Oriana is passing Calshot now!

[Frank Manning]

Just going to nip down and photograph her for that painting OBF tells me I should do! She looks good in evening sunshine.

[oldbluefox]

About time too!!

[Frank Manning]

Sun setting really quickly, and cloud coming in from the West, added to which she has gone down the Needles channel. Still managed to get a series of photos from rounding Calshot spit to silhouette against the sunset as she goes off past Thorness bay.

[Quizzical Bob]

The little barstewards! I've sailed down that way many times but I've always wanted to cruise out through the Hurst narrows.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I didn't realise she could go that way. I thought Adonia was the only one small enough to do it. Be great to see that. Ideally from the decks!

[Kenmo1]

The little barstewards! I've sailed down that way many times but I've always wanted to cruise out through the Hurst narrows.

My thoughts exactly, QB. We have always wanted to go out past the Needles.

Maureen.


Frank - not sure if you are keeping an eye on Southamptonvts.co for the cruise ship schedule but Celebrity Eclipse and Queen Elizabeth go out tomorrow evening and then Queen Mary 2 on the 22nd October.

Fabulous weather today so I hope you and Sue got out and about and enjoyed the Island (although we were stuck in all day because of builders).

Maureen

[ITWA Travel Writer]

Maureen, just walk down Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow any night and you will see plenty "Needles".

[gfwgfw]

Maureen, just walk down Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow any night and you will see plenty "Needles".

Could that be knitting needles

[Quizzical Bob]

Maureen, just walk down Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow any night and you will see plenty "Needles".

Could that be knitting needles

Scots pine needles.

[gfwgfw]

Maureen, just walk down Sauchiehall Street in Glasgow any night and you will see plenty "Needles".

Could that be knitting needles

Scots pine needles.

Of course - silly Giant

[gfwgfw]

Many an apology's OP for going off course

Do hope you and Sue had a very happy anniversary

Graham

[qbman1]

I didn't realise she could go that way. I thought Adonia was the only one small enough to do it. Be great to see that. Ideally from the decks!

I guess it depends on the tides. Last year, on Adonia, we went out that way (and a very nice ride it was too!) but this year, whilst we were headed for the same destination, Adonia went out and round the IOW. Maybe it's the Captain's decision - we did have a lady driver this time !!!

[Quizzical Bob]

I didn't realise she could go that way. I thought Adonia was the only one small enough to do it. Be great to see that. Ideally from the decks!

I guess it depends on the tides. Last year, on Adonia, we went out that way (and a very nice ride it was too!) but this year, whilst we were headed for the same destination, Adonia went out and round the IOW. Maybe it's the Captain's decision - we did have a lady driver this time !!!

The tides can be quite fierce through there and although it's quite deep it's also narrow. The tides are even stronger on a spring tide which is a couple of days after a full or new moon. If you go through on a sailing boat then there is effectively a tidal gate which is shut whilst the tide is against you. I have only sailed through once when I did the Round The Island Race.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Well there are no reports this morning of Oribanana going aground so clearly the Captain/Pilot knew what they were doing. Shame to have missed it

[Quizzical Bob]

Well there are no reports this morning of Oribanana going aground so clearly the Captain/Pilot knew what they were doing. Shame to have missed it

The tide through there runsa at around 5 knots at springs and you wouldn't want to meet another large ship coming the other way:
http://www.sailingalmanac.com/Almanac/N ... large.html

There are several wrecks around, notably the SS varvassi that struck the extension of the Needles in 1947. It is runoured that a passenger asked for a closer view and the captain obliged.
http://web.archive.org/web/201205020409 ... /varvassi/

Yachts still run aground every year on bits of it which are just below the surface. It's a brave sailor who tries to cut between the wreck and the lighthouse.
http://www.yachtingworld.com/blogs/elai ... ight-66530

[Mervyn and Trish]

There are several wrecks around, notably the SS varvassi that struck the extension of the Needles in 1947. It is runoured that a passenger asked for a closer view and the captain obliged.

Echoes of Concordia!

[Frank Manning]

It was quite a high tide yesterday. We got loads of shots, but because the sun was behind her as she headed West some of them are more silhouette. Another cruise liner went up at 5.15am this morning, so we can expect to see her leave tonight. Miserable day today. Locals from my youth would say "If the mainland is in sight; rain before night. If the mainland isn't in sight 'tis already rainin'."

[Frank Manning]

Many an apology's OP for going off course

Do hope you and Sue had a very happy anniversary

Graham

Thanks Graham. Yes we had a good day. Walked miles, and finished off with a nice meal. I'm like a pig in muck here, with all these ships in view.

[Frank Manning]

The little barstewards! I've sailed down that way many times but I've always wanted to cruise out through the Hurst narrows.

My thoughts exactly, QB. We have always wanted to go out past the Needles.

Maureen.


Frank - not sure if you are keeping an eye on Southamptonvts.co for the cruise ship schedule but Celebrity Eclipse and Queen Elizabeth go out tomorrow evening and then Queen Mary 2 on the 22nd October.

Fabulous weather today so I hope you and Sue got out and about and enjoyed the Island (although we were stuck in all day because of builders).

Maureen

Hi Maureen. Yes thanks for the info. We went to have lunch at The Seaview Hotel. It was to be at The Ryde Castle (where we spent our honeymoon 52 years ago) but when we went in there we were very disappointed with what they have done to it, so we drove on to Seaview. Then we walked across Seagrove Bay. Carvery lunch in here today and it's packed to the gunwales with oldies spending their children's inheritance! Have you been on the Waverley? I think she goes through the Needles Channel and past Hurst Castle on her round the island trips.

[Kenmo1]

Have you been on the Waverley? I think she goes through the Needles Channel and past Hurst Castle on her round the island trips.

Hello Frank - we have been on a yacht past the Needles and moored up at Scratchells Bay so that we could see the cave as we had a Brannon print of it but I would still like to sail past on a big cruise ship. I'm sure we still have the print somewhere and while I was checking out the correct spelling of Scratchells on the internet, I saw there is quite a bit about George Brannon prints on Wightbay so I must check and see if ours is worth anything (if I can find it).

We always say we will go on the Waverley one day, maybe next year.

My son loves Seagrove Bay and I'm sure any inheritance he receives will be spent on a house or bungalow over that way - Ken and I must get a cruise sorted soon and use up a bit more of that inheritance.

Maureen

[Frank Manning]

I crewed in the Round the Island race three years running, and we nearly came to grief with a bad broach off the Needles the second year.

Careful spending that inheritance Maureen, you know Ray will tell us baby boomers that we should be financing those poor hard up youngsters, and not enjoying ourselves!

[Quizzical Bob]

It was quite a high tide yesterday. We got loads of shots, but because the sun was behind her as she headed West some of them are more silhouette. Another cruise liner went up at 5.15am this morning, so we can expect to see her leave tonight. Miserable day today. Locals from my youth would say "If the mainland is in sight; rain before night. If the mainland isn't in sight 'tis already rainin'."

Celebrity Eclipse and Queen Elizabeth are in port today.

http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/hom ... .9/zoom:12

Edit: Both of these came in through the East Solent.

[Frank Manning]

Adonia has just headed off towards the Needles channel now. Is this her last ever visit to Southampton, and now she is repositioning to the Caribbean?

[Quizzical Bob]

Adonia has just headed off towards the Needles channel now. Is this her last ever visit to Southampton, and now she is repositioning to the Caribbean?

We are on Adonia at the moment and now passing Gurnard Bay. I'm pleased to be going out the Needles way.

There was a rumour that Adonia was retiring to the UK cruising schedule after a refit at the end of next year. I shall try to find out more.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Adonia has just headed off towards the Needles channel now. Is this her last ever visit to Southampton, and now she is repositioning to the Caribbean?

We are on Adonia at the moment and now passing Gurnard Bay. I'm pleased to be going out the Needles way.

There was a rumour that Adonia wasretiring to the UK cruising schedule after a refit at the end of next year. I shall try to find out more.

I presume that should read returning QB? In which case that would be good news. She's still on our hit list.