Captain Pete's Voyages: Sailing in the UK (Part 2)

Following on from Sailing in the UK (Part 1)

Back in 2019, I undertook what started off as a "simple" mile-building trip in tidal waters and was to be one of the best sailing trips I have ever had. In fact calling it a "trip" is an understatement... it was a voyage!

Following my arrival on Minke II, the Hallberg Rassy belonging to my friend Tim, I had a couple of free days while waiting to depart. I took the opportunity to explore nearby Portsmouth and catch a ferry to the Isle of Wight, where more friends awaited.

A few years back, having given up on being a shop owner, I had toyed with the idea of taking a course at IBTC. That is the International Boatbuilding Training College in Portsmouth.

I found my way to the Portsmouth dockyards and discovered that the college was based there!

I was enthrallled by the number of projects, the beauty of the wood and the hulls laid open in various stages of repair. Like a massive surgical bay, what some might call carcasses of a large variety of boats lay there below the walkway and I snapped happily away, trying not only to take it all in but also to somehow retain some of this magic to take away with me.

Where to start I do not know... This could be a very long post, easily worthy of "parts" 2b and 2c even...

So here goes with a few photos...

Spinnaker tower, a Portsmouth landmark.

One of the things I most loved about my voyage along the voast of te UK was that every seaside town seemed to really live and breathe its nautical and historical heritage. This was something I had first noticed back in 1989 when I had visited Cowes on the isle of Wight. I seem to remember even the butcher there had some kind of nautical theme on his sign!

So here in Portsmouth, Spinnaker Tower. If you are a sailor, you kind of immediately know, you are in the right place...

It took the maximum zoom of my camera to take this photo of the end of the pier

My first experiences of what it means to be in a tidal area. Mud!

In fact mud as far as the eye can see...

and a bit more mud...

A boat with legs

almost seems unbelievable the large boat is floating..

This was a tidal mile builder and I was getting my first experiences of tides even before I had set off. Here is a little piece of etymological treasure I found in a book too. Did you know that the word "tidy" comes from the tides? Because tidy is neat and regular like the tides...

The HMS Warrior

Hms Warrior detail of bow

Work boats to the backdrop of HMS Warrior

The Hms Warrior

HMS Warrior was the largest, fastest, and most powerful warship of Queen Victoria’s fleet.Click here to find out more about her.

Spotted this going out when I was there, it is an MTB!

As you may have gathered I am interested in boats, period. Sailing, motor, classic, modern, work boat or pleasure, if it floats I am intrigued. Furthermore I am interested in their stories... The above is the MTB or Motor Torpedo Boat 102. Click on the name to find out more about her history too. Now some of you who are local sailors in my waters (the North Ionian) may find something you recognise in that hull shape. Especially those of you who often do the "milk run" between Corfu and Paxos Island. If you haven't recognised it or guessed yet, yes it is the two daytripper boats, one called Sfendoni and the other Petrakis who are converted MTB hulls from the war!!

In fact that is something fairly common in Greece, where many wrecks of the war were salvaged and became the first ferries and trade ships to connect the mainland and islands of war-ravaged Greece.

A black headed gull

A young Herring Gull

Another black headed gull on the beach

I also had a chance to snap a few seabirds while there, you shall see more in later posts.I was amazed at the size of some of the gulls in UK. they seemed so much bigger than the Mediterranean ones.

Heading into the Dockyard itself, here are some photos of boats that were being repaired there.