We had a rush to get the children to school and to pack and set off in the Range Rover in the rain for the preview day at the Southampton Boat Show, stopping at a transformed Borehamwood service complex before completing the journey on featureless and characterless motorways. A comprehensive look at the aft cockpit cruisers, a chance to gather chandlery catalogues and to buy some boat maintenance books as the misty day turned to drizzle.
A night at the splendid and historical Dolphin Hotel, with its historical royal associations and a nice meal of smoked salmon and lobster in the fine dining room before a romantic and passionate bedtime.
It was a rush this morning to get the children ready for school and us ready and packed to leave for the Southampton boat show. All ready by 8am, after loading up, we set off in the Range Rover as the rain was falling gently; not the best weather for the Rolls-Royce convertible. At Borehamwood, we stopped at the service area for coffee and Diana was amazed by its transformation from a small hotel to a massive service complex. I had seen its evolution, but this experience was made the more dramatic by the place being absolutely thronged with people in cars and coaches. The journey onwards to Southampton was easy via the motorways of the lower A1, the M25 and the M3; but it was quite unpleasant being on busy motorways for so long. The county appears as a non-ending concrete surface.
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We went straight to Mayflower Park on our arrival and to the press/trade/special opening day of the boat show. The charges are higher on this preview day but the place less jam-packed. Just about all of the major boat manufacturers were there and we look particularly at the aft cockpit 37-foot versions of the Broom, Princess and Fairline boats, deciding that the Brooms were best if we go for such a style of craft. We also looked at the Dutch steel boats and many other types. Then a long time going around all of the stands for chandlery catalogues (of which Vetus and Aquamarine were outstanding) and then gathering details of toilets, refrigerators, stainless steel fabrication, tanks etce. that may be of help in re-fitting The Lady. I bought some fine and useful boat maintenance books as well as some racks for small parts storage. All this was too much for Di who only likes looking at boats, particularly when the misty day turned to a steady and heavy drizzle.
To our hotel then in the High Street, the Dolphin Hotel. This fine old Inn had been host to George III, Queen Victoria, Lord Nelson and many other notables. We had one of the two suites – the Southampton Suite – on the first floor which had one of the rooms kept permanently for George III in his time. We love the nice meal and service of the restaurant. Beautifully cooked lobster after smoked salmon in my case with a bottle of Liebfraumilch. Truly splendid! This fine dining room was once the scene of many society balls. Time to scan through some of our boating catalogues and then a nice bath before romantic, and quite passionate, bedtime with Diana in a silk nightie for a change.