England

We departed from Southampton. This shot was taken from our balcony. Our staterooms were in the bow of the ship. We loved it!

Reeling in the lines holding the ship to the dock.

A very efficient operation. Inside 15 minutes the lines well hauled in and stored ready for the next docking.

Heading east from Southampton to our first port, St. Malo, France

Jane and Georgie were in the stateroom next to us. Jane's brother, Dick and his wife Liz also joined us on this Cruise.

A castle between Southampton and Portsmouth.

Galshot lifeboat station (Tower adn small building to the right) and the Galshot Castle (round building).

Galshot Castle

Galshot Castle was built by Henry the VIII as part of his chain of coastal defences to defend England from foreign invasion especially during turbulent times after his break from the Roman Catholic Church.

Holy Trinity Church - Cowes, Isle of Wight

Wave riders approaching the ship with the town of Ryde in the background

Ryde, Isle of Wight. This is the town where my nice is. We'll be back here in two weeks to celebrate her Silver Jubilee in the convent.

The hovercraft is one of two main means of travel between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.

Spinnaker Tower - Portsmouth, England

The tower rises 170 meters tall and reflects Portsmouth's maritime history.

Spitbank Fort

This is an old fort in the channel between Ryde and Portsmouth. It was built in the 1860s as a line of defence for the port of Portsmouth. It is today a very exclusive resort, mostly used for company retreats, weddings, holiday parties, etc. (www.spitbankfort.com)

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