There were no Wrecks and Nobody Drownded

In fact nothing to laugh at at all !

This is what breakfast looks like at 6am

It might look the same as any other breakfast to you, but over the past few weeks I’ve gone soft!

Apart from a few instances of barely suppressed panic trying to moor against lock walls, it’s all been late leisurely breakfasts, no tides, piddling little waves, sunshine, complete lack of urgency, everywhere within a few hours sail of everywhere else, a general ‘I wonder what we’ll do today’ attitude…

But this morning was different!

Grey skies, tired, cold, half asleep, unshaven, a tide that must be caught, slightly irritable (hard to believe I know!)

At 0630 the fuel berth was still closed, as was the marina office – we wanted to pay but what could we do 😱 … and my hands have smelt all day from topping up the fuel from the reserve can.

However the wind and waves were slight and astern, the sun was in cloud so it was warm but not too hot for me and the tide was just right… so after travelling at 8.5kn for some of the time we left Holland and arrived in Nieuwpoort six hours later 👍

So it’s Nieuwpoort again but at least we went for a different marina this time.

Same old topiary..

And I’ve heard stories about Belgian women, but I’m not sure what to make of this

Another look around the topiary and windsocks

And now the EU flags have been replaced by a large floral display.

After four weeks of salads I couldn’t decide which end of the mermaid I found most attractive.

If there’d been chips available I’d probably have plumped for the bottom half 🤡

Calais tomorrow is the plan and then perhaps a long haul to Eastbourne on Friday.

Thanks for all the good wishes for my Mum. She’ll be in hospital for a few more days but is doing fine.