It has been a bit of a month down on the Thames estuary with just a few available days fit for sailing when the tide was in. I grabbed two of those…

My eldest brother was over from Canada a little while back and he hit a period of excellent weather in the east, enjoying a three day sail and another out on the tide before hightailing back to Canada as Covid-19 variant Omicron began to hit.

Over a couple of days before Christmas I was able to get afloat for a couple of sails. It at least ‘showed’ the tree off to other folk afloat. Hauling a tree aloft is a rarity these days on ships and boats.

Christmas Day arrived to another bout of windy mizzly weather – no matter I have only sailed on Christmas day on very few occasions!

Boxing Day morning our phone rang early.

I looked across at the mate as she listened … it was my sister down in Devizes about to leave for our mother’s care home. She wasn’t good…

Advice was get going!

Sadly, my dear mama died a little after eight. She went peacefully, bless her, with my sister holding her hand.

So, the the artistic sailing mum we all knew has passed on to pastures new… She has left us her memories.

I, for one, will always treasure the sketches she came up with to illustrate the first three books to follow ‘May Flower’. It was something she was superb at.

So, although it is the festive season until twelfth night for many, it is for me and my siblings (and others) a sad time too.

Sail on mum, wander the eternal shorelines and the wooded glades. Sit, ponder and sketch, for ever.

God Bless…

To all, good sailing or whatever boating you participate in. Let us all hope for a better 2022 out on the water.

Whimbrel ‘managed’ 930 nautical miles for 2021, pretty good really, considering…