Season 'plan'

Having had a good grump about the weather in the first post, let's describe what we laughingly call a plan for the season. Aspiration might be a better word.

Last autumn we conceived the idea of taking Sirena IV to the Baltic - indeed it had been in our minds for some time. With us working less (ha ha) and not getting any younger (uurgh) we should carpe diem while we can. So we bought lots of charts and some pilot books, and went to the CA 'Baltic Briefing' day, and made some 'plans'.

Intended passage map

A couple of events have appeared this summer which could have caused us to re-think the whole affair. First Nic's younger daughter, Rebecca/Becky/Bex, and fiancee Ross announce they are pregnant with a due date of 27 July. Then Nic's 90yo mum, Ilona, announces she is on a waiting list for heart valve replacement, possibly in June. Hmm. Both events are going to happen, yet the timing is uncertain by quite a few weeks.

So referring back to the second para above, we decided to keep to the 'plan' with some adjustments. The intention is to get the boat to the Baltic, which means the far end of the Kiel Canal, by mid July, then fly/train back to UK. We'll hang around Bristol like a bad smell until the baby is here and home with Bex, and we've had some admiring and holding. Then we'll fly/train or drive back to the boat, explore a bit of Denmark, and in Sep leave the boat in a warm shed (it's what they call it) in Germany for the winter. Of course we will return earlier or go back later as needed for Ilona's operation. (If the Scottish NHS could schedule it one week before Bex's unknown actual drop date that would be really helpful.)

The big idea is that Sirena IV will then already be in the Baltic ready for launch in May 2018 and a full season there - certainly Sweden, possibly Finland, and we aspire to Estonia. 

But first things first ... we have to get there. And family of course, both Nic's and Lesley's, always take top priority. So do watch this space for what could well be a logistically and financially challenging season; but we eat logistics for breakfast, and what little money we have is there to solve challenges like this.