The planned cruise around the Island by the Motorboat Group was postponed from the 11th to the 18th due to adverse weather conditions (gusts to 35kts) as we had planned to moor up at Seaview and have lunch at the Seaview YC.
As a consequence, the original contingent of five boats dropped to two with a total of seven crew. Despite the weather forecast of good vis and otherwise OK weather, we were faced with moderate to poor vis, often dropping to very poor.
We set out heading westward around the Solent with a view to assess the vis and make a decision about the southern passage around the Island after Lunch.
The passage around the Solent looked increasingly better with visibility improving the further west we went – until we got to Seaview where a very obvious fog bank was waiting for us.
Mooring up on the buoys at Seaview, we were collected by the Seaview boatmen in their usual efficient manner and ferried ashore for an excellent lunch on the upper terrace at the Seaview YC.
With Portsmouth regularly disappearing and Ryde Pier barely visible, we decided that the southern passage was not tenable and elected to head back to Lymington.
In attendance were Hot Lemon skippered by John Merrix and Gem skippered by Bill Dunsdon.