Véronique and I drove to Stockbridge on Friday, for a very pleasant lunch with David and Sally Batten, the owners of Alcedo of Ryme.  Alcedo is the yacht I will be sailing during the 2013 Atlantic Rally for Cruisers.  It was great to see David and Sally again, and to sort out many practical details for the voyage: flights; customs clearance, sailing kit, watch rotas - even catering duties!  Time to check out the cookery books...

Alcedo is a truly lovely yacht.  She is newly built, 56 feet loa, cutter rigged.  Here she is, in Gibraltar last summer.

Alcedo is already in the Canaries, but currently out of the water.  David and Sally fly out to Gran Canaria early in November to provision the boat and prepare for the crossing. 

The last few days have also been devoted to setting up a myDonate page and adding the necessary links to this blog.  These should now be visible, and live.  We have had a great start to fundraising, with early offline donations (many, many thanks to Candida, Jan, Ellen, Jane, Linda, Ruth and the other 'DMG mums' who have made this possible).  Do please follow the link to Horatio's Garden www.horatiosgarden.org.uk   to see the great work that this charity is involved in.