Planes ..err.. Ferrys, trains and automobiles...

Hurrah - time to take the ladies to Cowes for lunch - which is basically just an excuse for Smithy and I to get out on AmiLy for the day to help delivers Rodders and his lady to their holiday spot of a week in Shepherds Wharf in west-Cowes..

We enjoy this one (we did it for the first time last year) as it involves almost every type of transport system known to man (other than helicopter) to get back afterwards (as the boat stays in Cowes)..

Either way - met at my gaff at 08:30 before all 6 of us piling into Rod's trusty Landrover Disco (I got the boot seat again!) for the transfer to the boat..

Glorious weather and a surprisingly vibrant breeze blowing when we got there, and from the east..

Filled with water, got the sail covers off, singled up the lines, and we dropped the moorings 09:20 before heading into the harbour - did a U turn off the dockyard to head into wind in order to get the main up, and then rode the outgoing tide to the inner swashway..

I think that's the ex-HMS Montrose (left) and Westminster (right) - they're in the dockyard waiting on news of their likely demise..

The ex-HMS Westminster - a Duke-class Type 23 Frigate (as was Montrose)

..and then had a long uneventful run to Cowes - ended up taking the genoa in as the main was covering it, popped the auto pilot on, had a chat, ate some biscuits, drank some tea, sweltered in the heat..  fantastic..

Lunch was on the balcony of the Island Sailing Club where sitting on their balcony under a large umbrella and drinking beer was quite possibly the best solution to the day...

Lunch over, it was time to bid Rod and his missus farewell (though I'll be coming over on Thursday to help bring the boat back) before we caught the chain ferry (mode of transport #3 of the day), and then walked up to the shops in east Cowes to get the bus (#4) to Ryde, where we then walked to the end of the pier to get the fast cat (#5) back to Portsmouth to get the train (#6) home. Suffice to say that the bus/ferry/train took as long as the sail and I know which one I preferred!

More reading on Montrose/Westminster here [clicky] if interested

Log:

Distance:  40.27 (cumulative total in the mileage tab at the top)

• Sail : 14.06
• Bus :  8.9
• Ferry : 5.2
• Train : 11,4

Wind (Speed; Direction):  F3 gusting F4 ; ExN going SE
Sail Plan: Full main and genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots): 7.3 / 3.5