Day 92-Wednesday 17th August- Teignmouth to Totnes

On the last evening of the trip, there was an amazing sky, followed by the deepest red sunset I've seen for a long time. It was like the sky was putting on a grand finale in the endless performance it has given me over 3 months.

In the morning Joe arrived by car from London to join me for the last leg. We had a good breakfast at the cafe SE4, then set off at about 10 am. The light wind was blowing from the NE, which offered a broadish reach back to the Dart. After a while, I started to get the spinnaker out, but a few stronger gusts and the onset of rain put me off. i wanted a nice easy finish with no big dramas, especially with Joe on board.

As Joe steered, his stance reminded me of a photo I'd taken of him many years ago in Hylje on Lake Windamere, just after we bought her.Don't ask me why it has displayed the photo on its side. It did this once before on the blog and no amount of trying to correct it would sort it out.

Whilst all that fresh faced innocence has gone, and so much has changed, what hasn't altered is his tendency to feel sea sick. It was the only thing that marred the deep pleasure of having him aboard again. Fortunately, as we turned the corner into Dartmouth and the slight swell disappeared then he was fine again.

As we had sailed past Berry Head, we were close enough to a family in a Beneteau to have a conversation as we went along.I couldn't help but chide them a bit about bigger boats were supposed to be quicker than small ones, but I had to concede he had a pretty small jib, which he used when kids were on board. I told them a bit about my circumnavigation and they said how helpful it had been having a 7 year old aboard to be able to get a berth on Dartmouth town quay. It is Dartmouth regatta next week and the place is filling up fast. Making a life size copy of Joe's earlier photo and sticking it on the back might help if I want to attend next week.Finally they gave up on the slow sailing and motored off

We were both pretty wet by the time we reached Dartmouth and the tide was too low for us to be able to get up to Totnes just yet. We dried out in a cafe, where Joe was keen to know how it felt now that I'd done it. The feelings and emotions were as I expected them to be.Relief that I'd made it, without any significant major mishaps. A freedom from the anxiety about what I might face on the next leg. A huge sense of satisfaction from the achievement. Piercingly intense memories of amazing skies,visits from dolphins, being thrown around off headlands, and the continuous sense of movement.And yes there was a sadness about it being over, but with no work to return to and a house I can't get into until the end of August,I am free to go sailing if I want to. He suggested I could get down to the Scillies and back in 2 weeks.He also wanted to know whether the next one would be crossing the Atlantic or going to the Med. I don't know whether I disappointed him with my lack of ambition, but I really do feel Britain has so much to offer, that why go anywhere else? We may not have guaranteed sun, but my face could not be any browner than it is now. On the plus side we have tides,wildlife, history and scenic beauty everywhere.

When we set off and passed the ferry pontoon a small group started cheering and clapping. I went in closer and realised it was the family from the Beneteau. That was a lovely gesture. Joe was keen that there should be a big fanfare to celebrate my achievement and he felt guilty at not having assembled a crowd. It encouraged me to phone my old work mates to meet me after work for a drink as I expected to reach Totnes by about 5.30.

By the time we reached the Steam Packet a good little crowd had collected and they cheered and clapped. It was great to share a few drinks with this bunch. When they left we wandered up into town to get a curry. It was easy coming back to a great place like Totnes. In many ways it is like the best of the places I have visited. What Wexford,Findorn,Wells,Woodbridge, Maldon,Faversham and Totnes have in common are that they are attractive historic towns at the top of drying rivers. It is fortunate that I have ended up living in just the sort of place that I have enjoyed as I have travelled around the British isles.

The last few legs look like this on my trusty road map. I will have to get the whole thing framed.

There will be one more blog. I can't do what Phil Aswin did and just say I did what I set out to do. I want to draw a few strands together, if only so that I can look back and remember how it felt and what it meant at the time.