Salcombe to off St Catherine's Point on the Isle of Wight.

After crossing the bar we turned Eastwards and remained under power. Encountered some lump water for an hour or so off Prawle Point and Start Point. Series of showers came through but nothing lasted for too long. Averaging about 5 knots at cruising revs of 2,300 but have the tide with us. Will probably reduce to 3 knots when it turns over the next hour (1230). Still heading for St Catherine's. At 1230 distance to run to there is 75 miles.

Weather has brightened somewhat with the sun breaking through now and again.

Around 1340 some wind from the South. Motor sailing at 1800 revs, 3 knots against foul tide. Sun's out! Engine off.

1410 - Engine on! Wind died.

Around 1830 with 56 miles to go to St Cats, the breeze increased and veered further to the West. "Great" I thought, this must be it - the South West wind has arrived. 

I had a spag bol on the go, minus the spag, but plus spuds in the same pot to conserve on the washing up and so I let that simmer while I rigged the pole to gooswing the Genoa. I was beginning to get the hang of doing it too. I only had to get it down once to sort out the placement of the guys' (the bits of rope attached to the pole) snap shackles before it was up and raring to go!

I soon had the Genoa drawing and the engine off. We were making 3 knots against a foul tide which would rurn within the hour. Good enough.

Downed the bol and spuds. Two portions left for the rest of the trip.

1910 - wind died - enginw back on - bugger! 5 knots at 1800 revs which would increase to 7+ later as the tidal stream strengthened.

2000 - started single handed watch system - rest/sleep for 30 minutes then check AIS and outside; repeat. 

AIS CPA ("AIS" = Automatic Identifcation System; "CPA" = Closest Point of Approach) alarm set for 1 mile also.  I have two AIS receivers one incorporated into the VHF and which enables me to call up 'target' vessels at the push of a button and one also trasmits my position. It's just as well I have two because not only do they have slightly different features, but they also seem to pick up a different mix of vessels. With both I'm reasonably confident I can 'see' whatever's out there. Of course, only if whatever is out there, is transmitting on AIS! Commercial vessels are required to by law and increasingly, pleasure craft now have them installed too.

When I poked my head outside at 2200, I couldn't see a bloody thing apart from the light of the navigation and steaming lights reflected back by the FOG! 

Bugger, I hate the fog. Ever since nearly being run down in thick fog back in 1970 something when crossing the Channel on my Dad's converted ship's lifeboat, 'Chlamys', it's given me the willies. Of course there was no AIS or radar for pleasure craft in those days, nor did we have a VHF, which was the new gizzmo on the market then.

I debated whether to use the radar as well as the AIS but it uses a lot of power and the batteries were a bit low and for some reason were only being charged very slowly by the alternator - this happened on the crossing from the Azores too. Plus the chartplotter that displays the radar overlay is outside in the wet fog and I hadn't practiced using it recently. All in all I decided my stress levels would be less without it.

I had to alter course twice during the night in the fog to avoid shipping but we got through the night unscathed and without incident.

By 0700 a breeze came up from the south and the fog cleared and by 0740 we were sailing making 6+ knots with a fair tide and we had passed St Catherine's.