My blogs invariably start with a context set. Usually slightly marred by my mental state during a long night watch or some sort of boat related disaster.

But not today. Today is a good day. I have been on land for over 24 hrs, I am in central Barcelona overlooking the bay, patatas brava in front of me, cerveza in hand and OB by my side.. Last night I slept in a bed in an air conditioned room in a wonderful hotel (Hotel Indigo in Barcelona gets a very good rating. Great for humans but they seem to think OB was some sort of celebrity or member of royalty!)

Dare I also add - Canopus and family are not even close to being sight. My only reminder of the sailing life was a round of the “land wobbles” late last night. Shows the first time that my body has actually been still since leaving the boat.

Yes - life is good.

My tale starts at 0330 yesterday morning and should serve to remind us Brits what good public transport looks like. almost 1000 miles in 21 hrs for about 20p/mile. Almost all of it on time to the minute.

The mission was a simple one - retrieve OB (our dog) from Andy in Morzine and be back before the boat lift at 0900 on Friday morning.

So alarm set for 0340 - but as always the case with an early morning, my body wakes me 10 minutes early. Off for a quick shower, teeth brush and taxi to Palma airport. I have packed light for this one - I know that along with OB, Andy has bought a number of things with him that did not arrive by departure date plus I will have to carry all of OB’s paraphernalia.

My route had 2 fixed elements at the point of departure - an early morning EasyJet flight from Palma to Geneva (£45) and a late night ferry from Barcelona to Palma on the 21st. The rest of it I would work out….

As it turns out all very easy. I booked a transfer from Geneva to Morzine while in the boarding queue using 3-valley-transfer. Again, hugely responsive and helpful. This proved redundant as Andy was enroute to Geneva by the time I landed. (How do you thank a friend like him?)

The reunion with OB was lovely. I jump into the front of the truck, OB not quite sure what was going on - then tail starts wagging he up he comes into a traditional OB embrace…..and he stays there as we head into Geneva for coffee and a croissant.

It was sad to say goodbye to Andy. A good friend who provides clear link back to home and, as a sailor himself, absolutely knows what the demands of offshore sailing feel like. I can see it in his face that he knows what this feeling of tiredness is like (at this point I have not yet had a full night’s sleep since arriving in from the long passage).

Arriving into Palma late at night was an interesting experience. The stern leak was a problem, but we were managing it. The bright lights of Palma provided a very confusing pilotage picture. I confess that I really did not want to spend another minute at sea. But similarly, I was not yet ready to confront any human beings. The stress of mooring only adds to this level of foreboding. Sailing does some strange things to your mind - I gather I am not the first to face this confliction when returning to land.

Moorings are few and far between in Palma at this time of year (see V’s blog). We did manage to raise the Marine de Longha who said that they could squeeze us in. So we raise them on the VHF on arriving beyond the breakwater. Ah - the handheld is giving up the ghost. L goes downstairs to practice his non-existent Spanish over the VHF and relays directions to V who is on the helm.

(Bear in mind it is after midnight by now).

“This way?……you sure?”

“Yes - there should be a man in a red t-shirt waving at you.”

“Got him….”

“Wave back then!”

….

“Follow him.”

“Ok…..  this is tight. You did say 13m length didn’t you?”

“I think so. Spanish not my forté….”

We proceed down the tightest finger berth. The man in red keeps disappearing behind moored boats. It is not clear where he wants us to go - but we are running out of water. No sight on where to start the turn.

“There V - he wants us there! Holy……”

V was cool as a cucumber.

“L I need distances bow and stern”

And with that she spins the boat with inches (and I do mean about 6” tops on either end from some very expensive boats!) and parks the boat. It was deeply impressive boat handling even before you consider how tired we both were. Even the man in red offered a “you did that well” as he took our lines. Praise indeed!

Back to Geneva. Andy has left. OB has no idea what is going on now….. and I realise that  my 3 coffees that morning have gone right through me. So 2 new challenges lie in front of me. 1) how do you negotiate a public loo with a dog and 2) with a huge bag over my shoulder how do you get up an escalator with a dog?

Right come on OB, this is getting urgent. Front paws on the escalator. I am already on. “Are you of your mind? I’m staying here…” It turns out OB doesn’t do escalators and I am reasonably handy at running back down them with a bag on my shoulder. …there were some highly amused/bemused Swiss watching.

The journey took me by train from Geneva to Grenoble. Grenoble to Valence TGV and then Valence TGV to Barcelona. Eventually getting me to the Indigo hotel in Barcelona just before midnight last night. Just enough time for a celebratory beer before bed.

I confess that I started the day really wondering what I was doing. Tiredness has always made me find it very difficult to see the positives in life. As we flew over the Alps, we experienced some of the worst turbulence I have been in for some time. It definitely raised the question “why do I keep on putting myself into vehicles that are uncomfortable?” Our yellow armchair in the snug at home certainly seemed to hold huge appeal. It was difficult to create a positive outlook - which was really the state that Andy saw in Geneva.

But there is nothing like travelling with OB to reinstate your faith in humankind. He really does bring the good out in people. From friendly smiles, to doting looks. Even to a fellow traveller swapping carriage compartments between Grenoble to Valence to be near him. it is really interesting - when travelling with OB, people from every walk of life cannot resist coming over to say hello.

He seems to have become a bit of a celebrity in the hotel Indigo - they provided him with a lovely treat bag (water bottle, rope toy and chicken/fish treats) and this morning were very happy to let me go but would not check him out!

The only delayed part of the journey was the TGV from Valence. But this was only 30 minutes and more than made up by the comfort and speed of the service. This was the longest part of the journey and I had made OB go to the loo before we got on. So I was confident that he would last the next 4 hrs. The only cost of this was a series of wasp stings up my arm!

20 minutes into the journey installed in a packed carriage..... I smell a smell. OB was that you. Oh god, I know that look. A few minutes pass and there it is again. This is going to be a long 4 hrs.

Fortunately he fell asleep pretty quickly - seemingly so did his bowels.

So here we are in Barcelona. We have spent the day sight seeing, walked up to the castle overlooking Barcelona, visited a number of the inner city parks, walked around the old Olympic stadium and are now cooling off with a celebratory beer/chicken treats and water watching the world go by.

This evening we get the overnight ferry back to Palma where he gets to reunite with V, J and S. I am not sure who is the most excited - little does OB know what he is in for!

There is a question that we have been asked a lot. “Why are you putting so much effort into getting OB on board?” Usually followed by “You’re mad!”

The answer is pretty simple. OB was born in West Wittering to some breeders - Mike was the husbands name. OB was always Mike’s favourite from an early age they used to have marmite on toast in the morning before anyone was awake. He had actually been sold before we turned up but Mike spotted the immediate bond, phoned up the people to whom he had been committed (they had paid!), apologised but explained that he could not go through with the deal. They say a dog chooses you…..

When we picked up OB, I still remember Mike’s advice - “whatever you do, a spaniel does it with you.” And this has held true ever since. He has shared some very special and difficult times with us and proves every day what a close friend he is. If this proves a mistake, we will not hesitate to do what is best for him.

It was a sad day, a few years ago, when we heard of Mike's passing.

The plan now is for OB to stay with us until the Canaries from where he will fly home. Then we will pick him up again when we return to Italy in the Spring for the final leg.

Ah look - an offshore cruising boat is just arriving in (another Amel!). I know how they must feel.

“Signor - cerveza por favour” …. is that to help them celebrate their arrival or celebrate that my boat is nowhere near in sight? I'll let you decide.

Adios!

L