With the end of the Vendée Globe campaign for 2008-2009, and after a busy time with the media, Dee Caffari was able to take off on holiday for a few days, but has not forgotten all those, who worked with her over the past few months and years. Last weekend, a big party was organised for the whole team. Too many people to go aboard Aviva, but a celebration at sea seemed appropriate, which is why 200 people went a mile off shore off to Spitbank Fort, which was originally built to ward off a potential attack from the hostile French in the mid-nineteenth Century…

Six months after setting out from Weymouth, Toe in the Water is due to return to her home port on Thursday. After his eighth place in the Vendée Globe 2008-2009, her skipper Steve White will be sailing her home in the company of Sir Robin Knox Johnston, who has already expressed his admiration for the young British round the world sailor, who had so many financial worries before lining up at the start of the Vendée Globe. Toe in the Water will now be based in the new marina, which has just opened in Portland, which will be one of the host sites for the 2012 Olympics. Steve is due to receive a rapturous welcome at the Royal Dorset Yacht Club early on Thursday afternoon before celebrating with Dee Caffari and Brian Thompson in the evening.

March is holiday time for the two women, who took part in the 2008-2009 Vendée Globe. Dee Caffari has just returned from a week in Bavaria, while Sam Davies left for La Clusaz this weekend. Some rest and the pleasure of meeting up with friends and colleagues for Sam, but also some good exercise, as Dee Caffari explains: " I spent last week at Carnegie Alpenrose in Germany enjoying all the disciplines of Nordic skiing and the wonders of ski touring. After living on a 60 foot yacht at sea level for three months I was expecting to struggle to use my legs and lungs again in the extreme environment of walking uphill on skis at altitude. I had a fabulous week learning new skills and exploring the area, making my own tracks in untouched snow. It was truly amazing."

After finishing in Les Sables on 15th March after 126 days of sailing, Norbert Sedlacek is due to receive a hero's welcome in Austria today. His plane should arrive in Vienna at 12h50 today and a crowd is expected at the airport in Schwechat to welcome home the sailor, who finished in eleventh place in the 2008-2009 Vendée Globe.

Jean-Pierre Dick's Paprec-Virbac 2 is undergoing a spring refit in Lorient and is currently being repainted. A huge tent has been erected around the boat to allow this operation to go ahead. The aim is to limit the amount of dust and to avoid the area getting dirty. An extractor fan system is also in use to control the spread of fumes. All of the mechanical parts, the electronic and computer systems and deck hardware is being taken apart and carefully checked and cleaned. Repairs continue on the rudder system, which was the cause of Jean-Pierre's woes and the top part of the rudder is now practically finished.

Derek Hatfield confirmed by e-mail today that he has been forced to carry out a pit stop in New Zealand. The recurrent problems with the autopilot were not solved during the long stopover in Tasmania. He also lost the use of his wind instruments, making it impossible to use real wind mode on his Algimouss-Spirit of Canada. He explained too that he caught a bad cold just before leaving Tasmania and has been feeling extremely tired. The Canadian has therefore decided to carry out some work on his 60-foot monohull before flying home to Canada to see his friends and family and reflect on the best way to bring his boat back to her home port.