Gusty High Winds Delays PicoMicroYacht But Some Progress Made

The plan was to circle the Isle of Wight anti-clockwise between the 29th April and the 2nd May, but it didn't work out that way due to the higher winds. These kept peaking in the day at force four with gusts up to force five, too much.

PicoMicoYacht can cope with this in a straightforward situation, but not going past the St Catherine's race on the southern tip of the Isle of Wight or passing through the Needles channel. Curiously the winds would peak when PicoMicroYacht was to be out voyaging and using the tide. Below shows and example of the peaking on the Saturday 30th April.

So the plans were changed and PicoMicoYacht was taken by ferry and on the Saturday a clockwise direction was taken within the confines of the Solent, protected by the island. According to Shakespeare's Falstaff  “The better part of Valour, is Discretion; in the which better part, I have saved my life.” I agree with him.

On the other days, I was to follow the FourDaysRunners as they did their 112 K jog round the island, but walking.

But on the Saturday I set off from Yarmouth at the western end of the Island to go down the Solent to Bembridge. The wind was light - but I knew it would pick up later on.

 A helicopter came overhead to take a look.

                                            Soon I was nearing Cowes and avoiding a carrier.

                                                                           Then looking back at Cowes.

I was now passing the Ryde pier and took a risk cutting across the notorious Ryde sands only to run aground and then have my rudder jammed in the sands, the wind pushing me on. The only way I could remove the rudder release was cutting the cord (to the left of the mizzen mast; the centre plate to the left of this had been removed when I ran aground).

The sands were now receding into the distance, the sea breaking slightly over it, the green sea and  yachts with their billowing sails in the background.

As the wind increased I now passed Seaview and it was getting more bumpy.

The wind got up to force five and it was as case of stopping rowing, taking my little sails down and being blown down the final mile to Bembridge and into the harbour. The staff in the sailing club kindly letting me use their pontoon.  

The 22 mile trip had been a true adventure. PicoMicroYacht's AIS system had tracked the route.

 PicoMicroYacht now needs to return to the Isle of Wight to complete the voyage.