"Cowes Sailing Week 2004" by jono84

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View from the port deck

Isle Of Wight

Cowes Week is always a massive week for this part of the south coast, because it attracts tourists, sailors and boats from all over the country, as well as from Europe.

This year, just under 900 competitors were turning up at the startline everyday, making the waters very busy and hectic, but great fun!!

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Who ate all the pies?

On the Side

I have always enjoyed sailing, and have been lucky enough to get out on a friends 37-foot yacht for 3 of the last 4 years at Cowes.

A majority of the boats out are smaller than this one, but some million£ yachts can go beyond 70-foot in length in some classes.

This is yours truly, taking a quick snack break on one of the easier runs downwind, when there were no waves crashing over the side!!

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Tug of War

Cowes Comes Alive

The small island town of Cowes comes alive during the week, and there are loads of competitions and different fun things going on!

Here is the keenly contested tug of war...... (Skandia won this contest)

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Beer tents.......free beer!

Plenty of Beer

Shopping is good, but more importantly there are literally tonnes of people and sponsors handing out free sample food and free alcohol!!

Here, i just stumbled upon the Fosters Beer tent, and the Irish Whiskey marquis..... with hundreds upon hundreds of beer kegs..... hehehe

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Red Arrows over Cowes

Amazing Red Arrows

We watched the Red Arrows from onboard the yacht, moored in dock for a better view.

They were breath-taking, pulling plenty of near-miss moves, and death-defying loops, right above our heads!!

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Nearing the finale.....

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My Favourite Photo

A great and difficult-to-take, upclose shot of the group turning sharply in formation, alongside some previously-made white smoke plooms.