A 'Spicy' Week of Learning on The Solent

Time to hit the road, no good re-re-checking my kit and staring at the weather forecast, at least I had given my size for foul weather gear. There was no parachute on the kit list though and the wind was looking spicy.

I had not over-shared the coming week’s adventure. Personal pride had stopped me just in case I had a full brain burp and had to redo anything. Booking in March, once completing my theory with Tony Campion at 2nd Meridian, with months to procrastinate and now no more flapping or revising, let’s do it!

With three training weekends in The Solent in the Spring, learning more, building miles, sailing in F6, waving at the Needles should, in theory, at least prepare me for the upcoming week. Whoever first shared the quote, “every day is a learning day” full credit, that was my mantra for the whole week.

All aboard on the Tuesday night, Auroa, a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 36, an immaculate, perfectly kitted out boat.

Day One - out of Gosport a forecast of showers, 24knt wind and 40knt gusts, we were heading to Cowes for our first overnight only a 11nm direct, a few hours day passage. We covered passage planning, course plotting, discussed air pressure and where we might find some quieter water and the genoa was swapped out and stowed. All the reefs we could find were in and half a gib. We arrived a little soggy but in good spirits.

Day Two - on the list for morning discussion on was stability! More spiciness to come. In all we had three very lively days, with two days of ideal weather, no one had a melt down and there were silly grins all around the boat. We overnighted in Hamble and then Southampton Town Quay later in the week after hearing on the radio that a F8 was on the way.

The night sail was a fantastic experience, more of that is on the "To do" list. The rolling road, light sequence script had paid off, transits acquired and how does a container ship sneak up in the dark? Everyone had full eyes on and lots of awareness. Communication was key and all the crew bonded so well over the last few days, we all rotated and shared the load.

I faced down my nemesis of boat parking, handling, tricky in stronger winds, what was all the fuss about? I will remind myself of that thought when next being bounced off a pontoon. Saturday arrived quickly and we all celebrated with a bottle of Champagne on our last night regardless of whether we had passed or not, we would find out the next day. 

A few days later I proudly read aloud the email from the RYA confirming I exist on their database!

Most reading this will have been through Day Skipper exams many years ago, I feel like I have taken my driving test and now I get to learn the real stuff. I am already eyeing up Rubicon 3 Adventures for 2027, better start saving. I still have a long "To do" list of embedding extrapolation and other theory as a natural rather than a full process. More practice required.

I would like to thank HOEOCA for selecting and supporting my application to the James Race bursary, it gave me the extra push to “go do it” and special thanks to the skippers who have put up with incessant questions.

I did my course with Broad Reach Sailing, who were excellent. It turns out my instructor for the week was not only the school and boat owner, but he is also an examiner of RYA training schools, no pressure!