Sailing Round the Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight is a haven for dogs. Beaches, woodland walks, dog-friendly pubs and enough interesting smells to keep a Bernese Mountain Dog occupied for several lifetimes.

Having moved to the island, Pete decided there was one important job still to be done: sail all the way around it before the iconic Round the Island Race.

Most people complete the circumnavigation in a single day. We decided to take three.

We claimed this was so the tides would always be with us. In reality, it also meant comfortable nights in harbour, proper dog walks and significantly less chance of Svea lodging a formal complaint about working conditions.

Leaving Cowes, we turned right and headed east towards Bembridge.

Bembridge Harbour is not somewhere you simply point the boat and hope for the best. A bar stretches across the entrance, and the depth of water varies considerably with the tides. For a yacht with a draught of around 1.5 metres, access is usually possible for approximately three hours either side of high water on medium and spring tides. During neaps, however, there may be considerably less water available.

Fortunately, Pete had planned the approach with his usual level of precision. Tides had been checked, calculations made and backup calculations checked again. Had NASA needed someone to put a yacht into Bembridge Harbour, Pete was ready.

We entered on a rising tide, followed the marked channel and found a finger berth without drama.

Duver Marina immediately earned Svea’s approval. It is extremely dog-friendly, with beaches and walks almost directly outside the marina. Despite it being the height of summer, there were areas where she could safely enjoy some time off the lead.

For Svea, this was less a sailing trip and more an island-wide inspection of beaches, grass verges and catering establishments.

That evening, we visited the local sailing club, which was showing an England match. After a drink, some food and the traditional debate about whether England would make life unnecessarily difficult for themselves, we returned to the boat and put our heads down.

Because of the tidal window, there was no need for an early start the following morning. This was an unexpected luxury. Sailing usually seems to involve waking at an hour when even the dog looks offended.

We slipped shortly before midday and headed around the eastern end of the island.

The forecast was for a predictable south-westerly, which naturally meant the wind was directly on the nose. Wind against tide made the sea slightly uncomfortable, but it was nothing we had not experienced before.

What was striking was how quiet the water felt. Compared with the constant movement of the Solent, there were very few yachts around us. The scenery, however, was spectacular.

The southern coast of the Isle of Wight rose beside us, green cliffs dropping into the sea. St Catherine’s Lighthouse provided a natural halfway marker, standing beneath the imposing cliffs near the island’s southernmost point.

Svea remained below decks.

This was not because she lacked interest in the scenery. She had simply concluded that there was no benefit in being thrown around the cockpit when she could instead occupy most of the saloon floor and make navigation between the chart table and the galley almost impossible.

A few hours later, the Needles appeared ahead.

Rounding the famous chalk stacks is always a memorable moment. They mark the western edge of the island and the entrance back into the Solent. Once around them, we headed east towards Yarmouth, where we were allocated a visitor berth alongside.

Yarmouth offered its usual hospitality - a choice of dog friendly pubs, excellent walks and a promanade for Svea to strut her stuff.

The following morning, we left at 8am and were back in Cowes for lunch.

The circumnavigation was complete. We had sailed around the Isle of Wight with favourable tides, stayed in two excellent dog-friendly harbours and avoided turning the trip into an endurance event.

Svea had contributed by sleeping through the roughest section, inspecting both marinas and ensuring nobody attempted to use the cabin sole without stepping over her.

THE RACE

A week later, I completed the route again, this time racing around the island with the Metropolitan Police sailing team in the Round the Island Race.

In an unusual twist, the wind was easterly, producing both a spinnaker start and a spinnaker finish.

The racing version was considerably faster, louder and more competitive.

There were also fewer beach walks.

Svea would not have approved.

Svea and Pete provided a taxi service from the Hamble back home to the IOW. 5th in class and 99th overall in IRC - so not a bad result.