I'm doing well. Another weekend and another trip out.
This time I gave my skipper no surprises and behaved all day, although probably a bit better than he did. With the tide coming in, the second of the two high tides as usual I was under engine in a crowded Inner Fairway and was held back slightly to allow the Red Funnel car ferry to get away and I was slotted in to its wake. No my skipper, as always watching the other vessels moving around did not flinch as another yacht was approaching from the east from the small ships channel. In fact he stood ground and made the other alter course to go behind me. This the skipper of the other vessel did not like and shouted across that it was his right of way, my skipper with his arms folded, merely shouted back that he was in the main channel and had right of way.
People that visit Cowes or possibly any other harbour for that matter forget that when entering the jurisdiction of a harbour, port or River. the local authority that has control of the confines of that waterway has powers to make its own rules. Unfortunately in this case my skipper was right and the blue faced man was in the wrong. Lets hope that at some point somebody shows him the local instructions to mariners and he can eat humble pie and toast the skipper who stood his ground !
So today I was taken out in light airs and the skipper had the balance of my sails right again and I ploughed on without the need for the crew to hold the helm. Back and forth I went, a big cloud over the New Forest and I was taken back over to the Island. For a change I was held up just outside of Newtown Creek. It was all a bit weird, the tide running quite strong was still overwhelmed by the wind that blew me away from my anchor. So my anchor was actually behind me ! At least my windlass worked without fault.
After the crew had lunch and anchor stowed back on board, my engine was run all the way back, charging my batteries yet again.
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