The skipper writes: 17:47 21 Aug 2009
"And so this is it, the final entry. The lads left us this morning and headed back to Liverpool. Phil slipped away back to his megastar existence and the boat is very quiet.
We had an emotional look back after dinner the other night and shared our best, worst and most memorable bits.... so many different stories and so many experiences.
Each of the lads has gone away having had a positive, life-changing time onboard and they all have something to work towards now. Matty has the Merchant Navy, Ben has an apprenticeship, and Daryl, the fire service. Maybe things are less clear currently for Wayne but there is new direction in his life now and many more things to live for. Josh has added to the wealth of experience he has accrued all over the world and all of us have gained something.
Can you put a price on such a life changing thing? Not really, it's a thing of such value and such rarity that nothing can truly describe its worth. The events of the last 9 weeks will live with us all for the rest of our lives and the memories will, I'm sure, keep us going through all manner of hard times. Its a remarkable thing to do and it makes us all remarkable people.
Diggory Rose "
Friday, 21 August 2009
Arriving back
Some pictures from today (Friday 21st August).
Pegasus at berth back in Gosport from where she set off for the adventure, 9 weeks ago. The flags of the countries visited. Those of the crew on-board today.
Welcome back! We have all gained much from the adventure. Thank you all.
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Entering the English Channel
The skipper writes: 20:00 18 Aug 2009
"An awed silence falls over the boat as we watch the white cliffs off Dover in the sunset and enter the English Channel.
sent via SMS from the deck of the Pegasus
"An awed silence falls over the boat as we watch the white cliffs off Dover in the sunset and enter the English Channel.
We'll rant and we'll roar like true British sailors,
We'll rant and we'll roar, all on the high seas,
until we strike soundings in the channel of old England,
from Ushant to Scilly 'tis 35 leagues
"We'll rant and we'll roar, all on the high seas,
until we strike soundings in the channel of old England,
from Ushant to Scilly 'tis 35 leagues
sent via SMS from the deck of the Pegasus
Monday, 17 August 2009
The Penultimate Entry
The skipper writes: 13:28 Monday 17th August
"We are safely now alongside in Woolverston Marina on the banks of the river Orwell back in the UK. At 0400 on Saturday morning, we crossed back into UK waters for the first time in 8 weeks. As the Dutch courtesy ensign was hauled down, for the first time since leaving Ramsgate, we had nothing to replace it with. The conventions of the sea say that as a courtesy to the nation you are visiting, the ship must fly their national flag from our starboard spreader. We have flown the flag of the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Estonia, Russia, Finland, Lithuania and Denmark and it is strange now to see our spreader bare! The Devon Flag still flies to port, as it has done all along but we are nearly home now.
We plan to set sail tonight and enjoy hopefully a couple of days of fair weather to get us into the Solent and the conclusion of this epic!
In many ways it feels anti-climactic to be back but all of us know that this trip has changed us.
The lads will return to Liverpool, ready and better equipped to deal with their lives ahead of them. Phil will slide back into Show of Hands, rested and wiser for a break from that life. Amy and I will be back at sea but more confident with Pegasus now we have seen what she can do.
The world is a wide, wide place and we are all deeply affected by the new corners we have seen.
Pegasus will hopefully be taking place in next years event from Belgium to Denmark and Norway before returning to the UK. It will be hard though I imagine, to have an experience such as this again.
It certainly feels like the trip of a lifetime....."
"We are safely now alongside in Woolverston Marina on the banks of the river Orwell back in the UK. At 0400 on Saturday morning, we crossed back into UK waters for the first time in 8 weeks. As the Dutch courtesy ensign was hauled down, for the first time since leaving Ramsgate, we had nothing to replace it with. The conventions of the sea say that as a courtesy to the nation you are visiting, the ship must fly their national flag from our starboard spreader. We have flown the flag of the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Estonia, Russia, Finland, Lithuania and Denmark and it is strange now to see our spreader bare! The Devon Flag still flies to port, as it has done all along but we are nearly home now.
We plan to set sail tonight and enjoy hopefully a couple of days of fair weather to get us into the Solent and the conclusion of this epic!
In many ways it feels anti-climactic to be back but all of us know that this trip has changed us.
The lads will return to Liverpool, ready and better equipped to deal with their lives ahead of them. Phil will slide back into Show of Hands, rested and wiser for a break from that life. Amy and I will be back at sea but more confident with Pegasus now we have seen what she can do.
The world is a wide, wide place and we are all deeply affected by the new corners we have seen.
Pegasus will hopefully be taking place in next years event from Belgium to Denmark and Norway before returning to the UK. It will be hard though I imagine, to have an experience such as this again.
It certainly feels like the trip of a lifetime....."
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