For the past few years the June cruise, based on Itchenor in Chichester Harbour, has confined itself to exploring the harbour, it's channels, villages and lovely beach at East Head. This year was to be something different - an attempt to circumnavigate Hayling Island.

This would involve a round trip of approximately 20 or so nautical miles requiring us to - leave Chichester Harbour, sail a 4 nautical mile sea 'leg' before entering Langstone Harbour and of course a bridge to 'shoot' with masts to drop and raise at the point where Hayling Island attaches itself to the main land. The tides were known not to be ideal but it looked just possible given fair winds and an early start.

So from about 08:30 Wanderers started to gather on the hard at Itchenor and by briefing time, at 09:30, there were 5 boats nearly rigged and ready for the off with another joining after sailing over from Bosham. The forecast was for NW winds of strength F3-4 locally 5 but the wind was set to go round to the west, not good news. Conditions would be dry all day with a threat of rain for the evening. Sea state was said to be slight, locally moderate.

Following the briefing six boats departed just after 10:00 and headed down channel to rendezvous off of East Head prior to leaving the harbour. Unfortunately almost immediately one of our party developed problems with his boat's rigging and being unable to deploy the jib effectively was forced back ashore to fix it. The rest of the fleet continued while we held back to monitor his progress and give support.

The winds were not performing as forecast and periodically dropped back from F3 this conspired with the strengthening flood tide to delay us further and it wasn't until about 12:30 that we were able to re-group and make our push to exit the harbour. We were able to sail straiight out due south following the channel and re-grouped just outside the entrance prior to crossing the West Pole sands.

It was fine sunny weather now and the entrance was busy with all manner of yachts coming and going. As we crossed the sands in the direction of the fairway buoy at Langstone a quick glance at watch and GPS showed 13:00hrs and 1.5 knots respectively! It didn't take long to realise that our chances of making it round the island and returning at a sensible hour were now very slim - if only we could have made it to here an hour earlier things may have been different, but such are the ways when dealing with wind and tide. I decided that we should return to Chichester Harbour.

A signal to turn around and head back in was quickly communicated round the fleet and we all enjoyed an exhilarating few minutes re-crossing the West Pole sand across some very peculiar water before a speedy reach back into the harbour on strengthening winds.

As it was now well past 13:00 we decided to put up onto a beach on Hayling Island where we could enjoy our picnic lunch, and take advantage of the facilities offered by the HISC. Phone calls were made to wives patiently sitting at the Ferry Inn at Langstone entrance awaiting our arrival! Masterful logistics meant that lunch and wives arrived on the beach only a few minutes later for one of our party.

Rested and 'refuelled' we decided to set off up the Emsworth Channel and inspect the bridge from the water even if we were denighed actually passing under it. The wind was now in the F4-5 region from due west and we literally flew up the channel at an amazing 9 knots at one point. Some boats managed to get up on the plane even - no mean feat when carrying all the equipment for a day's cruise. Bev Woolard's boat led the way with Helen helming and all three sitting out.

Having rounded the top of Hayling Island at Northey marina and acknowledged the bridge we turned around and headed back down the channel. With the tide now in our favour and the wind still from the west we had an equally fast and enjoyable reach all the way down to NW Pilsey buoy. Here we turned east toward the Itchenor channel and were now against the tide.

By now the tide was virtually at full ebb with opposing wind. A nasty sea developed over the the shallower areas and we all had to concentrate very hard for 30 mins or so before reaching relatively calmer waters further up channel. Periodically we would glance sternward to count the following Wanderers and check that all were still upright!

At this point Roger Worraker and Peter Burt in W1000 peeled away to return to West Wittering SC leaving the rest of us to continue up channel. Soon Bev and Gwyneth Woolard with Helen Fairfax in W1432 bore off to port to enter the Bosham Channel and their 'homeport'. This left the four remaining boats to continue on to Itchenor where we eventually landed all safe in brilliant sunshine to de-rig the boats, enjoy an ice-cream and relax.

Later, most of us were reunited at 'The Ship Inn' Itchenor for pre-dinner drinks and an excellent and well deserved meal over which the day's proceedings were much debated. It was generally agreed that although we had not been able to complete the circumnavigation we had at least been out of the harbour, waved to the bridge and most of all chalked up yet another superb days , albeit lengthy at 22 miles, Wanderer sailing.

Many thanks to all who attended, for making the effort to support this event and for not being too disappointed at not making it all the way round. Even the rain forecast for the evening didn't materialise.

Those attending were:-

Bev and Gwyneth Woolar with Helen Fairfax in W1432;
Roger Worraker and Peter Burt in W 1000 [Save the Children];
Geoff and Marion Hall in W098;
John Seager and crew in W1503;
Roger Dench and Geoff Malseed in W955;
Terry Pullen and Judy Porter [organisers] in W863.

Terry Pullen W863