Thanks to all who gave Cookie and I a fantastic welcome back to Terra Firma late Monday night. Even Tiki 21 designers - James Wharram and Hanneke Boon had made the trip up from Cornwall to be there. A great surprise to a dazed sailor stepping ashore to have all this noise and hubbub going on. I tried hard to make sure everyone got a bit of champagne spray on them!!
It was certainly a dream run back across the North Atlantic. Cookie as capable as ever, needing no repairs at all this time. After a slow start the first 3 days, we had a weather front pass over and we were off, riding SW winds the whole way for the next 19 days!! I got bored! Read 5 paperbacks in all and wrote the first 100 pages of the 'book'! I had time this trip to enjoy cooking and even put on a little weight for a change!!
As with the Jester Challenge to USA, the last miles were the most frustrating. When you can just about see the finish line, the wind gives out. I did more sail changes from Scillies to Exmouth than I did the whole Atlantic!
Big thanks to Dave de la Cour, who was my weather eyes for the trip home and added a joke of the day on each text. Good on ya mate!
It is fantastic to be with my kids Josh and Soph again. 2 months is the longest we have been apart and I missed them like mad. We have lots of fun kids' stuff to catch up on!!
Thank you one and all to all of you who have donated to the Francis Chichester Trust. Now we have nearly reached the 2,500 pound mark with some additional cheques forthcoming. That means we will have made it possible for 3 more young kids to have the chance to go on an Outward Bound course. Just brilliant!!!!
For my part, I have had a very successful adventure and thank you again to all those who have helped to make it possible. I urge all of you who read this, to recognise your dreams and take the first bold step towards making them reality. Go on!! I for one, know you can do it!! Happy trails dreamers :-)
