Thursday 30th June.

The big event.

The International Festival of the sea

And what a line-up
all along the Solent
Impressive or what?

On Tuesday visitors
were well rewarded for their efforts
despite the couple bursts of torrential rain
accompanied by lightning
easily shrugged off
by the many
including those
close enough to the full tides edge
to get their feet wet from the wake of ships
breaking upon the sloping sea wall.

Afterwards
the Red Arrows
split the sky
with colour trails in their wake
from tight formations to graceful arcs
against the lowering clouds.

Below and later
tall masted ships
passed to and fro
to the story of Nelson's victory in two parts,
with gaps for ferries to move in between and towards twilight.

A fair spectacle indeed
imbued with the mood of old sepia prints
from days when climbed rigging and furled sails
broke the Harbour skyline
where the Spinnaker Tower now rises.

And what a conclusion as the Grand Turk
spotlit through smoke
floated under a canopy of exploding colour
enthralling the crowds,
with possibly the most fantastic spectacular fireworks display ever
synchronised to the sound of Holtz Planet Suite.

Afterwards the horizon
came alive with the lights of the ships of thirtyfive nations
strung along the length of the Solent
as the crowds departed in an attempt to get home.

Gone one o'clock in the morning at Havant,
ten carriage trains were still being brought in from elsewhere
through the New Lane gates
to meet the demand
of those left behind
still waiting.

But it was worth it.

More to come...............

I will be adding image galleries of the event given time
so check 'featured items'.

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