Leg 9 - Hartlepool to Blyth

The journey gets off to a wonderful start with a beautiful warm south-westerly breeze to give ideal sailing conditions.

Had my first close encounter with a dolphin approaching Blyth Harbour; he was just playing around in the harbour entrance. Sorry, no pictures; I was too busy getting the boat ready for mooring up in the harbour.

The accents here are very Geordie, and the people (as everywhere) are very friendly and helpful. so far I've logged 385 miles and am now just a short way from Scotland. The weather looks as though it is setting in for a while, but I'm really looking forward to visiting Lindesfarne and the other islands along the Northumberland coast.