Tag Archives: isle of wight

Boats from Above

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wpid7752-C59F7500.jpgContinuing with the round the Island flight that Pete and I took, we ended up having a bit of a maritime excursion.  It seems that anyone with a boat was out waiting for us, whatever form those boats took.  As we reached Yarmouth, the Wightlink ferry was arriving so I got a shot of it.  As we reached Cowes, the Red Funnel ferry was coming out so we got it too.  Just off Cowes, the paddle steamer Waverly was blasting along (she really can move) so an orbit of her was required.

wpid7760-C59F7714.jpgOn to Fishbourne and two more Wightlink ferries.  One was just departing and the other just arriving.  They have to turn around at this point so a little dance ensues as seen from above.  Then it was on to Ryde and there we get a hovercraft making its arrival.  None of this was planned so I guess we were just on a lucky roll.  Then, as we headed across to Portsmouth, the catamaran from Ryde was on its way so we got a shot of that too.  I guess that is a full set for access to the Island!

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The Needles

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wpid7740-C59F7333.jpgMy relative Pete shares a number of interests with me with flying being a big one.  He is an airline pilot currently flying 747s but he also has a Piper Arrow that has been in the family for decades.  He maintains this on the Isle of Wight and, with us coming across to see my mum, he was keen to go and play.  As has been the case a few times recently, the weather was not ideal but we still had enough to go so we took a trip around the Island.

One of the Isle of Wight’s most famous landmarks is The Needles.  A chalk outcrop at the western end of the island with a lighthouse built on the end of it, I am by no means the first person to photograph it.  When I first learned to fly and took people on trips around the Island, this was always the bit everyone wanted to see.

wpid7738-C59F7321.jpgI was shooting through the windows of the Arrow which is not ideal but they were in pretty good shape and I managed to avoid too many reflections.  The Needles looked as impressive as ever and we got a pretty good look before heading on to Alum Bay, home of the multicolored sands.  On an overcast day, the colors were hardly popping but you can take my word for it, the colors really do vary!