Anonymous wrote:

Ah, this is good news.  I'm so pleased to hear that Paradox has found a new, and undoubtedly appreciative, crew to take care of her.  Fair winds!

Thank you Annie!
What a pleasure to receive so positive comments from someone whose achievements inspire me so much respect.
A new adventure begins, and hopefully will give you and the JRA plenty to read about!

Anonymous wrote:

Well done Patrick, wonderful news! 

That's quite a shake-down cruise you have planned. Why not a quick spin back up the Canal-du-Midi and then get to know the boat better in Morbihan? The answer is probably: "because I want to"! 

Hi Yan,

Thanks for your advice, but the answer to your question is wrong :)!

I wish I could motor up the Canal du Midi, but our water draft is too much. The canal used to be dredged to 1.6m, but since there is no commercial traffic anymore the "Voies Navigables de France" tend to be a bit lazy on the job. I wouldn't do it with 1.5m waterdraft, and Paradox drafts 1.7m...
Anyway, when I bought China Blue, our shake-down cruise was the passage from Glasgow to South of France, via Ireland and Wales, about 1050 NM!

Anonymous wrote:

Just a quick note to say that Paradox of Plym has found a buyer. She’s still in Arenys de Mar, Spain. Hopefully the sale will go well.  Brian Kerslake.

This note, to mirror Brian's one, to say that although our China Blue has not found a buyer yet, we are the proud and glad buyers of Paradox.
Next week she should sail north, a mere 120 NM to a cheaper french harbour, where she will be on the dry for the winter. This will allow time for maintenance and upgrades, although Paradox is already beautiful and in general good condition.
Hopefully, in april 2023 she will undertake the journey back to the Atlantic, down the Spanish coast, around Gibraltar, up the Portuguese coast and across the Gulf of Biscaye.
If all goes well... she will attend the next JRA in May!
I may have said that before. If a boat has a soul, it is made of the souls of everyone who sailed and lived with her, enjoying, suffering, discovering.
Paradox opens many new horizons in our own future. We will sail her and take care of her, like Brian and Maddy Kerslake before us, so as to keep her the beautiful soul she inspires us.

We have regrettably had to put Paradox of Plym, our junk-rigged schooner up for sale. She is presently moored in Arenys de Mar, a very nice marina 40km north of Barcelona.

She is currently with the Boatshed Agency based in Spain, agent - Paul Griffiths.

The website is www.boatshed.com