Well, it would appear that our carpenter is unavailable to set much of the wall and ceiling battens and refit the floor so we must take the jump and bring Zee back to the UK. We could probably do some of the refit out there but considering the drop in the pound recently, associated costs of living out there and not knowing where to hire/purchase/sort equipment etc it is probably a wise move to head back soon. Add to that we need a decent weather window so we can get across the channel in less than force 4 (as mandated by the insurance company).
Having approached a skipper to assist us with the transit across the channel we have highlighted a few items which we need in order to safely conduct the crossing. Most of these are pretty easy to solve (handheld VHF radio, flares - not the 70's jeans, etc) but there is one element which is proving difficult - a spare anchor.

The current Bower anchor has 50 metres of chain attached in the chain locker which means given some swell and a 5:1 drag angle means we could only really safely anchor in a depth of 8 metres, so we need another option. The skipper has advised a kedge anchor with at least 20 metres of chain and then a further 60 metres of warp to give us a few more options. This would be fine but unfortunately I am a) residing in Spain b) shortly about to spend 13 days in the UK at a shooting competition and c) a little busy with trying to write up an Energy Engineering Masters dissertation due at the end of August.
So, I have been in touch with various people in Holland and hope to be able to source something second hand with a suitable chain/rope combo. In the long run we will need 2 anchors and fortunately there is a spare winch position on the anchor winch which can accommodate it. We will have to unplug the port anchor hole in the bow but whether there is sufficient room in the chain locker for 2 sets of anchor chain, but if not then it may have to live on deck somehow.

The plan is to move Zee to Lelystad around the 12th Aug, then onto Amsterdam, then through Amsterdam to Ijmuiden near the coast where we will moor up and wait for the skipper to join us (weather dependant). I have a few jobs to do in the meantime such as rigging up a few bilge pumps (auto, electric and manual), rearranging some of the stuff in the hold and putting together a ditch kit should the very worst happen.

However, if we can't find a suitable anchor it will all be for nought... Watch this space...