New Solent island appears and is promptly claimed by two Clubs

6:58 PM Thu 24 Mar 2011 GMT

'One of the claimants on The Great Gurnard. The Needles at the western end of the Isle of Wight can be seen in the background' Click Here to view large photo

Sail-World has received the following letter from the self-proclaimed Ambassador to The Great Gurnard, a new island in which appeared the Shingles Bank Archipelago, on 23 March, in the Solent, off the the Isle of Wight. It is apparently virgin territory for renowned yachting writer and sailor, Bob Fisher who is known to frequent the area. Dear editor I feel it is necessary to be clear that this new island, now the sovereign property of Gurnard Sailing Club, is not part of the Shingles Bank that Bob Fisher has been seen rubbing his bottom along. I attach above a photo ...

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by Richard Newnham, Sail-World et al