Powered by the engine, we left Palma de Mallorca in the afternoon. There was not a breath of wind, the sea’s surface was flat and unbroken, and the sky was utterly cloudless. By five o’clock a gentle breeze started blowing, so we raised some of the sails. It was an incredibly feeling as we switched off the engine and felt the wind filling them, pushing us slowly along.

My first great sea voyage had officially begun.