A picture, sometimes two and the occasional video, from each of my trips, these are not necessarily my favourites or best - they are likely to be imbedded in blog posts about the trips. See the cruise index for all cruises, and buttons at the top for threads on longer cruises.

But first a couple of pictures from long ago -

The RAF Sailing Association's UFO34 "Black Arrow", named for treble one squadron - check out the RORC "members" sail number. We took her to the 1977 3/4 Ton Cup and two of us had an "interesting time" bringing her back from Las Rochelle to Gosport with no self steering in a boat set up for a crew of six, my first experience of short handed offshore sailing.

Here I am sitting on the rail of Brian and Pam Saffrey-Cooper's half tonner "Green Dragon" during the 1979 Round the Island Race. She was an incredibly successful racing boat winning a Royal Ocean Racing Club "Yacht of the Year award" in 79, plus the RORC divisional championship, the Solent Points series and BRLA Saturday and Sunday Series, 3 years running.

But she would be totally unsuitable for single handed sailing - the mast would come down pretty quickly without a dedicated person on the runners, she was built for the 1978 Half Ton cup (wining the UK trials and the team award in the world championships) when adjustable forestays were allowed, we could move the top of the mast back and forth by well over 6 feet, but it required nifty work on the runners that you could not handle by yourself. They banned adjustable forestays for the 79 season, when we were again in the three boat UK team at the world championships but retired during the long offshore race when the steering failed off of the Texal - it took up a day and a half to get to Ramsgate without a usable rudder.

2017

Going down the Hamble very early in the morning on my
first longish trip on Sancerre, anti-clockwise around the
Isle of Wight in August.

And another early start leaving for the second trip, this one to
Swanage in September. The wind got up going down the Solent.

And it turned out to be a bit wet, later the third thunder storm
of the evening and the forth or fifth of the day resulted in the
anchor being screwed out of the sea bed and I had to make a
quick escape and a night sail back the Hamble, further storms
fortunately past be by but the lightening was quite impressive.

2018

My first "proper" cruises in Sancerre.

Dolphins having fun off Falmouth, May.

Fowey in July.

On my next trip in August, Fowey harbour was effectively full
with boats rafted up on moorings that are close together - with only
one boat each its crowded - so I went round the corner for a peaceful
night anchored off Polkerris (next to Par sands).

Inbound to Newlyn later in my August cruise,
St Michael's Mount off the port bow.

Braye harbour, Alderney in September.

2019

Braye Harbour in March before the crowds arrived. Despite
the lack of facilities (no dinghy pontoon, water taxi, showers etc.)
a most enjoyable trip in fantastic weather for the time of year.
And the mooring was free.

Sailing in company with Suhaili on route
to the 50th anniversary celebrations of
R N-J's round the world trip. April.

Welcome committee (Ron, on camera and Roger) off Falmouth

in April, The wind had died and I motored in for the last few

miles. Blue Magic is a Dehler 40, so even with her well below

cruising speed I was running close to hull speed to overtake.

(Works best full screen)

Back to Alderney in May, France in the distance.

The inshore route round Portland Bill going to Plymouth
in June for the start of the Jester Challenge. With a narrow tidal
window it can get quite crowded as Portland and Weymouth
Harbours empty out, especially when the west bound tide
starts in the early morning as it did for this trip giving a good
start to get across Lyme Bay.

On the home stretch, rounding the Fastnet three days into the
Jester Baltimore challenge in June.

Dolphins in the Celtic Sea returning from the Jester challenge.

(it starts a bit slow but quickly gets better) unfortunately the high

resolution original was too big for Blogger but this is reasonable,

try full screen.

Lyme Regis coming home from an extended cruise of the west
country in July. I sailed dinghies from here in the late 60s and
early 70s.

The inshore route round Portland Bill, east bound returning from
my July cruise.

SBS going home for tea, formation keeping could be better :-)
On-route to Fowey, September.

2020

Due to Covid-19 there was only one trip in 2020, but it was a long one, single handed round GB. There are quite a few pictures (now) included in my blog posts,

Longships light with Lands End behind

Wicklow Head

Port Ellen, Islay

Tobermory

Cape Wrath

Sancerre in Stromness Harbour, on the left a "Stella" class boat
from the 1960's

Lindisfarne

A brief diversion watching this ship do a 90 degree turn into
a narrow channel whilst I was stuck in Blyth for 12 days whilst
waiting for a weather window for the long legs to Lowestoft.

Lowestoft

2021

Covid-19 was still a factor but I did get away in April for another round GB trip, this time anti-clockwise, after a months delay in getting the boat back in the water.

Finally in the water after a couple of weeks hard graft after we
were aloud to travel

Beachy Head

Bamburgh Castle

Inner Farne

The Holy Island of Lindisfarne

Not what you want to pick up, the second time in 2 visits I
had had a fouled anchor in the Lindisfarne anchorage. This
cost 18 metres of chain so I had to avoid deep anchorages for
the rest of the trip and later a new chain 😒