With guests arriving in 10 days we start our slow journey back to Marsh Harbour where we will meet them in at the local airfield - there's no rush and we decide to anchor off Tilloo Cay for a few nights.

Although this island has many rental villas as well as residents all the housing fits in well with the natural surroundings - low roofs, natural colours, no obvious eyesores and all shared with the Bahamas National Trust.

We take Alexia quite close in to the shoreline - the water is good right up to 100 yards off - and we drop anchor in about 8ft - it's good holding and she takes immediately.

It is a grey day and as night falls huge black clouds pass overhead. There is no rain but three boats that we can see anchored off almost a mile away disappear completely into the gloom. Day 2 is brighter and William is planning to check out the anode on the propeller. Although this was replaced in November it is likely to be well worn away by now.

Using his snorkelling kit and attaching himself to the oxygen cylinder with its 25ft of breathing tube he disappears below the surface with a large wire brush and an allen key. 4 minutes later reappearing with a very small piece of anode the rest of which has long gone. The new anode is fitted quickly and easily - the water temperature is a little on the cool side and William spends as little time in it as possible.

Before leaving on day 3 william also checks out the hull below the water line for any marine growths reporting all is clean but that there is a 4.5 ft sucker fish which has attached itself to the bow just in front of the bowthruster - it was doing no harm but its eyes followed William as he swam by.