This trip had been planned the previous
year: A circumnavigation around the Isle of Wight in the company of three
others: Gavin Millar, Keith Morris and Graham Cooke. These guys are way more
experienced sailors and canoeists than me and I felt quite honoured to be
invited on such an ambitious and daring trip. Gavin has circumnavigated the IoW
previously, partly as a testing exercise for his circumnavigation attempt of
the UK in a sailing canoe, details of which are found here.
The date was picked for midsummer when the tides and daylight hours would combine to enable us the best chance of getting round the Island by meeting the various tidal gates; of course the weather conditions on the day was the one thing we couldn't dictate. It was forecast to be South westerly F4 gusting to F5 on the Saturday. Although this wind strength was higher than we wished, we still felt it was within the envelope of do-ability.
My previous sailing this year had been in very similar conditions in the Medway estuary (F4-5+) so I felt reasonably confident. That experience had highlighted some issues of waves breaking over the bow and running into the boat. I often sail with a small battery powered pump to remove water. I felt using higher capacity pumps could enhance this. In the end I fitted 2 x 750 gph 12v pumps linked to a 7.5 ah battery. I could switch them on alternately depending on what tack I was on. Also a wave deflector was needed to prevent the waves running up my flat front deck. I didn’t get round to manufacturing this before the IoW trip. A fact that caused me issues later.
I set off from my work on Friday afternoon and drove down to the small village of Keyhaven. I did not know where I would find the others as I arrived quite late in the evening but my instincts proved correct when I found them in the nearest pub to the small harbour, pouring over maps and charts.
The plan was to set off that night and sail a short way out of the harbour and bivi on Hurst spit, ready to catch the last hours of the ebb tide the next morning at sunrise. Once out through the Needles Channel, we would then take advantage of the flood tide to push us east along the South and East coast of the Island. The next tidal gate was Bembridge point, where the ebb tide would hopefully help us with our westerly passage along the Solent.
The date was picked for midsummer when the tides and daylight hours would combine to enable us the best chance of getting round the Island by meeting the various tidal gates; of course the weather conditions on the day was the one thing we couldn't dictate. It was forecast to be South westerly F4 gusting to F5 on the Saturday. Although this wind strength was higher than we wished, we still felt it was within the envelope of do-ability.
My previous sailing this year had been in very similar conditions in the Medway estuary (F4-5+) so I felt reasonably confident. That experience had highlighted some issues of waves breaking over the bow and running into the boat. I often sail with a small battery powered pump to remove water. I felt using higher capacity pumps could enhance this. In the end I fitted 2 x 750 gph 12v pumps linked to a 7.5 ah battery. I could switch them on alternately depending on what tack I was on. Also a wave deflector was needed to prevent the waves running up my flat front deck. I didn’t get round to manufacturing this before the IoW trip. A fact that caused me issues later.
I set off from my work on Friday afternoon and drove down to the small village of Keyhaven. I did not know where I would find the others as I arrived quite late in the evening but my instincts proved correct when I found them in the nearest pub to the small harbour, pouring over maps and charts.
The plan was to set off that night and sail a short way out of the harbour and bivi on Hurst spit, ready to catch the last hours of the ebb tide the next morning at sunrise. Once out through the Needles Channel, we would then take advantage of the flood tide to push us east along the South and East coast of the Island. The next tidal gate was Bembridge point, where the ebb tide would hopefully help us with our westerly passage along the Solent.
Keith & Gavin setting up before I arrived.
I quickly assembled my canoe in the fading
light, the others having already done so earlier, and swiftly edited down my
camping and other gear to ensure it would fit. In a little while we were
sailing in the darkness, in the gentle breeze of the warm night air, trying to
find the correct route though the harbour and its mudflats under the dark but
starry sky. After a few false turns and backtracking we soon came to just past
Hurst Castle and beached on a thin pebble spit and bedded down in a pebbly
hollow, sheltered from the increasingly strengthening South Westerly wind, with
the stars blazing above.
We woke just before dawn, packed up our bivis and bags and prepared for the day ahead. As was predicted the wind has increased over night and was now blowing strongly from the South West.
We woke just before dawn, packed up our bivis and bags and prepared for the day ahead. As was predicted the wind has increased over night and was now blowing strongly from the South West.
Sunrise at Hurst spit
Morning on Hurst spit
Heading out to sea
We set off from Hurst spit encountering some rough water as we skirted
the Traps tidal race. Taking on a bit of spray I turned on my, as yet untested,
12v dual 750 GHP pump system I had recently constructed. It is operated by a
remote radio switch attached to my PFD in a waterproof bag: It ran for 30
seconds, then quit….
As we headed down to the Needles channel, conditions calmed enough for
me to get at the watertight battery box which was wedged under my front air
bag, opening it up I could see that a lead from the battery had come undone, I
soon sorted that and the pump was working again and into the channel we went.
Somehow I found
myself ahead of the group. I wasn’t too sure of the best line to take; I knew
we were to keep to the channel for some distance to avoid the overfalls off the
Needles, before turning east. As we progressed down the channel I could see
large breaking waves to the left and right closing in, and then found myself
running the biggest waves I’ve ever sailed in: The canoe leaping off the top of
the crests and seemingly free falling down until slamming in the bottom of the
waves, they must of been six to eight feet tall. Waves started breaking into
the canoe, both 750 GPH pumps were running, but I found myself swamped to the
gunnels. After trying to heave-to to bail, and trying to tack the swamped canoe
to sail closer to the others and failing at both I decided to continue out of
the race in the expectation that calmer conditions would be found at the end of
the channel; which they were. The canoes still sailed well enough swamped,
which was reassuring. What a ride; I didn’t feel afraid but exhilarated! I
don't have any recollection of actually seeing the famous Needles or its
lighthouse so concentrated on navigating the channel. I do remember a number of
sailing yachts beating into the channel and feeling a little envious of the
crew sitting on the windward side, their legs dangling high over the water:
They must have thought us mad; I'm not sure they were wrong.
Flying towards the Needles Channel
I
bailed out the canoe, reefed down and we regrouped, keeping close together and
headed east on a bearing of 140 for the long run along the south side of the
island. The idea was to sail offshore a good couple of miles to avoid the races
found off St Catherine's point close to the headland.
;
Wind speeds for Hurst(We were in the Needles channel around 6:00 am )
The following seas were as large as I have ever sailed in. I found it
better not to look behind.
With tiny sail
areas we were flying along. I felt slightly anxious in case the seas got
larger. Occasionally bigger sets of waves, occasionally breaking, came through
but thankfully the sea state didn’t increase. It took quite a lot of
concentration to balance the boat in the large following seas. I sailed with
the rudder stick and sheet in one hand with the other hand on the gunnel to
steady myself. It reminded me of when I used to horse ride; the reins held in
one hand and a slightly unpredictable beast beneath!
Through the Needles Channel, time to head East.
Large following seas
Passing St Catherine's Point
As we passed St Catherine’s point even this far out I hit a whirlpool of swirling currents, which had me totally unbalanced for a second or two. As soon as we passed that point the character of the sea changed, becoming calmer. We headed Northeast on a more comfortable point of sail at a fast clip with the spring tide pushing us along. We reached the second tidal gate at Bembridge with an hour to spare; the conditions were even kinder on the east side of the Island. There was not much shipping about and we could take time to open a dry bag and grab a sandwich. I found that my sandwiches which I had placed at the top of the drybag had got soaked during the swamping. I was also worried that the sleeping bag, which I might have to use somewhere later that night, had taken a dosing too.
Later, as we tracked round to a North West direction and came into the
Solent, it got a lot busier. We were sailing closer to the wind and the Solent
started to get more and more choppy; short, steep waves created by the wind
over tide and less than a metre high were endlessly breaking over my canoe and
sending an inch deep waterfall off the back of my fore deck into my canoe. My
electric pump ran continuously, which checked the level of the deluge, until it
inevitably ran out. It was onto the hand baler; a 2 litre scoop from an
optimist, it wasn't really big enough. I had a ten litre bucket but that needed
two hands to use, which meant I could only use it when I wasn't sailing. We
were beating close to the shore which gave protection from the worst of the
chop, but as we sailed past Ryde we had to sail out into the main channel to
pass around its pier; this meant sailing into rougher water. Once we passed
that, we sailed through the middle of a fleet of racing yachts on Ryde Road, their
wash swamping my canoe. Over the radio we decided to land, necessitating a
starboard tack: with my swamped canoe I could tack but not make headway. No
matter how much I turned the canoe into the tack it was simply stalling, being
pushed sideways or being pointed into the wind. Bailing couldn’t match the
water coming in and even if I made a little progress, another wave or the wake
from another passing yacht swamped me again and again. I kept trying to sail
and bail, but wasn’t making progress. I started to run out of ideas: This was
unlike the swamping experienced at the start of the trip: I couldn't seem to
make the boat sail.
Eventually Gavin
and the others sailed back from nearer the shoreline and with a bit of moral
support I seemed to get my mojo back. I got the water level down with my bucket
and slowly got the canoe sailing again toward the shoreline. I counted out 20
scoops with my small baler, rested for 60 seconds then 20 more scoops of my
baler; I started to win the battle and the water level started to drop. The
waves decreased as I got closer to the shore. The nightmare was over.
Landing on the Island :Considering the next steps
After landing for a bite to eat we debated our options. We had been
sailing for about 10 hours. We discounted being able to get back to Hurst in
the current conditions. The choices were:
· Stay where we were.
·
Head across the Solent to Netley sailing club
·
Sail a mile up to Cowes and make our way up the Medina river 2 miles to
The Folly Inn.
We knew the wind was predicted to drop off on Sunday and back to the
North East. The best option would be to head across to Netley and camp
overnight.
I can’t say I was
too keen on this option given what I had just experienced, but we would be
reaching rather than beating. I rearranged my gear to try and put as much
weight into the rear of the canoe as possible and we set off. I was in the
front. Although the canoe did sail better with the bows a little higher, as
soon as we were clear of the lee of the land I began to get swamped again. I
struggled on for a bit and then decided to turn around sailing back past the
others. I felt a bit embarrassed that I had abruptly turn tail, not even
waiting to discuss options with the others over the VHF. Maybe the canoe would
have sailed OK fully swamped on a reach across to Southampton; truth was I’d
had enough. I think it was the right decision. Later we found out the wind had
increased to F6+ at this time.
Wind speed on Brambles bank (we attempted to cross around 6 pm)
Getting
into Cowes harbour and upriver to The Folly Inn was a bit fraught; what with
the car ferries, the chain ferry, the lack of wind due to the town and the ebb
tide we had to battle against, but at last we made it. We landed the canoes and
had a pint while we negotiated camping in the car parking field next to the
pub.
Landing at the Folly Inn
We made
camp; I slung my tarp over my mast, which I laid between my canoe and an
abandoned dinghy, got out of my drysuit and headed to the raucous pub. It was
quite a bizarre contrast to the day’s sailing as the pub was packed. We got
some supper whilst other people danced on the tables. My balance was certainly
rocking and rolling but that was from the day’s sailing rather than the cheesy
70's disco music. We would have to get up again at around 3am to make as much
use of the ebb tide to take us back to Keyhaven the next day and we knew the
wind would be light. I was soon asleep in my sleeping bag, which had survived
the swamping thankfully. And not even the disco, the dog barking and its
drunken idiot owner shouting nearby, the cars leaving the pub, or the sound of
a firework display in Cowes could keep me awake (much).
Setting off again after a few hours sleep
Paddle sailing down the Medina
We got
up in darkness, packed away our tents and bags and headed back to the water. It
was a delightful paddle sail the 2 miles down the river back to Cowes. Once out
on the Solent the wind dropped completely for a while, the water millpond
flat with no one else on it, save for a giant cruise liner. We all paddle
sailed for a few hours, first in the main channel then crossing over to the
mainland shore as the tide turned to avoid the strongest tidal currents. The
wind did start to fill nicely from the North East; I hoisted my jib on the
way as the wind increased allowing the paddles to be put away. It was a
delightful day, the activity on the Solent increased as the morning wore on. We
finally entered the mouth of Keyhaven lake and completed our circumnavigation.
All sails aloft on Sunday back Keyhaven along the Western Solent,
There is an excellent account of this trip by Graham here
And a brilliant video showing our trip by Keith here
This trip provoked debate among the participants about the conditions we
encountered and the merits of the decision to undertake it.
Here are my thoughts:
- Obviously
there is a debate as to whether I should have embarked on the trip in the
first place given the conditions.
- I
should have provided a wave deflector to the front of my canoe. That would
have made a massive difference.
- Although
I knew that I shouldn’t rely on battery operated pumps, effectively I did
for a large part of the trip.
- My
manual bailing tools were a 10 litre bucket and a 2 litre bailing scoop.
The bucket couldn’t be used with one hand. The scoop could not beat the
amount of water coming into the canoe. I was reluctant to let go of the
controls and just concentrate on bailing.
- When
I swamped in the Solent I had run out of ideas about how to clear my canoe
and start sailing again.
- My
bucket was tied in but my bailer was not and neither was I: could I have caught
up with my canoe if we capsized? What would I have done without a bailer?
I think I may need a more seaworthy canoe...
Many of the photos and charts have been supplied by Keith Morris, Graham Cook
and Gavin Millar. Thanks for their kind permission to reproduce them in this
blog
Excellent write-up Adam! Now you need to repeat it in your new sailing canoe and compare the boats. I like the frankness of your thoughts at the end.
ReplyDeleteOk, let's try it again sometime - in less wind!
ReplyDeleteGreat report and pictures. I am inspired to give it a go next year but I fancy a slow circumnavigation hugging the coast, (rock hopping perhaps) and a planned night stop at Bembridge and maybe even a second somewhere else in the Solent. I think an inshore passage around St Catherine Point might be more comfortable but I will have a cycle over the island to take a look in the spring. I'm just about to order a copy of White Hazards. Anyone interested once the day light comes back, it could be a grand long week end for Eve?
ReplyDeleteI think the inshore route on the south of the Island can be more hazardous due to the overfalls off St Catherine Point.
DeleteYou forgot the rocks! There is often a calm area close to the shore around headlands although I don't know if this is the case with St Catherines which is why I intend having a look some time in the future from the shore.
ReplyDeleteUnkTantor - Go Elephant ????? Why ???
ReplyDelete