At Sea 4: On a ferry to the Isle of Wight

May 2004

Left London Waterloo Station on the 9:45 train to Southampton Central. Arrived around 11:15 and took a taxi to the Star Hotel. Checked in and unpacked quickly since we knew Queen Mary 2 was in port that day. We wanted to see her on the water from one of the Red Funnel ferries. Their ferry service operates between Southampton and Cowes on the Isle of Wight. We bought our tickets, boarded, and crossed the Solent. The trip is about three nautical miles and takes about an hour. As one ferry leaves Cowes, the other leaves Southampton so they pass each other as they travel across the Solent. The upper picture shows us passing Queen Mary 2; the lower picture passing another Red Funnel ferry.


Notes from my journal (May 24, 2004):

“ Walked to the town quay – a lovely sunny warm day. Got the 1:00 car ferry (as foot passengers) and went past the huge QM2. Took many pictures…At East Cowes (on the Isle of Wight) got off and (after a 10 minute wait in the waiting room) right back onto the ferry.”