The Isle of Wight

From around 1958 to 1961 sailed in our converted life-boat, Trooper to the Isle of Wight each weekend during the summer; we sailed around her occasionally on our way to somewhere else, France maybe? However, it was always done on a shoestring her conversion was a work in progress we never knew how it might turn out.  It was dependant on money, resources and the weather,  all at the same time often it didn’t  happen but when it did it was perfect.

We could watch from afar,  her iconic bulge domed beyond Calshot Spit, an ever changing backdrop to the vast array of crafts as they plotted a course from Southampton Water or the Hamble to the English Channel.  We would venture closer and gaze at the imposing coast line sometimes she turned us away,  the wind direction would change and making it difficult to land and  moor so  would…