Sitting on a beach

We had a successful encounter with the Raymarine engineer, who checked out the autopilot wheel drive, and made a few other suggestions. Then, after a pleasant lunch in the marina restaurant, we left the marina, and headed off to East Head near the harbour entrance to beach 'NJ' for the first time.

East Head is a favoured location for Northshore Yachts to demonstrate this aspect of their boats, so we were quite happy that the location was suitable. We put the anchor down, then reversed towards the beach and dropped the keel onto the sandy bottom to hold 'NJ' in position. It seemed very peculiar to see the water disappearing from around the boat, but eventually she was 'high & dry'. As 'NJ' was out of the water, we took the opportunity to clean off the hull, and polish parts of the transom which we hadn't got around to before.

Eventually the water started to return, and we re-floated at about 23-00, after a spectacular sunset. 'NJ' was moved in to slightly deeper water and re-anchored for the night.

Due to the timing of the tide, we didn't need to be up early, but after a leisurely breakfast, we prepared for sea, and set off for the bar at about 10-40, passing Hayling Island sailing club, with a passage down the Solent planned.