There are a couple of things that will stop me going for my morning walk Monday to Friday;
If it’s raining. I have a tolerance it amounts to “water in the air” I’m happy to put on my more heavy duty raincoat.
Sometimes, I’m just tired and really don’t feel like it.
I cycle to work, pretty much whatever the weather so that’s why I don’t walk if it is raining. So, why do I walk?
I walk for a few reasons; mostly perhaps because I enjoy it. That enjoyments is derived from the the radio, weather, or rather the skies in particular, I like taking pictures of the Spinnaker and seeing the different skies behind it; then there is the shipping. Of course the regulars come and go, the Gosport Ferries, the whitelink car ferries, and the fast catamarans, which I have been on several times and make for a very quick crossing. The Brittany Ferries; The Normandie, The Mon St Michell, occasionally the Bae De Seine and even more rarely the Bretagne, and the fast cat Normandie, The Commodore line, I’m often a few minutes too late for the Commodore Clipper, but just on the odd occasion I see her. Then there are the bunkering (refuelling) ships, the Cumbrian Fisher (rarely away from her position), the Whitchampion and Janey W. Then of course there are the Reefer (refrigerated) and normal (but not huge) container ships and every so often a cruise ship. I do hope the passengers have a good time with their day in port.
Then there is the #Breakfastclub, supported by the Isle of Wight Radio Society’s repeater – owned and maintained by G4IKI Paul – the repeater keeper. There are friends who appear regularly on the early morning net; 2E1PHW Pete, G7EPE Dave, M0IMA Phil and M3OHN Peter, joined by others when they are inclined. Not least Erin from the States , the Cat vet from New York and the Ex Pats in Hawaii and Australia. I’m sorry, I can’t remember their callsigns, but it is always a pleasure to hear from them.
During my walk I give my weather report. It’s not a forecast. I have a hand held anemometer, in adition wind speed it measures atmospheric pressure in numbeer teerms of both millibars, hpa and inches of mecury, relative humidity, and temperature (C & F are available) dew point and chill factor also. I’ll give the state of the tide, the times of the present high and low for this cycle. The slope of the gosport ferry ramp and the sea state. It has I believe only gone to a two once, during a storm. It’s normally pretty calm in hte harbour, no matter how much the seas is raging. Then and finally, there is the cloud cover. Measured in 8ths. Not sure why, but there you go.
You might think that’s pretty boring, and so it may be – but I enjoy it.


