Whilst Liz and Rod were running about getting the stuff they’d pre-ordered and sorting out VAT stuff … I took the opportunity to go and visit the Historic Naval Dockyard, where I was able to view the new “Mary Rose” exhibition, go through HMS Victory, and also HMS Warrior … yep … I was like a pig in shit! A place absolutely worth visiting! So if anyone wants to go, let me know ‘cos I have a pass to all attractions which cost me £26 … but which allows unlimited access for a year! If I’d waited a couple of years I could have got in on a seniors pass!
We had to wait for the weather to depart for France … there were Gale warnings for the entire South Coast and it looked as if it would not ease until late Sunday (today) … we have had 30 – 38 knots at times. The worst part is, if we leave when it eases off properly, we end up being headed by tide around the bottom of the Isle of Wight … and I mean really headed! I calculated that with a boat speed of 6 knots we would be doing 2.2 knots over ground! Stuff that for a game of soldiers!
On the other hand, if we leave after lunch today, we’ll still have 28-30 knots of wind, on the nose, and although the tide will be with us, we now have a wind against tide situation which could make the journey extremely uncomfortable – but we have decided to set sail in a few hours.
Only the Poms and the French could design their tidal and weather patterns to be so bloody miserable and difficult!
So refuelled in Portsmouth Harbour to leave grey old England behind, and began crossing la Manche on Minyga.
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