Good Bye EDYC

Preparation continues. Doing the dishes yesterday, flushing the water tank again. Now finally full of potable water, approx. 70 litres and a few purification tablets. One 12V 'cigarette lighter' type outled added - no point charging the mobile phone through the inverter, wasting precious energy, when it can be done with a car charger from a 12V outlet that runs directly from the leisure battery.

Cockpit railing needed epoxy and a bigger stainless steel screw to replace a loose one. Got it done. Also changed the mast foot block for the main halyard - boy was that worn. Should be easier to hoist the main! The Tuff Luff for the forestay hasn't arrived but should hopefully come in today...and the last chance saloon for it is actually Friday, as we won't sail until late in the evening. Spray dodgers ordered at the last minute too. Good for keeping the wind at bay, too. Got a gas bottle refill and bought an extra bottle - our Michelin star chef needs his cooking gas! The camping gas 907 is not very large. Probably about 2.5 to 3 kg.

The chief engineer arrived from Finland on Tuesday. He is particularly well kitted and carries medicine for the Ulster Hospital!Hope we won't need any of it. Today Chief Eng, chef and I will sail the boat to a pole position in Bangor. There should be good wind and quite a bit of sunshine, according to the BBC coastal forecast and Windguru.com.

Good by EDYC, you've been great! First time through the Strangford Lough narrows! Exciting. Lots of good advice received.