21 June Heading Home

We spent a lovely Saturday in Wales helping John's mum June to celebrate her birthday. Sadly, landlubbing was short-lived and we were back at Portland Marina on Sunday afternoon to a very wet and grey day, which continued on through the night with strong winds and into Monday morning.

We departed Portland Marina and its made to measure facilities (for the 2012 Olympics) to head home. No change in the weather, still raining and grey clouds and lumpy seas added up to a little discomfort but determined to make it to northern Brittany while there was still wind out there.

We had 2 choices of destination. To go to Cherbourg where we could rest for the night or head to northern Brittany which would mean a night sail. We decided to do a night sail as the forecast for the week showed a lack of wind mid-week, so our direction pointed us straight at the Casquets Traffic Separation Scheme which goes round the Channel Islands. The TSS is strictly for shipping and not for pleasure boats so we had to be careful with our routing. It meant being on look out all night between us and making sure we knew exactly where all the container ships were located around us. Quite unnerving as they are huge and  you never know if they are are aware that we are close by as we're so small next to them.

Long night into morning where we bimbled along sometimes with the tides and sometimes not. The coastguard issue a weather update regularly and we are always amazed at how they get it so wrong. We have never yet had wind from the west; it's always on the nose, making us creep along for about 12 hours. 

However, the sun did come out on Tuesday afternoon, which has allowed us to open up the windows and try to dry the boat out and clear the condensation. 

It's always great to look out for the birds and watch their antics

Finally, about 3pm, John made the decision to pull down the Solent and put the engines to work. By this time the sea was like a mill pond and so we are making approx 7kts and able to pass by other yachts, also motoring along.

We are heading towards Roscoff and aiming to arrive about 11pm. 

Tomorrow we are looking forward to drying out a bit more and enjoying a pretty town and coast line. Also meeting up with Miles and Tracey Goff. See you soon xx