I  Speed: 4.5 kts 

Course:  025 

Distance to Black Rock, Falmouth Harbour at 5pm BST:  97 miles

Distance to Dover Harbour (Western Entrance):  340 miles

Sailing

Couldnt make 49n / 6w as that course meant that the main blanketed the genoa and the wind was just too light to make it workable last night.  I was headed in the right direction but only at 2 knots.  The decision to act on this was made for me at about 2am when the French and Spanish fishing fleets turned up and I had 3 boats working around me and moving erratically  which meant I had to stay awake and keep an eye on them.  Oh and it was foggy with near zero visibility so "keeping an eye on them" meant ais and radar, I never actually saw a light.  The best policy seemed to be to get out of dodge so I ran the engine for an hour or so to clear the area and then, after a lot of faffing with sails I set us vaguely north and went back to bed. 

When the morning came it was clear and bright and we had more wind (about 10 kts - I know this because my wind speed and direction indicator only now works on bright sunny days.  It has a battery which I think must be dead and a solar panel which can keep up only when the sun shines.) I set us up to goose wing dead downwind with a preventer on the boom and a pole holding the genoa out to windward.  Progress has been steady and the wind is up to 15 knots true but we are heading for the Scillies (The "Isles of Scilly" to keep the locals happy) and I dont want to go there.  

I will run in as I am until about 7pm and by then the breeze should be a little stronger as it is due to come up to 20 knots and I then plan to run down the SW coast and cross Lyme Bay while I have the wind with me and some momentum.  That will give me options to bail out to Falmouth, Plymouth or the Dart if needs be before I commit to the bay. 

Nature

Just birds but for the first time I have sheerwaters, storm petrels and terns all at once. 

General

Making the most of the warm weather especially since Falmouth Coastguard have just come up on the VHF for the first time and the inshore waters forecast says fog ad rain - lovely.   Nott warm enough to consider washing though, that can wait till I start to mix with people again and until then I have just changed clothes for the first time since leaving Terceira.  They at least smell better than the old set which are now relegated to "outside use" as there is no point in getting my nice clean stuff wet.

I should get mobile coverage as I pass Falmouth ad later Plymouth so I will be in touch.  I'll probably do one more blog update from the satellite phone as I will have no signal across Lyme Bay but will then switch to my mobile for updates so wont be regularly reading texts after tomorrow. 

Texts

Em - Hi.  Dont know why you cant hear me but may try later (after 8.30pm).  Otherwise, will speak when I have mobile signal.  Was good to hear your voice anyway x

Mum - more Grendon birthdays and social life then.  Happy birthday to Peggy Maynard and I'm glad you have the same hot day that I have out here.

Tim - You manage to lead a pretty full life there with loads going on.  Sorry for you and all  the Spurs fans over Kane but have to say he should have left Spurs last time he had the chance.

Richard - thanks for your comments and it has been good to have you along.  My brother is a Scouts sailing instructor and loves it but he is (mostly) a dinghy man sailing fast cats from Hayling Island.  That's about as far from the type of sailing I do as possible so we rarely sail together these days.  One day I'll get round to crewing on his boat and see how the speed freaks do it. 

Mike / Di / Nicky - Hope you are enjoying the lakes.  I should be back in the real world (at least as far as phones go) by Monday.

1 x Incompatible Message Format which I cant read  

Have a good evening

Jez

Jez