UKBA - Sunday

[Talulah]

Went cross Channel this weekend.
Upon return got boarded by UKBA as we went up the Solent.
Black rib deployed off the UKBA Cutter usually based in Haslar.
All very polite. No issues.
Actually made quite a good training exercise as the client on board was doing qualifying Yachtmaster passages so asked them to treat him as the skipper and direct everything to him.
Even held off whilst I tied on some fenders so I didn't collect a black streak from their rib.
Did all get very wet in the process though. The weather just continued to deteriate.
F7 and constant rain by the time we entered Gosport.
As you can imagine there were virtually no other boats around to choose from.

 

[[70521]]

Actually made quite a good training exercise as the client on board was doing qualifying Yachtmaster passages so asked them to treat him as the skipper and direct everything to him.

and all at no extra charge

 

[mainsail1]

I thought these days their actions were 'intelligence led'.

About 4 years ago I was stopped at 2300 in the Needles Channel by Hampshire Constabulary in a large RIB. 4 policemen and women with machine guns, dressed in black like something from an American movie. It was rough and I told them not to board. They told me to go into a Port of my choice and I elected to go to Lymington. They came aboard at the Town Quay after following us all the way. They left after half an hour of chat in which they admitted it was a training run for them. We then had to decide whether to continue to Portsmouth but the tide would have turned so stayed the night in Lymington. All for a training exercise!