One of the hazards of ‘working’ from home and being locked down during a pandemic is that there is far too much time available for day-dreaming and re-reading old favourites. One Summer’s Grace, Libby Purves’ tale of her family’s voyage around Britain has always been something of an inspiration…. It is a fascinating portrait of our country, coastline and people but, it was a demonstration that if a circumnavigation with two small children could be achieved in one summer then it really shouldn’t be beyond my capabilities!
I also really enjoyed reading Jonathan Raban’s Coasting and Jill Roger’s blog https://velatour.home.blog/. Jonathan Raban’s book is set in 1982 against the back-drop of the Falklands Conflict with plenty of political comment - something I enjoyed and, in some parts, agreed with and Jill Roger’s blog is, I think, an illustration of how much fun can be had in a small boat!
Circumnavigators will have many decisions to make but the main one me was – which way? Turn left or right after leaving Pompey? There are extremely good arguments for both directions but prevailing winds up the Irish coast and Scottish coasts combined with a plan to be in amongst the Scottish Islands by July led us to the ‘turn right’, clockwise, option. A departure after Easter (17 Apr ’22) would work domestically and, hopefully would get Little Scarlet to the Irish Sea in May, Ireland in June, Scotland in July and then back down the East coast in August although, as is often said “no plan survives first contact with the enemy” and, in this case the enemy is likely to be the weather! So after an ‘Initial Planning Conference’ in Portsmouth Sailing Club over a few drinks Nigel and I hatched a plan….!
