In lake-like seas, after casting off the dock of Estepona Marina at daybreak, we motored westward, in patches of dense fog, towards Europa Point and the Rock of Gibraltar; today was the last leg of our Mediterranean passage and we were transiting from the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, an event that proved to be very emotional for Elaine. As the rock, then the lighthouse, appeared through the fog, Elaine started to cry and couldn’t stop until we were all the way around. Although it was another wonderful memory to treasure on our circumnavigation and a monumental achievement, given everything we’ve endured with Elaine’s health, it was also bittersweet, realising that this chapter of our lives was coming to an end in the not too distant future. The relief to have actually made it this far, though, against the odds, hit Elaine like a ton of bricks. Relieve and disbelief lingered for most of the day, leaving her exhausted. The relief hit Roy too during the course of the afternoon and neither of us could keep our eyes open much beyond 2000.

It didn’t help matters that, by 0930, we’d passed two of the nine locations, where orca attacks had occurred in the Mediterranean Sea in July. Leaving these spots well to port, as we hugged the coastline in 14 metres / 45 Ft, tensions definitely increased somewhat when we had no choice but to go into deeper water to avoid various obstructions like ship wrecks, rocks, fishing nets, etc, including a kayak with a fisherman onboard, who emerged from the fog, but seeing dolphins helped take our minds off the potential danger.

At 1015 we were both completely flabbergasted when we realised the dark band in the sky amongst the clouds was actually the Rock of Gibraltar, sticking out through the fog. We had absolutely no idea it was that high!

Through all the anxiety and emotions onboard, however, Roy still remembered to run the watermaker to fill the jerry cans that will allow him to backwash it while we sit in La Línea de la Concepción for the rest of August and in Gibraltar for the month of September, rather than pickle it.

After arriving at Alcaidesa Marina, completing the paperwork and being allocated our berth, we ended up in the wrong one; clearly our minds were elsewhere. Fortunately it didn’t present too much of an administrative fuss and we were allowed to stay where we’d ended up. By this stage neither of us felt like moving to the otherside of the finger dock.

A celebratory drink was then enjoyed at the Alcaidesa Lounge Bar, followed by dinner onboard and bed, although intermittently seeing the Rock of Gibraltar from the saloon and the cockpit kept startling us, a reminder of just how far we’d come. It was now, however, time to rest, recuperate and enjoy time with family!