It's been a week since we launched and what a week it's been!  We have certainly experienced the full range of weather conditions (except wind in any other direction other than the direction we are headed!).  The first 48 hours in Neyland Marina allowed us to complete last minute jobs and load up with goodies in glorious sunshine.

"Why do you need a ladder?" I was asked. "To climb the mast?".  Not a bad suggestion but in fact its to climb down off the boat if we use our beaching legs (East Coast, maybe).

Then off to Dale to join the rest of the Round Britain fleet, or at least those that had made it, and to take on our crew, Ian.

The highlight of the weekend was a gathering of the Round Britain Challenge (RBC) crews in Dale Yacht Club on sunday evening.  It was a great opportunity to meet some of the other crews and discover their talents as musicians and entertainers.  Thank you Dale YC and fellow old gaffers for a great evening!

We departed on Monday morning for Fishguard where we spent a bumpy night at anchor before heading North into a Northerly to Abersoch which we reached at 2.00am on Wednesday.  In the calm of the early hours we enjoyed a glass of whisky and fruit cake under the stars - never has either tasted so good!  Ater a long and sometimes difficult sail the simple pleasures are the best.  Crew and boat have done well in what has certainly been a testing 'shake down' sail.

The weather forecast on Wednesday encouraged us to seek better shelter so in the afternoon we found a snug berth in Pwllheli Marina 5 miles down the coast and moored up beside RBC boat Sylene.  Ian yet again proved his prowess in the galley and added a superb spagetti bolognese to his growing list of culinary delights.  Top of the list so far though is his Force 6 Hot Dog (relating to the weather conditions not his spicy sauce). 

Wind of gale strength forecasted for today and tomorrow so we will stay in Pwllheli for the time being....