Ready for the off!

Well after a cold wet winter - a bit like our cold wet summer Teteli is now back in the water sitting in a berth in Milford Marina. She survived the wet and windy winter well and even the "Beast from the East" left her unscathed. We had planned to launch in early April to be ready to set off at the start of May but the weather had other ideas and eventually we launched on 3rd May. Typically the May Bank Holiday was gorgeous but we weren't ready to set off as there were a number of jobs that needed to be done once she was afloat and we also needed to sort out our "at home" life. So as I write the sun is shining and we are 350 miles away from the boat sorting things out ready to catch the train to Milford next week.

In the sling ready for launch
Launching is always a nerve wracking time for me - after a winter ashore you hope the through hull fittings are still sound and that as she settles in the water the floorboards will not gently lift and float away! There is also the issue of the engine - it hasn't been started for 6 months so as you are floating precariously in the arms of the boat lift you hope that the big old diesel will start at first push of the button. May 3rd saw Teteli slide into the water with no dramas and no leaks and the engine behaved perfectly - although once safely tied up the skipper did spot a bit of a leak in the water cooling system and has brought the offending bit of pipe home with him and is currently in discussions with the local Volvo Dealers to get a replacement.

I am always amazed at just how different a boat feels when she is afloat as opposed to chocked up on land, somehow they come to life and everything makes sense! So once tied up in her berth I really felt our season had started - Teteli was ready and so were we. The next couple of days saw us stowing the gear that had been taken home for the winter back into its correct places, a trip to Tescos to stock up on some basic provisions and our first couple of nights on board for 2018. Instantly we slipped back into that steady life afloat!

We have returned to Essex for a week to sort out our other life and then we shall travel back by train to restart our adventure. Our plans are initially to head for either Lundy Island or directly to Padstow depending on the weather. Lets hope and pray for fair winds and weather for 2018.

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