Beachy Head
In April 2023, Neil Harris and John Lowe set sail on the first leg of their long-awaited UK circumnavigation aboard Aeolus, their trusty 36-foot Hallberg-Rassy. Having owned the yacht since 2022, they were eager to embark on their epic journey. After a brief delay due to strong westerly winds, they finally left Hamble Point Yacht Charters on April 13, setting off in brisk conditions with gusts reaching F6.
By the evening, they had made good progress, reaching Eastbourne Marina by 7 p.m. Here, they were joined by their college friend, Nige, for a few days of sailing. On Day 2, they passed the iconic White Cliffs of Dover and headed for Ramsgate, navigating through busy Channel waters teeming with Border Force vessels. On Day 3, they opted not to head up the Thames, instead continuing along the coast to Chatham Marina on the Medway.
The next few days took them through Southend and Walton on the Naze, eventually making their way up the Orwell River to Woolverstone Marina, where they completed their first leg. Smooth sailing, good winds, and steady progress made for an exciting start to what promises to be a memorable adventure.
Nearly two months later, on June 10, 2023, Neil, John, and their crew, including Neil’s business partner Andy and friend Vince, set out on the second leg of their journey. This short leg was about positioning for the upcoming challenges, including the tricky crossing of the Wash.
They sailed down the River Orwell, hoisting the spinnaker for the first time—a fun milestone. After spending the night at Levington Marina and enjoying the Champions League final at a local pub, they sailed toward Lowestoft. Unfortunately, the wind dropped, forcing them to motor the final stretch into the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club Marina. It was a short but necessary leg, setting them up for the more challenging passages ahead.
On June 16, 2023, after a hearty breakfast at the Royal Norfolk and Suffolk Yacht Club, Neil, John, and their crew embarked on a week-long sail up the East Coast toward Scotland. Their goal was to sail 101 miles north to round Norfolk and cross the Wash, heading towards Grimsby.
The weather was warm, but light winds made for a slow start. They spent most of the day motor-sailing the longer passage to Grimsby due to Aeolus’s deep draft. After a tiring but rewarding passage, they anchored inside Spurn Head at 1:30 a.m. the following day. Over the next few days, they passed Flamborough Head, Scarborough, Whitby, and Hartlepool, where they were joined by a new crew member, "Sarj."
The crew continued north, making stops in Amble and Holy Island before finally crossing into Scottish waters on June 21. They reached Arbroath that evening and celebrated with a meal of Arbroath smokies. By June 22, they arrived in Peterhead, marking the end of this memorable leg.
Leg 4 - Spinnaker trim
After a brief return to Peterhead, Neil, John, and Vince set sail on July 27, 2023, for the Orkneys. They navigated through foggy conditions and, by late evening, arrived in Wick Marina. On July 29, they left for the Orkneys, passing South Ronaldsay and reaching Kirkwall Marina in the early afternoon.
They spent the next few days exploring the Orkneys, enjoying the peace and tranquility of the islands. Highlights included sailing past the Old Man of Hoy and exploring Scapa Flow. They also had a rare sighting of a cruise ship docked in Kirkwall plus other reminders of the Orkneys' rich naval history. On July 31, Vince took a dip in the chilly Orkney waters, while Neil and John opted to stay dry.
By August 1, they were moored at Stromness Marina, ready for their next leg.
On August 20, 2024, Neil and John left Stromness Marina, with the dramatic landscape of Scapa Flow unfolding behind them. They rounded Cape Wrath that evening, an exciting milestone in their adventure. After rounding the tip of the North West Scottish mainland, they arrived at Kinlochbervie late at night and rested before continuing their journey across the Minch on August 21.
The 50-mile Minch crossing to Stornoway was a "character-building" journey. Winds picked up to F5-F6, forcing them to reef the sails and battle rough seas. Despite the tough conditions, Aeolus performed admirably. They arrived in Stornoway by 10:30 p.m., greeted by a curious Border Force vessel after passing the town quay.
With Stornoway as their base for the next eight months, the duo reflected on the challenging but rewarding passage. They had crossed a major milestone in their circumnavigation, with the challenges of crossing The Northern Coast of Scotland firmly in their rearview mirror.
After settling in Stornoway, Neil and John set out to explore the wild beauty of the Outer Hebrides. On October 15, 2023, they embarked on a memorable day’s sail down the east coast of Lewis, passing the Shiant Isles and making their way towards Tarbert. They enjoyed a peaceful night at Scalpay before continuing their exploration of the islands.
With a gentle F3 wind on October 16, they sailed towards Skye and then back to Tarbert, enjoying the sights and sounds of the Scottish coastline. Their return sail to Stornoway on October 17 was marked by a calm F2 breeze, offering gentle conditions for the journey.
These few days of sailing were a perfect introduction to the Outer Hebrides, and Neil and John were excited for the adventures that lay ahead in the remote, breathtaking waters of Scotland.
Stay tuned for more updates as they continue their UK circumnavigation!
Charted a Bavaria 36 for a weekend trip. Last minute booking and super impressed with how we managed to sort thing out so quickly and easily after just a couple of e-mails and phone calls. Arrived late Friday after office was closed but check in pack had been left for us to pick up and overnight onboard. Boat very nicely kitted out and left Sat morning to ride Westerly tide to Lymington. Great local knowledge given during the morning walk through about where to moor and get dinner. Nice sail back on Sunday. Weather turned foul but she handled really well under full sail. Everyone on board enjoyed themselves and it's exactly what I'd hoped for from the weekend. This was first time sailing from Hamble and it's a great location to get quickly into the Solent. Definitely will be back once weather warms up and days get longer to try some longer trips. Thank you Hamble Point Charters for a great weekend !
My family and I had a great charter experience recently thanks to Alex, Andy and the whole team. Well maintained boat, friendly service and advice. We plan to charter again next year with them.
Alex, Becca and the team could not have been more helpful considering we called them at 4:45 Tuesday for a boat on Wednesday, another charter company had let us down at the last minute. Check-out and back in was well organized and we had a great 3 days sailing.
As a family, including our 4 year old Labrador, we recently chartered a 'bareboat' yacht from Hamble Point Charters for 7 days to cruise the Solent. The company were fantastic from our first enquiry to handing back the boat. The yacht was clean and well presented. A great week and we will happily use them again!
We have just had another wonderful week on a yacht we chartered from Hamble Point Yacht Charters. We have sailed several of their boats, this time it was a lovely 35 foot Bavaria. Chartering from HPYC is always an easy choice for us: the boats are well maintained, support is excellent, and the staff are always super friendly and helpful. On top of that, Hamble Point is such an ideal starting location for sailing around the Solent.
This is truly a 5 * service. The team really looked after us both ashore on arrival and also while at sea. We were a relatively inexperienced crew but always felt the team ashore had our backs. Thoroughly recommended.
I just wanted to say Thank-you very much for the weekend charter. It was exactly what we were after (albeit cold!) plus Andy was an awesome teacher and great company. We’ll definitely be keen to book again soon!
We had a fabulous four days. Marina is ideally placed for the Solent, boat was in great condition, well equipped and a joy to sail. We were well briefed and the shore side team including the dog very friendly.
We charted one of the sailing yachts for a fantastic weekend cruise in the Solent. The boat was in superb condition and well equipped, the staff was very helpful explaining how things work on the yacht and there was also a video available with all the important information. 10/10 would recommend!
Had a fantastic week chartering Blue Otter, Alex was incredibly helpful and sent loads of information and date checking prior to booking. There was a handover video and both the handover and return were really smooth. The boat was lovely and well maintained and Lee was really helpful in recommending places to visit (and helping identify the steering issue as an autopilot takeover - doh!). Definitely will be back and would fully recommend!
Just back from a lovely week in the Solent. Great service from HPYC from first inquiry through to return handover. Very straightforward to deal with, and the yacht was in excellent condition. We've chartered from many companies in the UK and abroad and the attention to detail (and flawless inventory!) was second to none. Everything about the yacht and equipment had clearly been well looked after and was in immaculate condition. Great service, will use again.
Always very friendly service, and well-maintained yachts. Easy check-in and checkout. Will be back...
We had a great time and were very happy with everything. Your team were genuinely friendly and were very helpful when we needed it. Is a big contrast to many charter companies I have dealt with in the past.
Watching the sun go down with a glass of bubbly on the deck of a sparkling yacht was unbelievable. What a treat, and a much needed change of scenery in these troubled times. We will be back for sure
Fab service, nothing too much trouble, including my daft questions. I'll be a repeat customer for sure!