How are sail away views-British Isles Caribbean Princess May Cruise

[teacherplus]

Going out of Southampton, with stops at Cork (Cobh), Glasgow (Greenock), Kirkwall, Invergordon, Edinburgh (S. Queensferry) At least these are the stops where we sail away during daylight hours. Are there any great views during sail away? Which ports have views that you would not want to miss the sail away? We are trying to decide on dinner time since we have a group of 8 going. Thank you for any info.

[Sanjam cruisers]

Teacherplus

I am rather biased staying only a few miles away from Greenock, but sailing from Greenock on a sunny/bright summers evening and sailing down the Firth Of Clyde is beautiful with lovely scenery on either side and a glass of whatever you like in hand to appreciate the view.

[John Bull]

The sail out of Southampton, down Southampton Water, through The Solent & round the Isle of Wight is interesting if you know what you're looking at...............

 

On the port side.

The river entering Southampton Water beyond the QE11 terminal (Test Road on the map) is the River Itchen, which comes down from beyond Winchester - the riverbank at the right-hand end of the Itchen Bridge was the site of the Supermarine factory, where the first RAF Spitfires were built.

At the water's edge at Abbey Hill on the map is Henry V111's diminutive Netley Castle - more an artillery fort than a castle. Built with stone from Netley Abbey (the ruins of the Abbey are behind Netley Castle, can't be seen from the ship) after he trashed it during his Dissolution of the Monasteries.

 

Next, the solitary tower in parkland was the chapel in the centre of the enormous Royal Victoria Military Hospital. First used for casualties from the Boer War, then the two World Wars. Handed to the US army from D-Day onwards - the G.I.s used to drive their jeeps down its 1/4-mile-long main corridor.

Demolished in the '60's, just the chapel remains.

 

The next river (Shore Road on the map) is the River Hamble, the UK's premier river for yachties.

 

Your ship now heads to starboard, before turning hard to port to round the Bramble Bank (exposed at Spring tides), then passes close to the Isle of Wight. To port, you'll see Portsmouth harbour entrance & the Spinnaker Tower, then Henry V111's Southsea Castle on the waterfront, but these will be quite distant views.

Look out for the three Napoleonic forts (google "Palmerston's follies") in the middle of the Solent. Remind the captain to look out for them too :D

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Herbert+Walker+Ave,+Southampton+SO15/Test+Road/Abbey+Hill,+Netley,+Southampton,+UK/Netley+Hospital+Chapel,+Southampton/Shore+Road,+Warsash,+Southampton,+UK/Spinnaker+Tower,+Portsmouth/Southsea+Castle,+Southsea/@50.8393981,-1.336604,21890m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m44!4m43!1m5!1m1!1s0x487476969b4f516d:0x545b24e3f784608e!2m2!1d-1.4260721!2d50.904522!1m5!1m1!1s0x4874712cd1a7a5bb:0x6aa352ac27b79d4b!2m2!1d-1.39604!2d50.8861475!1m5!1m1!1s0x487470e2ae76ff7d:0xc9ded5f3cfb7c979!2m2!1d-1.3610921!2d50.8795538!1m5!1m1!1s0x4874705a33330261:0x95aa712e766591a7!2m2!1d-1.3416061!2d50.8666024!1m5!1m1!1s0x4874701dcbb74bc7:0xd4e87f390756ca6!2m2!1d-1.3035287!2d50.8526252!1m5!1m1!1s0x48745d80f1b5917d:0xdd92c1a36ba2f135!2m2!1d-1.1084726!2d50.7955663!1m5!1m1!1s0x48745dead32c151d:0xe104222989f34a2e!2m2!1d-1.0888278!2d50.7780853!3e0

On the starboard side

The long wooden pier on the other side of Southampton Water, opposite the QE11 terminal, is at Hythe (The Marsh on the map). RAF air-sea rescue launches, and later the world's first hovercraft were designed & built here.

After the Fawley oil refinery, the spit of land at the end of Southampton Water is Calshot Spit. The big "sheds" were hangers for the short-lived Empire flying boat service of the 1930's, now used as an adventure training centre. At the end of the Spit is the coastguard tower, and beside it the tiny Calshot Castle.

 

Your ship now turns hard to port to round the Brambles Bank & past the mouth of the Medina River on the Isle of Wight. The big building at the mouth of the river with the union flag on its doors was a hovercraft factory, now I think it makes wind turbines.

Very shortly you pass very close to Queen Victoria's Osborne House, up on the hillside.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Herbert+Walker+Ave,+Southampton+SO15/Test+Road/The+Marsh,+Hythe,+Southampton,+UK/Fawley+Refinery+Gate+2,+Marsh+Lane,+Fawley/Calshot+Castle,+Calshot/Osborne+House+Osborne+House+Estate,+East+Cowes/@50.7725591,-1.3779007,43822m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m38!4m37!1m5!1m1!1s0x487476969b4f516d:0x545b24e3f784608e!2m2!1d-1.4260721!2d50.904522!1m5!1m1!1s0x4874712cd1a7a5bb:0x6aa352ac27b79d4b!2m2!1d-1.39604!2d50.8861475!1m5!1m1!1s0x4874772d987b0619:0x6a3cf2c2b8e7abf5!2m2!1d-1.3993428!2d50.8698651!1m5!1m1!1s0x48747a7c7b8a48b1:0x13783a3d7c8a9c80!2m2!1d-1.3521368!2d50.830349!1m5!1m1!1s0x48747ab7beb71037:0xbbf3474ff746ea1!2m2!1d-1.307432!2d50.819826!1m5!1m1!1s0x48746360daea1133:0x32588a8f34abdb13!2m2!1d-1.27024!2d50.7511022!3e0

 

On both maps, ignore the blue line linking those places, your captain will prefer to stick to deep water. ;)

 

I've presumed that your ship will circumnavigate clockwise round the Isle of Wight - most ships do because the navigation channel is better.

But a few (like the original Queens) head directly west out of Southampton Water, with The Needles on the port side, Hurst Castle Spit to starboard.

 

JB :)

[DeloreanGirl]

I have a large framed photo I took of a beautiful lighthouse on a misty green cliff that I took from my balcony sailing out of Cobh! I loved the sail away from Cobh! Another stunning sail away was out of Greenock. Lots of beautiful green hills. However, a few minutes after sailing away from Southampton, I spotted a castle on a hillside. I'd say those were my three favorites. Oh, and the ship did a complete 360 spin near the bridge coming out of South Queensferry.

Edited November 13, 2016 by DeloreanGirl

[tartanexile81]

Your sailaway in Edinburgh will be amazing. You will be anchored under the Forth Railway bridge, a World Heritage Site and you will have a view of the two other adjacent road bridges.

 

As you sail towards the North Sea, the river is not too wide so you will see the Edinburgh skyline on your starboard side and lots of lovely villages on the port side with long, long stretches of golden sand. You nearly always see grey seals. There are also numerous small islands dotted along the Forth including Inchcolm with its Priory, and May Island Nature Sanctuary. You'll also pass the iconic Bass Rock.

 

I also enjoy being on deck after Invergordon, although Invergordon port is very industrial. Once you enter the Moray Firth you may see porpoises or bottle-nosed dolphins and distant views of the pretty coast-line. It's a very relaxing time and quiet on deck because lots of people are in dinner.

[teacherplus]

Thank you all for telling me what to look for at the sail always. We love to look at beautiful scenery.