Isle of Wight Ferry
Posted: June 28th, 2024, 10:21 am
On the Ferry
It was a gloomy February weekend when going for a long weekend away from their busy life's Colleen and Paul had decided to go to the Isle of Wight for Four days.
This included a short ferry crossing. As they were taking the car across. Normally they would have taken the Hovercraft which only takes 10 minutes shore to shore.
The drive down to Portsmouth where the ferry was to depart from was horrendous.
First traffic jams on the notorious M25 with queues which seemed to stretch for ever.
And to top that it had started to rain. Not just drizzle but a full blown downpour.
Rain hitting the car from every direction.
As they approached the Ferry terminal it was a relief to get out of this torrent of water from the skies. The roof covering the Check in area where tickets were scanned and where vehicles of every description waited to board the waiting ferry.
From pulling in to the terminal to actually boarding took Thirty minutes.
. They were directed to park by the deck crew who were dressed in Hi Viz yellow waterproofs. Not the shiny yellow of new gear but the dirt and oil stained of used and well worn waterproofs.
When they were parked Paul and Colleen got out of the car. Colleen grabbed her trusty camera which she took virtually everywhere.
Paul went to the boot of the car and opened it, taking out a couple of bags before closing it again.
Going to the deck exit they took the lift up to the main deck.
Paul handed one of the bags to Colleen who took a quick peek inside it and flashed a smile at Paul.
As Colleen took the bag Paul motioned to her go to the ladies toilet. She knew what he had in mind so she made her way there. Paul went to the guy's toilet as she did so.
He was the first to emerge followed by Colleen a couple of minutes later.
Both now dressed identically.
The bags Paul had got out of the boot when they left the car contained their waterproofs.
Two long yellow Hi Viz raincoats and Yellow rain trousers. He had put his on when he disappeared. Colleen now had her own long Yellow Hi Viz raincoat and yellow rain trousers on as she emerged. He should have really bought their rain boots to but he didn't!
Their appearance made them stand out inside the main deck but they did not worry about that.
Opening the door to go out onto the Sun deck of the ferry( Which was inappropriate for today!) There was a blast of cold winter air quickly followed by the still driving rain. The difference from the interior of the ferry to the so called sun deck was extreme.
Colleen quickly put the hood of her raincoat up and over her flowing Blonde locks of hair. Paul followed suit. Now standing outside by the rail of the ferry about thirty feet above the pounding water which surrounded the metal of the hull, as it slowly emerged from the berth where it had been loaded.
As it moved slowly into Portsmouth harbour Colleen raised her camera to her eye and started to take photographs. First was The Spinnaker Tower, Rain hitting her raincoat and waterproof trousers from behind her and dropping onto the floor The tower was shrouded in mist as she clicked away. Next in the distance Colleen clicked onto a warship that was in the port .One of the big Aircraft carriers that just happened to be in Portsmouth.
She motioned to Paul to stand by the rail. His face being hit by the constant rain, slowly running down his skin He braced himself against the metal rail. The cold, wet metal touching his Yellow coat and making his back cold where it touched him.
Colleen clicked away with him in focus and the back ground of Portsmouth harbour blurred.
She motioned for him to turn to face the harbour, his back now towards her. The back of his raincoat and rain trousers now taking the force of the rain.
Now it was Paul's turn to take the camera. Mirroring Colleen's photos he got her first to stand with her back towards him. Her yellow coat and trousers taking the brunt of the rain storm.
She stared at Portsmouth Harbour as the ferry left the entrance to it. Barely hearing the camera's click as the rain hit her raincoat as Paul took photos.
Turning round now, her hair covered by the tight hood of her coat, she now face him. Her eyes squinting against the stinging rain that was now coming directly onto her skin.
The camera again clicking in Paul's hands.
The photos now safely on the memory card of the camera, Paul put the camera back into the security of it's camera case but not before he had carefully dried it off.
Now just standing outside on the sun deck Colleen and Paul just enjoyed the freedom of being outside in the elements. Their heavy raincoats and rain trousers protecting them from the cold rain that the English winter was throwing at them.
All too soon there was an announcement to go back to the car. They did not bother to remove their raincoats and trousers. Going down the stairs this time, They got to the car. Opening the boot Paul put the camera into the space where the raincoats and trousers had been.
Opening The doors they got in. Their raincoats had virtually dried by the time they had reached the car so there was no problem with getting the seats wet.
Again they were directed off by the crew and away from the ferry.
The persistent rain had followed them all the way from home to the ferry in Portsmouth, all the way across the Solent to the ferry port at Fishbourne on the Isle of Wight.
As they were sat in the car their raincoats and waterproof trousers swished and crackled with every little movement they made on the seat.
Though it didn't matter about that.
It was just the start of their long weekend and not a lot mattered. Not even the weather as the two of them were well prepared for it!
It was a gloomy February weekend when going for a long weekend away from their busy life's Colleen and Paul had decided to go to the Isle of Wight for Four days.
This included a short ferry crossing. As they were taking the car across. Normally they would have taken the Hovercraft which only takes 10 minutes shore to shore.
The drive down to Portsmouth where the ferry was to depart from was horrendous.
First traffic jams on the notorious M25 with queues which seemed to stretch for ever.
And to top that it had started to rain. Not just drizzle but a full blown downpour.
Rain hitting the car from every direction.
As they approached the Ferry terminal it was a relief to get out of this torrent of water from the skies. The roof covering the Check in area where tickets were scanned and where vehicles of every description waited to board the waiting ferry.
From pulling in to the terminal to actually boarding took Thirty minutes.
. They were directed to park by the deck crew who were dressed in Hi Viz yellow waterproofs. Not the shiny yellow of new gear but the dirt and oil stained of used and well worn waterproofs.
When they were parked Paul and Colleen got out of the car. Colleen grabbed her trusty camera which she took virtually everywhere.
Paul went to the boot of the car and opened it, taking out a couple of bags before closing it again.
Going to the deck exit they took the lift up to the main deck.
Paul handed one of the bags to Colleen who took a quick peek inside it and flashed a smile at Paul.
As Colleen took the bag Paul motioned to her go to the ladies toilet. She knew what he had in mind so she made her way there. Paul went to the guy's toilet as she did so.
He was the first to emerge followed by Colleen a couple of minutes later.
Both now dressed identically.
The bags Paul had got out of the boot when they left the car contained their waterproofs.
Two long yellow Hi Viz raincoats and Yellow rain trousers. He had put his on when he disappeared. Colleen now had her own long Yellow Hi Viz raincoat and yellow rain trousers on as she emerged. He should have really bought their rain boots to but he didn't!
Their appearance made them stand out inside the main deck but they did not worry about that.
Opening the door to go out onto the Sun deck of the ferry( Which was inappropriate for today!) There was a blast of cold winter air quickly followed by the still driving rain. The difference from the interior of the ferry to the so called sun deck was extreme.
Colleen quickly put the hood of her raincoat up and over her flowing Blonde locks of hair. Paul followed suit. Now standing outside by the rail of the ferry about thirty feet above the pounding water which surrounded the metal of the hull, as it slowly emerged from the berth where it had been loaded.
As it moved slowly into Portsmouth harbour Colleen raised her camera to her eye and started to take photographs. First was The Spinnaker Tower, Rain hitting her raincoat and waterproof trousers from behind her and dropping onto the floor The tower was shrouded in mist as she clicked away. Next in the distance Colleen clicked onto a warship that was in the port .One of the big Aircraft carriers that just happened to be in Portsmouth.
She motioned to Paul to stand by the rail. His face being hit by the constant rain, slowly running down his skin He braced himself against the metal rail. The cold, wet metal touching his Yellow coat and making his back cold where it touched him.
Colleen clicked away with him in focus and the back ground of Portsmouth harbour blurred.
She motioned for him to turn to face the harbour, his back now towards her. The back of his raincoat and rain trousers now taking the force of the rain.
Now it was Paul's turn to take the camera. Mirroring Colleen's photos he got her first to stand with her back towards him. Her yellow coat and trousers taking the brunt of the rain storm.
She stared at Portsmouth Harbour as the ferry left the entrance to it. Barely hearing the camera's click as the rain hit her raincoat as Paul took photos.
Turning round now, her hair covered by the tight hood of her coat, she now face him. Her eyes squinting against the stinging rain that was now coming directly onto her skin.
The camera again clicking in Paul's hands.
The photos now safely on the memory card of the camera, Paul put the camera back into the security of it's camera case but not before he had carefully dried it off.
Now just standing outside on the sun deck Colleen and Paul just enjoyed the freedom of being outside in the elements. Their heavy raincoats and rain trousers protecting them from the cold rain that the English winter was throwing at them.
All too soon there was an announcement to go back to the car. They did not bother to remove their raincoats and trousers. Going down the stairs this time, They got to the car. Opening the boot Paul put the camera into the space where the raincoats and trousers had been.
Opening The doors they got in. Their raincoats had virtually dried by the time they had reached the car so there was no problem with getting the seats wet.
Again they were directed off by the crew and away from the ferry.
The persistent rain had followed them all the way from home to the ferry in Portsmouth, all the way across the Solent to the ferry port at Fishbourne on the Isle of Wight.
As they were sat in the car their raincoats and waterproof trousers swished and crackled with every little movement they made on the seat.
Though it didn't matter about that.
It was just the start of their long weekend and not a lot mattered. Not even the weather as the two of them were well prepared for it!