We are off again

So , lets see if I can remember how to do this, it’s been a while . Having asked around we had a number of requests to do the blog thing again this year , so here you go. Will be the usual format , not too many words and a few pictures. We will try and do an update every 10 days or so and not make them too long

Getting ready

So I packed in work again at the beginning of April. ( yes, I retire more often than an aging Rockstar) and we finished off a few home projects and got the boat ready to sail. She had been in the water at Portavadie over the winter, so we had to take her out and give her a good coat of Antifoul and change the Anodes. Luckily we got the one dry day in the week .

and

The Anodes ( they are the sacrificial bits of metal; that you stick on the bottom to rot in the hope that the important bits don’t). Once all done, we hopped aboard and we were launched. Never been launched before – not quite the smash the bottle over the bow and down the slip, more a very slow crawl on a crane. To be honest, a slow crawl on a crane is all good for me.

I have to say, the guys at Portavadie were brilliant and did a great job over the winter looking after her. Next job was to put the sails up. Always interesting as you look up after 90 mins of wrestling with a large mass of canvas, only to realise that you have a reefing line in the wrong place. All back down again! The final job was to give the engine a full service, under the watchful eye of Chief Engineer Kenny, while Jenny pressure washed off the winter slime. Job done.

Packing

Our problem is we do too much – folding bikes, dry suites, wet suites, walking gear, running gear etc . Over the last 2 weeks we have been collecting it all in the spare room. Then all we needed to do was get it to fit in the car!

Then fit it in the boat !

**Fine if you want to play the guitar in the toilet**

So my Brother Tim and family came over to wish us well and kindly take our car back, so we can pick it up when we nip home in 5 weeks time for a few days .

And we are Off

We had 2 guests for the first leg of the trip ( all of 2 miles across to Tarbert where the finest fishmonger on planet earth resides ). Tom and Harriet ( son and girlfriend of an old college pal, girlfriend of son that is, not of the old college pal, just before I start a rumour) were up for a long weekend and asked if they could visit. Always good to start with a light breeze and a short trip just to check that the afore mentioned reefing line really is in the correct place.