Neither of us could sleep last night as the reality of this years voyage drawing to an end hit us yesterday. The yard that will be looking after Cefi this winter mailed us yesterday asking if we could be lifted on Monday (24th) and made it worth our while!! + free use of their pontoon till lift. So we shall be departing Portland after lunchtime to catch the slack water off Portland at about 3 this afto heading straight for plymouth where we will prob arrive with loads of fastnet boats. We wil stay on a few days in Plymouth as we have engaged a surveyor to take a look at the hull after our bump in the Baltic. We dont think there is any problem but its a nagging doubt without a pro survey and its a good opportunity to get the hull surveyed before the insurance insist on it.

 

It will be a bit of a milestone voyage as about 10 miles across Lyme bay we will clock up 100,000 miles in Cefi so yet another bottle of fizz has been put on ice. Looks like we will get a reasonable SW / S so should be a good sail and the fastnet guys will be grateful for a bit of breeze as well Im sure.

 

failing to sleep we were up very early this morning and at 7 had clambered over Chesil for a view of the Dorset coastline extending westwards in the hazy morning light. Our conversation was about what we do next year, yes already and we are a bit unsure. Would like to do the Black sea but when we checked last, the insurance east of 35E was astronomical. Graham has a 6 month contract from Oct but the agency have told him it might run on and there is likely to be a follow up anyway, I have registered for supply work till at least easter so one way or another the money earning part of our lives may get in the way of cruising. One thought is that we work all year and earn enough pennies to take a full 12 - 15 month away and explore the pacific the following year but graham is worried about his work prospects if he takes such a long break, so we will think on it as my mum would say.

 

The last of the bacon is sizzling and Im starving so cheers for now. Will post later when on passage.

 

cefi AT mail DOT com