Date and TimeThursday 19 April 0700 GMT
PositionLat 36 41N Long 73 35W

The start in Hampton Roads was into the wind and I quickly realised that with some short tacking to do, ports rot ships and men. I was softer than on arrival. The wind had been predicted as a northerly but was from the north east, so we were close hauled down the channel and stayed that way This does not suit Saga Insurance and the other boats were soon hull down ahead of us. A Royal Navy Merlin Helicopter from HMS Ocean escorted us part of the way…

Norfolk had been magnificent as a host port and I was sorry to leave new friends but hopefully will meet them again before too long.

Once clear of the coast I decided we had a headland and celebrated with Old Pulteney and a large slab of Aunt Aileen’s fruit cake which is still as good as it was when I rounded Cape Horn two months ago.

Dinner was a curry presented to me by Commander Vikram M…., I don’t have Vikram’s card so cannot remember his surname, but he is a class mate of Dilip’s who came and visited from an Indian Naval ship in port.

A bumpy first night back at sea but one quickly gets back into the routine. Just now I can tell by the rising sea water temperature that we are entering the Gulf Stream and with a north easterly wind it is likely to get more rough for a while.

RKJ