Fabulous news another nephew joined our little family in May and is growing way too fast. Mia finally had her birthmark removed in June and is well on the road to recovery. July saw us anchor to watch the Round the Island race in Osbourne Bay, we were astonished by the the number of mayday calls it was truly worrying. We also helped with 14th Tonbridge Sea Scouts annual summer camp in Portland Dorset, beautifully organised and a fabulous location for us. August saw us celebrate 10 years of marriage in August by going to Boardmasters a music festival in Newquay it was an experience that needed to be crossed off, but more commercialised than we had hoped. September saw us help prepare and be part of two wonderful couples weddings, then a wonderful holiday away at Port Lympne in Kent with my parents and the children.
Since we returned to Southampton around this time last year the family hasn't settled all of us dreaming of going back to Plymouth! So we took a poll after dinner and everyone without persuasion (except Imogen she just agreed) decided they preferred our lifestyle in Plymouth. It was a hard decision to make as last time leaving wasn't our choice it just happened. Now we were deciding to move away from the people we love.
However, we often found that we had better quality time with friends and family when we returned as we were positively there and not distracted.
We didn't want to say too much as we may not have got a weather window but we did, wonderful settled easterlies! So we watched, prepped, prepped some more and then took advantage of the weather. We ticked another big trip off of our list and sailed to Cherbourg, we spent a few days there and then our settled weather threatened to change so instead of a leisurely trip round to the Channel Islands we took a direct approach to Plymouth. A 24 hour sail, we all settled nicely, there is a distinct difference in the children, Imogen is the most adept it is clear she has been sailing from a young age and it is not a novelty. However Jacob and Mia are still slightly bemused and not sure what to do with themselves.
Both trips were lovely and navigation was aided by our new Simrad chart plotter (and all singing and dancing with extra accesssories I am reliably informed) which was a bargain from a fire damaged stock room at our local force four chandlery. On our return to Plymouth we were joined by Dolphins for the briefest but most amazing show, the children were trying all their different dolphin impressions to encourage them to come back. We had seals, sea gulls, songs, it was a rather random assortment of noise needless to say they didn't come back and disappeared before the cameras came out.
Anyway enough rambling, currently we are sat in Mayflower marina awaiting the spring tides to go back to Torpoint and pick up a more permanent mooring for the winter.
Much love to you all