We're Sailing

The Solent and Southampton Water are renowned for possessing some of the finest sailing waters for yachts and all manner of leisure craft in the country.
Yet those same waters are also one of the busiest shipping lanes in the country, yet both can use the waters efficiently, and for the most part not interfering with each other.
The shipping channels are deep, dredged to provide access to Southampton Docks for some of the biggest cruise ships and container vessels in the world.
Yet for the leisure sailor, those same waters provide relatively sheltered conditions for sailing, especially in Southampton Water itself.  In the Solent, winds and tides are different and competent handling of yachts, powerboats and other craft are called for, and many RYA training centres in the region aim to provide just those skills.
To me though, it is always evocative to see a sailing yacht whether moored or sailing in the shadow of some of the giant ships of the sea which operate on regular round the world schedules and are crucial to world trade.

But then as they say, there is nothing like “messing about in boats.”