I’ve just returned from sailing in the East Med. After buying a second-hand yacht in Rhodes – a Sadler 34, built in 1994 – Liz and I have sailed down through the Greek islands of Simi, Tilos, Kalki, Karpathos and Kassos to the port of Sitia in eastern Crete. Wonderful! The phos, the special light from the sun, making the sky and sea a deep blue, was both invigorating and unforgetteble.

The new yacht is called ‘Monabhar’, meaning ‘whisper’ in Gaelic, after the sound she makes when sailing through the water and with the wind in her sails. She is now in Aghios Nicolaos marina,Crete, for June, July and August, the very hot season when the strong meltemi wind can blow.

My old yacht, the faithful Westerly Centaur ‘Celtic Gold’ is now reluctantly up for sale for 12000 euros in Finike, south Turkey. This 26-foot yacht, built solidly in 1974, has new rigging and a newish Yanmar engine among other things. It has been much loved, enabling three books and over 30 article to be written.