We was too knackered to post last night but had a fantastic day.
Wanted to thank loadsa peeps though...
Approx 40 RIBnetters and associated RN'ers turned out in the Solent sunshine and chop for a blast yesterday.
Spirits were high...grins were large! And Solent Ranger turned up bang on cue to wave us off! Thank you!
Thanks to all the fab Skippers who accommodated and looked after peeps right, left and centre. No mean feat by the wonderful Team Halliday to put up with me
all the way to Yarmouth! Big thanks to Natasha, Vivienne and Sir Mark !
The meet at Calshot was bang on time (a record for some of us!!!) and the sun shone on Cowes Town Quay (see Robin's photos
) as we had refreshements and introductions for the new peeps. The students of Pompey Uni (Jimbo, Rich and James?) were in impressive form although threatening terrible things to Tim M who has arrived from civilised Norfolk to survive a Frattonesque Freshers Week !
Scary Des is of course Extremely Affable Des who got on famously with everyone (only putting Pete 7's nose out of joint as he won the Pac Race to Yarmouth!!!).
Nasher gave a free engineering demo to assorted peeps on Town Quay while receiving RIBnet-type advice from Pete 7 and Andy Hightower. Middle Nasher assisted Dad with great glee. Engine started, Nash forged ahead for the next meet in Yarmouth
'Explosion' as usual steals the limelight! Carl & ( the long-suffering ) Matt pulled up in Cowes for a navigator change as Martin booked himself a blast to Yarmouth. However another boat also blew us all away as Pressman arrived! Steve, Caroline, Tim, Duncan & Ben made us feel like Lilliputians from
Gulliver's Travels as this absolutely gynormous RIB turned up with twin jets and stormed up the Solent!
Bay of Biscay here we come!!!
The King's Head were brill as usual and coped admirably with the influx of thirsty boaters. Dave Simmons regaled us with dodgy jokes
while Harry kept him in line. And there were several rounds of 'Irish Cappucinos' !
Slimtim eventually woke up and joined us, ferrying some peeps back to his house to show off the RIB build. (Photos will surely follow!)
A visit to Minghellas for ice-creams was a must then for the three youngest peeps; Natasha, Ben and Middle Nasher. Top Kiddos!!!
Bernie was delighted as we all managed to pay the correct Harbour Fees before heading for home. The long distance boats (Janet & Bill, Julia & Alan & others) had a long trek back and we waited long enough to see everyone had company before turning East ourselves.
Some peeps made the most of the great day however and Team Lunasea (dad Ian with the Revenger and crew and Craig and Co-Pilot on Zapcat) as well as DJL and Dylan, headed even further west for the Needles! Lookin foward to those photos!!! As you've read, the Intrepid DJL carried on round the island for good measure
And some of us headed back to Pompey then. The few stragglers that found each other still out there (Robin, Anto, Martin, Howard, Pete, Vivienne, Andy, Marius and ourselves) took a sudden decision
to head for sundowners on the Lightship (see Andy's photos!). And thus we found ourselves drinking to a wonderful day out altogether. Oh almost forgot : Martin and Howard boat-tested Merlin on the way home.
Thanks everyone for making us all forget about work and the daily woes with a wonderful spirit of RN camaraderie on a Blast to Yarmouth! Thanks for pms and texts from peeps one by one reporting safe returns (much appreciated by a Worrier
). Thanks for posting some photo-souvenirs already for us all to enjoy and hopefully there will be a few more. (Paul needs a few days rest first!) Hope to see you all again soon..(there's always the Solent Boaters' meet for exercising those throttle muscles next Monday!)
Us
Darwin
