We said good bye to Ian and Jonty who left for the station, and had two hours with Ray before he too left for the airport. We had noticed that the lower port spreader was slightly out of alignment, and after a call to Broadblue over the weekend, we had taken comfort from the fact that the rig is immensely strong, and that this was not an issue. Notwithstanding that, I wanted to inspect it so a trip up the mast was called for. So, with me in a bosun's chair wearing a baseball cap as head protection on such a windy day, Ray winched me up the mast. As expected, the rig will need attention at Shotley when we return, but was absolutely rock solid. I think it likely that we stressed it while sailing with such vigour earlier in the week, bit it does not constitute a safety issue.
Having let me down again, Ray left in due course and I was left on my own to catch up with some much needed sleep and to do cleaning and get more provisions before Andrew arrived at 1830, the latter being great fun. We ventured up the hill to the old part of Scarborough and found a very good Italian restaurant. Scarborough seems a town of two halves, the promenade area being a place of colourful, assertive, vivacious and much decorated people while the area around the Grand hotel is by contrast much more staid. Either way, we enjoyed our evening together and I was thankful to catch Andrew on his visit from the Bahamas.
Today, the two of us intend to sail the 65nm to Grimsby, where will meet Woody and his grandson. This will be my last crew change, as this evening's additions will bring us to full complement and will take us back to Shotley, likely on 7th August, where our circumnavigation of Britain, including the Orkneys, will be completed. A revised passage plan suggests Grimsby, Wells next the sea, southwold if possible and Shotley as our next scheduled stops.
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