With the continued appalling weather since the last post there haven't been many opportunities for sailing a small boat but I have managed at least one per week. The main problem has been my lack of confidence, not in Misty but in the reliability of the weather forecasts which are available for the Solent. I am happy to venture out with a forecast wind of Force 4 gusting 5 and in these circumstances put a reef in the main before setting out from the pontoon. Frequently, however, by the time I get to the Solent there is a flat calm, so out comes the reef and within 15 minutes the wind has increased, usually in excess of that forecast. I find that "Sodde's Law" applies particularly well to sailing and the best way to summon up some wind is to shake out a reef, or pour out a mug of coffee, or attend to one or other bodily function. It seldom fails.
Anyway, my last sail was a real treat; non-stop across to Ryde and return at around 5kts in a steady Force 5. Above is the pier and below the town, not looking any more inviting than they did during a similar trip last year.
On the way back I headed up towards Lee-on-Solent and snapped the next photo, of what? Actually it is now an amusement arcade but Queen Victoria would not be amused because the older-looking building used to be her private railway station. She would arrive here to embark for Osborne House on the Isle Of Wight via the Royal Barge from a long-gone local pier.
Back in the Hamble, a rare sighting of one of the Hampshire Police patrol vessels. I wonder what they actually do?
Meanwhile this was coming in the opposite direction.
Other than its purposeful looking design it's name "Colwyn Bay" set me wondering as Colwyn Bay is a small town on the North Wales coast close to where I was raised, so I decided to investigate.
It seems that this is a brand-new coastal wind turbine farm support vessel built by Southboats in the I.O.W. and is currently undergoing trials locally. The North Wales connection? The new owners, Turbine Transfers are based in Holyhead on the isle of Anglesey.
http://www.turbinetransfers.co.uk/
Back at the pontoon, remember this little gull?
Well it now looks like this, sporting the black head plumage of an adult bird ready for its annual migration.
With the continued appalling weather since the last post there haven't been many opportunities for sailing a small boat but I have managed at least one per week. The main problem has been my lack of confidence, not in Misty but in the reliability of the weather forecasts which are available for the Solent. I am happy to venture out with a forecast wind of Force 4 gusting 5 and in these circumstances put a reef in the main before setting out from the pontoon. Frequently, however, by the time I get to the Solent there is a flat calm, so out comes the reef and within 15 minutes the wind has increased, usually in excess of that forecast. I find that "Sodde's Law" applies particularly well to sailing and the best way to summon up some wind is to shake out a reef, or pour out a mug of coffee, or attend to one or other bodily function. It seldom fails.
Anyway, my last sail was a real treat; non-stop across to Ryde and return at around 5kts in a steady Force 5. Above is the pier and below the town, not looking any more inviting than they did during a similar trip last year.
On the way back I headed up towards Lee-on-Solent and snapped the next photo, of what? Actually it is now an amusement arcade but Queen Victoria would not be amused because the older-looking building used to be her private railway station. She would arrive here to embark for Osborne House on the Isle Of Wight via the Royal Barge from a long-gone local pier.
Back in the Hamble, a rare sighting of one of the Hampshire Police patrol vessels. I wonder what they actually do?
Meanwhile this was coming in the opposite direction.
Other than its purposeful looking design it's name "Colwyn Bay" set me wondering as Colwyn Bay is a small town on the North Wales coast close to where I was raised, so I decided to investigate.
It seems that this is a brand-new coastal wind turbine farm support vessel built by Southboats in the I.O.W. and is currently undergoing trials locally. The North Wales connection? The new owners, Turbine Transfers are based in Holyhead on the isle of Anglesey.
http://www.turbinetransfers.co.uk/
Back at the pontoon, remember this little gull?
Well it now looks like this, sporting the black head plumage of an adult bird ready for its annual migration.
