7th & 8th July

We needed about 20 hours to get back to the mainland. The weather was looking dodgy later in the week and a storm was expected this morning. Our only chance was to leave early afternoon and hope the forecast was more or less right. Black clouds swept in from the sea but the anticipated rain didn't come. We left about noon just as it was starting to clear. The first eight hours were a bit trying but we made good progress going to windward into the swell, propelled by force five winds. As predicted the wind died and we started motoring. I was expecting the wind to start up again about 2am and be blowing from where we were trying to go. Fortunately the wind remained light and the seas smooth as we neared land. By 5am we were just a few miles from our destination so I slowed down so we could approach the unfamiliar port in daylight. By 7:30 we were at the fuel bay and shortly after having breakfast at our berth.

We've all showered, the boat has had a first clean and I'm waiting for my new best friend Robert to come to the boat. He's coming to quote for all the work that needs to be carried out; the outboard won't work, the heater pours out steam and smells of burning, a bilge pump has packed up, the calorifier pressure release valve keeps dumping water into the engine compartment, a link in the anchor chain is rusting..... There's always something. And that's without all the things that I'm saving to be done over the winter. Anyway we're coming home soon so that's it from us until we returning late August.