Always nice waking up to sunrise 🌅 

I got caught in the traffic going down to Fareham by the time I had slipped the lines it was +2 high water and the sun was beginning to set. The Solent was fairly quite just a few yachts and container ships. I was once again sailing in the dark, nothing quite like night sailing single handed.  I was 3nm from Wooten Creek when I could hear a loud engine and spotted a port and starboard light but, could not see any other lights. The lights were at least 400 metres high it appeared to be on a collision course. Then I realised why no other lights were visible it was the coast guard helicopter.

It was a really weird night and I was very tied having been up since 5am so I decided to pick up a buoy in Cowes, just outside of the channel I was so tied I thought that I would get a good nights sleep. The wash from the ferry was immense and woke me each and every time I had very little sleep that night.

I woke up to an amazing sunrise. Despite the lack of sleep it was nice to have spent the night in Cowes without stepping ashore. I checked the forecast and all was well. I did the engine checks and then click, click she would not start. I had left the cabin light on and had two flat batteries. I was so tied the night before I forgot to switch to the second battery and had left the switch on both. So I was really not happy.  

I gave the batteries a charge with the generator but, after an hour with not enough charge to  start the engine I decided to use the outboard engine and head to Yarmouth. It was a nice sail to Yarmouth and upon arrival I was unable to get though to the harbour master on the radio. So I decided to look for a berth myself. It was packed I managed to find a berth on a walk ashore pontoon with much needed shore power. But, it was very tight indeed I always have my lines and fenders ready when entering port and was able to moor up successfully without any drama.

I had not been to Yarmouth before and it was a pleasant place to spend the night. My batteries now had a full charge and I was preparing the lines to slip when I saw several yachts having near misses upon entering and leaving. I had a bit worried as I had to get out of a tight spot and come about with very little room for error. I put my tricorn on and slipped the lines go a engaged gear and gave the throttle a good push perhaps a little too much to the amazement of onlookers and myself I spun Tallula around with ease and very rapidly.

I left Yarmouth and decided to try a bit of fishing with the hand line I caught a mackerel on the way back and was very pleased with myself I just wish that I had put a second line out. It took me about 3 hours to get back to Portsmouth 40 minutes to my mooring.

The above is from my original blog that I own the rights to.