Astonel: ketch around the UK: Long way Dartmouth, to Dieppe and home again.

Weymouth: cute in the harbour
and significantly dull in the marina.
Definitely our mistake.

Of course: Durdle Door

Dartmouth. Wonderful place. Joined by John and Paul Vere, who are dinghy sailors and they did us proud and I learned a lot. I hope they did. We had a short full blown sail, having miscalculated the force of the wind as we left Salcombe - which I was glad to do, although there were good people on the pontoon.

Most importantly was the owner of a 48 foot Hardy motor cruiser who explained how he had moved from a Westerly Oceanquest to a motor boat that can go anywhere around Europe . . . so I'm waiting for the Premium Bonds to show up.

And this very handsome ketch didn't
stay the night as it may have been
a bit bumpy. This is Lulworth Cove's
drawback - a constant scend
into the cove. But it is really
lovely.

Lovely Dartmouth - again. And then the haul across Lyme Bay to Portland Bill and Weymouth.

Weymouth Marina is a bit dull, and quite expensive but not as eye wateringly expensive as Shoreham.

We stayed in Lulworth Cove for a bumpy night, and that is an outstanding place that must be visited by boat or by foot.

People playing at silhoette on the
western head of Lulworth Cove.

Then Newtown River, having lost a lot of water when an ageing pipe popped off the cold tap in the heads and the pump, excited by a large task, spent as little time as possible emptying the tanks into the bilges. We filled up again in Yarmouth, which was kind and helpful.

Then another long leg to Shoreham, through the awful locks to a 'Marina', populated by a very few seaworthy boats and a large number of sagging decks and peeling paint. It cost more than double what it was worth as there were no facilities and actually, no security. We had nowhere to go that night, so it wasn't a problem.

The view from Shoreham 'Marina', of the

timber quay.

The interest was in the ships that came in and out,

and the business of them getting through the locks.

And a sense of relief that we would

be leaving in the morning.

Then a lovely run to Eastbourne via the inshore route just off Beachy Head.

Then yesterday, to Dieppe while there was an excellent gap in the weather, with full sail and a little bit of engine here and there.

Now it's likely to be force 7, then Thursday to Boulogne to meet friends, two nights there, then Ramsgate and then - home, across the estuary.

Lovely: really looking forward to seeing home.

From Boulogne to Ramsgate it took us 5 ¼ hours: a strong spring tide, good timing and a fairly generous use of the engine got us to the pontoons in Ramsgate.

Ramsgate is a bit sad now, full of wind farm boats, a marina that charges too much, and an air of neglect. Ramsgate used to be charming.

And then: the route to Tollesbury - there are two routes, one via the north Kent coast, and the other straight across the estuary through Fisherman's Gat, just west of the huge wind farm and through an unbuoyed channel up to the next windfarm and the Wallet Spitway. Again, as though the weather was truly stuck in a groove, there was only a little wind, almost as much as a force 2.

Lovely home, and lovely boat: a home for three months among the birds and sealife, the cold, the contrary tides, the bright beaches and dark seas.

Fantastic.