Sunday 18th July

Vaquero
Sun 18 Jul 2010 15:06
I am pleased to report that Vaquero tied up in
Plymouth at Mayflower marina at 0746 today. 50 21.7N 4 10.0W for
anyone interested. It has taken fifteen days to return from the Azores, a
fairly slow trip by comparison to the return from Terceira two years ago.
A lot of very calm weather whilst in the Azores high and two gales as we
approached the Channel, the first necessitating lying to a drogue for twenty
four hours, so it's been a frustrating trip in many ways. Vaquero has
behaved impeccably throughout, as one would expect of these seaworthy designs,
and I have never had any doubts in even the worst weather. Although slow
by comparison to more modern designs, we did clock 13.9 knots with the storm jib
in the severe gale, at which point the drogue seemed a more sensible
idea.
Weather permitting I shall leave here on Tuesday
for the cruis back to the East Coast, with the unadulterated luxury of
crew. The voyage won't be complete until Vaquero returns to her home port
and that will be a moment to savour, it'll be good to be back home,
The flower-flecked grasses swim
with simple horses,
The hedges choke with roses fat
as cream.
So do I breathe the hayblown
airs of home,
And watch the sea-green elms
drip birds and shadows,
And as the twilight nets the
plunging sun
My heart's keel slides to rest
among the meadows.
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