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| The Isle of Wight and back
- 11th and 12th August 1998 by Pete Banks | | After
an incredibly long wait for the weather to improve (would the wind and rain ever
stop?) the flying season finally started in earnest with the club fly-outs to
Cromer/Muckleburgh one week, swiftly followed by the Anglia Motel/Weston Underwood
trip. Both great days out. Then followed the fly-out to Swanton Morley. Another
great day. | | |
| If
Swanton Morley was the icing on the cake....then what was to come next was the
cherry on top. Landing back at Weston (after Swanton Morley), Dave and Liz followed
me in for the customary chin-wag (de-brief) of the day's events. It was during
this time that Dave casually remarked....."We've got a few days off....how do
you fancy the Isle of Wight?" "Well....." I said, with an unexplainable lack of
enthusiasm "...I'll think about it". And think about it, I did! All the way home
I thought ......Isle of Wight......Isle of Wight......Lucky Devils......Isle of
Wight. All that night......Isle of Wight......Lucky Devils......Isle of Wight.
I thought about it so much that by the time Jane bought me a cup of tea in the
morning I said "How do you fancy the Isle of Wight?" "Well," she said, with an
unexplainable lack of enthusiasm, "Let me think about it". Well, believe me, this
was far better than the usual flat 'No', so I homed in! "What about the girls?"
she said. "They are old enough to take care of themselves" I said. "What about
the dog?" she said. "The girls can look after the dog" I said. "I don't want to
camp" she said. "We'll get B&B" I said. "..........(silence).........." "That's
it then!" I said, "I'll phone Dave." | | |
| So,
that's how it came about that the following morning (Tuesday) Jane and I were
at Finmere at 8 am rigging the trike, ready for the great Isle of Wight adventure.
First problem - it was very misty. It was still misty at 9 o' clock. It was still
misty at 9.01, when I was amazed to see Dave and Liz join overhead. "What's it
like?" I asked them when they'd landed. "MISTY!" they said in unison. (OK for
waypoint hopping, over well-known terrain, but not desirable for the SOLENT!)
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| We
decided to wait it out and bundled into my old Land-rover in search of food. After
a fine cooked breakfast in the local Tescos (we know how to live it up), we arrived
back at Finmere at 11 o' clock. A quick call to Popham...."What's it like?"......."Misty!"
We held a briefing. It's misty - but it's legal - so let's go to Popham and hope
it clears as the day progresses. | | |
| What
a great flight! We climbed out above the mist at 3,500 ft and flew in sunshine
and blue skies. Then back into the 'goldfish' bowl for the descent into Popham.
Conditions were improving all the time, and by the time we'd topped up the tank
and had a snack, we were in bright sunshine. A phone call to Sandown revealed
light haze in the Solent, but quite flyable. We took-off about 4.30 and proceeded
to skirt the Southampton Zone to cross the Solent at Gosport. I followed Dave
because his GPS shows air space and it is easier to stay-clear. |
| | | As
we crossed the Solent, any fear or trepidation about flying over water, soon faded,
as the beautiful panoramic view unfolded beneath us. With the sun glistening on
the waves and various boats of all shapes and sizes wriggling their path over
the water, leaving the tell-tale wash behind them, it was a truly spectacular
sight. My sub-conscious mind pressed the pedal and we climbed to 3,000ft, whilst
my conscious mind drank in the view. Dave had descended to 'play with the boats'.
We made 'landfall' at Osbourne Bay and had previously arranged that if we were
both happy with the flying conditions we would circumnavigate the Island before
landing at Sandown. Well....we were both happy with the conditions - deliriously
so - which was bright sunshine with a light-haze, so around we went. |
| |  Jane
and I had holidayed on the Island previously, and we both enjoyed picking out
all the places we had been. We flew anti-clockwise from Osbourne House. Then,
over Cowes, which was packed with boats of all shapes and sizes (and this wasn't
even Cowes week). Then Thorness Bay, where we stayed on a previous holiday, over
the inlet at Newtown, past Yarmouth, past Totland and onto the coloured sands
at Alum Bay (hands-up all those who haven't got a souvenir of the brightly coloured
sand). Round the Needles, both Jane and Liz took pictures.
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 Now,
past the Western tip, and past Freshwater Bay Cliff (saw some paragliders), and
onto Blackgang Chine on the southern tip.Continuing eastwards, now brought us
to Ventnor, sight of the WW2 Radar Station that the Luftwaffe bombed in the early
days of the Battle of Britain. At this point we turned inland and called Sandown
for Joining and Landing instructions. The radio was crystal clear for a change,
and we touched-down at Sandown, with the biggest grins imaginable on four people's
faces. | | |
 It
was now 6 pm. We paid our landing fees, secured the trikes, and started on the
'short' walk to Shanklin town. Thirty minutes later we were still walking. I was
beginning to realise that it had been a long day. The first B&B was full. So was
the second. So was the third........... "........but I know someone................
" We were in at the fourth....."If you'd phoned" he said, "I'd have come and picked
you up at the airport!". We had a shower, a drink, found a restaurant for a good
meal, had another drink, and hit the sack about 11 pm. If you need to ask how
I slept that night - you haven't been taking in this article! The following day,
we were due to return, but ......... it was windy! It was windy all day. |
| |  Three
other microlights flew in about midday. They had come in from Baxby on a touring
holiday, had flown to Land's End, and were 'doing' the South coast en route to
Margate/Canterbury by nightfall. We asked them about the conditions....... "Windy!"
They told us they'd had a close call with 'fog' in Cornwall. One minute it was
clear, the next minute the fog was rolling in very fast. They became separated
and had all landed out with not a minute to spare. Scary! |
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