Looking at the forecast for the coming days showed easterly wind rising in strength to a maximum of F 6-8 on Friday night. We decided that if we made good time to Portland Bill, we would push on to Swanage. This would give us time on Thursday to clean the boat up and take her to a sheltered mooring in Poole while the easterly blows through.
At 0545 we slipped lines at Dartmouth and headed out into the sunrise.
It was a long and uneventful passage, the most difficult part of which was trying to stay cool. There again I guess most of the country would have felt the same.
We could hear the ” Crump ” sound of the tanks firing even before we reached Portland. I telephoned Lulworth Range Control as we rounded the Bill for advice on our course. We were told to stay South of 50.31.5 N which we did until we heard on the radio just after 1600 hours that firing had stopped for the day, and then resumed a more direct course for home
We tied up on Swanage Mooring exactly 12 hours after leaving Dartmouth.
4 Kidneys and a Wonky Leg 