Despite the arctic conditions I did manage a few days sailing during December. For most of the month Misty was frozen and completely snowed in at the pontoon and the roads were too treacherous to even consider driving to the boatyard to check. Yesterday I ventured down for a look and when I found that Misty was completely unscathed, battery still fully charged and outboard ready to go I decided to go for a short sail.
First a couple of photos from a trip before the freeze:
Yes, it's "Victoria" again, now underway heading out of the Hamble still with the knotted ensign! What more can I say?
Much more pleasing on the eye, a beautifully restored gaff cutter.
Keeping our borders safe, the "Valiant" operated by the re-named Customs service. I can't help wondering why the Royal Navy doesn't do this job.
Yesterday's short sail turned out be a very rewarding 8-hour voyage down to Wooton Creek with a good force 4 and very little else out on the water.
Except this 60 metre superyacht. Couldn't make out her name or nationality at the time but a check of the Southampton AIS plot records identified her as the "Jamaica Bay".
Further internet searching revealed that she is a luxury charter vessel registered in the Marshall Islands! Where's that? A long way away from the Solent in Micronesia. Here's the ensign:
My destination was less romantic and very gloomy, the entrance to Wooton with the race starting platform:
Finally, a short movie from before the freeze of Misty reefed down plodding into a F5 and a typical Solent 'wind against tide' chop.
