Greeted like heroes

Yesterday I woke up when Emelie opened the hatches and asked if we were awake. I had returned to my bed two hours earlier after having spend a wonderful night on Silver Bear, therefore I wasn't very talkative at 8 am. Emelie seemed to understand that immediately and told us she would see us later, in Fowey, where she would be waiting. She had landed one hour earlier to be here in England when Alan made his final leg from Falmouth to Fowey. I tried to focus on what lay ahead, getting up, taking a shower and prepare Cantare. 10 am we all left Falmouth, by then I had managed to shower and have breakfast but it was still a mess inside the yacht. Sandra and Erik tidied her up while I took us out of the harbour. Yanmar was working hard since we had the wind against us in the beginning. When we came around the corner of the river entrance we set sails and turned off the engine. Sandra and Erik were smiling, it was a very nice day with blue sky and sun, yet it was a bit cold for my Caribbean accustomed body. After a while Alan called us over the VHF and asked what speed we were doing. He wasn't happy with our progress towards Fowey, we had to start the engine to get there in time. Silver Bear wandered off on there own for a while. Alan tried to call them on the VHF, but got no answer, later we learned that Ray had decided he was going to be off watch most of the sailing and was sleeping down below. But Cantare and Starfire sailed in convoy during four hours and were joined by Silver Bear in the end, before we met the welcome committee. Emelie and Bob, Alan's dad, and a few others sailed out to meet us. We took down the main and moored along a pontoon in the city centre. Champagne was handed out as we jumped ashore. Alan and Emelie kissed and hugged. It felt like a rehearsal for our own homecoming party and we received congratulations from the people on the pontoon. We posed for photos together with Starfire and Silver Bear and enjoyed the sunny afternoon on Starfire cruising the river before the big party and dinner were held at the yacht club. It was a great day! Today I feel a bit sad though, Silver Bear left this morning before we were up and Starfire is already laid up ashore. From now on Cantare is on her own. Tomorrow we are off again, destination Brighton./ The Captain

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