And another week passes by at lightening speed.  Impossible Dream set sail from La Coruna in NW Spain last night and could be arriving in Plymouth as early as this Sunday depending on the weather which is terrific news. Then at last we can crack on with the essential jobs before bringing her back to the Solent.

On Monday we drove to Lowestoft from Southampton.  I had last visited Lowestoft in August 2007 as one of our ports-of-call around GB. It seemed very strange returning by land and I did not immediately recognise the car park of the Royal Norfolk & Suffolk YC where I had stopped for one night. Outside the club, it was like a different world. About a mile of promenade, sandy beaches, fish and chip shops, none of which I had seen on my brief visit. Of all the buildings I did recall, it was our hotel, a large Victorian brick building on the cliff which I recall seeing as I left early that morning in 2007 and sailed south to Felixstowe Ferry.

We had returned to Lowestoft as guests of Waveney Sailability, for info CLICK HERE.  A small group had visited me that night back in 2007 to wish me well. Now they had asked me back to open their new boat house. So on Tuesday, in pouring rain, we went to their club on Oulton Broad and with over 100 guests, I had the great pleasure of declaring their new boat house open. And as I stopped talking, so the rain stopped and the sun came out - typical.

I'm off to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight first thing in the morning for another official duty, this time I have the honour of opening the Old Gaffers Festival which should be a great day and even the weather is looking promising - I'll get some piccies and upload them in my next Blog.  For more details CLICK HERE.

I'll finish by showing off my fishing prowess. Last Sunday I smashed my all-time fishing record, with a haul of 26 Sea Bass, 15 mackerel, a Black bream and a Garfish for good measure, all caught by me and my friends Andy & Paul in the Solent.  At last, I seem to have broken my duck.  I can assure you that the sea bass and mackerel tasted delicious and there's plenty in the freezer.