The weather is somewhat of a big deal in sailing.

And I’ve just spent a week on a yacht quite literally going nowhere because of it. No exaggeration. I got a plane back to where I started, and left the boat exactly where I found it, because the weather meant we couldn’t even leave the river…..

In seven days the only time we slipped lines was to motor to an anchorage along the river, where two of those on board scrubbed her bottom; then we took her right back again and parked her in the same berth we departed four hours earlier. All experienced sailors on board, so you can guarantee the same lines were tied with the same knots to the same cleats with the same fenders in the same spots…. you get the gist.

Before I arrived I knew our departure would be delayed due to a storm (or two) in the Atlantic, so there was already some trepidation when it came to provisioning; plenty of fruit, veg and staples, but no perishables. We planned a menu, trying to be as inventive as possible, whilst also being prepared for precarious preparation; I was most excited for a red lentil chilli which I knew I could cook even in a rock and roll washing machine esque scenario, although I always prefer a leisurely downwind sail, especially when boiling water.

Then we found out for sure we weren’t going anywhere for the next 48hrs… or the next.

Days passed.

Us Brits (and friends) spend many hours discussing the weather, so it isn’t a huge step to analysing weather apps and websites. It is almost fortunate that the weather is something we are trained from youth to enjoy to converse in great detail, repeatedly and eagerly, given that most of the time the forecast is telling you precisely what you don’t want to hear.

On the last night before I couldn’t delay any further, and had to abandon the yacht and fellow crew, we had my favourite en route meal on board; by this point we had reached the stage of having to eat the rapidly deteriorating mushrooms…. plus, since the impending storm meant we were still on land, we could even have wine!

When you bring it back to the basics, it’s all about food, and weather.