Lovely day - bright sun and about F3 south westerly. Had planned to go across to Bembridge but the tides for Friday morning aren't good for departure and I need to be back to help out at home - earning some brownie points for later in the year......
Mooching about in the harbour seemed a little tame so I set off to circumnavigate the Nab Tower.
The Nab Tower was planned as part of anti submarine protection in WW1 and was sunk on the Nab Rocks east of the Isle of Wight in 1920, the original defence plan never being fully completed It was mounted on a honeycomb concrete base that was flooded to sink it into position. As it settled it came to rest at a 3 degree tilt - which is very obvious to this day. It was manned as a light house, although today it is automatic. During WW2 it had guns mounted on it and shot down some raiders destined for the docks at Portsmouth and Southampton.
Famously in 1999 it was hit by a freighter ship, which evidently came off far worse that the Nab which only required minor repairs whilst the ship had to be run aground to prevent it sinking.
The wind picked up and I had a great sail back into harbour and up to Emsworth
I has lunch at the Emsworth pontoon and help a guy who was trying to come alongside in his 'new' to him motor boat - it was a little larger and heavier than his previous 16ft dory and he didn't appreciate the impact the tide had on the boat.
Than back to East Head for the evening. Another great sunset and the end to a lovely day.
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