23rd August – Friday – East Cowes to Southampton and Hamble

We only had a short trip of 12 miles today, so made the butties and set off at 11.00.  Arrived at 15.00 after a gentle sail across the Solent into Southampton water.  We had a walk round on arrival.

24th August – Saturday

We had another epic walk today into Southampton, around town, West Quay shopping centre (which seemed like a social experiment, a warren of busy people, Mick does not understand that people go shopping as a pass-time) and finally IKEA.

Mick purchased some size 34 trousers, impressive from a tight 38.

25th August – Monday

Rainy, cross stitch and blog.

26th August – Tuesday

Windy and overcast.  Tried the local greasy spoon for breakfast, bit of a treat.  More walking.

27th August – Wednesday – Southampton to Port Hamble

Another short sail exploring the area.  11:50 start, arrived 13.30.  20 knots of wind which enabled some sailing.  We passed some huge tankers and car transporters which dwarf the tankers. 

The Hamble is entered through a channel which the book tells you not to ignore.  The shallows are very shallow.

There are about 6 marinas on the Hamble and it is a very yachty area.  People seem to like to say they keep their boats on the Hamble.  The channel is well marked and busy.

We moored up and walked the short distance into the village, which is very small, but very pretty.  There are galleries, several pubs, a deli and a very pretty ‘everything you never needed’ shop in a topsy-turvy cottage.

Info:  There is a Co-op only 5 minutes walk from the marina in Hamble Square.  The facilities are good with OK hairdryers and plugs. 

28th August – Thursday

Windy.  Walked to next marina along, then back on a footpath to Hamble.

Had a sort out in the boat, and of clothes and threw some (not even fit for charity shop) away, also altered some on the sewing machine.  When sailing you do actually wear clothes out.

29th August – Friday

Windy.  More cross stitch.

Scraping the bottom of the barrel for things to do, Mick got out the dinghy and gave Fleur’s waterline a good scrub.  It gets a bit furry after a few weeks with the sunlight getting to the algae.  And its a good excuse to test the dinghy.

30th August – Saturday

Windy.  So got up and did the washing and left that to dry prior to a big supermarket shop.  The small co-op in Hamble was good but we needed to stock up.  We had been told there was a Tesco on the outskirts of town, about 3 miles, so off we set with trolley.  We passed another larger co-op about a third of the way,  which with hindsight would have been suitable, but we plodded on.

Almost an hour later a mirage appeared in the shape of the ‘Tall Ship’ chippy.  A bag of chips sat in a bus shelter sorted us out and Tesco was a further 10 minutes.  An hour round Tesco and another hour home.  Phew.  Indian Meal for 2 as a reward and X Factor.

31st August – Sunday

Sunny.  Cleaned the boat, cut hair and read the papers.

Our friend Allen paid us a visit late afternoon in his big white van.  He is the backup vehicle for the Tower to Tower, Blackpool to Paris cycle, raising money for Trinity Palliative Care Services and Brian House Childrens Hospice. 

http://www.justgiving.com/T2T2014BLACKPOOLTOPARIS

Lovely to see a friendly face from home and have a good chinwag, really appreciate him dropping by, before catching his ferry.

You may have noticed there is not much to do in the Hamble, apart from walking.  We have had a good relax, while the weather has been blowy.