Lyn's Log, 28th June 2005
Plymouth to Holland and back

Solent, England.
N50º46', W1º26'
1278 miles.

The original plan had been to leave Plymouth for the Azores at the beginning of May, but an unanticipated problem caught up with us, that meant we were obliged to go back to Dover. We returned from Plymouth via Pontrieux in Brittany and the Channel Islands. Denbigh and Bon Gabbitas gave us a great break in Pontrieux with real beds for three nights in their gorgeous new home there. We next took the opportunity to join in the WCMYC annual rally to Holland for May Bank Holiday, with friends old and new. A pleasant week with good weather around the usual destinations of Middelburg, Veere, Zierikzee, Goes. En route we called into Nieuwpoort and met up with Jan Maes, our friend from the internet yachting forums, who took me for a spin on his 'Beemer'.

After, we had two weeks in Dover. Andrew had several days’ work in Canterbury and London. Then, on the afternoon tide of Tuesday 21st June, for the second time we left Dover. Light winds down channel made for slow progress, and we anchored first off Rye, then east of Brighton, and then in Hayling Bay for the foul tides before reaching the Solent where we spent the night in Osborne Bay.

This was the week of the bi-centenial Trafalgar celebrations. The actual day on Tuesday 28th June was breezy and with hundreds of small boats anchored at close quarters, it became quite exciting at times. To be honest, we only saw a few of the actual events. The centre of East Solent was filled with warships and tall ships from 40 countries. In the early afternoon, in the distance the Queen appeared on what looked like a bus shelter perched on top of the bridge of HMS Endurance and toured around the fleet, followed by the The Grand Turk pretending to be HMS Victory. Horns were blown for the Queen and the immaculately turned out crews of the warships applauded as the Grand Turk sailed by. Then there was a lot more waiting while unseen ships sailed past the Queen, now anchored near the entrance to Portsmouth. The air display was pretty much obscured by a heavy thunder shower. It cleared by the evening, when we moved closer to Portsmouth in the hopes of being able to see the simulated battle of Trafalgar between the tall ships. All we could see was a blue light, and vaguely one tall ship, though we could hear the bangs and the excitable commentary on the radio. But it was followed by a most spectacular firework display, well worth the waiting.

We then returned to anchor in Stokes Bay, turning in amidst the horde, but by morning it was just us and the warships again.