In a Laser with a radial sail, Tynemouth c. 2000. This picture was taken when it was deemed to windy to race.

2000s sailing: I still do 'sport' in some sense. This is the best action picture I have but since about 1982 until today I have enjoyed sailing and racing.

Yesterday I took out the Streaker in fairly windy conditions - mostly upwind so not much planing. In the river it is hard to just go for a good blast because there are moorings, cruisers motoring (who do not obey the collision regulations) and boats moored; there are also mud banks to go aground on.  So you cannot just set off in a straight line as I did in the picture. I also find the streaker does not plane as well as the Laser - but I think this is partly that I am not quite 'at one' with the boat yet. And also that the new hulls (mine is quite old) get on the plane earlier.

I have entered the Regatta in two weeks - I hope to do what I did last year - and sail the first race and then start the second but only finish if I am feeling well. The second start means I get a result for the race as well as practice starting.

You can gather from this that the 'holiday' from the chemotherapy is giving me back a bit of physical energy (before I run out of energy in the middle of the afternoon!). And I hope that I will also get back a bit of confidence. Being ill is a downer - not only through the physical effects of illness but through zapping the confidence to 'do' stuff. As I resolved some time ago - I am not planning to worry about it all going wrong - although obviously I do.

Today - the sun - intending to gross out in it on the beach - probably at Bawdsey.