No wind on Tuesday so we motored from Gosport to Hythe marina up the Southampton Water. Our new outboard engine needed a first month check by the retail mechanic to fulfil the terms of the guarantee. This complete and an expensive but comfortable berth for the night, we could then move on to a nearby anchorage.



Wednesday, and Wanda sailed across the Solent to Newtown creek. This is our favourite Solent anchorage. Mooring buoys are available but we found those that were unoccupied did not have enough depth. We left the creek and anchored in the bay for the night.


We upped anchor at 4am Wednesday morning and made passage to Poole via the northern passage out of the west end of the Solent. Poole harbour is home to some the most expensive real estate in the UK. Some of the big harbourfront houses have their own moorings, a fabulous location for your family pile.


Poole was very busy and we were lucky to find a marina berth for the night at Poole Quay Boat Haven. We received delivery of our new mainsail, cover and lazyjacks. This is a big investment in Wanda and our current adventure. It was very exciting to receive delivery but we could not bend it on as delivery was late afternoon and we had limited time as we had to leave first thing Thursday.
Another treat was that Philippa met one of her sailing heros. The marina is home to Pip Hare the British single handed ocean racer who had a good showing in the Vendee Globe and other offshore races recently. She sailed in on her new yacht Medallia and was sat in the cockpit when Philippa walked past and took the opportunity to introduce herself.


Thursday saw a great motor sail from Poole to Weymouth, Portland Marina. We avoided the overfalls by taking the inner passage past St Alban's Head; hugging the cliff near enough to throw a biscuit, as the old sailors would say. Presumably referring to a ships biscuit, staple fare on the old ships. Philippa chucked a ginger nut proving that we were not brave enough to sail that close!


Its Fish and Chips for tea.