Don’t worry, we haven’t come to rob the place!” I said to the slightly bemused member of Keyhaven Yacht Club. The wearing of face coverings in shops had been mandatory for some time, but it wasn’t enforced in pubs, restaurants or clubhouses. With our oversized hand-sewn masks we probably looked like pirates – certainly not visiting sailors! We explained that we’d paid our mooring fee over the phone and had come ashore in the dinghy for a mooch around.
The Covid lockdown had prevented any form of cruising until early July and having spent more than 12 weeks living apart due to family lockdown commitments in Exeter and Poole, by early September we were itching to get sailing again. We set off with a deeper sense of appreciation of the freedom to slip our lines and had decided that this should be a sailing trip of new experiences, despite the familiarity of our local cruising ground. Our plan was to try destinations in the Solent that we’d either not been to before or had visited only once. Remembering the advice from a long-term liveaboard friend, we stocked up with supplies and dropped the anchor in Poole Harbour at South Deep to spend a day preparing ourselves and the boat for the adventure ahead.
Denne historien er fra March 2021-utgaven av Sailing Today.
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Denne historien er fra March 2021-utgaven av Sailing Today.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Dumbass In The Realm Of Dumas
Sam Jefferson treads in the footsteps of the Count of c as he makes a great escape to the Calanques of Provence
Paul Heiney
The joy of needlecraft has been somewhat lost on Paul after an attempt to stitch together a rudimentary canvas cover ends in much bloodshed
Clarisse hopes to inspire others
Vendée Globe sailor Clarisse Crémer has said she hopes to inspire other female sailors to follow in her wake.
Jeanneau what I mean?
French manufacturer Jeanneau is back with an all new 60’ cruiser that offers a beguiling blend of comfort and performance
Pip Hare and Medallia going for next Vendée - with new boat
The news that British Vendée Globe followers were hoping for was confirmed in May, with the announcement that Pip Hare and sponsor Medallia will continue their partnership for the next Vendée Globe in 2023/24.
Double-Handed Offshore Series blasts off
The new UK Double-Handed Offshore Series started on 1 May, organised by Henry Bomby with other double-handed sailing enthusiasts.
John Goode 1950 - 2021
Tributes have poured in from across the marine industry after the former editor of Sailing Today, John Goode, died on 15 May, aged 71, following a short illness.
Andy Rice
Sailing is a capricious sport and the chance to go from hero to zero within the space of minutes is extremely high, as Andy found to his cost
Back to nature
Author Tristan Gooley has made a name for himself as the Natural Navigator. He discusses his life long passion for sailing and how it has helped to shape his career path
A voyage of rediscovery
The Discovery 58 has long been recognized as a superlative blue water cruiser. Toby Heppell steps aboard the latest model to examine how it has developed