May 2010. The adventure starts
A goodly while before we can depart
The good ship Grace is now a Savage
That year too we squeezed in marriage

Summer trips to Scilly, Jersey and France
So we started the experience and upgrade dance
Weekends in Goole with tools and spanners
Grovelling in small spaces, thinking of fresh fish and sundowners

Years roll on, new sails, rig and generator
H gets a new hip, the NHS a speedy efficient saviour
Next year is the year, 2016, we plan to depart
Are they REALLY going, friends and family inquisitively ask?

It took us a while to sort house, health and business
Goodbye Hull, can’t say we’ll miss ya,
Away to the south to follow the sun,
France, Spain Portugal, here we come

Summer was amazing, an array of new places
Iles Cies off Vigo the dream like creation
But it wasn’t a dream, it was all beautifully real
Just me, Dave and Grace, a stunning idyl

To the Canaries, then gloom and engine woes abounded
We thought sea water had curtailed our future planned travels
But optimism reigned thanks to the genius man from Spar
He’s a new superhero, forget batman and his bat mobile car

New year in Mindelo, fireworks, parties and music
Spent with good friends, a special treasure to hold onto
The Atlantic then beckons, that big stretch of water
An ocean crossing, a journey, the challenge we’re after

The miles drop off as we sail to Barbados
Sun, sleeping, fishing, books, bread and emailing
The days roll by with a true sense of order
Closer each moment to that reputed blue sparking water

Land is still a few days away
Maybe 600 miles at lunchtime today
There’s still some sailing to be done
And looking after Grace, making sure she’s still number one
But here we are now seven months in
Having made it all happen and that makes me grin.