A welcome home as good as any.

I went wandering again tonight and found myself once again at the entrance to the harbour. It was as though I was itching to move on.

I gaze at the light waiting to see it again. F1. G. 5s 9m 4M - this is how it is detailed on a chart. ('Chart' is what a map of the sea is called by the way, this was driven home in our RYA training..."it's not a map, it's a chart!") Guthrie was an entertaining instructor and also used a beautiful Sigma 38 for practical training courses.

Green, then wait 5, green, wait and so it goes. The detail says the light flashes green once every 5 seconds is 9 metres above sea level and is visible for 4 nautical miles. This is the key to finding out where you are on a dark night. You can pickout which of the green lights you are looking for as they are given different sequences and frequency to enable you to know one from another.

I will never forget another of my instructors, John Rigby being really disappointed that none of us could quickly recall what two flashing white lights was used for. He then got right in your face and with solid eye contact and using his hand with fingers outstretched in a pulsing motion to emphasis the importance, he said "two white lights means FUCK OFF" and with two flashes of his palm with fingers outstreched he said it again and then added. "It's the isolated danger mark and you keep away when you see it, don't forget".

All the lights have a purpose and when you understand them you get some degree of comfort from them. You still need to be wary but you start to rely more and more on the picture they paint. Coming along the coast of Spain and Portugal we saw many lighthouses and some are so strong you can see them for over 30 miles and they are amazingly bright.

For those who don't know the green is the Starboard hand light and you keep this to your right hand side as you come into any harbour and the red logically is the Port hand and you keep this left. In doing this you find a route into the safety of the port or marina and you know you are not far from tying up and being able to wrap your fist round a nice cold beer.

That reminds me I put some in the fridge earlier so will say goodnight and goodblipping this Christmas.

See you tomorrow.