21.09.2003
Joined "Solent 1" - Yamaha 33' at Southern Sailing School. Dropped bags at school ~1300 left dock ~19:00. Force 1, calm sea. Moored alongside at Warsash, dinner then drinks @ The Rising Sun. Fog in Hamble so stayed alongside.
22.09.2003
First full day of course. Up ~8am at Warsash. Showers, bfast etc, then caught 0840Z forecast at 0940BST followed later by imminent galse warning -> hasty departure.
Headed up Southampton Water to Marchwood YC -> mooring practice and theory work. Glorious rainbow between showers.
23.09.2003
Bitterly cold overnight. Up this morn to flat calm & clear. Engine trouble prevented us leaving the pontoon at Marshwood YC so bit of a wasted morning. Finally sailed back to Southern Sailing boatyard in R. Itchen. Away ~4pm to Cowes then up R. Medina to Folly Inn.
Sailing against / across tide very frustrating.
24.09.2003
Folly Inn this morning. Cold morning with patches of mist rising from the water. Took advantages of the facilities to get a much appreciated hot shower. Later down river to Cowes for groceries and pontoon practice. Then out and round to Newport River for navigation and brief anchor - very nice little anchorage.
Man overboard drills later, which were very disturbing, bringing back memories of St Ann's Head and John Carney.
Later on to moorings, to wait for suitable height of tide, then into Lymington Yacht Haven. Am sunburnt and stuffed up with cold, but enjoying the course. Early start tomorrow.
25.09.2003
Yet more engine trouble this morning delayed departure from Lymington. Finally away ~12pm to fight the tide back to Southampton Water. Did nav. exercises en route then up the Hamble to Warsash for pontoon practise & diesel. Then further up to Swanich Marina. Tidied ship then dinner and drinks ashore. So far we are all passing the course barring screw-ups tomorrow. Personally I will have a bit of a sore head tomorrow morning given the drinking tonight but will be fine except for that.