Pre-departure
It takes a certain independence of mind and 'get up and go' to respond to an online advert for crew to join a voyage from UK to Spain (and beyond) so all credit to Hector Lancaster who seized the opportunity presented by an ad we'd placed with the Royal Cruising Club and, after a series of calls to establish that each was who they'd claimed to be, signed up to join Atlantis's crew for the voyage south.
As a final confirmatory step, however, and with a need to deliver Atlantis to Cowes for the RYS West Country cruise, Hector joined Andy for a short trip along the south coast to confirm compatibility and for an early taster of the longer trip across the Bay of Biscay.
It's true to admit that the voyage was almost entirely windless, and progress was slowed further by the disintegration of the main engine's alternator belt which needed replacing after an unscheduled maintenance call into Portland. Nevertheless, there was time for swimming, some light weather sailing and a chance to get to know Atlantis's systems and each other before Hector returned home to Scotland to prepare for the longer trip south to commence in a fortnight's time.
Welcome aboard Hector - thank you for your help thus far and we look forward to sailing with you towards warmer waters!