get much closer to Brownsea on the N side than we usually do and we will try that next time. Wind is S/SW which puts us nicely parallel to the channel.
This is the first time we have been on Brownsea during season and the advantage is that the cafe is open. The disadvantage is that there are less animals aparent although we do spot one peacock and a pheasant mum with 2 chicks.
The paddleboard comes out and Pottery pier is visited. I also dinghy to Doplhin Quay to get some snacks. The next day I motor over again to drop Roo and Emma off so Roo can take the train home. As the wind changes to the SE Larksong swings out over the channel and we get told off by the Harbour Master for impeding traffic.
The anchor comes up and it is the usual silty Poole harbour mud. I haven’t fixed the deckwash pump yet so Jane uses the spike to clean the anhor a bit.
Record return trip time. We race a schooner which takes the inshore passage (and remains quicker than us).
Our friends from Sovhi are anchored in Portland harbour and we anchor half a cable upwind from them so they can come over for coffee. I forget to make photos.