More first adventures

So keen we are! Back on the boat in a tidal/daylight window of about 1 hour on Friday evening; beginning to feel that loading the tender with food and bedding and rowing across the river is a part of our regular routine. We stowed our gear and went to bed.
The mission for the next day was to collect water from the pontoon at Itchenor.

During the morning, while waiting for the tide John discovered the Tomahawk Plaque.

Disappointingly we discovered that the oil leak hasn't been cured by replacing the seal on the water pump.

At Itchenor pontoon, John moored up nervously but without incident and we filled the small tank with fresh water. The pontoon is very busy with cyclists taking the Ferry over to Bosham for the Salterns cyle path, with yachts waiting to pick up guests and with the water taxi, so we were glad to have got in easily enough. 

However, on the way out, not so good: I threw off the bowline too soon, without waiting for J's shout and as a result Mahaskah started to drift into a large shiny yacht, J was able to push her away but then had to motor out and circle back to pick me up. 

Learning curve: communication and response.

The next learning curve was even more dramatic. Motoring into Bosham Channel, dinghies everywhere, J asked me to take the tiller. There were a couple of Toppers or Lasers heading towards us across the channel. Their sails obscured their view of our approach, I should have swung out behind them immediately, but hesitated too long, and the upwind dinghy collided with our bow. 

The safety boat driver took our details and we expect a bill for sail repair. 

We were very shaken up and shocked by this, and took ourselves off to Pilsley Island anchorage for pause and reflection.

Learning curve: the person holding the tiller has total responsibility in a situation like this, and needs to be completely with it. 

When we had recovered from our self-imposed exile, we set off for Northney Marina. Sailed up and into the furthest western point of Chichester Harbour. I had phoned ahead to get a berth, but it was occupied, luckily the next door one was empty and we slipped untidily into it.

We went for a walk, and then had dinner.

In a Marina, one of my favourite things is to have an early shower, and enjoy the large, warm, institutional facilities before the crowds.

Before leaving the berth next morning, we spent considerable time in assessing the conditions: tide- against, wind, quite brisk-on the bow. The manouevre would need reverse gear which is very unresponsive and also the neighbours were sitting on deck, waiting for entertainment. 

In the event, it was a beautiful, slow and apparently excellently controlled tight reverse circle out, all by fluke!

Pleased with ourselves, we thought the next thing to do would be to enter Emsworth Yachting Marina at high tide to visit the chandlery.

Emsworth is hard!, there was not quite enough water, it was very busy, we retreated to a buoy and had coffee, then watched as others moored up by the ferry's pontoon. Giving it another go, we were beaten to the best spot, and then blown into the wrong part by the wind, a helpful lad took the rope, and then helped push us off when we started to jam into the piles. We changed our minds and left, I dropped a fender on the way out. However, we returned and retrieved it successfully. One small achievement in a morning of unsatisfying activity.

The wind had changed to south westerly and we had a lovely sunny beat down the the channel, tacking often, avoiding other craft and sand banks effectively and building confidence again.

We  planned to anchor at East Head Spit for the evening