… a day makes!

No, that’s the song, not the facts.

Not 24 little hours, but 459 more cruising hours, and 123 more days on the tiller, of which 9 days of single handed cruising.
That’s the difference between the first Girl’s Weekend Out in 2017 and this year’s.

And what a difference. Of course there is this short-lived thought of:
Why am I doing this? (Answer: Why not?)
I shouldn’t be doing this! (Comment: Why not?)
It’s just to get over that little Mount Everest that is still there: Am I sure I can do this?

There is no panic whatsoever. I just undo the ropes and leave.
When just out of the marina I don’t shit myself because of moored boats and oncoming traffic (there are none anyway…)

I also don’t spent two days composing a list of things, to do before I set off. I only think it wise to have a pin and the hammer at hand. It’s the Leeds&Liverpool, so there are no armco barriers to hang a nappie pin onto, in case something happens.
And I don’t sniff all the way down: there is kitchen roll in the cupboard in the engine room.

Did I have to wait for a day with less wind, in 2017, this year I have to wait until the fog is gone. I can’t see the Tearoom when I get up! Trust me to be the first one of WRT’s crew to do cruising in thick fog…

Bit foggy

But the fog disappears pretty soon. Unfortunately the promised sun doesn’t show up at 9 o’clock. But I have my thermals on.
And there is no wind, absolutely no wind. Weird, to get out of the marina like this!

There is no wind all the way down. Uncanny. I’m almost getting to the stage that I start to miss the wind.
That thought must have reached the ones, responsible for the weather. Because as soon as I stick WRT’s beautiful nose into the winding hole, they start the wind machine.
Thank you very much!

Luckily I don’t make a fool of myself (there is no-one around anyway), I don’t hit anything, I just need a couple of more shunts, and a bit more revs.

Fifteen minutes later I’m Down in Holland (Downholland Swingbridge).
Moor up properly, and start thinking of some spring cleaning. But, as per usual when Lawrance leaves the boat, the sun comes out, and in no time it’s 25°C inside. And that’s with all the side doors, engine room doors and front doors open. So I only do a minimum of cleaning (only the galley), and start enjoying my Girl’s Weekend Out 2019.

Down in Holland again

Saturday is a bit cooler.
I’m not overworking myself, but manage to clean the bedroom and the bathroom, including the floors. Then it’s time for reading, crocheting and knitting.

When I wake up on Sunday it’s a bit windy. That is not what I want.
Immediately I start worrying. And immediately after that I tell myself: Stop worrying, it will only spoil your joys of cruising. Deal with it when you get to the marina.

So that’s what I do. I enjoy cruising back home, and when I get into the marina, there is Lol of Minstrel to give me a hand.

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