This Sailing Blog Awakens....

....from its hibernation!  

After another splendid Florida winter working at golf, tennis, parties and suntans, it’s time to get back to the toil of sailing in Europe for the summer of 2017.  We have one whole thing nailed down: we will fly to London arriving 23^rd May. Then it’s all a bit vague. What will probably happen is:

First week of June, haul the boat for bottom paint.

Mid June, we shall sail from Lowestoft, England, across the North Sea to Heligoland. Adventuress thereby (and we have this in writing from the French Customs, no less!) by fueling and docking for a night, will have left the European Union Customs Zone, and we will have receipts to prove it. This is quite important to accomplish, so that we will not be deemed to have imported the boat into the EU and be liable for a $50,000 VAT tax on her.  Previously we went to Norway: and last year we visited the Channel  Islands.  Then we discovered - sacre bleu!  - that the French don’t count the Channel Islands as outside the EU (the Brits do!)  Thanks to my new friend Bertrand,  Patrouilleur des Douanes J.O. Fourmentin, Boulogne- sur- Mer, and the French rules he sent me, I discovered that the French do count the German tax haven island of Heliigoland as outside the Customs Zone.

Not only that, but diesel is half price in Heligoland, as we confirmed when we filled up there in 2014.

Now the Admiral says Heligoland is far North enough for her, thank you very much, and so instead of sailing up to Norway we will most likely turn South from Heligoland and make the short sail to Holland, where we will tarry a while, no doubt.

Then, it will be through the English Channel, and off to visit Normandy again, about end of June.  Then Beaucette in Guernsey, and off to new waters: Brittany, Biscay, Bordeaux, and thence to Spain, say about beginning of August.

After revisiting the Rias of North West Spain, South we will sail to Northern Portugal and the Douro, and Oporto. Maybe there we might find some bottles to stash in the bilges? Late bottled vintages will work best, I think. 

Lisbon will be next on the agenda.

Thus with some luck and a fair bit of skill and judgement (the Admiral will be aboard) we might fetch up in Lagos, Algarve, Portugal about say mid to late September.

Quite a good chance that will all happen: but having our own floating home and not needing to book any travel, it’s all flexible, and depends on the weather, the inclination, and what and whom we find along the way. 

Vagabonds we happily shall be!

Best to all,

John and Nancy

Marco Island, Florida

 At one of countless parties during the Marco Season.

And talking of the Season, here's the  Admiral modeling this season's....

....hottest pants!

Quote of the week: "Smoking cigars is like falling in love. First you are attracted by its shape. You stay for its flavour, and you must always remember never,never to let the flame go out."   Winston S. C.