Dandelion 123

 Stargazer comes about, on the doorstep of Brownsea Castle. Instinctively short tacking down a channel, which is ingrained into her skipper's muscle memory.

She waits for the tell tale rumble, that says the chain ferry is about to cross. Picks up a lucky lift, as the breeze funnels through the harbour mouth. Sheets in, and powers through Poole Harbour entrance, into the Looe Channel.

Trusting her skipper's (eight year old) waypoints, to find the deepest water. Down the depth guage goes: one metre, point seven, point four. Fortunately, Stargazer's angle of heel reduces her draft. One metre, One point nine, three metres. We are clear.

Close reaching across Poole Bay. In perfect summer sailing conditions. With the tide urging us east.

Old Harry stands sentry duty, to seaward, beneath the emerald crown of Ballard Down.

We stand north to clear any overfalls, which the under sea ledge, off Hengistbury Head may kick up. Too far off to make out the entrance to Chistchuch.

I run a quick tidal calculation, whilst eating lunch. It suggests that Stargazer will have sufficient depth, to skim the inshore edge of the Shingles Bank. A more direct route, on a faster point of sail, than taking either the Needles or North Channels. We angle down, watching the depth guage. The candy striped Needles lighthouse abeam.

The Solent tide sucks Stargazer in, beneath the Keyhaven light. Making nine knots over the ground. The water alternately short, broken, whitecaps and seething, oily, swirls.

Beneath the Isle of Wight's wooded shores , the breeze is blanketed. But Stargazer maintains her six to seven knots, over the ground, with the help of the tide.

Off Cowes. . . . .

. . . .Stargazer gybes for Southampton. Keeping a sharp lookout for scurrying, push-me-pull-you, ferries. . . .

. . . . .and larger craft. Whose bulk conspires to disguise their speed.

Stargazer secures amid the boaty bustle, of the Hamble. The place of her launch, if not birth (for that was the Swedish island of Ellos), fourteen years ago.