A pleasingly uneventful night in studland sees a rather watery sun trying to
breakthrough as we get togged up for a beat along the normally stunning Dorset Coast.
We slip the mooring and head out past Old Harry and his wife and pick up a reasonably
gentle swell rolling up the channel.

There is firing today on the Lulworth Ranges so we need to need to keep at least 3 ½
miles offshore. As it happens this suits us at the moment just in terms of where
the wind is coming from so we head out south past a rather grey and overcast Swanage
and leave Durlston behind on a beat into a chilly F5. The west going tide starts to make a
mark and we begin the relatively slow passage west.
Oddly there are a few boats behind us who opt for the passage closer inshore. Have
we got the firing times completely wrong? We are vindicated a short while later as we
hear the coastguard (relatively politely at first) requesting that they alter course to avoid
being shot at….actually I made that last bit up, but a Navy protection boat most
definitely makes things clear.
Of the stunning Dorset Coast we see little, and Lulworth, Durdle Door and
Chapmans Pool are points on the chart, passing by in the gloom. Never mind we say,
this is June so we must be enjoying ourselves!
Actually the sail is exhilarating as Heydays scuds along with a double reef main and a
couple of rolls in the genoa. We have found over the years, that we could pile mo8re sail
on and get maybe another half knot, but at the loss of balance and calm. So 5 to 6kts is
fine by us and allows for a civilised and even peaceful cockpit. We catch a few decent spells of blue sky to remind us of what it could be like…

It takes ages for Portland to decide to show itself, and we anchor finally just as the sun
makes itself felt once more. There are few other visiting yachts, but the harbour is a real playground
for all sorts of foiling windsurfers, kite surfers and assorted high speed wizzy stuff.

A late lunch, a snooze in the sun….

.. and then the clouds come back, the wind picks up and we have a 3 course meal
tucked up in the cockpit all washed down with some aperitifs and the last of a box of
Rose. Early start in the morning for another beat across Lyme Bay to Brixham….weather
permitting…