Here we are again, we left Portsmouth on Sunday, only got to Cowes where we stayed the night and had to come back to Portsmouth, we stayed in Gunwharf Quays for a night then were able to finally set off on our travels.

We arrived in Weymouth Tuesday afternoon after an uneventful journey. We were berthed on the town quay right in full view of the web cam, Paul texted various people to let them know and we had to keep going outside and waving to them!

The next day, we had a lovely walk along the beach early morning, we get back to Rowena and the skipper decides we ought to leave! Just like that, and I thought we were having a 'rest' day! So within half an hour of getting back on Rowena we are steaming out of Weymouth, no time to draw breath!

We arrive at Portland Bill at exactly the right time for slack water and carry on round, straight into live firing by the Royal Navy! We were supposed to keep 15nm miles away, we were 8nm! We spoke to them on the radio and they said to keep the course we were on, not to deviate and we would be ok, we couldn't go any faster we were doing 1800 revs and as you all know that's as fast as Paul will allow the engines he loves so much to go. We could hear booming and planes flying overhead, all a bit scary really.

Anyway we arrive in one piece at Dartmouth, the tide is coming in like mad and the wind is blowing, after 5 tries to get onto the Town Quay we give up and have to go and tie on a buoy in the middle of the river! The people watching thought it all great fun of course. A yacht then tried to do the same and he couldn't berth either, so Paul did not feel so bad then! It was a combination of very strong tide and wind, even the little taxi man had trouble when he came to take me and the dogs off to land!

Tizzy gets tired after a long walk so has to have a lift!
Sammy making new friends!

Hi everybody, I have been very remiss in my blogging lately so I hope you will forgive me. First news of our Easter trip, we went to Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, it was very windy but luckily the tide and wind where going the same way so flattened the sea out and it was a nice trip. When we got to Yarmouth there were no berths on the pontoons adjoining the land so we where on one where we had to get the dinghy out, bit of a shock that on the first trip of the year, but we had Tizzy and Sammy with us and they had to go to land regularly. The dinghy engine, having been serviced last year by Bob, now will not tick over so we went at mad speed every where and then took it out of gear and hoped to glide gracefully to the pontoon, mostly it was was us ramming the pontoon. So to recap since the 'service' we have had to have a new thingy in the engine so as to start it and now no tickover, I am not impressed. More news of Easter, Paul managed to fall in the water whilst trying to get on said dinghy! I heard him shout and thought Sammy had fallen in, so ran, but it was only Paul! All this at 10.30 at night after a few wines! Say no more.

Coming to leave Yarmouth and the wind was blowing and the tide was running and we could not get off the berth no matter what we tried, springing off the pontoon, revving the bow thruster we were stuck. So the harbour man had to come in his dinghy put a line on the bow and tow us off!! Paul was mortified and has since gone on and on about what he should of done, none of which I understand, I think we were stuck whatever. There is going to be an article in Motor Boat Monthly about difficult marinas and next months is Yarmouth, so it wasn't all our fault.

The next trip out was Brighton, last weekend. We picked Russ up in Gunwharf Quays at daft o clock (6am) and set off. Arriving in Brighton we got a good berth right by the entrance, the weather was lovely, well it always is 'darn sarth'isn't it. We contacted Maureen and all went off to see Rhians baby, who was tiny and sweet. A chinese in the marina, too much wine and bed, so endeth the first day.

Next day we are amazed to see Rowena's welsh flag flying up the mast of the navy ship HMS Puncher! Russell had put it there to test their security, apparently they are supposed to have someone on watch all night, well whoever he was he didn't see Russell hoist the flag, we had to ask for it back, then all the crew where taken below and given a shouting at! When the ship came to leave they made such a mess of it they left the chief on the pontoon and had to try twice to pick him up, and then he had to do a massive jump and nearly fell in the water, how embarrassing.

We went up into Brighton and the 1st Brighton marathon was on, it was a hot day, and most of the competitors looked in complete agony, don't think I will take up running.

The next day the boat in front was trying to leave and hit us twice, it was a dutch boat being driven by a transvestite! It could only happen to us! Paul had to finish his coffee that we were having in the marina and run down to Rowena to save her. She had two big black marks on her where he/she had hit us. Luckily the marks rubbed off and she seems ok, but it makes you wonder if you should go out and about in your boat.

We managed to get away just after that and headed back to Gosport, only to run into thick fog at Selsy Bill, we found the fog horn not working, could be something to do with Paul cleaning it whilst Rowena was out of the water!! We got through the fog and into Gosport only for Nigel to text Paul as he is approaching the berth and for him to look down to see who it was and nearly run into a catamaran! Goodness knows whats going to happen when we really set off for our adventures!