A sailing day

Wake up 5am

Grab a quick breakfast and get dressed.
Check the latest weather forecast is ok.
Then go through the "ready to sail" routine:
Chart, pilot book, hand held radio and gps to cockpit.
Winches to cockpit.
Instruments on.
Electronic charting on.
All non-essential electricals off.
Close hatches.
Secure loose items.
Life jackets and MOBis on.
Disconnect shore power.
Remove all mooring warps except one fore and aft ready to slip (pull through cleats on shore)
Steering leg down and locked.
Engine on, into reverse, slip our lines and we're off. 0550am

Radio our daily check to the coast guard. Take the fenders in and back to the cockpit ready for sails up and engine off.
0615 and we're sailing up the coast, eating up more miles.

Talking of eating, food onboard takes on major significance. During the sail we tend to have anything that can be eaten with one hand (scotch eggs are a favourite) or drunk from a cup, in small quantities every couple of hours or so. We describe it as "Hobbit eating" - first breakfast, second breakfast, etc. Then in the evening, once we've moored or anchored up, I'll do a proper hot meal in the oven. I also run a 'treats locker'. Morale on a 3am watch is kept up by a little something special.

Tonight we literally tied up, in Sunderland harbour. We had hoped to go into the marina, but when we arrived it was apparent that we wouldn't fit. A radio call to the Harbourmaster and we are secured to one of the harbour walls. As we arrived at low tide, our lines are definitely' up', as we have to allow for the rising water level as the tide comes in.

Tomorrow is another day.

54 54.865' N 01 21.847' W