Plymouth to Cowes

Hi everyone,
We are now soaking up the atmosphere at the capital of UK yachting - Cowes on the Isle of Wight.  We had a great overnight passage from Plymouth, completing the 120nm in under 24 hours.

Here are the usual plots for the passage.  The effect of tidal currents on our speed over the ground is clear.  The dip near the end is between the Needles and Hirst Castle.

Zen Again Track

Zen Again Speed

And here are the usual statistics...

• Distances/Speeds
• Route Distance = 121nm
• GPS Distance = 123nm
• Duration = 23 hours
• Average ground speed = 5.3 kt
• Weather
• Minimum wind speed = calm
• Average wind speed = 12 kt
• Maximum wind speed = 18 kt
• Apparent wind angle range = 60 to 150
• Seas up to 1.5m
• Mostly sunny with occasional high cloud
• Engine
• Total = 4 hours
• Driving = 4 hours
• Charging = 0 hours

On Friday evening we took the train from Paddington to Plymouth.  It was packed, including along all aisles.  Thankfully we had reserved seats.  A quick taxi ride got us to Queen Anne's Battery and aboard Zen Again.

The weather forecast for the weekend was variable (light) winds becoming 10-15 S later.   Before departure we discovered the engine start battery was dead.  We can start the engine using the house battery so decided to replace the dead battery in Cowes.

On Saturday morning we departed QAB at 1000 under sunny skies, motoring out of the harbour in near-calm conditions.  Within an hour we were motor sailing, and a couple of hours later we were sailing.  We sailed all the way from there - a very nice change from recent passages!

Sizzling Wake

One thing one notices here in the UK is you're never alone.  There's always a jet plane in sight.  The sky is permanently littered with contrails.

Contrails Galore

The sail along the coast was very pleasant.  It was nice to see the coast in clear weather.  Overnight the sky was occasionally clear so we could see the stars and watch the jets strobing their way across the sky.

We were under full sail all Saturday.  Overnight we put a furls in the headsail and then a reef in the main as the wind got up above 15 knots.

We had expected to arrive at the Needles - the western entrance to the Solent - at low tide.  We had such a good sail we arrived in the middle of the ebb - despite the reef and furls!  Thankfully the wind was about 15 knots by then and with the headsail unfurled we could make 2 knots over the ground against the neap tide current of 3+ knots.  We entered the channel at 0500 when it was still very dark - quite interesting with wind over tide!

Entering the Medina River

Breakwater

Zen Again hasn't visited Cowes previously.  I did Cowes week here in the early 1990s and it now has a substantial breakwater across the river mouth and several new marinas.  We are moored at Cowes Yacht Haven which was there back then.  I remember helping to manoeuvre 10-boat rafts out in the tide when inner yachts departed.  It was a whole new world for a young Aussie sailor!

The Solent is well known for its Red Funnel Line ferries.  They pass us by regularly here and woe betide any yacht which gets in their way.  Five short blasts on the horn.

Red Funnel Ferry - Don't Mess With Them

Since arriving we have cleaned up the boat, had lunch at the nearby Anchor Inn, extracted the dead engine-start battery and arranged for it to be exchanged tomorrow morning.  We expect to spend two nights here.

Alongside Cowes Yacht Haven Visitor Jetty

 Trust all's well where you are!