Southsea Seafront on Thursday afternoon

The Solent was lashed by storms this week with winds up to 50 knots recorded at Chichester Bar. The scene at Southsea Seafront on Thursday afternoon was one of exciting chaos with waves sufficiently high for the road to be closed.

All in a days fun for the likes of Sir Robin and Dee Cafferi but no sign of any Little Ship Club burgees or Brian Humber's spinnaker. Even the Sunsail fleet stayed at home.

There was, however, one member who shall be nameless cowering in the shelter of his yachts hull, grasping the wet and dry and trying to breathe some polish in to his barnacle encrusted propeller. Thankfully his boat was sitting on the hard at the time, diving is not a winter hobby for this Club member.

No, this was no place to be at this time of year with low pressure screaming in all the way from Booth Bay (or somewhere out there).

This did not, however, put off the Opies on Saturday