In April I am planning to move SULA from Beaumaris in North Wales to Fowey in Cornwall, which is not too far from Plymouth where the Pilgrim Fathers set out for the land of opportunity.

Sailing in the unpredictable waters of the Irish Sea and the Western approaches around Lands End, has its challenges. One would not choose to do this journey in bad weather but one must accept that strong winds and high seas may be a feature of the journey, built in by uncertainty and unpredictable circumstances. The dangers are mitigated by careful route selection, weather forecasting and common sense sailing and preparations to ensure one's ship is sound and set up for the journey. That said my intention of crossing the Irish Sea then port hoping along the East Coast of Ireland could be great fun before the big trip over St George's Channel to round Lands End.

The biggest problem in undertaking a sea journey like this is ones mental approach, if you are not positive and confident in your and your ships ability one should not be casting off at all. If you are not sure of the benefits of achieving your sailing goals my advice would be stay on your mooring and have another gin and tonic or a run ashore to the pub, just be careful in the dinghy when you row back laden with a few pints in your belly and your brain addled. Curiously, the run ashore is probably more dangerous than the planned epic voyage if RNLI statistics are to be believed. Most sailors found floating have their flies undone!

This week we have seen some outstanding individual acts of self sacrifice offered up to the Gods of opportunity, to somehow mystically induce a hoped for announcements. The consequences of this are that there are some very smelly chaps and frustrated lasses in the land of opportunity due to this rather ancient ritualistic, dare I curiously barbaric behaviour, more akin to my wode daubed Celtic ancestors than the sons of the Pilgrim Fathers who set out with such great hope for their future to the New Country.

As followers of POET we too are on a journey more akin to my sailing plans this spring. Let be realistic about hoped for predictions. There is no doubt in my mind that the land of opportunity we are heading for exists and every reason to expect a landfall 'soon' (whatever soon means) but breast beating will not make one iota of difference given the vagaries of the development venture we are on and the clear cautions issued by management.

None of this is a certainty but I am strongly back the probability.

sulasailor