The last days have been nail-biting as we waited to see whether generator parts would arrive in time to fix it before our depart. Added to that the weather forecast looked bad for our first leg to Torquay, so I was concerned to get going a bit earlier while we could. in the end the generator was fixed and running smoothy at 3pm on Wednesday and 15 minutes later Mark and I were heading out to sea.
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| Mark at the helm as we leave the Needles behind in snow storm |
The weather was dramatic with towering snowstorms sweeping across the land, and we motored into a stiff breeze up the Solent and as far as Hurst Narrows before we could set sail and make our course.
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| Intense rainbows |
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| Old Harry and Poole in snow and sleet |
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| The sun sets behind the Purbecks with Portland Bill ahead |
By sunset we were out of a sleet storm and the most intense rainbows we had ever seen, and into clearing skies as the sun set behind St Alban Head, with Portland Bill lying dark against the red sky.
We stood three hour watches through the night, icy cold with a completely clear starlit sky, as Jupiter, Mars and Saturn made their way from horizon to horizon, dipping behind Torquay. At 6 am the sun rose exactly behind Portland Bill astern of us, and we had much needed hot porridge to warm us up.
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| Sun rise, with Portland Bill just visible astern |
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| Arctic conditions - hot porridge needed |
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| Sketch of sunset over Portland Bill |
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| Harbour porpoises came to greet us |
As the wind backed from NW 3-4 to SW and strengthened to 5-7 we tacked into Tor Bay accompanied by Harbour porpoises, and made fast alongside the Town Quay, ready to receive Kyle and Rebecca this evening.
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| TinTin at Town Quay, Torquay |
