Adina Jubilee Celebrations

The Plume family enjoy Jubilee celebrations aboard Adina

The Queen Victoria, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth were moored up in Southampton as part of the Queens Jubilee celebration. So having done a little power handling and fed up of the continuing rubbish weather we decided to stick it out and sail up Southampton water to see them.

Reefed up we endured gybing Adina for the first time. I helm and sheet in the main. With a large overlapping genoa and an inner forestay preventing a straight forward tack or gybe Susie has to furl most of the genoa away (true, a helping electric button makes life easier). With main sheet in one hand and wheel in the other I gybe the boat, releasing the main on the new gybe while Susie releases the old genoa sheet and hauls in on the new genoa sheet. No easy operation and especially when windy. I tried releasing the main behind my back – it shot out and we were somewhat impressed by how far out it goes! Another technique was certainly required was the conclusion.

So we saw the impressive ships in gloomy conditions and headed back motoring head to wind as it lashed it down with rain and wind.

Parking up out first ever guests had arrived. We have the Plume family over for dinner. Susies mum and dad, Ros and Richard, brother Stephen (creator of our blog) and his wife Debbie and Debbie’s mother.

We’ve missed out on the London jubilee celebrations so they’ve bought a union jack table cloth and we end up having our own small jubilee celebration. Lots of bubbles and a very good evening.

Interestingly we had previously taken Susies family out in the Solent on a chartered boat. Susie’s father Richard had left with the comments “Yes, now that was an interesting experience” politely meaning we may struggle to get him back on the water! But we think he likes Adina and chances are now pretty good we will indeed see him back on the water.

As for Susie’s mother Ros, well she’s planned her next years holidays and is joining us here, there, and everywhere! Marvellous.

Twas a good day and thank you to our first ever guests.