Start position	The Elephant Boatyard	Start time	09:15	Start engine hours	843.6
Towards	Yarmouth	ETA	13:00	Distance travelled	35
Finish position	The Elephant Boatyard	Finish time	19:30	Finish engine hours	846.5
Skipper	Richard	Crew	Louise
Weather	NW3 -> SW 3-5		Tide	HW Portsmouth 12:10, 4.4m LW Yarmouth 16:50, 1.2m
New faults	Marks on mainsail from backstay block		Np->Sp %	63

We arrive at the boatyard in good time and motor down the Hamble. The wind is in the North West, as forecast. So it’s straight downwind past Calshot. We just slide round the shallow water, without gybing. Then it’s hardening up all the way and we’re fetching straight down the Solent on the start of the ebb tide. ‘Lutine’ overhauls us, then we’re approaching Yarmouth soon after 12. The weather forecast for tomorrow is looking increasingly wet and windy, so we decide to change our plans and return this evening. Yarmouth harbour is in full August bank holiday mode, but we’re able to get a short-term mooring rafted on the non-walk-ashore pontoon. The lifeboat is heading out as we moor. Then it’s across to Norlands Cottage for birthday cake with assorted siblings, nieces and nephews.
We spring off our neighbour just after 17:00 and it’s downwind with the flood tide back East. The wind is gusting over 20kts initially, but soon calms down. We’re back at the Elephant in time for supper at The Jolly Sailor. We spend the night on board, before heading home in the morning .