Having got the main down, the breeze then died to about 4 knots, so I decided to motor home; which takes quite a time from the Needles to Southampton water. With the Southampton boat show in full swing, there was no space at Ocean Village so it was on to Shamrock Quay; which meant the heart pounding experience of going under Itchen Bridge. You know your going to make it under...but looking up at the top of the rig suggests otherwise! In the pitch black it wasn't so bad getting in, winding my way along the channel and the ugly tug things that are moored up the river Itchen.
After a kip I was off again; back to see the Fish and chip shops of Weymouth and the grey stone of Portland. Feeling a bit dozy, I took it easy, looking a bit mad dragging a big bag around town, but enjoying myself all the same. Nothe Fort was the perfect spot to crack on with Nick Moloney's book, 'Chasing the Dawn'; his story of doing the Jules Verne Trophy with 12 Frenchmen, on a maxi-cataraman sponsored by Orange. Having my little issues on a Figaro and then reading about adventures such as these has really emphasized just how serious it can get out on the Oceans...I think I'd like a crack at it, after a bit more practice though.
As I'd smashed my head torch the night before, and also lost my favorite woolly hat, I decided to do my third trip the next day. Although it meant I missed some great sunshine I was still in for some good breeze. I left early morning and was by the Needles at lunch time, making it all the way down the Solent with just one gybe since leaving Weymouth. This great run of pure fun and no problems was of course not to last; one dodgy gybe and I'd wrapped the kite. With no one to help and the breeze building, it just got worse and I couldn't get it down. Strapping it to the mast seemed like a sensible option, no chance of losing it over board or causing any more problems. After that was done I had a good sail in, only six knots by this point but quite a relief after the hype of activity. Once I was parked up the kite came down easily (typical), I had learnt a bit more about the Figaros and myself, and it was time for tea.
Looking back over the week although it sounds like a disaster, in reality it wasn't so bad...I had three great solo trips, fantastic weather, and learnt more about sailing through finally getting the chance to do everything myself than I would have done on a fully crewed boat. This time last year I was sailing a Laser around Weymouth Bay, always hoping for more...