Day 1 Leg 1

With an 8.30 start, blue skies, clouds at 2,500 feet and an 8 knot wind from the south, things were looking good for the start to an amazing trip. Taking off from Sowley foreshore, tracking along the coast past the familiar Portsmouth Spinnaker Tower, we were on our way to the first refueling stop at Manston close to Ramsgate on the Kent coast. But first we were treated to spectacular views of the south coast in all its glory. Brighton Pier and the marina led us towards the unfamiliar view of the channel tunnel, giving us a totally different perspective which immediately led us to the White Cliffs of Dover and looking to our right, France and all of the activities in the channel. Manston was interesting, the man with two table "table tennis bats" ushered us to a parking spot next to a 737, later arrivals were two military helicopters from Germany, the pilot of one was heard to be having a discussion with air traffic who informed him that he had just flown through the middle of a live firing range. ATC said he was lucky as he passed through between the rounds being fired! The first leg took an hour and fifteen minutes.