Day Two…Monday 28th May, 2018…Brighton to West Cowes on the Isle of Wight. Hello everybody…. Toby here, writing our first update on Bank Holiday Monday evening, 28th May 2018. I am sitting on the bed in the aft cabin in Cowes Yacht Haven on the Isle of Wight….phew it is hot…. 25 degrees C outside and no wind! We left Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne on time… at 11am on Sunday and were out of the lock to sea by 11.30am…. turned right and sailed/motored to Brighton Marina. Following the big electrical storms of Saturday night, Sunday was a warm close humid day….. we arrived in Brighton at 3pm on pontoon 11, West side. The send off from Eastbourne was magnificent…. family and friends turned out to wish us well and give us a rousing farewell …. cheering and waving flags in the outbound lock at Sovereign Harbour. Thanks to Margaret, Hilary, Bridget, Richard, Delvyan, Gary, Lucas, Sue, Jonathan and others for all their good wishes, cheering and whooping as we exited the lock at Sovereign Harbour. According to Truckers road atlas and following Roy and Elsie’s instructions we turned right at Eastbourne… so we are going clockwise around Britain. Thanks Roy and Elsie for that tip!!

We received messages from all over the world for a successful trip…. well UK, Spain, Mexico, and  Australia to be be precise. So thank you…. Madrid, Stamford, north east Yorkshire, Plymouth, Santiago de la Compostella ….. Hailsham, Mexico, Eire, Ulster, Sydney Australia, Guildford, Whitchurch in Bucks, London, Bexley, Bexleyheath, etc…apologies if we have missed anybody out.

We made serious attempts to sail off Beachy Head…. but the wind died to virtually zero. So on went the trusty Yanmar 40hp and up to 3,200 rpm we motored parallel to the coast…all the way to Brighton Marina. The Sussex coast was magnificent in the sunshine… magnificent white chalk cliffs of Beachy Head, Belle Tout lighthouse standing proud, Birling Gap and then the wonderful Cuckmere Valley and Haven ( best examples of meanders in the UK ), Seaford Head…. and past Newhaven westwards.

At Birling Gap a familiar voice came over the radio … Channel 16… ( very naughty !! ) from an Island Packet anchored up in Cuckmere Haven… P and J from a very much alive Parrot boat… then another guy joined in as well went we moved to Channel 8 ship to ship wave length. More good wishes.

From Eastbourne to Brighton is a relatively short journey by sea… just over 23 nautical miles and we were in the marina by 3pm.

Having visited Brighton Marina many times…. we have mixed views… the staff try very hard to help…. we had a “meet and greet ” guy called Jamie… who came to our allocated pontoon to take our lines on arrival. He was first class. For the very first time, our shore power connection worked first time…. and the lady up in the office was helpful with a smile. As we already had about ten jokes about the boat being called “Roly Poly” …. and compared to the jam sponge of the same name…. the lady in the office smiled. Sadly Brighton Marina needs a big investment in updating the showers and toilets, and although very clean…. a 5 out of 10. Our yardstick are the loos at Swanwick up the top of the Hamble River… a Premier Marina…. beautiful loos and showers… 10 out of 10… and also very good, high quality books in the laundry room!! Nice music and fresh flowers… visited in 2016.