The good old English Channel has saved us something to welcome us home- the forecast we picked up yesterday was SW- veering NW F6 which would chase us up the Western Approaches.

We just called Falmouth Coastguard who confirmed that there are gale warnings throughout this area and along hesouth coast.

As it happens we logged gusts up to 43K which is a good F8 and on one occasion the auto helm couldn’t cope and we managed to jybe with the preventer on and bent a stanchion. Apart from that annoyance all is well.We are well and truly in the shipping lanes and keeping our wits about us, watching the radar and keeping a good lookout. The SW has blown through so the NW wind has brought clearer and brighter skies, and the tide has turned in our favour which has the effect of calming the seas. We have just 75M to run, all down wind on the port quarter and shall next have wind against tide around 2200 hrs by which time we will be picking up more shelter in the lee of good old England so we will continue outside of the Start Point Race and hope to enter Dartmouth around 3a.m. Tuesday ( tomorrow), tie up on the town pontoon for a few hrs kippage before a hearty breakfast, may be in Alfrescos.

Phones should be working after Midnight tonight

Pete x