Balta Sound - our most northerly anchorage       Now we are home, here are a few thoughts about our trip:  Certainly harder than any of our recent long sailing adventures, almost brutal at times. Colder and windier than we've experienced before in these waters. 2024 was a particularly demanding year for weather with frequent spells of gale-force wind around us.  There seemed to be a succession of stationary Lows centred on Iceland. It seems that the new norm is for the wind to gust from F3-4 to F6 and above in a very short time, making it hard to decide the best sails set-up plus adding to the stress of passage-making.  Is this a product of global warming we wonder? We seemed to have head winds both heading North and South! It was (once again) great to meet up with other sailors also battling to take their boats into these wilder waters.  Shetland was so different to Orkney and full of impressive rock formations as well as high hills. Oil money ...

On the mooring in New Grimsby Sound, the weather was so warm that I even jumped overboard at one point.  I didn't stay in the water for long though, it was more refreshing than I expected. New Grimsby Sound - Fine Weather After two days of sunshine, the weather turned grey and we took the overland route (green on the chart, only advised with at least half-tide and rising!) over to St Mary's for an early start, next morning.  We sadly gave up on the idea of anchoring in The Cove (between St Agnes and Gugh) and the delights of the Turks Head public house due to a forecast of SSE breezes blowing straight into the anchorage. The 60 miles to the Helford River involved light breezes and we motor-sailed all the way.  Our Yanmar engine continues to run smoothly; nearly home!  Tuna fish leapt, as did their prey, trying desperately to escape them.  We were impressed by the tide generated lumpy seas around Lizard Point, which bore no relation to the wind strength. In Helfo...