After a long fast passage on Monday, it would only take a relatively short hop to get us into the Solent for Tuesday night. With little fuel used coming down from Dover we were able to make a quick exit at 9am before the fuel berth opened. The walls of the marina made the conditions seam very calm, however, we soon found this to be a deception. As we left the harbour the wind was gusting in our faces with the prospect of another fast passage.

With a force three from the southeast the sea had built up over night. Nevertheless, there was little to worry about and we soon had full sails up making six knots towards Selsey Bill. The tide would be pushing against us for the first four hours. This would allow, us to get to Selsey Bill just in time for the tide to turn. Therefore, pushing us along the last stretch into the Solent. The current was not an issue as it was less than the knot we had expected. In any case the wind was pushing us on at pace, with us often surfing off the back of waves.

The course we were on took us well offshore to avoid all the shallows off Selsey Bill. This meant that apart from the odd crab pot there was very little to be concerned about. Having said that we did have a close encounter with a small coaster. About half way to the Bill we spotted a vessel coming towards us, apparently on a reciprocal course. We were carefully watching it travel down our starboard side when we realised it was coming straight for us! The superstructure of the coaster was at the bow and not the stern (where we assumed it to be). We instantly realised we had its aspect to us totally wrong. We quickly bore away and past two hundred metres behind its stern. Looking at the vessel again it was a very strange shaped craft. It would possibly have been easier to identify it at night with its navigation lights on!

The wind held at about a force three until just short of Selsey Bill. With the tide turning and wishing to take advantage of this we reluctantly started the engine. We continued under an occasionally flogging mainsail. We now had three knots of tide in our favour. With the relatively uneven seabed off Selsey Bill the water was covered in eddies and occasional patches of smooth water. We were racing along but it looked like we would hit a submerged rock at any moment. In fact there was at least fifteen meters of water here! With Nab Tower on our port beam we quickly made our way up the edge of the Nab channel just before sunset at 5pm. It was now simply a matter of following the starboard hand buoys.

This would take us up the channel to the first of the forts guarding the inner Solent. Having entered Portsmouth harbour on a number of occasions, it was “sods law” that on this night – shorthanded – what seamed like the entire Atlantic fleet was entering Portsmouth. Approaching the forts was simple enough as we were outside the channel. However, we had to sit it out just beyond the forts waiting for an opportunity to cross the channel and proceed to Gosport – our destination for the evening. After a short wait we made it across and proceeded up the Small Vessel Channel into Haslar Marina. This was not before I gave dad a shock by pointing to the ferry passing one hundred yards behind. I had seen it coming but at a glance it was on an apparent collision course (we were in fact safely outside the channel) .

In a short time we were tied up alongside the pontoon and after a small confusion found the correct berth. I have sailed from Gosport on a number of occasions, normally with Imperial College Yacht Club. They normally charter a Beneteau 43, which we share between ten people. It was interesting to compare the size difference with Silverwind almost alongside!

The only problem with Haslar is the swell from passing ferries. I have never noticed this on bigger boats but on Silverwind in the outer pontoons, it was quite notable. Having said that, for £11 a night this was one of the cheapest marinas we had stayed at (not just on the south coast) and only three minutes from the Solent!

It is interesting to note that the visitors shower block at Hasler is on a renovated lightship. The plaque onboard proudly states it was renovated at Holmans Dry Dock in Penzance.