The Last Leg

We’ve now completed 6 nights at sea and have around 500nm (4 nights) left depending on where we choose to make our first port of call. Falmouth is our target, but early indications are that they will not have a berth available for us. In that case we will need to go the extra 30 miles or so to Plymouth. The weather has been kind to us on this leg – yes we have had some windy, bumpy and damp days, but all manageable and could have been a lot worse. Wind continues to be forecast and we expect to see F5 North Westerly/Westerly as we approach the Channel.

Within a few hours of leaving Horta it was very obvious that we were on our way back to Northern Europe and the UK in particular. It got me thinking what are the tell tale signs that we are nearing the UK – here are my Top 10

1. No Sun for 5 days – the weather forecast is depressing – cold, damp and a lack of sun.
2. Sea colour – no longer blue but a grey/green
3. Tomatoes don’t go off when kept out of the fridge
4. Butter needs to be melted to bake a cake – and if left goes solid again
5. Watchkeepers enjoying Cup-a-Soup
6. Hot Lunches
7. Needing to remember where I stowed the duvets and duvet covers
8. Sleeping in socks
9. No enthusiasm for Al Fresco Showers and no more Hands to Bathe
10. Many layers of clothing and damp clothing around the boat.

Other changes include preparing the tide tables; have not worried about tides for a year now, getting out the Shell Channel Pilot and interacting with UK Border Force (though only on-line so far).

Baking has gone well, with the Apple Cake being a particular hit – rationing was required to ensure it made it to day 2. Tomorrow we will make a final banana cake, Caribbean style (just add rum) to remind us of a few weeks ago though it seems a lot longer.