PicoMicroYacht voyages again to the Isle of Wight

The tides and the weather were just right to finish the voyage round the Isle of Wight. Light easterlies and calm seas were forecast. But first I had to get to the Isle of Wight and this time not using a ferry.


So I set off on Friday 27th June from my local sailing club, Mengeham Rythe, in Chichester Harbour.

The plan was to take the ebb tide out of the harbour. The westerly tidal stream would the sweep me into the Solent before reversing southwards, helping me down to Bembridge.


A Solo dinghy owner chatted to me from the club - as PicoMicroYacht was prepared.

It was just after high tide and I was ready to go, the tide ebbing out the harbour, and soon I was exiting the entrance, a strong tide was pushing me along.

A gaffer was silhouetted against the setting sun.

I  was now out into the Western Approaches to the Solent. The tricky bit is crossing the shipping lanes, which is done almost at 90 degrees (see middle of chart above), with large shipping  a hazard.

Fortunately the channel at this point is half a mile wide so can be crossed in ten minutes, a bit like sauntering across a road on foot.

A ferry crossed in front of me, conveniently early.

But you have to read the chart because just south of the channel is St Helens Road where the fast moving cross channel ferries deviate from the channel, cutting the corner, closer to the Isle of Wight. I was determined not to be caught out.

On cue, a Condor Ferry was passing through this short cut, but before I went across it.

Soon PicoMicroYacht was entering Bembridge

I found the mooring at the Bembridge Island Sailing Club. The Tom Tom Bandit set on time lapse photography shows the final trip into port.