One week....

Back on the water, having spent the week on Harris, coming back on board feels cramped and disorganised. There's a smell of diesel in the cabin, which is normal, just I hadn't been there for a while. All around me the river and natural world is thriving, the sun sparkles off the water which flows quickly by, making the dinghy bob and tussle on the painter. The Wind builds and Aisling grows restless, listing and turning on her strop. Out of nowhere comes squawking and flapping, I look out of the hatch and see dozens of small seabirds chattering and diving, all around us on the water. I figure there's a glut of fish, little are those fish aware of the celestial phantoms that hover overhead, their fate determined by beady eye diving fiend. Later on after a session of cleaning up, I drive to town for curry, biryani falling victim under my pinched fingers, scooping sloppy rice and gravy from the plate. There's a pressing notion that change is approaching, that in a week's time I'll be making my way South West hoping for a fair wind as I make way towards Lands End, starting an episode in my life that feels the most challenging, exhilarating, exciting, scary page that I ever laid my hand to turn, an unwritten page that lies in the hands of the unknown. All I can do is stay level headed, be with what arises, and tell myself I'm just going out for a sail, for a while....