The sharp edged colours of a crisp spring day. . . .
. . . .take over from the pyrotechnic golden palette of dawn.
As Stargazer rounds Beachy Head at the turn of the tide.
Striding west with sixteen knots of north east breeze on her quarter.
The Newhaven ferry leaves for Dieppe. Arcing wide across our bow.
Stargazer routes inshore of the Brighton wind farm. Urged on by a willing tide.
With the sun's rise, and the warming of the day, the breeze begins to veer. Stargazer angles inshore to fill her genoa.
By mid morning she is running goose winged, to restore her rhumb line course. Slower speed but shorter distance. Faster in the long run.
For the afternoon watch, the wind settles into the south east. Restoring Stargazer's pace, on a port gybe
With the tide turning against us, off Selsey Bill, Stargazer cuts the Mixon reefs as fine as her skipper (crouched over the chart plotter, tide tables in hand) dares.
An obliging twenty knot squall powers Stargazer through 'Shingle Street.' A narrow pass in the subsea continuation of the low lying Bill. Through which the contents of the Solent are seeking an east going exit.
Stargazer gybes for the Chichester Bar. Her skipper once more intent on the chart plotter. For we are several hours ahead of our expected arrival time and it is low water. We follow a Sigma (of similar draft to us). Finding nigh on two metres beneath our keel.
Stargazer arrives amid the birdsong, buzzing dinghies, sandspits, lagoons and labyrinthine creeks of Chichester Harbour. As weekend sailors enjoy one final Sunday evening spin. How fortunate we are to be free to sail as the spirit dictates.
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