After a couple of layover days in Lymington, and a dash home for an important village party it was time to continue the journey East toward Bosham and also meet up with the Solent and Chichester Shrimpers who were having their annual rally.
And so on Monday 13th July accompanied by Mary, my wife, we proceeded from Lymington for the short trip to Bucklers Hard, up the Beaulieu River. Mary is definitely a fairweather sailor and likes calm seas. Unfortunately there was a bit of a blow on the Solent that morning and all did not go quite to plan. There were a couple of boom hitting head incidents and of course the head belonged to Mary and not me so that wasn't a great start to her participation in the Creep! After a short sail to the racing mark at the entrance to the Beaulieu River used as a waypoint it was time to drop sail and motor up the river. This operation was made a little more complex as the topping lift had got caught ( it was too loose ) in the gaff jaw and thus the main would not come down. While sorting this out in quite rough water a number of very large yachts were actually racing toward the mark we had used as our waypoint. This was not a good place to be having a problem with the mainsail. Some interesting dialogue was exchanged by Mary and myself as we sorted out the topping lift. One little quip from Mary - " I hate sailing"! I'd better pick a calmer day for our next outing! Once on the river we had a quiet motor up to Bucklers Hard and I awaited the arrival of the Chi and Solent Shrimpers who came the following morning.
About 16 Shrimpers and a couple of Crabbers eventually arrived and we were all conveniently moored alongside a pontoon beneath the Master Builders Hotel. Introductions were made and a lot of fun was had by all. The plan then was to sail to Bembridge, overnight there and then go on to Northney on Hayling Island with the Rally. Unfortunately mother nature stepped in and threw a gale at us and we were stuck for another day at Beaulieu. Bembridge was cancelled and Northney was the destination for yesterday the 16th of July. I decided that I would sail to Chichester with the Rally and then separate and go on to Bosham as the weather forecast was looking grim for later that day and the following one.
For the first time on my trip the wind was against us as we beat up through the Solent with an ever increasing breeze. We had started with a F2/3 and probably finished on a F4/5. My crew for the last leg of the journey was Joanna Turnage, a Lymington girl and great friend who had crewed for me in Rock during part of Shrimper Week a couple of weeks ago.
Entering Chichester Harbour was a very special moment for me as I think the last time I had sailed in the harbour was when I was about 12 years old having been brought up in Birdham.
We found our mooring easily, cleared the boat and with the help of the Bosham Sailing Club went ashore. After nearly 300 miles in the Shrimper from Rock the job was done.
I am now at home completing this blog and I have been asked to write a fuller account of my trip for the Shrimper Owners Magazine so for those of you reading this who are members - you'll see another version later - if you can bear it!
Love to all and particular thanks to all of those who helped make the whole trip possible.
Brian and Andrew Smith of GB Smith and Sons Rock who helped prepare the boat,
My crew members - Richard Goodman, Peter Innes-Ker, Philip Currie, Richard Sargent, Joanna Turnage and Mary Biggs ( for that important leg of the journey );to her too for victualling the boat and being a big support all through the trip. Final thanks to Martin Pumphrey for giving me such good advice throughout the planning of the trip in the early stages and right up to a few hours before we departed Rock. ( If I've forgotten anyone I'll remember them by the time of the later Shrimper Owners article!
Julian ( Bybyn-Bubyn Shrimper 384)
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