Before we commence our next update, today is the wedding day of Andy and Sheila (8th June 2013).

We are thinking of you and wish you all the very best for the future.

I first met Andy in Walton on Thames where he was my HR recruitment partner and set up an "ace" Global Mobility and Relocation team with me. He then helped us buy our first yacht (Advisor No. 1) and taught us to sail her that summer. Linds, his sister (Advisor No. 2) also joined us that summer on an eventful day skipper course.

Monday 3 June 2013
Portsmouth to Portland
Skipper: Vic
First Mate: Clare

As the Round the Island race took place on Saturday 1 June we decided to stay put in Haslar Marina for another couple of days and plan for a departure out of The Solent on the following Monday early. We had lovely sunshine; the summer has arrived. It also gave us a chance to catch up with a few more friends from our previous time in Portsmouth including all those who worked on Njord before we left for the East Coast last year, Russell, Jerry the Rigger and Mike. We also had a lovely leisurely lunch with Nigel before his weekly club race in the Hamble.

The timing was actually better and we planned that we could leave at 05.30 and make the tidal gate very comfortably through the Needles Channel. We planned to make it to Portland in that journey and arrived at 15.30, a 10 hour journey rather than stopping off at Lymington or Poole.

On leaving Portsmouth Harbour Clare attempted to raise the main sail whilst also trying to steer into the wind. However she had an argument with the lazy jacks and the halyard and managed to rip three of the eyelets out completely on the sail bag [expletives] and this made raising and lowering the sail a little more interesting for the rest of the trip! Vic's comments were "stressed moi?".

We motor sailed through the Needles Channel. It was pleasant with very little wind (Force 2) and set off to round St. Alban's Head. It is very easy to spot the chapel on the top of the cliffs to indicate where the headland is. Off the headland there are dangerous races (not horse races for those of you who are non-sailors including my Mum who will receive this blog from her lovely neighbour Yvonne as a printed version, thank you!). So we kept 3 ½ miles off as we had good calm weather. It was however colder than we expected and had to add an extra layer of warm clothing.

On the way towards Weymouth we passed the Lulworth Firing Ranges. Our friends who were tracking us on Marine Traffic (www.marinetraffic.com) saw us suddenly going south instead of west and wondered what we were up to. The military was out and about and so we wanted to get out of the way. Once out of harm's way we turned North West again towards Weymouth and Portland.

We stayed overnight at Portland Marina. It was the home to the Olympic sailing events and is a great marina with wide berths but is out of town. There is a marina bar during the week but it stops serving food around 17.00 so if you stay here you would need to take a bus to Weymouth unless you have planned to eat on board. If you want restaurants, supermarkets and shops you would be better to stay alongside Custom House Quay in Weymouth or if you want a marina go under the bridge to Weymouth Marina. As Vic was not feeling well with a temperature and a bad cough (a quick reference to "Lord Google" confirmed "Man Flu") we had a nice meal on board and turned in early.