Sunday 17 March 2013

Subsequent Saturdays

A week ago, I 'navigated' my way through thick fog for the first time. Out on the Solent, however, the sun shone and we headed for the Victorian forts that were built at enormous cost to defend Portsmouth but whose only practical use turned out to be as a backdrop for Dr Who's battles with the Cybermen.
Yesterday, instead of a flat calm we had a F7/8 gale with driving rain. The crews training for the London to Paris challenge (now apparently rebranded 'the Real Boat Race') were supposed to be doing 24hr rows off Ramsgate but had to make do with a 12hr row in the relatively sheltered waters of Chichester Harbour instead.
I shepherded the crews from Ickle Pickles, a very excellent charity helping premature babies. The other crew is raising cash for the equally excellent Help for Heroes.
In the morning the wind howled and the rain came down chronic so no pics, but the water was relatively calm because the wind was coming in over the tide.
When the tide turned, however, it got a bit brisk. The picture shows conditions in a an area that was quiet enough for me to get my phone out:

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