Sailing - Sailing

Well, if you enjoy a nice day gently pottering around in a boat - prepared to be scared, very scared !

However, if you enjoy sailing by the seat of your pants, and hanging on to the edge of the boat with only 3mm of wetsuit keeping you from a serious upside down moment then this is for you.

Chichester harbour federation week regatta, hosted by Hayling Island Sailing club is the place to be.

Run the week after Cowes - it's the amateur dinghy racing equivalent. The "really" serious guys (and girls) go all out to win, and for the rest of us it's simply a great week's sailing (and drinking and partying). All the sailing clubs for miles around get together for the annual "who can sail faster / drink more beer" events.

Every day with a two to three hour race in the mouth of Chichester harbour, with the 400 plus boats all on the start lines at the same time is a thoroughly enthralling sight. After five days of this, if you're serious about winning, then you have aches and pains in muscles (and other places) you never even know you had. But remember - It's great fun!

For anyone who says sailing isn't a spectator sport, just join the "balcony babes" watching their husbands, boyfriend, children, or just the "hunks in tight swimming trunks" out sailing, whilst enjoying a glass of Pimms (or two or five).

Absolutely knackered, but still beaming a very big smile. Do I really have to wait a whole year for another go ? See you at HISC next time !