Everything on the “must do before I leave” list was finally ticked off and after two months of planning it was time to leave.

I had held out to the last minute to tell people when I would be leaving, having made that mistake three weeks before saying “I will be leaving next Saturday”! So on Thursday night I confidently stated that I would be leaving at midday on Friday.

On waking up on Friday morning I knew there was still heaps of work to be done and by midday it was clear it was going to take a few more hours before I could set off. But finally we loaded the last of my clothes; the fresh water and I went home to have the standard “child going away” meal, which mum insisted I finish before I left.

At 16:20 I finally left Penzance harbour behind for the last time in what is likely to be about three months. Despite a forecast of little or no wind I was determined to at least sail out of Mounts Bay. As it was, the gods were on my side as I made five knots up wind out of the bay.

The wind held firm until shortly after I waved past Scillonian III (Isle of Scilly Ferry) at about 18:30. I continued under sail longer than I would normally have, simply as it seemed a pity to motor on my first leg. However at 20:30 I resigned to reality and started the motor in zero wind conditions wallowing in the sea a couple miles south of Lands End.

In a moment the ETA for St Marys reduced from 4 days to just 5 hours and I pointed the bow at the “Spanish Ledges” on the south side of the Isles. As I motored through twilight it was clear that there was not a breath of air anywhere to be seen. The setting sun reflected off the perfectly smooth water.

The lack of wind could hardly be a surprise as the last weekend in July every year sees Penzance Sailing Club’s annual race to the Scilly Isles (PASAB). In recent years the Friday night of the race to the Islands has been cursed with light winds. It was hard not to feel sorry for the 25 yachts behind us, many who would spend all night trying to inch ahead of each other.

Although there was very little traffic in the shipping lanes to keep me busy, nature kept me more than amused with vast expanse of algae illuminating our wake. The light of the algae illuminated the surroundings for minutes at a time, finishing just before I could get the camera out!

On approaching Spanish Ledges I was guided on my way up the St Marys channel by a school of Dolphins. At least I think they were Dolphins as all I could see was what looked like torpedoes coming towards me and the odd squeak.

I moored safely in St Marys harbour alongside the main pier (which dries), shortly before 2am on Saturday morning. The first boat of the PASAB fleet “Blue Chip” came in shortly afterwards after making the sensible decision to motor from the start line.