Ocean Flame IV 

Cruise 27th Apr – 1st May 

Skipper: Geoff Norwood 

Crew:Ewart Hutton 

Chris Merriman 

Peter Chamen 

The GSA Crew Wanted group popped up a request from Chris Merriman, who is a relatively new GSA member, to see if a non-skipper could arrange a cruise. There was a good take up and Chris arranged the crew and the charter with me as skipper. We took Ocean Flame for a 5 day trip.

It was convenient for us all to travel together and we arrived in time for a direct handover with the previous crew. The boat was in great condition and ready to go.

The forecast was for unseasonably warm weather, and we set out immediately in sunshine and a fresh SW breeze. It made for a good reach down Southampton Water headed for Cowes. We were not alone.. time and tide suited the departure of several cruise liners which dwarfed us as they passed close by. As we approached the ‘special zone’ for the large craft to turn around the Bramble bank we had a container ship, the Queen Mary, and the Cowes ferry all vying for the water. We turned and gybed into some clear water and waited for a chance to cross the Solent. The motor helped us get there in time for an evening out, having settled for a mooring in the Cowes Yacht Haven.

Fine settled weather was established but with very light easterly winds. The tides were peak springs with 5kts expected through the narrows at Hurst so we had to pick our time. We shot through at 9kts over ground towards the breaking water of the Shingles despite calm conditions all around. Passing the needles we set out for the Poole area. The flood into Poole didn’t start until early evening so we let the ebb carry us towards Old Harry and Studland bay to anchor for a late lunch. It is a stunning backdrop of the Isle of Purbeck and the chalk cliffs mirroring the Needles.There has been a move to protect the Seagrass and some seahorse colonies in Studland and to discourage swinging at anchor. A number of Eco Moorings have been laid, which allow the boat to swing without scouring the seabed with the chain. In early season many were free and picked one in the deeper part of the cluster. Even this however was inside the 2m contour and with a very low tide of 0.5m we were soon keeping a wary eye on the depth gauge. We had time for a very pleasant lunch in the spring sunshine before heading out into deeper water and making an early entrance into the harbour. We had arranged a spot on the Poole Quay Haven and made our way against the still strong ebb up the deep channel. The good shower facilities here are across the road, but the staff were handy with codes and information, and there is a loo on the pontoons for overnight.

We didn’t have to look far for a suitable spot for refreshments – The Poole Arms just a few steps from the marina gate. Slightly unprepossessing outside, we found it charming and welcoming with a focus on fish dishes. Cooked with care and served with a smile it was a welcome find in a busy waterfront area.

With very little wind on the charts and a very narrow tide gate to get back into the Solent we had to plan an early start and intended to explore the North Channel into the Hurst Narrows. With just a cup of coffee to kickstart us we started the engine, only to find a recurrence of a problem with the preheat coils, and the warning light staying on suggesting the coils were energised. With Chris’s experience of nursing a diesel van we traced the circuit to the relay that had recently been changed and found a wiring issue with the socket. Ian and Brian responded to our calls but there was no real solution, so we removed the relay to isolate the coils. The engine started fine and made a slightly belated start, still with the chance of hitting the narrows before the ebb held us out. We took the quicker southerly route with the tide pushing us and were back into the Solent just before we faced the easterly stream.

In still lovely weather we radioed Yarmouth for a slot and their efficient team shepherded us onto a pontoon with help from their tenders to deal with the through current. It is a charming little town and a busy marina which we had plenty of time to explore. A trip onto the pier gave us a close up of the strength of the ebb as it rushed past. Unfortunately the RSYC was not open for its renowned dinner but we soon found suitable alternative in the town.

Another bright day on Wednesday had no wind forecast, and we decided to ride the tides up to Bucklers Hard then back to Lymington. However once out of the harbour we found a lovely F3 from the SE which made our progress eastwards under sail rapid and enjoyable, and it seemed a shame to head up the muddy Beaulieu. We continued eastward across the mouth of the Cowes entrance and into the calm anchorage of Osborne Bay where we dropped the hook for another fine lunch on board in the spring sun. We had a berth reserved on the town quay in Lymington so once replete we took the last of the ebb westwards with the wind having dropped. Chris had a cruise planned later in the year into Lymington so he took over the planning and execution of our passage, at very low tide, up the river between ferries and onto the pontoon. A very helpful harbour master and good onshore facilities makes this pretty town a great stopover with a choice of eating places in town.

Our last day remained fine and once again we found some a nice easterly once in the open and made a short hop across to Newtown Creek for a brunch stop. We were just on the turn of the tide and it is a very narrow channel in this interesting bay, and we were carefully picking our way with little clearance to an anchorage in the east arm. The visitors’ buoys in the west were all occupied. This is in a NT property and is a fine place for seabirds, and at low tide we had a noisy collection of feathered neighbours whilst we ate – particularly when a neighbouring boat put up a drone, that the Oystercatchers noisily mobbed – luckily not bringing it down in the process.

We needed to get back to base by early afternoon, and the tide was in our favour. A light SE saw us goose-winging up past the refinery and onwards with a deceptive breeze. The fuel dock in the Itchen was open and we quickly refuelled and refilled before an easy clean up.

A very pleasant week for many reasons – mainly the company, thanks to all, but the also the weather and tides made for a rewarding sail and a chance to explore some interesting corners of the Solent.