Grazing on the water
Looking for some adventure, Louise Nesbitt heads to an island that is without doubt the Wight stuff...
The boat looked harmless enough, like a giant dinghy with a motor stuck on the back.
It was only when I was handed a motorbike helmet, life jacket and disclaimer form that I started to wonder what I had let myself in for.
But by that point it was too late to back out. My instructor, Daniel from South Wales, was already revving up the engine while telling me he was the youngest world-ranked Thundercat boat racer at the age of 19.
"It's just like a go-kart on wheels," he said. "I've tried everything else, snowboarding, mountain biking, car racing, but this is the biggest thrill of all."
And with his words ringing in my ears, we left the safety of the harbour for what was the most terrifying but exhilarating 50 minutes of my life.
It seemed tame enough until we hit the choppier waters and the boat showed what it was designed for, bouncing up and down along the waves. And threatening to flip backwards. Or a least that's how it felt to me as I gripped on for dear life and jammed my feet further into the footholds.
Daniel reassured me that we hadn't even hit full speed yet, before proceeding to demonstrate the 50mph speeds the Thundercat is capable of.
Once I had got over the fact that I had put my life in the hands of a 19-year-old power boat racer, I must admit I enjoyed the experience. Speeding around the west tip of the Isle of Wight, weaving around the famous Needles rock formations, was simply breathtaking.
Thundercat racing is a relatively new sport rapidly growing in popularity among thrill seekers. The boat is designed to "graze" the water, the hull lifting up every time it hits a wave. They have been known to jump as high as four metres, although thankfully I wasn't told that until I was back on dry land.
It is one of a series of events featured in the Isle of Wight's White Air Festival, which attracts hoards of adrenaline junkies determined to push themselves to the limit every year.
Surfing, windsurfing, mountain biking and kitesurfing are just some of the championships that take place every October, as well as the rather dangerous-looking street luge. While many people are happy to sit and watch the competitors battle it out among themselves, the island also offers "have a go" sessions for braver spectators. Which is how I found myself trying out sports I had never even heard of before.
And if that wasn't enough for one weekend, we made our way to Shanklin on the south of the island for kayaking, surfing and a trip on a catamaran.
The resort was perfect for beginners, with enthusiastic, patient instructors ready to coach the most inexperienced budding surfers.
Predictably, a group of young children put us to shame by effort-lessly standing up on their boards as though they had been doing it for years.
Shanklin was just a few minutes' drive from our base in Ventnor, a beautiful seaside resort on the south of the island.
After all of our exertions, it was a welcome relief to relax with a glass of wine on the patio of the luxurious Wellington Hotel. The hotel, originally three separate terraced buildings, was recently renovated and offers stunning views of the bay from most rooms.
Steps leading directly from the patio to the beach made it the perfect location for a gentle early morning jog - if you have any energy left.
We were lucky to visit the Isle of Wight during the traditional Cowes Week Regatta in August, and sailed alongside hundreds of boats before watching the spectacular fireworks finale on board the Wightlink St Clare. It was rather reluctantly that we headed back on the 30-minute sailing to Portsmouth on Sunday afternoon, proudly displaying the odd mountain boarding bruise here and there as proof of our exertions.
The Isle of Wight was a fantastic place to tackle some sports I previously never knew existed, let alone thought I'd ever try, and I even found myself considering coming back for another go at surfing.
But I think I'll leave the power boating to the experts.
