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Irie
Tue 16 Jun 2009 10:03

Position 50 22.07N 4 07.59 Suton Harbour

Saturday 13th June

 

Cawsand in the early morning mist looks beautiful. There are a few small boats nodding at anchor, and the rising sun spreads a warm glow over the patchwork of colourful buildings rising up from the shoreline. Plymouth is still hidden in the foggy gloom to the north, but as the sun rises, the sea fret burns off and the Hoe appears bright and green out of the mist. Just after eight thirty, the engine’s fired up, and though there’s clearly air in the system and it won’t wind up to high revs, there’s enough power to drive Irie steadily past the breakwater and up the sound towards the Citadel and the turning into Sutton Harbour. As we close in, there’s a clamour coming from an excited small group of people perched up on the sea wall, holding balloons, brandishing banners and seemingly led by a leaping little mite in a pink patchwork dress. They cheer and clap, and we respond with braying toots from the foghorn. Twenty minutes later, we’ve slid in through the lock, tied up in the marina, the engine closed down from the last time, and a dozen tired and happy people gather in the cockpit to murder a number of bubbly bottles.

 It’s a perfect welcome home on a stunning June morning, three years, ten days and some twelve thousand miles since we left here - and it’s Jan’s birthday!

 

Hooray from the Hoe

 

 

Done it!