Dandelion 139

 

Beachy Head stands bold. Beneath a thunderous purple sky. Dwarfing the, red and white striped, light tower at its feet.

Stargazer barrels by. As downdraughts spill from the lofty cliff face. Her skipper playing the main sheet, to keep her on her feet. As the wind pipes up and down. Whilst dancing a jig, around the compass rose.

The pre-dawn forecast check had revealed our weather window.

Stargazer catches the first of the ebb. Two precautionary reefs in her mainsail. For twenty five knots, of north west wind, are predicted.

Although, the breeze is no more than twelve knots, within the shelter of Chichester harbour.

We shake the reefs out, off the West Pole. As the wind steadies to eighteen knots. On the horizon, the new-risen sun freshens the face, of the Isle of Wight, with daubs of bright colour. 

 Stargazer romps through Shingle Street. (The shortcut, through the reefs, off Selsey Bill). A passage-making breeze on her quarter. The tang of airborne salt upon my lips.

Stargazer scuds past Littlehampton and Shoreham. Staying well out, where the wind is unencumbered by the land's drag. And the fair tide, stronger.

Stargazer ducks north of the windfarm, off Brighton. The blades, of its turbines, may spin merrily. But, the wind is unmistakably dropping.

I hoist Stargazer's cruising chute. In order to maintain the speed required, for us to round Beachy Head, before the tide turns. 

Off Newhaven, the skies darken. Refreshing the wind's vigour. We drop the chute. Pull in a reef. Then another. Stargazer streaks east.

We round Beachy Head like a racing mark. Taking advantage of the height of the tide, and a 'bend' in the breeze, to come up onto a beat. Close in. Stargazer dodging, the pummeling gusts, like a feral street-fighter. Skirting the shallows off Eastbourne Pier, to lay the harbour entrance, in a single tack.

We drop sail off Sovereign Harbour. Mooring up, in the stately presence of the St Ives lugger 'Our Lizzie.' Last of the in the line, of prewar, wind driven, drift trawlers. After a passage, which was definitely worth the wait.