Emsworth channel is a target rich environment.. 😀

September has been a weird mix of heavy winds, light winds, rain and duff tides and it was almost two weeks since the last sail (on the 3rd) and I was beginning to get concerned that the season was actually over, never mind almost over..  a weather window on Monday though gave me the opportunity I wanted, albeit a short one..  

HT was at 11:10 and spring'ish at 4.1 mtr's, and wind was one of those supposedly* atypical easterly's that always make the trip a little more interesting if only for the fact you don't spend the entire trip beating up against the tide to Marker 😏  

On the boat by 9:15'ish, topped up the tank with 3 ltrs of Super, started up the donk (first pull!), got the sails ready, plugged in all the electronics, and eventually dropped the mooring about half past (but only after realising I had tied myself to the mooring via the tenders mooring line and having to sort that out.. 😀)..

Motored to end of the ditch, and as the wind was on the nose put the main up as I was half way between Northney and Sweare Deep, rolled out the genoa shortly after, and just after I turned the engine off got this little fellow..  my first of the season, and a school bass (juvenile of the adult tasty eater..  slightly bigger than the two that grandson got a few weeks ago, so I'll call him a teenager 😏) - admired, picture taken, and released..

Bore away just past Sweare Deep and on to a broad reach, a lovely thing to have but everyone knows that for every downhill there's an uphill, so once I got to Marker I turned and tightened up for the beat back..  I was checking to see what my bearing was on starboard tack as I was hoping it might take me up the Emsworth channel into Emsworth which would be a first this year. 

It wasn't too bad, but of course the wind was switching up to 10 degree's either side (I reckon offshore wind is always tetchy) which made the target rich environment of the Emsworth channel moorings  a fun challenge. Made it to the waiting pontoons though, and then turned for home..

Came round the corner by the Beacon and ran before the wind and against tide up until Sweare, before dropping and rolling the sails away and heading for the mooring. 

It was good to be out, but despite what the Cambermet beacon was reporting I think it was lighter up where I was...  either way, next day I was due to head to Yarmouth with the Jolly Boys, so it was good to get my hand in before I went, and this trip also took me through the 100 miles for the year. 👍

*(prevailing wind has always been SW'ly in this part of the world but when I look at the log, out of 15 trips I've only seen that 4 times this year)

Log:

Distance: 7.38 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)
Wind (Speed; Direction): F3 gusting F4; switching between ENE and ExN
Sail Plan: Full main/full and 75% genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots):  4 / 2.4