img11192When I woke up on the Friday morning there was no wind, but it was a clear sunny day and looked as if the wind would come later so we set off towing me in my Oppy from Mylor to the start point at Black Rock off Falmouth Harbour, they let me go and I was on my own by 8.00am.

I made very slow progress until I reached about 50 metres off St Anthony's Lighthouse and then a nice South Westerly breeze started, that means it was right behind me. I had a towing log so could keep an eye on my speed and it helped to keep me occupied because it is a mix of very boring and very tiring to sail for this long. To keep me going when it felt too much I just thought about my friends with Muscular Dystrophy and that made me determined to carry on no matter how long it took or how tired I got. It was quite exciting for the first bit and then I realised just how long it was going to take and had to concentrate all the time because I was running.

img11191The sea was ok at first with the waves following me but they were higher than my head because you are very low down in an Oppy. By the time I reached Dodman Point, which is about half way and I got there in just over 4 hours, the waves were getting bigger and it was a bit like surfing with them coming up behind me. I didn't capsize for the whole journey, but came very close quite a few times!

The bit from the Dodman on was harder because the wind was stronger and the waves bigger and I was sailing an average of 4 knots, and doing a nosedive now and then. This stopped me getting bored, but it was quite relaxing to be on my own sailing for so long.

I reached Fowey harbour at 4.00pm and didn't even feel very tired, just really pleased to have made it and to have raised so much money for a charity that I feel very close to because of my friends.

img11190Thank you to everyone who sponsored me, and if you don't think you will be seeing me soon, could you send your sponsorship money in a cheque made out to my mum Dinah Graffy and send it to me Ollie Graffy at Tranquility, Truro Hill, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9LB. If you didn't sponsor me and would still like to contribute please do! So far I have raised ?631, which isn't bad.

To find out more about the muscular dystrophy Campaign please look at
http://www.muscular-dystrophy.org