Weather: Dry, good visibility, 5/8ths cloud
Temperature: 13°C
Wind: Westerly, Force 4-5
With all her guests safely on board and pre-departure tests to the bridge equipment, steering gear and main engines completed,all lines were let go from the quay at Southampton’s Mayflower Cruise Terminal as Aurora began her voyage northwards towards the North Sea.
Aurora was thrust off her berth by the Captain using her three bow and one stern thrusters and slowly came ahead on her engines to make her way into Solent waters, sounding her whistle as she said goodbye.
Maintaining a slow speed until she passed DockHead, Aurora then began pushing up as she entered the narrow buoyed channel and, under the guidance of the Southampton Pilot, commenced her 30 nautical mile (NM) transit.
Aurora slowed to a speed of 7 knots as she passed Fawley Oil Terminal to starboard and then maintained 12 knots as she made her two large turns, firstly at Calshot Spit and then Brambles Bank. Passing to the north of the Isle of Wight Aurora then reached the Nab Tower – a well known landmark to sailors which marks the deep water eastern entry into the Solent. The local Pilot was disembarked on the port side and, as Aurora headed on a series of south easterly courses; full away on passage (FAOP) was rung to signal the start of the vessel’s sea passage.
