Just before midnight on 10 June Firefly arrived in Horta, with three surprisingly fresh crew, Stewart, Duncan and Ross, aka beards 1,2 and 3 fully clad in foulies and thermals as the temperature dipped to a very unseasonal 17 degrees. Stewart, it is rumoured, had worn his all the way back from two days out from Antigua, his blood thinned by too many months in the Caribbean. They had just two things on their minds, beer and food and the owner was on hand with supplies of both.

Once they clear Customs this morning and move Firefly to her berth, the marina showers and launderette will be taking a beating, after which, they admitted, there was to be only one thing on today’s agenda, lunch, and undoubtedly, more beer.

The Firefly diary, if Duncan can set this laptop to e-mail via Iridium, will continue when she leaves Ponta Delagada in a couple of weeks with new beards, Robert and James joining Stewart for the final leg of her 25 month, 10,000 mile odyssey.

Antigua – Horta Distance sailed 2,263 miles Average speed 6 knots