We're crawling along just now under main and staysail. We really need the Genoa but it's just hanging there, the tattered end of the broken halyard waving in the air, the sail four feet from the top looking like Nora Battie's tights, the old dear from Last of the Summer Wine.

The temptation to unfurl, drop it, attach spare halyard and re-hoist is pulling me, I fear towards a bad decision. Ex racer me says "how difficult can it be" After all we used to drop and re-hoist at every reaching leg. However, that was with eight on board and the potential of a problem like it jams half in or half out. Half up or down or ends up over the side makes me leave it be. I think I'm getting old.

To brighten the day we pick up a hitchhiker. A wee warbler type birdie. Like a sparrow but with stripes on his head.

He's very tame, wandering about around us, hopping into our legs and arms before flying down below for a nosey.

Our wee bird stayed with us till dark then disappeared. Either that or he's in a corner having a kip.

Meanwhile, a double sonic boom makes me jump out my skin. Again.

We're obviously near a US military base and Top Gun is out doing their thing. You can't see them but boy you sure can hear them.

It's now Oct 27. Autumn, or Fall if you prefer is almost past and winter is looming. It's chilly and today's fashion conscious cruiser is wearing;
- thick, woolly thermal socks
- leather boots
- pants
- long johns
- fleece trousers
- foul weather trousers

And on top....
- T shirt
- rugby shirt
- puffa climbing bivvy jacket
- fleece Buff
- woolly hat
- hood from bivvy jacket
- foul weather jacket; with hood
- gloves
- life jacket

Cutting quite a dash if I say so myself. And what's more, all the above double nicely as pyjamas!

And the really dumb thing? Just a few nights ago we were talking with Toodle-Oo about how interesting it would be to sail to Patagonia!

Time to see a shrink.