England in the 'Summer'

Rain rain rain rain rain rain and rain.

Back at Ma 'Grammy Lou' Spratticus in Olney. An 'interesting' (i.e. soggy) riverside walk along the banks of the Great Ouse (which funnily enough comes up as Great Puddle under predictive text).

Raining hard, small bridges over the backwaters below water, angry clouds...but all is very green & verdant.

Round the Island 2012 - Oooops (again)

Another year, another sailing race around the Isle of Wight, another good start...but sadly another retirement. This time the jib halyard parted company with the jib 45mins in whilst close hauled in strong winds and surrounded by 50 other boats zig-zagging around us. Motor on, race over, back to Cowes.

On the way back, it sort of dawned on us that we could have fashioned a jury rig out of the spinnaker halyard or even the main sail topping lift...but that's hind sight for ya!

No race pictures, but here's True Love pre-race, Jane & Swanny looking chipper whilst heading out to start and a rather miserable Jane & Swanny heading back to Cowes.

That's five starts and two retirements (2011 & 2012). Next year...NEXT YEAR!

True Love - Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth

Jane & Swanny - pre-race

Jane & Swanny - glum after retiring