Astute blog readers might remember a past debate between a few towns about which is the sailing capital of the US. Well, now that we’ve sailed a bit in the UK, we can report that it’s a moot point. The Solent, the channel between the UK’s south coast and the Isle of Wight, puts to shame any sailing spot in the US.
A few examples:
- We stopped in Lymington, where boats have reportedly been built since 1272.
- We enjoyed a few days in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, where the annual Cowes Race Week regatta has been scheduled continuously since 1826 and now attracts close to 1000 sailboats each year.
- We parked the boat at the town dock on the Hamble River for some land travel. Before we arrived, we heard that the river was home to more than 10,000 boats. No way, we thought. Until we arrived and saw it with our own eyes – it might actually be true!
It’s entirely possible that there are other places in the world with a higher concentration of sailboats, and more passionate sailors. But after spending a few weeks cruising around the Solent, it’s hard to believe.
