Safe and warm

As I write on Saturday afternoon the wind is howling through the Cuxhaven marina at up to 25 knots. We are sitting in the cabin in the warm, with the lights on. Sam is reading Hornblower and I've been reading Riddle of the Sands, set in various locations around here. It's delightful to know that we are snug and safe and don't have to rush off anywhere.

We're suffering slight culture shock. We know bits of Germany (in the south near Nürnberg) quite well, but this is the first time we have ever sailed here. It's strange to go into the centre of Cuxhaven and find a Rewe supermarket, just like the one in Ebermannstadt where we usually go, and stock up on German delicacies like erdnussflips (peanut flavoured snacks), teewurst (a kind of pate), and Frankenwein, delicious white wine from Fraconia. On the other hand we forgot to stock up on Dutch favourites like genever gin and stroopwafels before we left Delfzijl. You win some, you lose some.