North-West Passage

[Michael Rogers]

Since I've been sailing out of Studland, it has been my mini-ambition to sail to Wareham and back in a day. On 21st September, Cavatina and I achieved just that. It took 9 hours, with wind and tides doing all the right things.

I've written a short account which, however, is too long for the forum, so I'll offer it to the library in case anyone is interested enough to read it. I fell into a reed bed and got soaked; wished I'd had an outboard (ha!); saw several kingfishers, a paddle steamer and a junk-rigged schooner; and got back just before dark. It's all there.

As an aside, sailing close to the Middle Ship Channel north of Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour, I confirmed for myself what the chart had already told me - that channel buoy no 22 (a port side) is called Aunt Betty, and a bit further on, no 27 (a starboard) is Hamish. (I don’t think any of the others have names.) Why? Does anyone know where they got their names from? I wonder how I could find out.

Come to think of it, has anyone else 'collected' oddly named buoys/marks? Do tell. Is there a PhD thesis hidden away, I wonder, or at least a 'fancy that' article.... or TV documentary...

[Peter Taylor]

One task when training to be a National Coastwatch watchkeeper at Calshot Tower is to become familiar with the names of all the local navigation buoys.  The derivation of some is obvious, for example "Reach" marks the part of the shipping channel called Calshot Reach, "Castle Point" refers to Calshot Castle, "Hook" perhaps to the shape of Calshot shingle spit, but what about the closest buoy... "Black Jack"?  A ship that ran aground there perhaps? In many cases the buoy name is associated with the nearby land names - "Hound" is off Hound Parish, "Cadland" off what was Cadland Estate before they built Fawley refinery on top of it. But opposite "Cadland" is... "Greenland"?

Nearer Southampton we have in succession "Deans Elbow", "Hythe Knock" (off Hythe), "Gymp" "The Gymp" and "Gymp Elbow" the latter 3 marking Gymp Bank on which Titanic apparently ran aground. Why "Gymp"?* By the way, don't confuse "Deans Elbow" with "Dean Elbow" which together with "Horse Elbow" mark "Horse and Dean Sands" off Langstone Harbour. One can understand "Elbow" for the corner of the sand bank so the question is how did the sands get named?

I'd really would like to know the origin of all names for the buoys, and the banks that they mark, but have searched the web in the past without success.  I suspect it would be a PhD thesis for someone and involve delving into Parish and Naval records for the last 300 years or so.

Sadly, the Solent nowadays is littered with yellow racing buoys which are named after the firm sponsoring them, and hence change their names every year or two as new sponsors are found. It's similar to the way that pub names, which were once well known navigation marks, have now become "The Slug and Lettuce" and similar!

Peter

*ps I've just found that gymp might be a corruption of gimp which is a "narrow flat braid"?

[Michael Rogers]

I must say I think it's all fascinating. I wish I had the time/opportunity to look into it properly.

I can understand named buoys which mark named banks , spits etc (where do THEY get their names from?!). What I found curious was that Aunt Betty and Hamish are two of about 35 port and starboard channel buoys marking the main shipping channel into Poole; they're on a relatively unexciting stretch of an unexciting channel, yet only they get (intriguing) names. Well, I've written to the Poole Harbour Commissioners and asked them, but am not holding my breath re a reply.

I do so agree with you about nautical slugs and lettuces!

Michael

[Ray S]

Thanks for this topic which gives me an excuse for my first post as a Swallow owner coming to the end of my first season. Prior to that I've been racing Wayfarers from Parkstone YC for eleven years and we came to know the Poole Harbour channel marks very well, sometimes quite intimately when rounding them in a foul tide!  There are a few unimaginatively named marks too - before 'Aunt Betty' there is 'Brownsea' followed by 'Bell' and 'Diver'.  After 'Hamish' there is 'Stakes' and finally 'Hutchins' which marks the entrance to the Wareham Channel.  We used to know WH16 at the top of the Wareham Channel as 'Barrel O' from the Watney days and which is still the turning mark for one of PYC's trophy races.

Now we're on a mooring at Redclyffe near Wareham so you would have passed us on your trip Michael.  In fact you will have passed another BRe and a BC23 at Redclyffe.  This year we have been exploring Poole harbour (Falmouth Harbour too) and getting to know the boat but next year we hope Studland is an occasional destination.

It's interesting to read Jonathan Stuart's perspective of Poole harbour and the Wareham Channel in his Dorset Coast Cruise report and I look forward to seeing yours in the library too! 

Ray S
BRe Whimbrel 047

[Michael Rogers]

Hallo Ray, you're most welcome!

You know Poole Harbour much better than I do - actually not difficult in terms of my relative ignorance, but you clearly do know it very well. Now why didn't I notice all those other names? - and they're on the chart too! It all still intrigues me.

In terms of future identification, and just in case you hadn't picked it up from my far too frequent soundings-off on the forum, Cavatina is an unusual Swallow 'Yacht', a Trouper 12, one of Matt's earlier designs (and I still think one of the best) which got left out as Swallow 'Yachts' became bigger. She is fairly distinctive - an exceptionally attractive hull shape (and sailing qualities to match), to which I added junk rig (white sail); the combination has been a huge success.

I didn't see Whimbrel (lovely name) or the other two 'Bays' at Redclyffe. I only got as far as halfway between Redclyffe Farm slip and the floating Yacht Club, and guess you must be a bit further up towards Wareham Quay? I nosed bow first into the bank, next to some bows-in motor craft and in front
of those new-ish houses, and stupidly attempted to go ashore round the mast and over the foredeck (I was tired and hungry, says he pathetically), which is asking a bit much of a 12 ft dinghy. I ended up overboard, on my back in short reeds and a foot of very wet water. Fortunately I don't think anyone was at home in those desirable properties adjacent. I would have laughed, it must have looked comical.

Next time I do that voyage I may well have an outboard, in which case I will proceed in stately fashion and under power up to Wareham Quay. (I will, however, only allow myself to motor up the River Frome bit where sailing is virtually impossible. The rest must be sailing, otherwise I will not get my belated D of E award [only joking].) Meanwhile, without having consulted the natives, I claim Redclyffe as being 'Wareham', and note that Jonathan did the same.

I look forward to meeting you and the other Redclyffe-based Swallow Yachters in due course, and certainly next season. I hope to sail occasionally during the winter, as the rare combination of suitable weather and domestic duties allows.

Michael R

[SteveWD]

There are other Swallows in Poole harbour - there are a couple of BC23s on moorings in the Parkstone Bay and Salterns areas and our BC26 in Parkstone YC. Probably more in such a big harbour. Enough for a Studland - Poole - Wareham fleet meet?

[Michael Rogers]

Great idea, Steve! There'd be owners to identify and welcome. We might be able to entice Julian away from boat building.  Even inveigle Peter T out from the Solent?

In whatever shape or form, something to look forward to for next season.

M

[Peter Taylor]

That sounds interesting! I keep meaning to come down to Poole and there have been lots of times when it would have been shorter to carry on west to Poole Harbour than to turn around and sail back to Southampton.  However this year I never managed to get past Hurst narrows before the tide changed - I'll have to use the motor more!

Peter

[Julian Swindell]

I would love a Poole Harbour meet up. I know that there are other BRes in the harbour. Enough for a good fleet. We could certainly do a harbour tour and /or a cruise out to Old Harry. Wareham is doable, but there isn't much space on the quay (yes I have been all the way.) all of the islands are lovely, with Shipstal point being an especially pleasant, and sheltered anchorage. Mid summer is best, with the long evenings and beautiful sunsets.

[Michael Rogers]

I look forward to it. You big boys/girls will have to put up with a 12 ft whippersnapper saying 'wait for me!!.....' No, actually I promise to behave, and anyway downwind it's you lot who'll be doing the keeping up (I concede that upwind the sea boot will be on the other foot). Cavatina is no-end chuffed to be a mini-'yacht' (Huh).

On another tack, Julian, new friends who have moved to our village here have bought a Dabber (always had a boat, their previous was a Hawk. They admired Swallowyachts [there, I've said it, wasn't so bad] but couldn't find one they could afford).This Dabber looks to be a good buy, 20 years old but very little used, they haven't sailed her yet but are very pleased. To inform myself about Dabbers, I googled; up came an informative, well written and illustrated article about easy Dabber mods, by someone who clearly knew what he was talking about. The author's name was right at the bottom - well done, that man!

Michael R          Trouper12 Cavatina

[Julian Swindell]

I loved my Dabber. The only decent Drascombe, I always thought, and still do. Sticking a rudder down through the bottom of shoal draft boat is just a bad idea. I had her for 13 years and kept her in Clew Bay when we owned a cottage in County Mayo. When I brought her home I decided I really wanted a cabin, so sold her for a Winkle Brig, another lovely boat, and then the BC20. I was about to say, "and that will do", when I remembered the other three boats up in the shed...

You can beat us all in the Harbour if you pull your centreboard up. The average depth is only 18inches.