By William Mills
The Annual ‘Round the Island Race’ in pictures.
Some 1,500 yachts raced around the Isle Of Wight starting from Cowes they raced down the Solent to the Needles’ Lighthouse then turning eastwards down past the bottom of the island at St Catherine’s Point before heading towards Bembridge Ledge at the eastern entrance to the Solent just south of Portsmouth Harbour where the cross channel ferries leave from.
Then it’s back to Cowes and the finish. The course of about 50 miles takes the fastest boats between three and four hours finishing by mid morning after the 7 am start. Most are finished by tea time with the last struggling in by dusk.
All photos are by Patrick Eden.
