NaBloPoMo#10: Ferry to the Isle Of Wight

September 1996. The Bestie was over in the UK for a visit and we decided bravely to take the Baby Angel over to the Isle of Wight for a day out. Taking the car was expensive and the weather was lovely so we felt that a foot passage, with stroller was the answer.

We packed all essential baby items; drinks, snacks, nappies, wet wipes, changes of clothes....you know the drill....and headed for the quay where we paid the extra money to catch the hydrofoil over, thus limiting the boring travel time which so vexes one and a half year olds. There was only one problem, after sitting for what seemed to be an inordinately long time on the vessel, waiting for it to depart, I thought to ask a steward whether the hydrofoil was running late. He looked at me strangely and it hit me like the proverbial thunderbolt, we were on the wrong boat. The hydrofoil had departed on its 20 minutes run over to the island some 15 minutes before. We were on the slow car ferry which took an hour in the crossing. :-(

Thus began a day so full of minor disasters and frustrations that it has entered the annals of our shared history as 'That Bloody Trip to Isle of Wight'. For one thing we completely misjudged the size of said island. We had thought we would catch a bus over to the other side where there was a lovely beach and spectacular views of 'The Needles'. Unfortunately I had not checked said bus timetables and our destination was eventually determined by the end point of the very next bus leaving as our tiny charge tired of sitting in her stroller and tried furiously to use the main road and bus stop as a playground. This bus, which had seemed a life savers as we got on, turned out to take the most convoluted route across the island EVER and we were trapped in its confines for the best part of yet another hour!!!!

During this trip. The Baby Angel, ever the mover and shaker, decided that she would run up and down the bus. Being a responsible parent I prevented her from doing this for reasons of her safety and the comfort of other passengers. As a result she treated us to a 4000 decibel protest for the remainder of the trip. I tried every distraction trick known to man or mother at least, but that girl knew she was being restrained. She was not impressed.

During this time, the Bestie and I had had no morning tea and lunch was knocking on our gastronomic doors. Whereas we had packed plenty of baby snacks, there was nothing in the bag for us! It was already after mid day. Determined not to be the one to 'spoil each other's day' we gritted our teeth and made harassed attempts at humour. Eventually we lapsed into a grim silence.

We arrived in Ventnor, on the south side, around 2pm. I kid you not. Baby Angel was in need of a nappy change and a proper meal which required some heating by the restaurant or cafe which we expected to find on our arrival. They were mostly shut. Had I mentioned it was September? the tourist season is well over by then and everything on the Island was gearing down. We eventually found haven in a pub/hotel on the esplanade where we immediately breasted the bar and ordered stiff drinks. Everything seemed manageable after that.

The hotel heated our baby food, I changed the BA on the floor of the ladies room (no baby facilities here!!) on a chage mat which I later sterilised, there were few guests so the BA ran happily around the tables and chairs of the empty dining room whilst the Bestie and I relaxed visibly over a bottle of chardonnay and views of the Atlantic.

We managed to spend an hour on the beach after lunch and then we had to brave the return journey. However, fed and watered and spoiling for a nap, the BA was a much more acquiescent passenger and even graced me with her first 'phrase' as we passed by the Blackgang Chine Amusement Park on seeing the waterwheel for the sawmill, "Look Mummy, round and round."
By the time we reached the Quay to catch the hydrofoil (we went to the right dock this time) she was out for the count and the Bestie and I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

On the way back we added up what we had spent in bus tickets and hydrofoil etc and worked out that we had saved ourselves about two pounds fifty over the Car ferry option and saved little time as we had not caught the hydrofoil to begin with!!

But you can see from this smiling picture that the Baby Angel has made the leap from baby to toddler. Stay with us for more pictures from her 'journey'.