Trafalgar 200

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xcw

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Just watched the fireworks etc on the box - it looked fantastic, wish I had been there. Does anyone know why it wasn't held at the weekend when more people could have enjoyed it? I sure many like me couldn't go because the kids were at school. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 
I think they could not combine the fleet review and the evening stuff with IFOS in the space of one weekend. I have to say I thought the TV coverage was crap. Luckily we could see and here it ok from where I was.
 
Went down to Stokes Bay, really enjoyed it and regretted not taking the boat out and getting home in time to go to work, would have been worth it in the end!
 
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Does anyone know why it wasn't held at the weekend when more people could have enjoyed it? /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

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I'm not sure many more people could have enjoyed it! I saw it from the shore and have never seen so many people in my life! Crowds were half-a-dozen thick the entire length of Southsea along to the castle and once you were a couple of people back it was quite difficult to see the re-enactment, although the fireworks of course were fine. Absolutely brilliant though, and I hugely enjoyed it - I guess I'm lucky I could pop along during the week.
 
We came we saw we went...
Left Northney after the storms had passed for a quick dash round to the anchorage East of the sub barrier.

Channel 11 was about to explode there was so much traffic. Channel 16 was being horribly abused by the military!!!

The anchorage was fairly full but we wern't far from the edge of our "cage perimeter" the sub barrier, so I thought fairly close to the action.

In the murk from the South the tall ships sailed/motored up the channel after waiting for the big P&O shopping trolley cross channels to go.

A few bangs and flashes later I guess it was all over because a really fantastic fireworks display kicked off.

When it was all over lots of hooting of horns and cheering.

Upped anchor about 23:00 to head back to Chichester Bar with a procession of boats the like of which I've never seen.

Rows and rows of red/green/white lights following us into Chi a fantastic sight that sadly didn't come out on the camera.

Tied up Northney 00:30 beer and bed.

Well worth going out..


Ian
 
Re: Trafalgar 200 - Portsdown Hill

All car parks full on the Hill at 7pm thousands watching from the carparks and roadside. Wanabe police makebelives security stopped lots of people and were totally OTT. Bloody nanny state,
however
A bit murky but fireworks very very good.
 
Re: Trafalgar 200 - Portsdown Hill

Went out on a very, very fast RIB in the day which was great fun and got to see the whole fleet properly. Then went out on a Halberg Rassy in the evening with my other half and a friend of ours. Anchored off Gilkicker so didnt see the battle but fireworks were amazing.
Made the mistake of going up the mast for a better look but not the best idea with so many boats going past at 10kts+!
Got back to Swanwick about 12.30 shattered but worth it. Being out on the water was the best place to be.
 
Definitely a fun day out, despite the roly-poly sea and torrential rain on the way back. We were between Ryde and Nomansland Fort, just about in the front row. HOwver, I was disappointed with the lack of action during the review, and thought it was more fun watching other spectator boats. For example:

- the yacht who had got there early and paid out about 40m of chain in 4m of water, with a buoy marking the anchor. He then spent most of the morning chasing people away from his 'private area'
- the young lady on the foredeck of Daddy's Mobo, who seemed to be the only one in the SOlent who thought it was sunny enough to be topless. After about 3 hours sitting there, she realised it wasn't as warm after all.
- The Westerly next to us, like a Centaur but bigger (Discus?) who took some persuasion that they were dragging, not us swinging. When they up-anchored they found they only had half of it - the other half is still stuck in the mud! A very sobering thought, which made me realise why an anchor watch or at least alarms are important when there is a lot of movement.
- The lady in the back seat of a !6ft speed boat which motored past, who decided to empty the contents of her stomach right alongside us - just as we were having lunch!
- The Moody 376 which made about 10 attempts to anchor in front of us, then gave up and spent the day motoring up and down. Skipper, its time you got some training.

Listening to Channel 11 was fun too, especially the conversation which went:
" QHM QHM, this is vessel Blah Blah ( I didn't catch her name), permission to leave the harbour by the main channel please"
" As you are 2 minutes late, you will have to wait for HMS Chatham to leave her berth and exit the harbour"
"THank you QHM, I am sure the royal reports and photographers we have on board will be very impressed"
" I will pass that on to the Queen, sir !"


Glad we went, and wished we had stayed out for the fireworks. Ah well, next time.
 
We took the Gosport ferry over to Southsea and arrived just in time for the Son et Lumiere.

As the tall ships glided gently along in front of us lit by those blue green spotlights the effect was magical and as the cannons fired and explosions raged on the tall ships the crowd were I was standing were enthralled; behind us the large TV screens showed telephoto shots of the ships and anchorage and scenes from the ships as the battle raged


When the main fireworks started and the slowly moving ships were silhouetted in front the effect was breathtaking, the synchronisation of the fireworks to the music was brilliant.

The production and music were superb and the narrative on Nelson and the battle by Robert Hardy was beautifully judged and really hit the mark, I found the whole thing quite moving.

It was a night I shall never forget.

The BBC web site is showing a lengthy video of some of what we saw - see the video link here
 
Why do they always have the IFR on a Tuesday? Just the same way as General Elections are always on a Thursday...
in this case blame Henry the Something (5th) who was obviously the original bean counter except he wanted to view the fleet he was paying for.. how silly is that?
 
We were in a very crowded anchorage just west of Gilkicker, but didn't see any fun and games except a small yacht drag into an a power boat. The power boat boat had already got the yacht to move as he was anchored too close, so he was not amused. However, soon sorted with the aid of a marshall rib. A couple of boats re-anchored - not surprisingly in tight space, but all seemed to anchor competently. Maybe better seamen on the mainland <g>.

Ian
 
I think we were very near you. We all saw topless on Daddy's Mobo. Right behind us. Not very impressed really!! Not even my telephoto enhanced them very much!!!


I agree with you about the day. A lot of sitting around and eating with long gaps between a small amount of activity. I feel it was a shame all the spectator craft were kept so far away.

We got very nervous about some of the badly controlled craft trying to anchor near us. Especially a large power boat who used his engines to drag his anchor to THE SPOT only to drag it towards other unsuspecting poor souls already safely anchored.

The most exciting bit was motoring over to the Dolphin Barrier for the show later.
 
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