Last night we checked the forecast and it showed Friday (today) to be another of the few days when it's not blowing westerly.

We set the alarm for 07:30 and were up with the larks to make some ground in the favourable southwesterly.

Warps readied for slipping I hit the starter button and guess what, the Donkey was dead as a doornail. A quarter of an hour later, having checked all the wiry stuff with my trusty meter, ( me; the wiring expert, the one who burnt out the whole wiring loom after incorrectly wiring a new alternator) jiggled a few more wires and, bingo, the donkey sprung to life and off we headed, just 30 mins behind schedule.

15 -20 knots from the south west drove us out through the 5 and 10 metre banks and along the coast heading for Cadiz and Rota.

We sailed out past Cape Trafalgar and if it hadn't been so early we might have had a wee nip to toast yer man Nelson.

Six hours and nearly 50 miles later we passed Cadiz having decided we fancied Rota as a base for the next 24-48 hours waiting on the next non westerly.

Hit the button and again, the donkey's dead. No engine meant heading downwind and inshore to the banks and the marina had the hallmark of one of these disaster Yachting Monthly stories so more wire jiggling commenced.

Fortunately I seem to have mastered this and we engine whirred into life - with just a bit of a sparking noise. Must look into that!

Finally tied up in Rota, showers and about to go into the old town for a walkabout. I think we are here for a day or two but we will see what tonight's forecast brings.

S&A