Yes, Iam going to a party. Mine! A party to celebrate my 70th birthday which was on Coronation Bank Holiday Monday. I am telling you about it because you are one of the people who has kindly expressed interest in my sailing trips or offered the support and encourage that has meant so much to me when I've previously been single handed and things have got a bit tough.
This all started with a rather feeble joke. At the end of this month, over the school half term week, we have rented accommodation for ourselves and for the children and grandchildren in a holiday village in Sagres, SW Portugal. So that is where (the first) party will be held. At the time we made the booking last year, many flights were being cancelled at short notice, airport queues were worse than ever and prices were rising by the minute. So I joked that perhaps we should sail there. Emily immediately responded that it was time we had Pemandia our boat somewhere warm and sunny again, so the challenge of another single handed passage was set. Over the winter, the Irish Cruising Club announced a celebration in Madeira to mark the centenary of the first circumnavigation by a member and invited my club, the Royal Cruising Club to take part. so with a second party to attend at the end of June, the idea became a plan. So, this morning I cleared customs and tomorrow at about 1000 I will set off in my best party frock!
Over the winter we have done a masssive amount of work on Pemandia, replacing rigging as necessary, checking (I hope) every system and completely replacing all the electronic instruments and self steering that are a key part of modern boat management. Shortly I will be off, hoping to go non stop to Lisbon almost 900 nautical miles away. I hope to get there in a bit over a week and Emily will fly out to join me. From there we will sail a further 150 miles down to the Algarve and moor in Lagos Marina while we have the holiday in Sagres.
I intend to write a blog as I have done on previous passages (providing conditions and the vagaries of satellite communications allow) - the text of this email will form the first entry and it will include an update on my position. Although there is live tracking of my position this depends on VHF (short range) radio so is only visible if I am within about 20 miles of land. Look at MarineTraffic.com and search for Pemandia. You can follow my progress at
Peter's Blog I will be delighted if anyone would like to keep in touch by email, using the address this has come from rather than my normal one. Please do not add any attachments or pictures. I am hoping to be able to use WhatsApp as well. I may be slow to respond, especially if the weather gets difficult.
To contact me at sea, please use the Mailasail account this has come from rather than my usual email address.
Meanwhile, all good wishes
