At this time of year, if only to recognise and reward Anne for maintaining the log - her admin skills know no bounds - here's the data from 2022.

- 17,000 kilometres on the motorbike round Southern Africa
- 6077 miles at sea over two oceans
- 36 days and nights at sea

This time last year we were in Cape Town, most of it touring. We left in August for the Caribbean via Namibia, St Helena, Ascension, Brazil and Suriname and either we're feeling our age or it was a very long way. We thought we were "done" when we got to Cape Town. We were certainly done when we got to Grenada which is where we closed our circumnavigation.

It all kicked off in 2011 - and the following is an extract from and hopefully a teaser for my forthcoming book - which has been forthcoming for some years right enough so dont hold your breath.

"One night, way back in early 2011, our son called up his mum to ask if her carelessly thrown away remark, made during one of his flying weekend visits from deep down in the depths of England, was serious. Anne had said that if he wanted to abandon his thankless, corporate grind and take over running our business and that as a bonus, he could have our car and our house then he just had to say the word and we'd go sailing. Ha Ha. How she laughed. It took all of the drive south, or, more likely, the end of the driveway to make up his mind and so, here he was, on the phone, less than twenty four hours later, "Remember what you said about me, work and running the business? Well, thank you." says he. "I'll take you up on the offer"........"but, one thing, I couldn't work with dad". Like unsuspecting baby sparrows, before we could say, "Ready about", our cuckoo had us out the nest, out the business, out the house and sat on the boat wondering what the hell just happened. I don't think he even drove us to the marina....in our car. Fortunately, earlier in the year we'd made a provisional booking on the 2011 Atlantic Rally for Cruisers; the ARC."

Since then, eleven years and three months on, we've......
- sailed 74,572 miles from 69 degrees north to 43 degrees south
- put 4,397 hours on various engines and
- visited 62 countries

Some of it we quite enjoyed.

And the business has gone from strength to strength.

And so, lastly dear reader, thank you very much for following; reading my nonsense and for your welcome comments and feedback. It makes it all seem less pointless.

If you've waded through one or two of the YouTube videos (SV Time Bandit), well done. We don't have the mass following or unfortunately for some viewers, the exposed flesh factor of Vagabond or Delos but it keeps me amused. We hope it lightens your day. If you make it to the final scenes, give yourself a clap on the back.

So, with that, thanks again from us two and Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas, even Joyeux Noel - whatever floats your boat.

We are back again in the New Year when we head north up the island chain, Bahamas then either east coast USA or perhaps a jaunt to Nova Scotia.