Maiden Voyage

 We decided, before any kind of grand launch party, that it would be wise to have a practice run. So on March 8th, with help from friends and family, we slid our R25 off her trailer for the first time at Port Adriano.

 Things went well! Not perfectly, but well enough. We’ll work out which way round the rudder should be installed next time.

It was a great experience though, and left us hungry for more (whilst giving us a healthy appreciation for just what lies ahead)..

RYA Training

Next on the list was to get me certified in a few things (First Aid, Ocean Emergency procedures, VHF Radio etc.) and that was all lined up for the weekend of the 14th courtesy of  Deep Blue Sea Training in Palma. As it happened, that was the weekend that Spain issued its lockdown due to the Coronavirus, so messing about in life rafts at the local swimming pool that weekend wasn’t to be.

*Pause*

In fact, since Dan and I have been stuck behind closed doors, almost everything we were working on has come to an abrupt stop. Fitting the boat with the various kinds of equipment isn’t possible at the moment, adorning the body with graphics and branding is the same, training on the sea is a no-go, public events like the Palma Boat Show and school visits have found themselves on the back burner, and courting new sponsors is obviously impossible during this period of extreme economic uncertainty.

The only thing we do have control over is our physical training, which, thanks to Cathy at Crossfit Mallorca, is still possible from our own homes.

But clearly we’re not the only ones experiencing difficulties at the moment (and in the grand scheme of things ours are far from serious problems). So let me round this update off by expressing thanks to our supporters for their continued support, and a reminder that our charitable partners https://plasticoceans.uk/ and https://www.joyronfoundation.org/ are still working hard and always appreciate help.

Look after each other, and we’ll be in touch with news of our campaign further down the line!