Apologies for not writing for so long. Been a tad busy.

As you’ve probably all heard one way or another we have all safely arrived in Tenerife after a wonderful journey. Here is a quick *ahem* breakdown for your delectation:

•   DAY 1: Crossing the channel to Brest - Kissed Britain goodbye (literally in Kiera’s case), filled up with fuel and took a 212 degree route direct for Spain. We were relieved from our heavy watch duties by the grand appearance by Peter Autoschneiter (aka George) the autopilot. Now all we had to do was look out for ships... fantastic. Dan wasn’t sick for a good few hours. The best few hours of his life. It’s what pulled him though the rest of it.

•   DAY 2: Halfway across the Bay of Biscay - Sea is still a little rough. Spent most of our watches lying down. Raph bravely got up to make dinner and Kiera added the final touches when he had to lie down again. This sailing business is all about teamwork. To Nigel’s amusement they both ate lying down as well.

•   DAY 3: Still in the Bay of Biscay - The weather h

•Tasted some very weird juice. It was apple and pineapple to start with and just before you swallowed ZING, a mouthful of lemongrass. Very good stuff.

•Nigel saw two dolphins in the morning, but by the time everyone else ran out they had gone. This prompted talk of whales and sharks over lunch as the prime animals to spot on the voyage. No sooner had we finished Nigel went out and saw a blow spout. WHALES!! Raph and Kiera saw the spouts and then a body and fin too. This marked the beginning of the end for all sea sickness for Raph and Kiera. Poor Dan was still locked in his room.

•Spinnaker went up for the first time today after a bit of an event involving getting the rope stuck at the very top of the mast and Kiera and Nigel winching Raph up there as he clung to the thing for dear life like a Koala in a storm. He got up and down in one piece. That’s when we decided that the fly we had picked up in Falmouth was a lucky one.

•   DAY 4: Reaching Capo Finistere and beginning the journey down - Dan emerges for longer than just his watch period. He eats chicken curry and it stays down. Hallelujah! It’s time to start enjoying this voyage.

•   DAY 5: Down down down Spain - An aeroplane flies super low over our boat, so low all of Anoora was covered in it’s shadow. Dan who was out on the net at the time got the shock of his life. He thought we were being attacked.

•Ate the best spaghetti Bolognese of our lives for dinner. The boat hit a bi

•   DAY 6: Entering Portugal - Began with a revolting smell as Raph bravely strung up the out of date horse meat in the fridge and threw it over the side of the boat attached to some fishing wire in order to tempt some sort of fish with big teeth. We missed the shark (of course is what we decided it had to have been) actually taking the meat, but marvelled at the teeth marks on the wire instead.

•Dan, Kiera and Raph had a citrus fest to ward off the scurvy. We got through a lemon and grapefruit each.

•   DAY 7: Approaching Lisbon - The most beautiful morning ever. The sea was a blue curtain of rippling up and down in four metre swells, yet completely calm. It looked like silk.

•Kiera hung off the end of the bow all morning and Raph slaved away in the kitchen for three hours over lunch to make everyone pancakes.... mmmm.

•That evening a tiny little yellow chested bird we called Julio landed on Anoora. He was completely unafraid of us and spent the night under the ropes in the coc

•   DAY 8: The southernmost point of Portugal - Time for a Hindi film, one that is permanently stuck in the heads of all who witnessed even just a mere few seconds of it. About two thirds into the film Nigel (with his eyes like a hawk) yelled DOLPHINS! And all three of us scurried out onto the deck. There must have been 12 of them at least, most leaping about the bow, others off the sides. Incredible sight. Kiera instantly demanded to be let into the water and so Nigel stopped the boat and the kids jumped in. Well eventually. The dolphins had long gone by this point and the thought of 5000 metres of nothing underneath us was pretty daunting. We didn’t want to let go of the anticipation just yet. Oh and in our excitement no one could remember how to tie a bowline, with which to keep us near the boat.

•It was beautiful to lo

•   DAY 9: Off the coast of Morocco - We’ve made it to Africa! Spent most of the day outside and all got a little burnt. Dan had to christen himself Red Raw. The best way to spend the day, sitting on the bow, bare feet dangling over the edge, staring out to sea, nothing but sea. Oooooh yeah.

•Another bird spent the night with us, slept under the toilet.

•   DAY 10: Opposite Casablanca - Dan’s dream has finally come true. To sail to Casablanca. Well sort of, we’re not stopping.

•We aptly named the bird Humphrey, a very interesting sea bird, with a cruel beak, little webbed feet and a wing span three times the size of his body. He was exhausted and spent the day sleeping with his head stuffed inside Nigel’s holey shoe.

•   DAY 11: Closest point of land is Madera - Another film day. Very stiff legs. Had some philosophical discussions on the net. Dan and Kiera feel complete. Raph just wants to make his film.

•   DAY 12: Closest point of land is Lanzarote in the Canaries!! - Had some fun with the sails as the wind picked up. Spinnaker and Genoa up and down. Kiera rode down a wave at 17 knots on the bow of the ship. The sea disappeared from underneath her as the boat lifted out the water up to the first hatch, then whoooooosh, off we sped, waves crashing everywhere. It inspired her to cook a huge macaroni and cheese for dinner.

•   DAY 13: Arrival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife - First sighting of land was at 9:30 in the morning. The hulk of Mt. Teide was spotted by... go on guess... Nigel! As Tenerife came closer it really did look like we were approaching an uncharted isle. Treasure Island.

•After many weeks of trying Kiera finally beat Raph in Battleships.

•Nigel’s spotting carried on well into the day. We saw a whole pod of pilot whales leaving the harbour as we were entering. At first all we saw was a big black fin, too big to be a dolphin and too small to be a whale. “Shark!” We all yelled. Oh well. Maybe another day.

•Met Annie in the m

•We ate out that night to toast in our arrival.

And that’s it. For now. Lots more to tell about our adventures on the island. Of how Annie and Nigel have completely adapted to the Canarian way of living and Raph, Dan and Kiera are rushing like headless chickens after buses that never come and walking further than any man should ever be allowed to walk, with 30 tons on their backs. it’s all happening here. So, I better get back to it...