Shake down rally to Bembridge Harbour Saturday 12 - Sunday 13 April

Finally with a forecast of an easterly F4 on Saturday and westerly F4 increasing F5 on Sunday, nine freshly antifouled and polished cruisers couldn't believe their luck and set off in grand style and made a quick passage into Bembridge Harbour. With Centenary burgees and battle flags flying the group was hard to miss alongside the rally pontoon area and in finger berths at The Duver.

We sat down at 19:30 prompt and enjoyed a very good meal, efficiently served by a very friendly and obliging catering team. The water taxi wasn't operating when we left so we all carefully negotiated the walk back across the causeway with torches; the bright full moon was covered by clouds.

Rain obligingly fell overnight and we awoke to the promised westerly F4.

A trip to Baywatch on the Beach with its fine views over the Solent for a full English breakfast was a pre-requisite for some crews, especially Moody Moon whose fridge has worked rather too efficiently overnight and frozen their bacon, eggs, black pudding, haggis and eggs!

An easy trip back with a following wind under genoa saw everyone back into Chichester Harbour on the top of the tide except for Mandalay who stayed out an extra day and had a more vigorous trip back on Monday.