Octopus is here...Yipee!!

Octopus has now arrived safely in Southampton. This morning we drove down to see her and measured up for some of the equipment. The children were very excited and can't wait to move on board next week. She seems a lot bigger than she did last time we saw her. We found more lockers and storage areas than before. We now have to unpack the charts, almanacs and enough safety gear to get us from Southampton to West Bay next Saturday.

Click Here Seeing Octopus for the first time

A Date at Last....

We spent Friday at the US embassy London, we had to wait four hours for the Visas, the children were fantastic considering the long wait with nothing to do!

We have all been away for a couple of days at Quaker Camp near Chester. It was great to catch up with all our friends, but a long trip for just two days! We went around Chester with a 'Roman Soldier' on Saturday! I now know in detail how the Romans wiped their bums and have some embarrassing video of some friends acting out how it's done!

Octopus is due to arrive in Southampton tomorrow and on the 7th of September she is handed over to us, at last! The plan is spend Friday night on her with Mike and some of our friends and then sail around to West Bay, Bridport, leaving Southampton at first light Saturday morning. We will then be based at West Bay for a couple of weeks to fit out Octopus with all the electrical, navigation gear and safety gear etc. It’s been a long wait and it’s difficult to believe we are almost at the end.

How to wipe your bum 2000+ years ago

Bridport

We have been enjoying our time in Bridport with Margaret (Granny), the children have been working hard at ‘home school’. We have seen lots of Chris's family while we have been here, (Uncle) Brian and (Uncle) Pete and their families have been visiting. (Uncle) Mike had some lovely Black Labrador puppies who delighted the children. One evening we walked down to see Bridport Carnival and had fun walking back in the pitch dark with flashing 'Bunny Ears' and 'glowing swords'! We have visited Mangerton Mill, a water mill and museum, the local Museum in Bridport as well as researching a bit of my family history.

Life-raft Service

Today we drove down to Ocean Safety in Southampton to get our 10 man life-raft serviced. We wanted to see it inflated and find out what safety gear was packed inside. The guys there were very helpful and explained all the workings and safety features, they were also fantastic with the children and encoraged them all to climb inside the raft to see what it was like. The children seemed keen to take it home and convert it into a big covered paddling pool, they didn't ready take in the importance of what it was really for. The safety gear inside was of a much higher spec then we had expected and all in all Chris and I feel that the raft was a very good bargain.

Life-raft - click here for more photos

Good News

The good news is the boat is out of the factory! Hurrah

Over Loaded

Chris left Arran on Sunday morning to drive down to his Mum's and was very over loaded. The mini-bus was full to the gunnels, with two kayaks and the sailing dingy strapped to the top. He made it there by ten and brother Mike and nephew Jasper helped to unload everything into the garage. Our front porch is now full with all the gear that wouldn't fit in and this Sunday it will be packed in and around me and the children and we will all drive down to Bridport.

 

Our party was great, saying goodbye to everyone is a bit sad but it is only for a year and we hope to see some of you en-route. Next week (on land) 'boat school' starts for the children, Susie will get to miss a week as she is off to Camp. Once the boat is handed over school days will comprise of helping to fit out Octopus until we are underway, we need to get across Biscay as soon as possible before the good weather turns to bad!

 

I keep going from room to room wondering what I have forgotten to pack, I don't want to end up 500 miles away and realise the passports are in the kitchen draw. The food in the house has almost gone, the fridge is very empty, everyone who calls gets bits and pieces from the bottom of the freezer or strange jars from the back of cupboards.

 

Seems funny without a dog around, this will be the first time in all my life I have been without a dog or in fact any pet. I expect to see some strange and unknown animals move onto Octopus at some point while we are in hotter climates, invited or not. Lizzie usually finds new animal or insect 'friends' wherever we go.