The only way is Cowes

On Friday I collected the staysail from SO31 Ltd in Hamble, who had done an excellent repair job, including replacing the very worn UV strip.  I was joined in the evening by friends Steve, Janey and Isabella.  Two weeks previously I had sailed with them on their boat on the River Orwell: today they had driven across from Essex.  I brought them out by tender to Toucando's pontoon. where we had 7 vegetable tagine and various other bits and pieces, washed down by Toucando's stock of Guinness.

In the morning we had a leisurely cooked breakfast on a mirror smooth River Itchen, watching the seaweed and flotsam rising with the tide. We fed the seagulls stale bread, Isabella spotted the cormorant, my visitors walked along the pontoon to see the dunlins who take their morning rest a bit further along.  I put the staysail back on, and furled it so the UV strip could be admired.  It was a very good match with the Egyptian cotton (colour) of the original.

Eventually the tide turned.  We got ready to leave and set off down towards Southampton Water.  We were duly impressed by the size of the Wallenius Wilhelmsen car carrier that left her mooring just as we passed.  It had looked as if there would be little or no wind: in fact there was a very good sailing breeze.  We raised the main off Weston. then unfurled the staysail and sailed down the channel on a comfortable starboard tack.  It got even breezier out in the Solent, although it was variable.  We more or less held our course, heading towards Ryde, admiring Osborne House, before turning west towards Cowes.  We dropped our sails in good time and motored through the bottleneck that is the entrance to the River Medina.

Cowes Yacht Haven was full, so was Shepards Wharf: it was another busy weekend as people took advantage of the fine September weather.  Fortunately there were still spaces at East Cowes, one of which was allocated to us.  Some of the party took advantage of the excellent showers, whilst others headed straight to The Lifeboat pub where we sank some Guinness and Goddards.

Eventually we were all ready for a walk into town, via the chain ferry.  We checked out a number of us and restaurants before settling on The Red Duster where we enjoyed an evening meal of island fayre.  Eventually it was time to go home, so we caught the water taxi.

It was a leisurely start in the morning.  The weather had changed somewhat.  It was cloudier and colder, but at least to begin with there wasn't a lot of wind.  We topped up Toucando's water tanks and prepared to depart.  Getting off the pontoon went very smoothly and we motored north along the Medina to the Solent.  The wind was very variable in terms of strength.  In the interests of a quick and comfortable return passage we motor sailed on the jib and staysail, getting back to Toucando's home pontoon for a late lunch, so that our visitors could get on the road for their return trip to Essex.

Thanks to all three of them for crewing, and a special mention to Janey for breakfast cooking and washing up, and to Isabella for some expert renditions of the Essex vernacular.