'What does it cost to go cruising?' is rather like asking 'How long is a piece of string?' It all depends on how much string you have.

Last week I received an email from someone in the midst of the most scary and exciting move of their lives. The one where the security of home is exchanged for the big unknown of cruising aboard, I remember it as an unsettling time. However once all those possessions had been disposed and we had set sail I felt liberated and empowered. In fact now I don't actually remember many of those things that were so hard to get rid of just six months ago.

Just as I did in 2010 I am prompted to share our data for the basic expenses of day to day cruising. Taken from six months sailing in the UK from Gosport to Scotland during the summer of 2012, for the first three months we were on the move covering longer distances, then we enjoyed an idyllic three months cruising round the Islands on the West Coast of Scotland.

It is important to note that there are no annual costs like insurances, winter mooring fees and maintenance or travel costs in here.

During the first half of the cruise we had higher mooring and fuel costs because we were travelling longer distances, were on a schedule and had 'inclement' weather. Gales kept us in secure harbours or marinas at Penzance, Padstow, Swansea and Aberystwyth we took advantage of the short, light wind gaps between them to move on but burnt more diesel as a consequence. In the Scottish Islands we had a chance to get to know the area and sailed more than motored, also it was cheaper, there were more free anchorages and less opportunities to spend money ashore.

If your 'piece of string' is cut to a different length adjustment can be made in the area of Entertainment, 2/3rds of our Entertainment costs were for meals or drinks ashore.