Seaquest SJ320 5678T Scarlet Jester under spinnaker after passing The Needles during the 2015 Round the Island Race
The annual Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race, organised by the Island Sailing Club, is a one-day yacht race around the Isle of Wight, an island situated off the south coast of England. The race regularly attracts over 1,700 boats and around 16,000 sailors, making it one of the largest yacht races in the world and the fourth largest participation sporting event in the UK after the London Marathon and the Great North and South Runs. Competitors come from all over the UK, other parts of Europe and as far away as the USA to follow the 50 nautical mile course round the Isle of Wight. Starting on the famous Royal Yacht Squadron line in Cowes, the fleet races westabout, to The Needles, round St Catherine's Point and Bembridge Ledge buoy, and back into the Solent to the finish line at Cowes. Spectators can find many vantage points, both on the mainland and Isle of Wight, to watch the race progress. The first start in Cowes will be at in 2015, and you can find more information about where the boats are at different times during the day by clicking here. Those who cannot get to watch in person can always keep an eye on the race’s progress on the website, via our live text commentary and our boat tracking facility. The Needles Lighthouse was built by Trinity House in 1859 on the outermost of the chalk rocks near sea level. Designed by James Walker, it cost £20,000. Made of granite, it stands metres ( ft) high & is a circular tower with straight sides. It replaced a light tower on top of a cliff overhanging Scratchell's Bay, which was first lit on 29 September 1786. At 144m above sea level it was often obscured by fog and sea mists. In 1987 a helipad was added to the top of the lighthouse, and it became fully automated on 8 December 1994. One of the last three remaining manned rock lighthouses in England and Wales, before automation it was staffed by a three man crew operating a 24-hour watch serving one month on / one month off
Size: 3443px × 2755px
Location: West Solent, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, United Kingdom
Photo credit: © Niall Ferguson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 5678t, island, isle, jester, lighthouse, needles, race, sailing, scarlet, sea, seaquest, sj320, solent, spinnaker, summer, wight, yacht, yachting
