Castle Cove - Return Journey

We had plenty of time to kill before setting off home again.  We planned to leave at about 2pm  and push the tide a little. Jintan Jeff hailed the ferry soon after 9 so I abandoned the kettle and we took the opportunity to get ashore.   The kitchen in the club was up and running so after a quick shower I grabbed a sausage bap and a cuppa tea.  The weather was glorious and the view from the clubs veranda is stunning, looking out over Portland harbour and the Sailing Academy.

View from CCSC Veranda

 After yesterdays antics I had a list of things that I needed from the chandlers.   We took a stroll into Weymouth to do a bit of shopping.  At the chandlers I managed to find a complete drain exactly the same as mine.. a nice easy fix, I bought it and just used the twist in stopper on the one in Ciao Bellas transom.  I also bought a few spare shackles as they are alway important to have.
After a stroll around Weymouth and being almost entertained by a duet (a vocalist and a ukulele player) singing such varied artist as Madness, the Stereophonics and Amy Winehouse we made our way back, via the chip shop and the pub, to CCSC.

Weymouth Harbour from the lifting bridge

Back on the boat and we prepared to leave.  We hoisted the main and had the engine running for a smooth get away. I went to the front of the boat to cast off.  There was a lot of rope on the deck from the mooring buoy and I throw the lot in.  I made my way back to the cockpit while John motored us into clear water. Mark and Jenny on Jamie Bump were waving and shouting at us.. the mooring line had snagged and we were about to reach the end of our tether.  This was not dangerous but just plain embarrassing and was number two on my list of oversights.  Eventually underway again we sailed out of the harbour and goosewinged across the bay.  

John at the helm.

We made our way towards Warbarrow bay with the intention of dropping the anchor and making some lunch.  As we approached the conditions were pretty good  and the timing for the race a St Aldhelms was good so we just continued, I went below and fried up some sausage sandwiches to keep us going :)

Essential work in progress.

We were at St Aldelms head in no time at all, it was a relatively calm rounding. we kept a 100yards or so off the tip and headed onto swanage.

St Aldelms head

We picked up some speed across Swanage bay, Brian and his family in Figment caught up and passed us here.  As we rounded Handfast point we could see the harbour entrance and we were on the home stretch.
Jintan also came into view, she'd been catching for some time but I'd just recognised her.    As we approached the training wall at Studland we were side by side and were able to talk to each other when suddenly the tiller seemed take on an awful lot of weather helm... and then it just came off the top of the rudder stock!  Mild panic set in.. We furled the Genoa then John pulled down the main while I started the engine.   I was able to steer with the engine but even better than that there was a large set of mole grips in the tool box.

Mole grips.. never leave home without them!

The mole grips made an excellent emergency tiller.  Mark and Jenny were on hand to witness my second F-up of the day and kindly kept a close watch as we motored into the harbour.  The design of the tiller head is pretty crap, it just clamps onto the stock.  I will drill and pin it during the week, that way it can't twist.

Jamie Bump keeping a watch on us in our hour of need.

Too many things went wrong on this trip for my liking, I will have to have a thorough sort through the boat checking for other weaknesses before my channel crossing next month.