Ready for the start?
Vaquero
Fri 16 Apr 2010 09:26
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13th April
2010 - 50 21.9N 4
07.9W
I left Levington at 0400hrs on
Sunday 11th, arriving at QAB at 1000hrs on Tuesday, averaging a credible 6
knots. Not surprising as the wind was in the NE and strong, mostly Force
6-7 but occasionally 8-9. Apart from a long beat out to Long Sand Head to
clear the Thames Estuary sandbanks, necessitating a couple of tacks, the rest
was a fast ride downwind - easy sailing although quite cold.
Generally an uneventful trip, but tiring because in the busy English
Channel it is difficult to
 sleep for more than 15 minutes at a time. A
fellow Jester Challenger, Tony Head was there to welcome me and kindly took me
under his wing and got things organised, so Vaquero is in safe hands whilst I am
away from her for the next four weeks. I agreed to meet him at his mooring
at 0830 the following morning and arrived at 0745. Needless to say he was
ready and waiting and as he said elsewhere, 'thems' what keen get fell-in
previous'.I can hardly believe that after the
long preparation, the many years of gestation of an idea and ambition, that I've
almost reached the start line. Am I ready? Not quite, a few minor
glitches on the way down, but all easily fixed as I have a clear week on the
boat before the start on Sun 23rd May. Will I make it to Newport?
Who knows, but at least failure won't be down to lack of preparation. Do I
have a passage plan? Of course, but battle plans rarely survive first
contact with the enemy and so it is with passage plans. I fully expect to
chuck it overboard somewhere off the Lizard! 37 days to go to the
start.......
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