More mud!

When we set off on our coastal adventure I never expected to see so much mud! I guess that's what you get for exploring tidal rivers. It's getting a lot more busy around Cowes now in preparation for Cowes week which starts on Saturday. It was good fun watching the boats moving about outside The Folly Inn yesterday. A lot of people head up river for lunch or an evening meal and then sail back to their mooring for the evening. Watching them trying to set off after a couple of drinks can be quite entertaining! Around 8pm a very impressive speed boat around 40 foot long moored alongside us and it's passengers disembarked already somewhat wobbly! I think the owners had been taking them for an evenings cruise - at very high speed! They headed straight for the pub where I imagine a stiff drink was quickly ordered! They piled back on the boat a couple of hours later and headed straight back out to sea.... rather them than me!!!
We tried to have a long lie in yesterday as we knew we couldn't get up to Newport much before 12pm. As is usually the case we were wide awake and got up to wait for the tide. We set of with intrepidation watching the water level. It was pretty low so we had to follow the channel carefully. In addition there were three sailing schools out in force for us to avoid. The trip went without incident and we reached Newport Harbour about 12pm. We expected the harbour to be quiet. We didn't think there would be much for the sailing yachts in a place so dependant on tides. We were wrong. We passed boat after boat after boat, all with ridiculous gaps between them! It's amazing how invisible you can become when assistance may be needed. Trying to catch the attention of someone on a boat so you can ask them if they could move up a little proved impossible. We eventually reached the end of the harbour and realised there was virtually no room to turn around! We weren't sure what to do for the best so Martyn just gave it a go and turned her round on a pin, thank goodness! Still, we had a problem. We travelled back on ourselves still trying to see if anyone was willing to help without success. We found one space where someone had just left, would we fit? Martyn didn't think so and one of the boats had it's tender tied up behind it. We thought it was worth a try..... Martyn moved in nose first, the tender gently moved out of the way, would the back fit? At one point it looked impossible, then, we were in! 42ft of boat in a 44ft mooring (or something like!) It really was an impressive bit of boat handling! The owners of the boat with the tender never even looked our way even thought they were aboard! We spent the next half hour waiting to be told off by someone. We were OK though, the guy from the Harbour Masters office came to see us and said there was no problem. He then started asking people to their boats where possible to allow more people in. It really is unfair that people use so little thought and follow that by being ignorant when it is clear that people need assistance. They clearly forget how awful it can be to arrive at your destination with no room at the Inn! Anyway enough of the moaning, this is supposed to be fun! Newport is a pretty good place and the Harbour guys are really cool and helpful. We have electric, water and a full range of shops including a really good Morrisons! All for the princely sum of £14 a night, now that's what I'm talking about - almost like a BOGOF compared to what we've been paying! So a minimum of two nights is a must. There is a small issue with children fishing from the pontoon but there seems to be quite a few people around. Did I mention the mud? This harbour dries out completely at low tide so once again we spend a lot of time sat in the mud. Good job she's an elephant, I think she enjoys it really!
A lot of boats have left this morning, I imagine they will be heading for Cowes in preparation for the excitement of Cowes week. We're not sure what to do tomorrow. The weather is good enough to get across to the mainland, however we feel like staying put for a couple of days. Our next weather window is Monday so we may stay and catch a bus into Cowes at some point to join in the fun!