We have just set out on our journey across the Bay of Biscay to north-west Spain.  Thankfully we have been blessed with days of settled weather and the wind is in the north-east and pushing us along nicely.  The dawn sky lights up an amazing number of contrails, so I guess the problem with volcanic dust is easing and air-traffic controllers are having a real challenge.

For most companies Lorient Boat Show was probably ‘just another show’. For Discovery Yachts I think it was really special.  It was certainly in stark contrast to the London Boat Show, as we had wall-to-wall sunshine and warmth rather than eight days of snow and ice, followed by rain.  It was great on many levels: firstly the warm welcome – apparently, when we booked to come to the Show, the organizers were really chuffed as a foreign company gave the Show more weight.  Later Dean cats (South Africa) and Broadblue also booked, and not only were about 25 boats showing, there were also more stands ashore than I had anticipated.

Mark and Toby came to join us from Discovery, but fortunately (because our french is so inadequate) Clement and Hugo also joined us. Clement, who is French, worked in our design department when he was a student.  Not only did he work diligently throughout the Show, but he also put up with our pathetic attempts at french (Mark has vowed that he will restart lessons when he gets back home), but also our very juvenile jokes.   Overhearing someone as they walked in to the master cabin, Toby was quite amused that people really do exclaim ‘Ooh la la’!  Hugo maintained entente cordial, switching effortlessly between English and French, or changing to German or Dutch if it suited the visitor better.

Sorry to change the subject for a minute, but how often do you talk to birds?  I was sat at the helm station typing this blog and a bird flew really low just in front of me and it was almost as though he gave me a wink. It was so odd that I went on deck and said ‘Good morning and what can I do for you?’  I am sure he was trying to point out the large number of porpoises on our starboard side.  (Don’t worry, I’m not really going mad)

Anyway, back to the Show. What was great for me is that I think I have fallen in love with the cat. (And that’s not the tabby version.)  John will be delighted to read this as he has had to put up with a lot all through the design and build!  When John and I first thought about going off sailing John had already been sailing on big multihulls.  Me, I’m an out and out monohull sailor.  I so enjoy tweaking the sails and feel the boat heel and increase her power.  I adored the Discovery 55 for all sorts of reasons and so every since we took the step to build the catamaran I have been secretly hankering after my first love. Philippe from Multicoques (Multihulls) Magazine came sailing with us in order to write a test report and I think it was his and comments from visitors aboard that made me realize just what a special boat we have.

Yesterday we had an exhilarating time in the afternoon as we were circled by yet another helicopter.  This time though, it was definitely friendly as we had hired it to take some marketing photographs (not something we do every day!).  Mark, having gained much more confidence in his ability to speak french, volunteered to go up in the helicopter in case we needed anything translated.  In an ideal business world we would probably have found some younger models, but what was great about just John and I sailing the boat for the photo session was that it really brought home to me that this is IT! – we have actually become the couple setting off on our voyage of discovery.