Lady Emma  October 10/12th 2014  – report by Becky Goddard

Skipper: Bob Buchanan 

Crew: Becky Goddard  , Becca Hayward  , Kevin Lay  , Colin Evans  , David Winks  , Paul Ashbee  and Carrie Mclynn  .

We met up early on the Friday evening for dinner at The Great Wall Chinese restaurant in Gosport to celebrate Bob’s 65th birthday. As in his family he brought along his stash to pay for the dinner but we managed to head him off after some discussion! Becca had designed a fantastic card, and written some brilliant verses of poetry, on Moonpig which we presented to him!

After heavy rain overnight we left the mooring on the Saturday morning with no wind and the threat of some sunshine which finally appeared about midday when we were off Cowes. Up went the cruising chute with a gentle F3 but the sail was too old and it tore! We hoisted the No1 instead and had a great sail tacking down to Yarmouth with the wind SSW. Lovely autumn sunshine and warmth so that when we berthed in Yarmouth we were on deck having a beer in shirtsleeves! Yarmouth was busy and although we were in on the pontoon plenty of boats were rafted on later. In the evening we ate at The Yarmouth Spice, the first Indian restaurant to open in the town (possibly sister restaurant to the Cowes Spice?). Modern Indian food with a twist!

On Sunday the forecast had deteriorated with a new gale warning of F9 SOON so we left the harbour just after 10am. We were about to hoist the sails with one reef in each when someone spotted what looked like a body in the water supported by an inflated lifejacket! An immaculate MOB routine ensued and it was discovered to be an MOB dummy with boots and full of water! Colin had pulled it in but proceeded to pummel it to get the water out! There were no other boats in the immediate vicinity so we decided to radio the Coast Guard as the name on the jacket was Cowes lifeboat and enquire whether it had been reported lost! (We also didn’t have room or enough food for another crew man!) We offered to return it but the Coast guard asked us to drop it at Haslar Marina office on returning to our berth. Just a couple of minutes later the CG radioed us to ask us to put it overboard again and give them the exact position as it was part of an exercise!

We got the impression that the CG weren’t aware of the exercise and we felt, after the laughter died down, that Cowes lifeboat should have put some form of pot marker to save us and any other boat the trouble.

We enjoyed a long sail tacking again back to Haslar (F5+ NE) and the heavens opened as we came on to our mooring. After a late lunch we packed up, put our wet weather gear back on and loaded the trolleys for the long haul to the car park.

Tired, wet and happy after Bob’s birthday bash we went home!