A friend asked me to help him crew his yacht back from Ireland. Wow it turned out to be a trip “above expectations”! Crosshaven was a delightful place and the Cronin pub was, well it deserves a post of it’s own……to follow!

So the wind was just right force 4 SW. Sea state wonderful for “fairground fans”, significant waves turning into big Atlantic rollers; just wonderful…..24 hours of tummy churning regurgitating sea water slowly rising and falling, kicking and swishing every morsel in the lower stomach like a washing machine in the slow cycle! I found it exhilarating, my companions less so! 24 hours on we reached Landsend and the others were feeling better so I got some rest; not for long……rudely awakened, I was informed that my lifelong dream to sail with dolphins had arrived! “Robert, Robert dolphins”! Up like a shot, life jacket abandoned I sat for an hour and twenty minutes on the bow and, like Toad on seeing the motorcar for the first time, with a mixture of tears and wonder whispered “Oh my, oh my…poop..poop”. The camera clicked and clicked but by the time I had started to hold it still it let me down and failed to click.

This was nevertheless a very important moment. There are great moments in a life some good some bad and some of great significance. This was a moment of reflection; wild animals, for whatever reason, within touching distance, effortlessly swimming along with me, turning their tummies toward me as if to be tickled; singing a strange song which I had heard the night before but not realised they were there. I called to them and they rose repeatedly out of the water with a clap on the waves in response. No clichéd word could possibly express the wonder I felt…………no, ”not little things” you might say, just a very special, once in a lifetime (perhaps!) moment.

I recommend the Helford River, Dartford and the inside passage round Portland. Great trip, thanks Jon.