Ships in May 2021, Part 2

Friday 21st May 2021 I woke up to wild and windy weather again outside the windows. It wasn't raining but I think ships were still staying in port. After breakfast the plan was to head inland to the Watercress Line steam railway of the Mid Hants Railway Preservation Society and enjoy what their website said would be available today at Alton Station. It was a lovely journey there through Hampshire countryside, including the picturesque village of Selbourne. On arrival and parking we checked that the website was still accurate for today's date, but the reality was different and as we entered the station we could hear and see the end of a big steam train heading into the distance away from us, so that was very disappointing. I suppose we know that the current Covid restrictions may affect so many things unexpectedly, but it was a shame. The volunteer railwayman on the platform confirmed there was nothing to see here at Alton Station, and the next steam train would arrive and then depart mid-afternoon. We drove back through Selbourne village towards Southsea and again stopped along the promenade/esplanade area near Portsmouth Harbour. When we got out of the car I found it impossible to walk against the gale-force wind as it felt so hazardous. The sea was again coming over the road side so we gave it up as a bad job and headed for the relative shelter of Southsea Castle a little further along. We managed to park and hurry into The Canteen restaurant/cafe, in the Historic Barracks of Old Portsmouth. A light lunch was welcome after all the sea spray and fresh air. That was indeed a safe haven, as we looked out at the sea through walls which must have been two feet thick. Our table was beside a thick glass window, secondary-glazed on the outside, with very heavy metal hinged panels on the inside covering the window alcoves, which looked as if they were original and probably were. I could see just one vessel through the sea-salted glass as it struggled out of Portsmouth Harbour - the ST. CLARE ferry, heading to Fishbourne on the Isle of Wight. To her left I could see one of the Solent Forts and way over to her right I could see one of the Merchant Navy Patrol Boats in the distance.

St. Clare We found out that the weather was still too rough today for any sea trips locally but we can only hope for better weather and sea conditions tomorrow. Dinner that evening had been booked at a small Belgian local Bar & Kitchen (HUIS) in a street in Southsea and was really enjoyable. There were lots of Belgian artefacts hanging from the ceiling or standing in the windowsills, quite apart from very high shelving units standing against the walls and containing lots of bottles of Belgian beer. I noticed those units were safely fixed to the walls and had metal covers of some kind over all the bottle shelves. It was a fascinating place. We tried more fresh air after the meal and I tried to photograph VICTORIA OF WIGHT (not very well), before heading back to the hotel rooms. We hoped for a dry day tomorrow and maybe a calmer sea state and weather forecast.

Victoria of Wight Ships seen: St. Clare, Victoria of Wight, HMS Severn, HMS Mersey (two Patrol Boats), Wight Ryder 2 catamaran at sea, Hurstpoint, Normandie, St. Faith, Hovercraft cancelled To be continued...