We finally loaded Wine Down on 10th November. It was a dark, wet windy night in Southampton waters. We sailed up and down watching two other boats being loaded to give us some idea of what to expect. They were a very professional lot and quickly had her in strops ready to hoist. It was only then that I realised that we stayed on for most of this procedure. I was shaking like a leaf as I don't like heights and even the pilot ladder seemed too risky. Fortunately the stevedore let me off half way up the ships side and Jeff stayed on to do the heroic stuff. It was pouring with rain and quite disconcerting seeing your pride and joy suspended 40ft in the air above the deck. She was gently lowered and then securely strapped into place whilst they welded her cradle to the deck.

This was another big moment of the journey, boat gone, next it will be the car then the house. We returned to Chippenham to get on with the rest of the plans. The next time we see Wine Down will be in Tortola around about 1st December.

The car went on the Sunday and the packers arrived on Monday. It all went smoothly and the place looked in good shape to hand over to the buyers. We are sending more stuff into storage than we had anticipated and have already been told that it won't fit into a 20ft container- we will have to sort that one out next year when we call to move it to St Lucia. We exchanged contracts on the house so all is set for completion on 1st December. We were hoping to have it all tied up before we left but the best laid plans of mice and men etc..

On 17th November we had an early Christmas dinner in The Bell House Hotel to say goodbye to close friends and family. It was great to see everyone around the table and it just seemed like yesterday that we had all been together. The meal was great and it all looked very festive. The wine was flowing freely, which was just as well with everyone doing their best to reduce the European wine mountain. Boz had made a special CD with all the old favourites. At the end of the meal we were all settling down for tales of the past and daring-do when John and Fi stood up and took control. They spoke well for many minutes about their upbringing, education and most of all the great times they had had as kids. Public thank you's like that are rare and we were very moved by it all. What great kids we have! There wasn't a dry eye in the house. The singing and banter went on until 0430, the last to leave being Jeff, Gordo, Spiv and John Beck. Most people were staying the night so bed was just a few steps away. The next morning we had a full complement of people at the breakfast table, all arriving at the appointed time of 0955 ( breakfast finishes at 1000) . Nothing like a post mortem of the night before over a full fried English breakfast. Everyone was gone by midday and Jeff and I were left alone to do the last bits and pieces . We moved out of The Bell on Monday morning and set of for my Mums to do the last minute jobs there . Then another night with friends,Sally and Gordon and now we are in The Gatwick Hilton ready for the flight tomorrow.

By sheer coincidence Gordon is the Captain on our Virgin flight to Antigua, so we know we are in the best of hands and it seems quite fitting that it should be a close friend to see us out of the country.