day 5 Portsmouth

Day 5 Portsmouth Southsea castle was buffeted by high winds and waves this morning. The waves were crashing over the promenade so much that you had difficulty walking without getting wet. On the plus side the top of the keep was open and we got to stand in the footsteps of Henry VIII as he watched the Mary Rose sink in calm waters in the Solent. She would not have put to sea in weather like we had today, but we did see a small sailing boat trying to make way against the wind, seafaring folk are a bit hardy I think!

The Mary Rose Museum is being wound down in its present form and getting ready to transfer to the new purpose built ship hall and Museum just 400 meters away. Some sections were cordoned off so that some of the exhibits were being made ready for the move, not an easy thing to move a three ton 12 foot long cannon! I can’t wait to see the new museum open later this year. The Historic Dockyard has plenty to see in the way of maritime history, HMS Victory, Nelson’s flagship at the battle of Trafalgar. And has many original artefacts from 1805. HMS Warrior the Navy’s first Iron Clad steamship and the most powerful ship afloat launched in 1860. It was made obsolete within two years. This time not by the French but by the Americans. Dining at The Still & West pub right at the mouth of the Harbour was a unique experience. You can just sit there and look out the window as the huge cross channel ferries sail into port so close that you could just reach out and touch them. They are 7 stories high and they sail right past the Spinnaker Tower all lit up and welcoming to their home port.