Not all sunsets and rainbows out there in the North Atlantic. Our 13day passage from Horta in the Azores to Cardiff in the UK was a very challenging one with nasty blows every three days. We were nearly knocked down (where the top of the mast hits the water) and had to heaveto (stop sailing) several times. We had some difficult seas to contend with as well. There were some bright spots and we had some laughs, but overall, it was not a fun passage.

We were greeted in Cardiff by my beautiful daughter and her boyfriend, who took some great photos of us coming in. Cardiff Bay has 30ft tides (9m+) and there is a very narrow channel going in, which has only three feet (1m) of water at low tide (Dyola draws six feet, 1.9m) so it was a nailbiter getting in, but we did it!