I finally dragged myself out of my bunk at seven. Popped my head out of the hatch and surveyed the western part of the marina through my binoculars. Activity - boats getting ready to leave - good! Sure enough, fifteen minutes at flotilla of motorboats cast off. I quickly shook Brigitte - this is our chance, let's get going!
We got ourselves over to the western part as fast as possible, lines ashore, shore power plugged in, sorted. And not before time. The first of the motorboats we had observed leaving only half an hour before were already back. Appearantly things were decidedly lumpy out there.

I opted to stay another day. R&R. Meanwhile, the weather forecast did not look good. After a month of July with more than tropical temperatures and no wind at all it looked like we were getting a cold, wet and altogether too windy August. What's more: westerly. And that was exactly the direction we were heading. Not good! We decide to sit it out. Good times are just around the corner.

Four days later we are still "sitting it out". Wind still westerly, F6-7. There goes our summer holiday. And for some reason I'm starting to worry about the engine. Still, it's not all bad. Yanni's made a couple of friends on other boat. We're by no means alone. Evita's keeping herself occupied and I'm reading one book after another. Getting ever so slightly stir-crazy. Time to get going.

Because of my engine worries we opt to head for Ostend the next day. The forecast SW 5-6 means that at least we would be able to sail there. Spend a couple of days in our old home port, have the engine looked at by my friendly diesel guru and the head for Antwerp. We had been there a couple of years ago. To use a navy phrase: a good run ashore.

Tomorrow it is then! Night all.