Not much happened last WE. Simple passage down the Orwell from the shipyard to our berth at Shotley.
New autopilot ram was in place and everything else seemed to be in order too. Prop much more responsive now and easier to helm.
Up at the crack of dawn to avoid being stuck at LWS. Alongside by 09h00. And that was pretty much all she wrote. Everyone too tired/knackered and not in the mood for much more. Steps' first night on board was a success. That was enough of a result. Home by lunchtime.

The plan for this WE was to check if there was still a world beyond Landguard or if you just fell off. Forecast was for a S 7-8kts. Gently motor down to Medusa and then hoist the spinnaker and see how far we got. It's been a long time and would be a good test to find out where we stood as a crew. All providing of course I still knew where everything went.

The best laid plans of mice and men... The forecast was a tad 'off'. S was OK, by the forecast 7-8kts turned out to be a very healthy 15kts - gusting to 20+ (in the marina). Maybe no kite flying this WE. And Landguard will have to wait too. Not looking to find out if Steps is liable to get seasick any time soon.

We locked out and hoisted the sails in record time. Reaching up and down the Stour (several times) can be fun too. Brigitte taking an ever more active part sailing the boat. Kids happy just to doggy sit. All in all, a very enjoyable couple of hours. Wall to wall grins all round.

Back in our berth without much ado. Boat handling skills still up to scratch. Sit back, drinks and nibbles in the cockpit, talk bollocks, ... ticks in all the right boxes.

Meanwhile, Steps up and down the pontoon like an unguided, four-legged missile. Clearly ever more at ease in the marine environment.
Lessons learned:
Steps: the end of the pontoon is nearer than you think and you need longer to 'brake' than you think.
We: Steps is a pretty good swimmer.
Quickly recovered and hosed down - and she spent the next half hour moping on the foredeck looking like an exploded punk chicken.
Quick bite to eat at Fox's and off home. Another Saturday well spent.



After two successful sails, how do I feel? Relieved and relaxed. A couple of minor items still need taking care of: our plumbing needs a closer look. For some reason, I keep finding fresh water in our bilges. One suspect indentified. Log still needs calibrating. But there's nothing that stops us from sailing and enjoying the boat and that's what it is all about.

Boat handling skills are still OK and the crew still knows what's what. After two years of enforced inactivity I had been worried about that. As it turns out, it's just like riding a bike.

If this week's sail's taught me anything, it's that our sails are nearing the end of their useful life. Baggy main and a genoa stretched to within an inch of its life. It should have been re-cut when we had the new furling gear, but due to its age it didn't warrant the expense. New sails now top this winter's shopping list. And guardrail netting.

Near future: a couple of days cruising towards the end of August and maybe some more in September. Easy does it. Next year, there's always Norway and the Shetlands.

It's life, Jim - as we used to know it. Normal service has resumed.