Dell Quay Sailing Club

Cruiser Rally to Beaulieu Tuesday 3rd  – Wednesday 4th May 2022

Five cruisers, Hobo, Mandalay, Fairwind, Osprey and Frith left from various locations within Chichester Harbour and the Solent to meet up at the Beaulieu River Marina at Buckler’s Hard.

The day was grey and windless with little marine traffic about so engines and auto-helms were put to good use. There was some excitement around Portsmouth as we spotted two naval frigates, HMS Somerset at anchor and HMS Lancaster under way plus a patrol boat.  Hobo passed close to SV Tenacious anchored off Lee-on-the-Solent.  This is an impressive 65m three-masted barque, launched in 2000 and owned by the Jubilee Sailing Trust.

Frith was the first to arrive, having drifted up on the tide from Newtown, Fairwind, Mandalay, Osprey and Hobo all arrived shortly after and by 14:30 we were all secured alongside the southern Visitors H pontoon.  

A BBQ had been booked and although there was a period of rain in the afternoon we were optimistic that it would brighten up and be dry later.

Which indeed it was! We all had a very convivial evening with good food freshly BBQ’d and Toby (the dog) did rather well out of it.

Wednesday dawned bright and sunny with the promise of a fair sailing breeze later in the day. 

Mandalay was first away, slipping quietly out of her berth astern, followed in turn by the rest of the rally boats.

A gentle following breeze and flood tide carried us up past Cowes toward Portsmouth where the wind died and it became much busier with Isle of Wight ferries and container ships so a burst of engine power for an hour or so to get beyond the Forts where the wind filled in to a F4 as promised resulting in a splendid sail with the wind off the aft quarter all the way back into the harbour and up to the moorings.
Sue Pearson, Fairwind of Dell Quay.

Photos by: Pam Foden, Sue and Barrie Pearson