The Final Blog Entry

Calviere II is now back on her mooring at Queenborough Harbour.

And have I had a wonderful time! There are so many people that I’m grateful to:-

• UKPN – thank you for giving me the time and resources. Sailing round the British Isles had been a long held ambition for me, partly inspired by Libby Purves’ book, ‘One Summers Grace’. One of those things for ‘when I retire’ which may not have happened were it not for UKPN. I may have needed to continue working into my sixties. With a state pension age of 66, I may have got there and been too old to consider the perceived hardships. I was lucky that I was chosen for redundancy whilst still relatively young.

• My wife, Chrissy, has supported and encouraged me. Without her collaboration the adventure would have been impossible. As my Mum often remarks, ‘Chrissy doesn't deserve you!’

• All the various crews who have joined in along the way:-

•                 David H, who endured the two coldest legs, taking the first leg of each year with the worst of the weather. David had to carry me back to the boat when I sprained my ankle at Mallaig.
•                 John N, my brother in law. He managed to find some spectacularly good restaurants on the two legs he completed.
•                 Peter H, who did three legs, and travelled the greatest distance. I feel guilty about inflicting so much pain in the form of seasickness on Peter. Fortunately, our last leg home was fine and settled all the way. We have enjoyed some really excellent sailing together. Peter also helped to prepare Calviere II for the trip.
•                 Eddie, who cooked some amazing shepherds’ pies on board and rounded Lands End.
•                 Colin, who joined me at short notice for the difficult and challenging passages across the Seven Estuary and the Irish Sea.
•                 Dorril, who, whilst not a sailor, tackled every challenge and carried on smiling. The dolphins that joined us to celebrate her birthday will miss her. The scallops around the Isle of Man are hoping she never returns.
•                 John D was greatly in tune with my way of thinking. Snooze in the afternoon, Archers in the Evening. Dinner helped down by a small single malt.
•                 John E, another crew member press ganged at the last minute and took on the most daunting of the legs, from Stornoway, round Cape Wrath, out to the Orkneys, round Duncansby Head and into the Moray Firth.

I need to thank the spouses of all the crew members for helping me on my way. Tina, Sharmon, Glynis, Ann, Mrs Drewer, Irene and Jenifer.

Thank you to Bob & Pat for coming up to Oban to assist with the antifoul etc. 

Thank you to all the harbour masters & marina staff who went out off their way to assist and advise.

Thank you to the fellow sailors & yacht club members, who drove me about, arranged laundry, provided meals, helped with mooring lines, guided tours of lifeboat stations, and allowed me to crew for them in races etc.

Thank you for the RNLI. Without the reassurance of knowing that they were available should they be needed, I don’t think I would have set out.

Libby Purves sailed round Britain in the 1980 and much has changed for the small boat sailor since then. Nearly everywhere I stopped, I was alongside a marina pontoon. I was always in contact with home via my mobile phone and the GPS plotter has made navigation very simple. I was able to have good, reliable weather forecasts delivered direct to my phone, without ringing the met office. I reread her book during my voyage and counted my blessings that I didn't have two small children on board, and I had a far more leisurely pace.

I also grieved for Libby & Paul’s son, Nicholas, who should have become a fine young man, but took his own life, suffering from depression. I had been taking anti depressants for the last ten years and have finally come off them during my voyage. Hopefully that dark period of my life is behind me. I have often thought that there is a relationship between depression and miles travelled on the M25. I now have a similar theory that depression is inversely proportional to miles travelled in a small boat. It is a well known premise that days spent afloat aren't included in our ‘three score and ten’. Physically, I have never felt better.

I think the journey has changed me for the good. I feel very content with my life. I have learnt that I have some wonderful and supportive friends and family. Distances don’t seem so great, when measured in hours.

I have saved my final big thank you for Calviere II. She is a small ship, with a big ship heart. She has tackled some wet & wild passages and carried on, even when her crew could barely hold on. She has kept us secure, dry and snug, although if I go round again, I'm going to fit a heater first.

I give thanks for the fine weather, a green and pleasant island to sail round, and thank God for making me an Englishman with a love of the sea.