Across the Solent to Cowes

That joke about bad weather came home to roost; today started cloudy and as we poked our nose out of the protection of the Beaulieu river we found a F6 easterly waiting for us. With a west-going tide that set up a very interesting short chop in the Solent for our 2 mile crossing to Cowes - we motored slowly to minimise the spray reaching the helmsman (wimps).

SIRENA IV, Cowes Yacht Haven, pole position

We called up Cowes Yacht Haven on the VHF and they very efficiently assigned us a berth as S6, and we very efficiently consulted the marina map in our book, avoided the ferries, and motored in ... to the wrong section of the marina.  Not entirely our fault as they do have two pontoons labelled 'S'.  Found ourselves in a dead end populated by small boats and dinghies, and had to do a turn on a sixpence using astern & forward alternately along with continuous bow-thruster whilst touching the bottom - I should think we made a nice pattern in the mud.  Having found the right pontoon, we are in pole position to watch others' comings & goings ... and come and go they did.  First five yachts containing raucous teenagers left, the same ones we had seen at Buckler's Hard, then while we were out a fleet of eight large yachts had arrived and squeezed themselves in around us.  Must have been a lunch stop as about 1500 they all left - one had trouble going backwards even with the skipper/instructor at the helm, they bounced off us and we were thankful we had put up plenty of fenders for just such a likelihood. 

Our outing had consisted of a little light charity shopping, stocking up on whisky, lemonade and flapjacks (all yachting essentials), strolling along the front (Parade) & gazing at all the boats - there's always something to watch at Cowes, the yachting centre of the world. With supreme self control (every 3rd building being an appealing cafe/pub) we repaired back to the boat for lunch on board.  Then from mid afternoon until early evening the wind went south and the heavens opened.  As we snugged down with our books, and made plans for tomorrow, we gave a thought to those training yachts who would now be having a great sail ... and getting unpleasantly cold & wet.

set of starting guns from William IV's day 

Royal Yacht Squadron & starting gun

We rewarded ourselves for having a 'home lunch' by going back out to the High Street, all of 100 yds from our pontoon, for excellent traditional fish & chips/squid & chips dinner in the chippy diner that everyone goes to in the High Street called Corries Cabin.