Apr. 21, 2007 - Meeting Emjaytoo for the first time

Arrived in Ipswich on a beautiful sunny day to eventually meet Emjaytoo in person.  Can't quite believe that she is ours!  She certainly smells very new and still has lots going on down below with things being installed.  Biggest surprise was to find an autohelm fitted which we hadn't ordered!  Eventually did a very good deal with Peters Opal so Kim is chuffed to bits as he had wanted one anyway and SWIMBO (me!) had said that it was a waste of money for the type of sailing we do most of the time.  It's also not the "rubber band" type like we had on Nefeli (the Bav 34 we chartered a couple of times in Greece) so nothing extra to fall over in the cockpit.  Otherwise everything lovely.  We just can't wait now to get out on the water.

After we eventually tore ourselves away from Emjaytoo, we went down onto the visitor pontoons and met up with Ruth and John (Stargazer) whom Kim had met through his forum.  Lovely friendly couple with a really cosy Moody 31.  We look forward to reciprocating the hospitality in a few weeks when we do our East Coast shakedown cruise.

We enjoyed a last moment of decadence by having an excellent lunch in the marina restaurant before heading off to Ikea on the way home to stock up on duvets, pillows, bedding and goodness knows what else.

We are both really excited now - above all we are both desperate to sail again.  If it goes on much longer, I might even be tempted back into a dinghy!!

Apr. 22, 2007 - congratulations

Apr. 23, 2007 - Very nice