We are off!

Left Hamble at about 9.00 on the 18th July 2023 with sun and mill pond water. It had been a very busy few days with final preparations and we had to delay 24 hours due to the final steel works.

However in good spirits and with a feeling of relief we slipped the lines and motored in lovely sun to the Needles with a sense of not likely to be seeing Old Blighty for a while. Once through the Needles we motored towards Salcombe with little wind until about 6.00pm; however as frequently happens it was coming from the direction we wanted to go. So we spent the evening and night tacking back and forth and dodging the cargo ships, fishing boats and naval vessels. Eventually about 5.00 am the next day we were passed Salcombe and on our way toward Ushant. By 9.00am our 24 hour run was 163.3nm. Not too bad for our first day. All in good spirits. Love to all reading this Stormbird is lifting her skirts and heading toward France.