PicoMicroYacht at Littlehampton contemplates the daring of J. B. Dashwood

PicoMicroYacht is now at Littlehampton, having reached the sea. It is time to turn left and row up the English Channel to Eastbourne.

PicoMicroYacht is to diverge from the route  that J. B. Dashwood used 151 years ago, as described in his charming waterways travelogue  'The Thames to the Solent.'

J. B. Dashwood had wanted to turn right to reach the Solent in time to see the display of the Channel Fleet at Anchor, this huge fleet assembled to be inspected by the Royalty.

His original plan had been to go along the Portsmouth Canal, which started from the River Arun at Ford and went Chichester. As indicated in a previous post, he was thwarted by the canal having dried up.

An old map showing Selsey Bill in relation to Littlehampton - dangerous shoals make it difficult to pass round the Bill safely in poor weather conditions

Consequently, J B Dashwood had to go by sea round the dangerous Selsey Bill, but was strongly advised against it. His American designed Una boat was not really constructed for proper coastal sailing and the open deck would have left it vulnerable to swamping. Nevertheless, he persevered and rounded the Bill unscathed. Either daring or foolhardy, he nearly came to grief in high seas on reaching the the Solent.

A Una boat sailing in front of the Royal Yacht about the year that Dashwood went by boat from London to the South Coast via the Wey and Arun Canal

He was delighted to get to the Solent in time to catch views of the Channel Fleet as it assembled. This fleet was there to protect England from attack by the French. Huge steam and sail powered ironclad ships were at anchor, such as HMS Penelope.

HMS Penelope, an ironclad corvette designed for shallow sea sailing, built in the year Dashwood saw the Channel Fleet Display. The black hull is clad by  an iron belt, up to six inches thick.

As he wrote:

'On rounding the point we espied in the distance the Channel Fleet in 'beauteous order range.' It was a most imposing sight, these magnificent ships, all getting up their steam for a rehearsal preparatory to the grand review.'

Later on they had another chance to see the fleet:

'The fleet was now returning to Spithead with a full press of canvass, which had a very grand effect, and it was excessively interesting to watch these great ships each drop into their respective place, and then at once come to an anchor.'

J B Dashwood's boat Caprice viewing the Channel Fleet