If we had a choice about where we would mark a momentous sailing event--the completion of a circumnavigation--it would be something like sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge, or past the Sydney Opera House or somewhere personal like the Needles Channel at the western end of the Solent where we spent so many years sailing and planning our trip before we left. It would not be Gibraltar.

Though Gibraltar does have a place in sailing history as the gateway to the Mediterranean and outward to the Atlantic, these days it is not an especially attractive place. The armed forces have left, and in their wake is a disgruntled population squabbling with their Spanish neighbours.

From a sailing perspective it still marks the take-off point for boats heading south to the Canaries and thence across the Atlantic, so at certain times of year the marinas are a hub of excited crews doing last-minute maintenance and provisioning. But the marinas also have more than their share of failed dreams--yachts for sale having got as far as Gibraltar before crews jumped ship and headed home. To get to Gibraltar from Europe involves crossing the infamous Bay of Biscay and, badly planned, that's enough for some crews to decide the dream has become a nightmare.

So as we sailed from Tunisia via Sardinia to Gibraltar, our excitement at completing our circumnavigation was muted by the prospect of a few days in Gibraltar. Last time we'd been there (1994) there wasn't even a decent restaurant.

(Just to set the record straight--we launched the boat in Road Island and sailed it down to New York then across to Gibraltar, via the Azores. We left from Gibraltar to cross the Atlantic via the Canaries and on round the world, so the first time we crossed our own wake was Gibraltar.)

It really didn't seem like such a big thing anyway--what mattered was the fantastic nine years of cruising we'd had, so we were not expecting to be particularly moved by the event. (Though we had a bottle of champagne ready in the fridge to celebrate if the urge came upon us.) What is more, our arrival at around 0600 hrs would mean a disrupted night watch, as the last couple of hours would require two sets of eyes to dodge the huge number of ships. It was an inauspicious arrival in every sense.

However, as we entered Gibraltar harbour, low key emotions grew into full blown euphoria. We'd done it, and it had been everything we'd ever hoped it would be. Whatever else we do (or have done) in our lives, nothing will match the last nine years and we'll live off our memories forever. The champagne cork was popped and we sat down to bacon sandwiches and champagne anchored off the end of Gibraltar airport's runway. Possibly one of the least attractive and noisy anchorages we've experienced in the last nine years, but it didn't matter one bit--we were celebrating.

Perhaps one of the reasons we had held back from being too excited about arriving in Gibraltar was that we knew it marked the end of our trip. We still have lots of plans, and many miles to go to get to Scotland for the Malt Whisky Cruise, but however else you look at it, it is the end of a dream--a dream fulfilled, but the end nevertheless. So, tired and a bit tipsy from the champagne, the tears that dripped onto the bacon sandwiches were tinged with sadness as well as joy.

(SetSail note: Since Colleen and Brian have finished their circumnvaigation, their beloved Theta Volantis is now for sale. Even if you're not in the market for a new boat, you'll find the listing very detailed and full of interesting information. Click here to see the listing.)