Unto Cowes and Come Home

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From Shamrock Quay along the River Itchen and under its bridge into Southampton Water

Regular readers will know that I am going to live on a sailing boat  with my husband as we have to move soon. We are selling or giving away worldly goods and doing up an old Maxi 95 sloop.

Re-learn all the ropes
Hoisting and reefing the main sail

As it has been 15 years or so since I did any sailing, and pre-cancer/chemo, I thought it best to go on a refresher sailing course with a Royal Yachting Association (RYA) instructor.

Last weekend I got on a run as a team of five of like-minded individuals also honing their skills. We sailed from Shamrock Quay in Southampton to the Isle of Wight, where Cowes Week brought sailing boats from all over the world.

re-learning the knots
Dodging other vessels – what does that horn signal?

 

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Plain sailing on the Solent

The severe treatment for my Hodgkin Lymphoma left my body and brain somewhat disorientated. I describe my brain as living in a town where a bomb has hit and roads have been blocked off. I have had to find detours and rebuild. I had been having terrible balance problems since the treatment, but following a number of NHS exercises I have not had any accidents for about a year now.

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We anchored just off Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. This was Queen Victoria’s favourite residence and this her own private beach. It opened to the public 2 years ago.

Although I was used to sailing I had been extremely nervous about going out, especially onto the Solent, which requires strength, skill and alertness due to its tides, geographical structure and the many number of different vessels using its channel.

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The marina on the Isle of Wight was busy for Cowes Week and took great skill to moor four abreast
Out of my price range – the Champagne bus at Cowes
Some revellers at Cowes
Opposition used to be ‘Morning Cloud’ Prime Minister Edward Heath’s boat that he used in the Fastnet race in the 70s.
Great learning for groups of young people on The Tall Ships Challenger boats.

This weekend course really helped me to regain my confidence and sort out what I could remember and what I needed to practice.

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Ready with a slip-line returning to port

I feel brilliant!

by Categories: boat, Britain, Cancer, Challenge, Chemo Brain, England, Hampshire, Health, People, Photo, Ships, Southampton, Travel, UKTags: , , , , , , , , , , , , 40 Comments

40 thoughts on “Unto Cowes and Come Home”

  6. To General G Tony: I got a quick glimpse of your comment but it disappeared for some reason. We hope to be based in the Solent somewhere – there are so many marinas to choose from and may stay between Bristol and Chichester on occasion. We don’t really want to go further than the British Isles and Ireland. We did all that Europe stuff many years ago.

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  7. This is just wonderful! I’m so glad you got out, and enjoyed it. Did you edit your post? I thought there were some details about the s/v Opposition. Wasn’t it part of the Fastnet race? i took one look at that varnished transom and thought, “Oh, my! That’s a beauty!”

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  9. Not sure if my comment went through; here’s another try… I’m sorry to learn of your cancer diagnosis — I hope it’s gone, or will be for you. And I hope that in your move that you will find an accommodating welcome and a nice home. Peace and forgiveness.

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    • Thanks Randy! The NHS cured my Cancer but left me somewhat disabled for some years. Doing this blog has helped enormously. Rents are very expensive here in Southampton and we are a bit fed up of having to move, so we have bought a cheap old sailing boat to do up as mooring fees work out so much cheaper. Peace to you too and may your God go with you.

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  12. I loved seeing the Isle of Wight, especially that luscious mansion at the end of the beach up the lawn. How marvelous that you will be off on a new adventure. Will you have wi-fi? And blog?

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  15. This isn’t my boat – it belongs to the training school, mine is still in dry dock and I am renaming it after my daughter. I am currently drawing pictures of my daughter’s eye to put it at the bow. If you sail on the Solent which is busy you just have to know your stuff.

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