I am always moved by sunsets but I admit, sunrises at sea are starting to really grow on me. This morning is no exception. Buried in my down hoodie, I am up for my watch at 5am. Before me, in the peace of a calm ocean, the sun timidly brings out its warm rays, a true spectacle that we take for granted. The ocean does that, it takes away your worries and brings you back to the present moment, in all its magnificence and weightlessness.

We’ve anchored at Treshnish island for the day. We may be pressed by time but it is a place we cannot miss. We were there in 2018 and remember how magical the place was. It boosts a huge colony of seabirds, including guillemot, raszorbills and kittiwakes and more famously puffins. It is a true show of nature as we sit and observe in both awe and amusement the theatrical behaviours in a loud cacophony of shrieks.
We walk around the small island taking in the spectacular views and as the day advances, more and more tourists appear, brought on the big ships from the mainland, it is time for us to leave.

Unfortunately, the sailing today brought some very bad news. We have noticed water in our bilge. Not a huge amount but enough to cause us worry. The sailing has been pretty hard on the startboard tack with a lot of pounding in waves. We fear the worst as aluminium boat owners: corrosion in the hull. We did repair a hole this winter but didn’t notice anything else. But could there be another one? Could the repair have fallen off? Despite the wonders of Treshnish, the mood has turned grim as we face the necessity of hauling out again and perhaps even find a professional to weld a plate on the hull.
This is not good news. At all.