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Leg 19 Eastbourne to Plymouth (via Poole) - The final leg
July 31st, 2008, 9:09:48 am
Looking at the weather forecast before leaving Eastbourne it was clear that this would be the last day of good weather for a while. I faced the prospect of being held up for at least 2-3 days in Poole and I was not happy about that. Getting so close to home and then having to wait to finally get home would be a huge frustration and disappointment and so I hatched a plan… I would leave open the option of not stopping at Poole overnight. Instead I could just go into Poole to refuel and if the weather looked favourable then set out again immediately for Plymouth. I didn’t see a problem with that if the sea state was good. If I left Eastbourne at first light or thereabouts I would be in Poole by 10 or 11 and out again by midday and I have done Poole to Plymouth previously in this boat last year but then I left at 2pm so if I were careful regarding the weather and sea state it should not be any problem at all. It would be the longest day of the entire trip at nearly 200nm but why not… at 20kts that would only be 10hrs!
I had planned a route a mile or so off the coast but the sea was beautifully flat and so I decided to stay in much closer and hug the coast for as long as was sensible. I knew I had to come out a bit to get through the gate at Selsey Bill but until then I would stay in close and see the south coast that I know so well. Seaford, Brighton, Worthing and right down to Littlehampton I had a great view of the coast and got some good pics too. The sea was glassy yet again and so it made for a relaxing part of the journey. I couldn’t help thinking about the people in the cars I could see moving along the road on the coast… them dashing to work or to take the kids to sckool and maybe glancing out to sea to see a little boat buzzing along the coastline heading west in a flat, glassy sea. It must have made for a beautiful sight from the shore too.
Past Selsey Bill and on into the Solent. I have been through the Solent many times but never through its entire length non-stop (I have always stopped at Hamble or Southampton usually for fuel or to pick up crew) and this was a great experience. There was no big traffic around and with a fair tide of 2-3kts I was making 24kts on the GPS. The prospects of making Plymouth were looking good and as I entered Poole Harbour through the narrow and shallow north channel at about 10.30am I decided that I would go on to Plymouth today.
A call to Sally geed her up to inform everyone that I would be home today instead of later in the week and although I knew it would screw up any plans for a big homecoming I felt that it was the right decision to continue on before the grotty weather arrived. So after refueling at Salterns Marina I made my way out of Poole Harbour on the final leg of the 1700 mile journey.
As I exited the harbour the sea state was bumpy but the entrance to Poole harbour is often bumpy due to the many power boats entering and leaving at speed so I though it would calm down once I was away from the entance and away from Sandbanks and Swanage where a huge number of boats often go for the day from Poole. I couldn’t have been in Poole Harbour for more than an hour but in that time the wind was up to a F4 and the sea was now lumpy – it didn’t calm down again until I was inside Plymouth breakwater!
I know this leg very well and I have done it in boats of various sizes many times but it doesn’t make it any easier. There are several points of potential concern, St Albans Head, Portland Bill, Lyme Bay, Start Point… they can all be rough in the extreme in bad weather and at springs and especially with wind over tide so it is wise to be careful whenever passaging this part of the south coast. The weather was coming in with thunderstorms forecast for later in the day but the wind was not forecast to get up past a F4 until tomorrow when a F7 was forecast. I had a following sea and wind and it was near neaps so I felt that it was very unlikely that I would have any problems on route so I was happy to continue but I would need to keep a very close eye on things and make sure I have a plan at all times should things change for the worse.
As it turned out my decision was sound… there was no race at all at Portland Bill (mind you, I was 5 miles off so that helps!) and no real rough water at the other points although it did get up in Lyme Bay for a while and I had to slow to 14kts. Passing Salcombe was a little lumpy too and the sky to the south was black as the thunderstorms were building but I was happy to continue on.
Once in Bigbury Bay I was nearly home. My friends Paul and Anne had taken the afternoon off work and picked up Sally to come out in the boat to meet me and it was a fantastic sight to see them bouncing their way in the waves towards me after so long away. They had informed the lifeboat station of my impending arrival and they decided that an impromptu training exercise to coincide with my arrival would be in order and they met me at the Plymouth Breakwater. Together, the Plymouth Lifeboat, Paul, Anne and Sally in their Sealine S23 and myself all cruised into Plymouth together with everyone taking photos of everyone else! I tied up next to the lifeboat once in the marina and stepped ashore. HOME!
After the inevitable and very welcome cuddles and shaking of hands some Champers was produced and we all toasted my trip and the RNLI.
Well, it was over. 1700nm or thereabouts, 9 weeks away, 20 legs and 8 months of my life was now all completed. In the weeks to come I will continue to post here. There is still a fair bit to be done… articles to write, accounts to compile for sponsors, the boat to clean up and service and RNLI donations to tally. Right now though I feel many emotions and feelings… excited about being home after so long away, very satisfied at a job well done with not a single scare throughout the entire trip ( a bit boring I know but boring is safe!) and pleased that I have been able to raise funds and the public profile of the RNLI and MOB Guardian. Yet I also feel sad that the trip is over. Before it all started it was an unknown and I had it all to look forward to but now it is all just a memory and I will have to return to normality again once I have tidied up things. It is very confusing to be glad I am back and yet not wanting it to end… I suppose most people that do long trips such as this must go through similar feelings. I am sure it will all pass as I settle back to normality but nothing can take away from me the fact that I have taken a 21ft motor boat round Britain, singlehanded and unsupported by a travelling support team and all without an autohelm.
Was it worth it? Definitely. Would I do it again? Not so sure without a bigger boat but with a bigger boat yes I would but I would like to take more time and stop where and when I wanted and for as long as I wanted to expolore and properly appreciate the wonderful place we live in and the wonderful people that live here. Maybe one day I will…
