Friday 25 August

0604 wind died. Did stuff round the boat - J mended a gaping seam in the jib, I cooked stuff from the fridge before it went bad. Then, because it was nicely sunny, I sunbathed while J dozed below. We were drifting off Jeddore Rock, but no problem.

Round about 10.30, a small breeze from the southwest rippled across my back. Something stirred in my head. Surely this meant something? Now, what ...? Oh! Wind! Ah! Yes! Sailing! I pulled out the jib and off we went, silently sliding through the flat water. J woke about 5 or so minutes later.

'And going the right way,' he marvelled. Hmmm.

He pulled up the main and we carried on towards the entrance to Halifax harbour. Tacking off the entrance, the wind, bless its socks, died on us, and so did my heart. So near, so far. But eventually it picked up again and we tacked up the Northwest Arm under jib and mizzen, anchoring about halfway up, about a mile upstream, off a beautifully manicured lawn with little green round bushes and an I-want-it house.