Jinja, Jinja this is Avocette, Avocette. Over

We nearly met in Mindelo, Cape Verdes, and finally met up in Grenada, Caribbean, and then several times up the Island chain before crossing the Atlantic in 2011, to meet again briefly in the Azores, so it was a great pleasure to welcome Liat and Assaf, from S/Y Jinja, to England.

Warned to bring foul weather gear, and fleeces for the English summer, the weather confounded us all. Blue skies, warm days, and fair winds.

We pottered around to Chichester, dropped the hook, opened the bottle, and were welcomed by a seal snorting, inspecting, and, I think, approving of the new visitors to his watery world. This week the cuisine on board was to reach new heights. Fresh baked bread, freshly made hummus, and falafel topped with tahini sauce.... you guessed, I was not doing the cooking.

There are about 2000 boats total in Israel, so Cowes Week was an eye-opener.

Fleets of yachts were transformed from chaotic melees, into regimented lines, as cannons roared, flags fluttered, and races started from the Royal Yacht Squadron line. 1000 boats out racing every day, thousands more still on their moorings.

Weaving our way through the clouds of spinnakers we sought tranquility in the rivers and creeks of The Solent. The iconic Needles to the west. Historic ships to the east. Sleepy villages nestling in the South Downs. We enjoyed it all.

World history is seen very differently by different nations, and I was caught unprepared when asked, "So why was Nelson, the Victory, and the Battle of Trafalgar important?" So from the Victory to the Warrior, the first of the iron-clad ships. A hybrid of sail and steam Warrior marked the turning point in naval design that led to the Type 45 Destroyer tied-up alongside just a few meters away.

Holiday over, they flew home. I really must get down to the Med. So many friends to visit, new countries to explore. Now where is Israel........? Oh, and I need a crew, Any takers?