These lines are written in the yacht club in Peel on the Isle of Man. We have been invited here for supper this evening. The President of Tynwald and the Mayor has just been by to say hello. In return for all their hospitality, we show them video shots from the voyage so far. It is Tuesday today. In exactly one week, we will be in Dublin.
But it is what happened yesterday and last night we are all talking and thinking about. After supper on the quay we had a short evaluation.
"We would not have left Islay yesterday morning if I had known the wind would be so hard," Skipper told us.
I know what he means. He is a wise man who does not take his responsibility for ship and crew lightly.
But I am glad that the weather report promised less wind than we actually had, because yesterday’s sailing was fantastic. Through the North Channel, we had wind of up to 23 m/s in gusts and the Sea Stallion was surfing on the long waves of the North Atlantic, so the rest of the crew and I had quite an experience. And some drama when the rudder caused us trouble once again.
"Well, now you have something to write about in your book," Preben told me this morning. And he is absolutely right. When we got to shore last night, I saw grown men hug each other in gratitude for the sail to the Isle of Man and the fact that we came through the crisis as well as we did.
We have been welcomed with open arms here in Peel on the Isle of Man. The only thing we are in short of so far is power. My mobile phone is dead. And this computer is going the same way, for lack of electricity.
We will try to solve the problem tomorrow, so I can catch up on all of the stories to tell about the voyage the last few days.
And since my phone is dead, I hope readers will foregive me this last personal remark:
Dear Heike, I look forward to seeing you in Dublin. Love you.