Launch is booked for around 4pm and the tide is a spring one, high at around 8pm, so we're currently planning on heading to the Yealm and anchoring in Cellar Bay for the night (about 1 to 2 hours sail/motor) - I am a little concerned that at low water we'll be a little close to the bottom, but we should be OK. Wind is from the North, so very little swell in the bay I should think. The aim then, for the weekend, will be to get ourselves to Salcombe. Saturday looks wind free at the minute, but there's a little bit of wind on Sunday which might be enough to get us there. It's only 15nm from the Yealm, so not a huge challenge, but it'd be a shame to begin our voyage by motoring all the way.
Last time we were in Salcombe I made a note of the internet signal strength - there wasn't a great deal. Hopefully it will have changed, otherwise we're going to have to get all the way around to Dartmouth by early in the week as I've a fair bit of work on so need the net.
Meantime, here's a few photos of our preparations...
Isabella, nestled amongst the other boats in the yard. Not the prettiest place we've been in Isabella
Rose scrubbing the hull back, in preparation for antifouling
Rose paints on the antifoul
Isabella looking ready for the off
New rope cutter and anode installed (just behind the prop)
