Storm Petrel, Tim and I left Southsea enroute to Scotland, via the East Coast and I plan to meet as many HPOs possible on the way. Our first port of call was Eastbourne where Ewen and Pauline Summers, our HPO, joined us for a drink with Mike Gill's sister and husband.  Leaving very early to catch the tide we headed for Ramsgate with brilliant sunny weather. Rodney Pell, our HPO, had a prior engagement and so we partook of a sundowner at the Royal Temple Yacht Club. Weather was starting to change but we decided to get over to West Mersea to catch the Sunday Breakfast at the Company Shed with the LSC Rally which is organised by David Curry who is HPO Blackwater, so David was No. 3 HPO that I had made contact with. The following day we left for Ipswich to pick up Duncan Macmillan as crew had a lay day before setting off for Lowestoft.  

Just passing Shotley, a gale warning came through so we decided to get in for the evening, weather deteriorated but we were snug in Shotley and saw Mike Gill off at Harwich Station. We left the following day for Lowestoft with the wind 15-20k on the beam and a lovely sunny day, so a very pleasant sail to Lowestoft. The Royal Norfolk and Southern Yacht Club had been refurbished and serves lovely food and the town has improved since I was last here about ten years ago. Malcolm Malir then joined the crew.  Lowestoft Marina has become our base for the past couple of days and maybe another two days as a gale is blowing through and sailing round Norfolk and across the Wash definitely has to be undertaken in moderately calm weather! We are trying to head for Grimsby to try to meet up with Hugh and Lyn Williamson, Thames Barge shipmates, but we are thwarted by the weather so far.  

We will not meet any more HPOs till we pass Edinburgh, but that will be quite a few days away and we have to travel up the east coast where we will change crew again. Geoff Quentin will join us to sail to Edinburgh.