Final update

Vaquero
Wed 4 Aug 2010 16:20
51 59.8N  1 16.1E  Levington
 
After arriving in Plymouth, I set off with crew up Channel two days later, stopping in Dartmouth on Tuesday 20th July.  Two days after that, en-route for Weymouth, the exhaust blew so I decided to return to Dartmouth to have it fixed.  We ended up getting stuck there for three days waiting for a part to arrive and my crew had to jump ship to get home to attend to his business.  What a pleasant place Dartmouth is to be stranded in!  I finally left on Monday 26th and singlehanded non-stop to Brighton to meet up with my cousin for a night out.  The following morning I set off again intending to get back to Levington in one hit, but ended up stopping in Dover in a state of exhaustion.  Unfortunately the marina was full, so I had to anchor out and ended up spending precious sleep time on anchor watch, worried that I was going to hit one of the other boats.  So much for a good night's sleep.  I now had a deadline to be back in the office for Friday morning and the wind decided to help by going into the northwest giving me a beat all the way home.  Leaving from Dover with the tide means you have to fight it all the way from Long Sand Head, so it ended up being a rather slow motorsail across the top of the banks, finally arriving in Levington at two o'clock on Friday morning.  Needless to say the office opened late!
 
So now the voyage is complete with the boat safely back home in Levington, nearly five thousand miles after leaving in early April. Despite not achieving my objective of reaching the USA, it has been the most amazing experience, one that I would not have missed for anything and one I would happily repeat.  Perhaps that's because singlehganded ocean sailors have short memories  -  you tie up alongside, get ashore and kiss the ground swearing never again, ever ever ever, and half way through the second cold beer you think, actually it was quite fun, when's the next trip starting?  It's been emotional, as they say.  My wonderful boat has proven to be a supremely safe and seaworthy design, wet and uncomfortable on many occasions, but always steadfast and surefooted.
 
Who has known heights and depths
Shall not again know peace
Not as the calm heart knows
Low, ivied walls, a garden close,
The old enchantment of a rose.
And though he tread the humble ways of man
He shall not speak the common tongue again.
 
 
Thank you all so much for you help, interest and support, God bless you all.