Back to Serafina - Getting Ready to Cruise

Our last night in London so we packed up for a quick get away after breakfast. I checked the paperwork to make sure all was in order to pick-up the rental car tomorrow but it wasn't to be found! I logged into the hire company site and there was no booking to be found, not even an email! I rang Europcar and they had no booking either and could not make one for the next day unless I wanted some high priced sports car with no room for cases! We managed to make a booking with a competitor also renting out of St Pancras Station, all was well again.

After nearly four hours on driving and queuing we arrived in Stoke on Trent and went straight to the marina. We unlocked Serafina to see how she had fared over the winter and the only casualty seemed to be my broad brimmed cricket hat covered in mould, Rachael reassured me that she could fix that so catastrophe averted! Plenty of dusting and de-cobwebbing and Serafina will be back to normal. The batteries were fully charged, solar panels have been our best investment.

We stayed overnight in a hotel and arrived at the boat early next morning to clean up in preparation for the fuel tanks being cleaned. A dip stick test done last year before we left, showed a lot of water and 'gung' in the tank. It took five hours to clean up the tanks but the comparison samples showed a huge change.

Cleaning the main tank, 200 lt every 8 mins.

Samples taken from the two tanks

 I don't think Serafina's tanks have been cleaned since she was built. The engine is back to running on diesel!

Most of the clean up will be done, the cupboards and refrigerator full and all the checks made, ready for our departure on Monday morning. We will head north towards Anderton, not sure how long the four day trip will take since rain is forecast from Tuesday on.