Casting off on Friday night from Portsmouth to cross the Solent to get to Cowes. It was grey and very windy. We made it in around 11 pm and sacked out by midnight. Hard to sleep the night before my first race.
Saturday morning the race started for us at 6:15 is was a cold hard slog up to the Needles (western-most point of Isle of Wight) but all those boats tacking and swerving were a sight to see even in the cold foggy early morning.
By the time we got around the Needles, the sun had come out but the wind was still very strong. This picture shows the Needles at rocky outcroppings in the sea. At this point we are sailing quite fast downwind. Very large swells and not a lot of tacking. It was sort of like being on a tippy roller coaster. At least it was sunny now.
This is a great part of the race you have made it past St. Catherine's Point (the southern tip of Wight) and are zooming north and rounding the eastern tip called Bembridge. Here all the boats narrow in to take a left (! ok ok port!) around a buoy - you can see it on the left of this picture. Its incredible to look forward at all the boats ahead of you then turn around and see all the boats behind you. Quite magnificent.
I didn't get any pictures of the madness that occurred going around the Fort or crossing the finish line, just this relaxing shot as we head back to port at Cowes - exhausted but happy after 9 hours of sailing. I slept really well on Saturday night
Sorry but I have even more photos at the following link.
2 comments:
So fantastic! You didn't tell us what place your boat came in ...
Oh I am so jealous! I have been reading a lot about sailing lately. Especially of the British variety. In fact, I am planning a solo circumnavigation very soon. Just need to learn to properly sail first.
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