Having enjoyed the Clyde, I headed home for a while before returning to take Spellbinder to the Isle of Man, single-handing. I am a sociable sailor by nature, but I do enjoy the odd spot of single-handing from time to time, as I get time to think and organise things. It is also a good challenge which requires one to think ahead and get everything ready, particularly for the first and last 200 metres of any passage, which are often the hardest. It also requires one to be scrupulous about personal safety – I always wear a life jacket which carries a Personal Locator Beacon.

It has also been a tough week for those of us who have served in the Armed Forces. The news coming out of Afghanistan is truly dreadful for those who have been involved in the country, and particularly for those traumatised by their experience there. I was pondering all this while listening to England folding against India on the last day of the fine test match at Lords; it was not a good day.

I was glad to be aboard though, and had a good sail from Ardrossan to Loch Ryan, where I arrived at dusk and passed a quiet night at anchor. I thought I was going to be the only yacht there, but two arrived just after. It’s a classic passage anchorage, albeit one which suffers wash from the ferries heading to the island of Ireland. I left just after dawn, catching the early southerly back eddy which runs down the Mull of Galloway, which spat me out nicely in the direction of the Isle of Man as a good sailing wind built. I arrived in Douglas without incident, being placed on the quarantine pontoon while my credentials were checked. I had had to email proof of double vaccination beforehand, and gain various reference numbers and permissions.

Thankfully the berth was an easy one to access, and I tucked in without difficulty. It had been a long day; single-handing, at least in coastal waters, is far more tiring, as you never really get a break.

I had a couple of days to explore the Isle of Man, of which I knew little other than its constitutional status, tax efficient arrangements and TT race. On the first day I took a steam train from Douglas to Port Erin over on the west side of the island, which was an enjoyable trip washed down with a pint and a pie in a local pub.

The next day I hired a car from the airport, and drove around the island in a clockwise direction, some of it on the TT circuit (but at somewhat more modest speeds). Below are a selection of places I visited.

I enjoyed my tour of the island, but had a sense – as one gets in the Channel Islands at times – of stepping back in time a little. I would not describe the island as very obviously flourishing, and I did wonder quite how much of its apparent wealth trickles down to the general public good.

My departure was timed for a fine northwesterly breeze which set me on course for Whitehaven, where I was to meet Sue and pick up Jonty, with is crewing for me as we return Spellbinder down south.

I had a good fast sail, broad reaching in a force 4/5 over six hours, and Sue helped me lock in and get a berth. Joined by Jonty a couple of days later, we locked out and headed for Anglesey, and had a long 13 hour motorsail, through wind farms and past gas drilling rigs.

We made it into the Menai Strait past Puffin Island, just as dusk was falling, and we picked up a buoy at Beaumaris. A rainy but otherwise quiet night followed, before we tackled the notorious Swellies.

With The Swellies behind us, we continued down the Strait to Caernarfon, where we went into the Victoria Dock marina and explored the town with its Edward I castle.

Spellbinder’s journey south continues, and I hope in the next week to visit various points on the Welsh coast and also Lundy and Padstow, before getting to Falmouth at the end of the month.