It rained overnight but by morning, once again it was clear and there was a good, fresh southerly wind blowing, ideal for our last sail of the season and I was keen to set off. However, we were a little thwarted as we were almost obligated to stay to watch the jaw-dropping incompetence of an individual in a 14 metre home built steel yacht as he tried to come alongside boats on the opposite bank. He had a bowthruster so he should have had no difficulty but he persisted in approaching his victim ie the boat he had chosen to raft alongside, bows on and when his crew got a line on, he sort of well I'm not sure what he did, but eventually the frustrated owner of the victim shooed him away and then he chose another. This time two additional people came to help and it still took a good ten minutes, it really was quite the worst bit of boat handling we have seen for years.

Anyway, we were on our way and sailing by 09:45 and with genoa alone, reached speeds of 7 knots, lovely sailing. Once under Fehmarn bridge, we met short sharp waves which slowed us down a little but we still clocked along and once out of the marked channel were able to turn left and head to Burgstaaken and home, docking alongside the outer hammerherhead on the pontoons. Already here were Chi Chi with Graham & Claudine Garner, Osprey with Alan & Christine Williams, Amphion with David & Jennifer Brisker, Gentoo with Roger & Gwyn Robson, Milvina with Neil & Helen McCubbin and finally Hexotic with Gavin & Terry Goudie. There was one other boat, a Najad 373 which had attended the Rally but we didn’t get to speak with them but for completeness, she was Freyja of Mersea with Tony & Louise Halliwell and Rick & Linda Hurst.

Apart from chatting to people, we didn’t do a whole lot boat maintenance-wise but we did get the car started ( first turn, good old Beemer!) and did a little sorting. Of course we had people on board for drinks, namely Chi Chi and Amphion and during the conversation which flowed as well as ever, we discovered that David needed a lift to the station in the morning as he was travelling to Kappeln on the Schlei to pick up his car and we volunteered.

That was about it for the day, a very pleasant last one and until I do a summary of the last four months and perhaps a few words for the last few days’ of chores, this is my last blog entry for this year.