Ad Lib 35

 Stargazer treads a dawn paved with gold.

Turning her bows west at the foot of the Chichester channel.

Fourteen knots of north east breeze on her starboard quarter. The gilded sunrise glowing in her portlights.

The morning ferry turns for Portsmouth, as Stargazer slips past Horse Sand Fort and into the Solent.

The sun is wide awake, by the time we pass The Royal Yacht Squadron, on the well groomed Cowes waterfront.

A leviathan tanker in ballast leaves Southampton. Tethered to a tug, for help in the tight turn, at the Prince Consort cardinal. Stargazer hugs the shallows to stay clear.

A familiar craft emerges from Newtown Creek, making for Lymington. Martyn and Hilly's Styria, a Hallberg-Rassy Rasmus. We met during Stargazer's first Biscay cruise (See Living the Dream - Sail South to the Sun). Years later, we rode out Storm Evert together, in the isles of Scilly (See An English Summer)

So far, Stargazer has made unexpectedly good time. But the price we pay is that an adverse tide still pours through Hurst narrows, at the western end of the Solent. We duck behind the Keyhaven spit to avoid the worst. Studying the lighthouse at our leisure. Re-emerging once the flow slackens sufficiently.

Stargazer romps across Poole Bay. Past the Christchurch entrance, beneath Hengistbury Head.

We race up Poole harbour. Radioing for a sixteen thirty bridge lift as we go. Conscious that, on weekdays, there is no seventeen thirty lift. (To reduce rush-hour road congestion.) With a long wait until eighteen thirty. Stargazer arrives with seconds to spare. Up goes the 'old' Town Bridge. Sunseeker power boats, fresh from the production line, rafted three deep beside it.

There is a short pause, whilst traffic diverts between bridges. A chance to get our breath back, stow sails and deploy fenders. Before the dramatic, scissor style, 'new' Twin Sails bridge releases Stargazer. For the final leg: Past the RNLI’s national training and maintenance college and on up to Cobbs Quay. Our former home.

Ad Lib 34

My friend Helene, from Vannes, messages to suggest that I take a look at page 15 of the 2026 edition of Pass-Ports magazine. To which she has just put the finishing touches.

Stargazer's skipper was invited to contribute pictures and anecdotes because Stargazer was amongst the top participants in the Passeports Escales scheme during 2025. This grants five free nights in most French marinas.

I wrote in French but supplied an English translation. In case my French proved too gramatically wide of the mark to be understood. As happens from time to time. Both versions are used. The French, I am encouraged to note, without the need for editorial tweaks.

The 'storyline' revolves around Stargazer's love of craggy French granite. Exemplified by the Granit Rose of Ploumanac'h. . . .

And our 'secret' anchorages, sheltered by the tall cliffs of Belle Ile.

Boats, of course, come in for a mention: The memory of Armel Le Cleac'h explosively taking wing, alongside Stargazer; 

Plus Stargazer's annual reunions with Eric Tabarly's Pen Duick and Bernard Moitessier's Joshua.

Click here to view Pass-Ports Magazine 2026  Where picture quality is far crisper than in the (pixelated) screen grabs above. Original shots reproduced below:

Ad Lib 33

 

Even the breeze takes a break for the May Day Bank Holiday. With only the sun at work, burning through the morning mist.

On Emsworth Quay, the ancient ritual of Waiting For The Tide plays out:

Painting.

Pottering.

And, for those with suitable craft, paddling out to greet the flood.

Ad Lib 32

 Tom, the friendly viking, six foot something of flowing beard and braids, brings his floating home, Eio, alongside. Leaving Stargazer visible only by the orange fender perched upon her pulpit. Eio, on closer examination, sports much new hardware: windlass, rigging, deck fittings, windows and electronics. Signalling an imminent intent to wander.

Maybe the mercurial early May weather has deterred the Northney denizens. Or perhaps it is the late high water times. Either way it is a soporific Bank Holiday Sunday in harbour. With few boats stirring.

A chance for Stargazer's skipper to scrutinise the weather forecasts, for a window in which to sail west. The indications are that the breeze may shift easterly, and pick up to passage making proportions, on Wednesday.

Some tidal dexterity is needed. For Stargazer requires: depth in the Northney entrance and on Chichester Bar, plus a fair tide at Hurst narrows. Preferably depth in the North and Looe Channel short cuts too. There are also bridge lift times to consider, once in Poole.

Fortunately, the spring tide is today. Meaning that depth constraints will reduce through the week. Whilst the wind, we hope, prepares to turn fair.

Ad Lib 31

Amorous Oystercatchers respond to the hormonal tick of nature's clock. As April turns to May, with the season yet to settle.

Rhythmic rowers glide past Stargazer's sunfilled cockpit. On a warm windless breakfast-in-the-cockpit morning.

Wind whipped white horses race toward the Tidemill during a wild afternoon walk.

Whilst warm jackets ward off the chill for the black box bearing pilots. . . .

. . . .of diminutive yachts. Which dance, to the tempo of swirling gusts, across a heaving Emsworth Mill Pond.

Fields and foreshore are cloaked in spring green, freckled with blossom and bright wildflowers. Days grow longer. The sun's heat stronger.

But still the four winds hold to unruly wintery ways: alternating gales with calms. Stargazer must bide her time, whilst they steady into summer moderation.

Ad Lib 30

'A View From The Bridge.' Of the Starship Enterprise, is how this feels to Stargazer's skipper.

Ensconced at the helm of an ocean roaming Broadblue Rapier 550, costing almost three million pounds.

 Fifty five feet of rakish ocean roaming catamaran. Capable of thirty knot speeds. Presently at rest on the mud in Thornham Marina, which dries below half tide.

Alongside her, is the more modestly proportioned and priced Broadblue 346. Despite her name, thirty three feet overall. Just two feet longer than Stargazer.

Yet sporting an agoraphobia inducingly spacious cockpit and deck saloon. All sail controls are led to two centrally placed winches within reach of a well sheltered helm. For ease of solo operation.

Quirky sleeping accomodation is the price for those compact dimensions. The hulls have been kept fine. For this is a design drawn by multihull performance guru Darren Newton.

Founder of the 'Made in Cornwall' Dazcat yard in Millbook. Purveyor of bespoke racer-cruisers. The Dazcat 1195 Spirit of Freedom is of similar age to Stargazer.

And now on brokerage, with Multihull World, here in Thornham. A business owned by Mark Jarvis. Who is in the process of winding up the Broadblue brand (which he also owns). In favour of becoming the UK Seawind Catamarans agent. (See Ad Lib 21)

Spirit of Freedom's lithe looks come at the expense of headroom. Which is of the stooped to sitting variety below. Whereas the less athletic aesthetic of the Broadblue 346 buys abundant head space throughout. As, Mark assures me, do the chiselled lines of the Seawind 1170 (pictured above). Of similar length and beam to the Dazcat 1195. His purpose in including her in our tour.

Picture Credits

2-6 courtesy of Multihll World & Broadblue Catamarans

7&8 courtesy of Dazcat and Multihull World brokerage

9 courtesy of Seawind Catamarans.

 

Ad Lib 29

 

It is a stay-in-port day across Emsworth harbour. Especially if you are the owner of a wooden gaffer with leaking decks to re-pay. "Last time it took me two weeks, just to rake the seams out. Re-caulking was nearly a month. I'm going to epoxy sheath them. I want to be out sailing!"

Although, the only people out sailing, for the past several days, have been the wind surfers. Slashing to and fro, between the half tide sand bars. Riding thirty to forty knots of (surprisingly warm) easterly breeze. 

An option which Stargazer's skipper prefers to sit out. In favour of enjoying the sunshine in a more sheltered spot.

Where I share a picnic table, with a member of the Emsworth Yacht Harbour crew. Learning, in the process, that the marina is run as a workers' co operative. Because the founder, Admiral Gick, was keen to keep it out of the hands of the corporate marina chains, after he retired.

The Admiral had created the marina by converting the log pickling ponds of a sawmill. Which was powered by the Slipper Mill Pond and stood on a site now occupied by waterfront housing.

In the silence, after my lunchtime confidant has returned to duty, I hear a 'ping' from my phone. Purbeck Marine Mike has answered Stargazer's cry for help, with her fuel filler (see yesterday's post). He knows Stargazer well, from her Poole days. Our next port of call is thus confirmed. If not our day of arrival.