I have some exciting news - Andy has sailed Spirit of Mystery down to Port Kembla where she will be loaded on to a ship for home next weekend.

She will arrive in Holland some time end of April thanks to www.sevenstar.nl where we will put her bowsprit and outrigger back out in readiness to sail her home to Cornwall.

I have to say I have wrestled with the decision as to whether I should sail her home or ship her ever since we arrived in Melbourne. My heart wanted to sail her but looking at life, commitments and other projects I have in the pipeline on it was readily apparent that I didn't have the time slot. If I did it would have been a few years out and it would have done her no good at all to sit drying out her timbers in the Australian heat as she waited.

Once I had made it the decision just felt right and I am now really excited about getting her home for the sailing season - we have missed her.

Cheers Pete

I popped over on a Sydney Ferry on Saturday to check 'Spirit of Mystery' was in good order for a sail down the coast to Port Kembla. She looked her usual elegant self, and with a wake of the ferry disturbing her morning snooze, she came alive and bucked like a stallion in a field full of fresh grass.
Charts were checked, the engine fired up and hatches removed to give her a good airing. Then, in the warmth of the day I sat below and reminisced on 'Spirit of Mystery's' tales, while the gentle motion and her tranquil cabin soon coaxed me into having a siesta, her way of saying she was ready.

Neil Patchett from NSW Maritime and his son, Simon, joined me in the evening to sleep on board for an early start. Christina would join us in the morning, after a night with AC/DC, who are on a sell-out tour of Australia at the moment.

We were up for 6:15am and the morning greeted us with silence, Sydney harbour waters resembled glass, not a breath of wind in sight! The forecast was positive, with a 15-20 North Easter on its way, building to 20+, perfect.

We motored out of the heads under the escort of a NSW Maritime vessel, with Steve Dunn (C.E.O.) aboard. Steve, with camera in hand and Cornish pride flowing through his veins snapped away and gave 'Spirit of Mystery' a fond farewell.

As 'Spirit of Mystery' slipped out of Sydney harbour and headed south, a small but determined swell badgered our passage. With no wind to fill her sails and steady her, she rolled like a pirate ride at the fair, but the crew valiantly held on and prayed for wind. The wind eventually showed signs of joining us as we passed Botany Bay. Every stitch of sail was raised and the motioned immediately calmed, the engine was cut. With a building wind 'Spirit of Mystery' started to come into her own, shaking off the cobwebs of being confided within Sydney's stunning harbour. 10 to 15 knots and the crew's smiles told it all, 'Spirit of Mystery' was winning the hearts of yet another crew. 15 to 20 and smiles became grins, her rigging creaked and she accelerated to 6-7knotts, touching 8knotts as took advantage of the following swell. Conditions couldn't be better and lost time was soon clawed back. What a day! The tall chimney that marks the location of Port Kembla soon loomed into sight through the haze of a 30degree day. Simon expertly guided 'Spirit of Mystery' for the last few remaining miles into the heart of Port Kembla.

Next weekend will be spent readying her for her voyage home. It is going to be sad to see her go, but she does belong in Cornwall.


Andy

I am always asked what have I been up too and it is hard to know where to start for there has been so much on. The best bit has been having time at home.

I guess the main thing is that I have been working really hard to pay off the debts and clear the yard arm for the next project. The really good news is that I am able to keep 'Spirit of Mystery' rather than sell her which was one of the options when we started all this.

The work has as ever been varied, interesting and all over the world so it sometimes feels as if I only got home yesterday. One highlight last year was that Alex my oldest bounded down the stairs one day to announce that he wanted to be a music promoter. Obviously we said we would support him and off we set on another adventure driven by his passion. I thought we would start in the village but true to Alex's style it was to be a 4,000 ticket gig with top Rap Artist 'Flo Rida' flying in from Miami. Talk about fun, stressful and absorbing - it took our lives over as a family for two months with Alex driving it, me mentoring and helping organise things, Tracey running all the catering and hospitality and Livvy and Eliot acting as runners. There's never a dull moment in our household.

I have spent a lot of time this winter working on a wood that my father planted eighteen years ago - I love the land and conservation. We have put up seventeen bird boxes made by Grandad and a couple of weeks ago Tracey and I planted 500 Blue Bells. There has been lot of felling to do on an overgrown hedge but we are nearly there on that one. I have also started a bee keeping course - I have always wanted to keep them and I now have a lovely spot to do so. Honey is on me!

Otherwise I have got back into cycling and have signed up for a sixty mile race across the moors this year. The training was going really well until I picked up a bug and chest infection which has taken ages to shake. Should be back in the saddle this week - we soooo need spring to come round. Oh, and I have also made many school visit to follow up on the project which is always good fun.


Pete

Andy is really well and still going out with Henrietta whom you may recall he met in Cape Town as she sailed through on the Arc Round the World Race. Talk about ships in the night - what would be the chances of that? He has stayed in Australia and now has a great job with Walkon Marine and couldn't be happier.

Mark is doing really well and is back on full duties with a promotion after a long and frustrating recovery from his broken leg. He still maintains that he would do it all again even if he knew there was a broken leg at the end of it. He has taken up sailing and amongst other things took Gina for a sailing holiday in the Mediterranean.

Eliot is really well and hits sixteen this year which is the year that he can leave school and move on to Duchy College for a course in Heavy Plant driving. The trip did him a power of good and he now has the bug. In fact he is off on a Tall Ships race from Amsterdam to Brixham amongst other things.

Mandy is really well and remains working for me part-time and part-time for the Cornwall Playing for Success Centre in Delaware, Gunnislake.

Chris Rees has built a fabulous shed in Millbrook and is working on a number of projects - he is still a bundle of energy, and every time I pop in on him I leave thinking that we must build another boat, so if anyone has any idea's for another project along the lines of 'Spirit of Mystery' let me know.

Stuart Elford is as well as ever and very happy in a new job which keeps him busy for three days week freeing him for a couple of days a week on some really interesting projects. He has bought into a plane syndicate and took me up for a flight the other day.


Pete