Sleepover and a Solent Sail

What a gloriously sunny weekend!

A perfect weekend to get out on the water.

So Friday afternoon Skipper and I rowed out to our little yacht. With victuals (including the essential bottle of wine) we made ourselves at home for a sleepover on board.

Skipper had a little sail in our dinghy while I enjoyed the river and a spot of knitting, watching him whizz around the moorings on a light southerly F2-3.

At supper time we went ashore to have a meal at the Folly Inn- Excellent food as usual.

As the sun started to set we headed back on the water and rowed up and down the river taking photos of the sunset. A beautiful evening, the river became still; turning turquoise with the sun reflecting it's warm hues and filling the sky with colour. The fish were jumping, I tried to catch this on camera but they were too quick for me.

Back aboard, finished off the red wine and tucked up for the night.

Saturday morning dawned hazy with clear skies a light breeze developing from the East. We had a bacon omelette for our breakfast washed down with fresh orange juice.

I made a flask of coffee up and a packed lunch for the day (it just makes it easier to grab food and drink when sailing). We made ready and went out with the falling tide at 08.50

Motoring pass the Royal Yacht Squadron at Cowes. Early morning and early season with no wind in the Solent, a calm picture, come the summer months it will be packed with all sorts of craft out here!

There wasn't enough wind to fill the sails so we left the mainsail up and the motor turning over just enough to give us steerage and drifted down with the tide heading West.

We arrived at the entrance to Newtown Creek and dropped anchor to have a leisurely lunch in the hot sunshine.

The wind arrived F2-3 a steady north easterly for the afternoon, so we had a wonderful easy sail making 3-4 knots of speed, happily tacking across the Solent with the tide taking us home.

Our little yacht is a joy to handle in these conditions and bobs along nicely, a happy boat with a happy heart.

We often tow a line for fishing while sailing and this trip we were blessed with the "first treasure from the sea "a mackerel for our supper!

We returned to our swing mooring late afternoon and made for shore. A hot bath and barbecue in the garden for supper, the mackerel was delicious so fresh.

Sunday afternoon we returned to the river this time to sail our Mirror dinghy around the buoys to practise for racing, tying up alongside our yacht for a drink/snack and sunbathe.

A lovely weekend of sunshine and sailing!