Provisioning Begins!

The job today was to begin the installation of the heaters.  Yes, that's plural.  The joys of having a catamaran.  However, mother nature had different ideas and finally provided Shell Point with some much needed rain.....even the dollar weed was dying!  So, while King worked on small electrical jobs that needed done, I decided it was a good day to do some serious provisioning.  The menus are completed for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the entire trip.  All 30 something days (except days in port where I have given myself a gift with "dinner or lunch off boat").  From the menus, I've listed every item needed on a spread sheet to make the shopping list.  Not for the faint of heart.  Two hours later, I staggered out of the grocery with my buggy full of canned goods.   Still more to be done.  A Sam's run is scheduled for next week and the fresh veggies and perishables will wait until the day before we leave.  The next hurdle will be to stow it all away......but that will have to wait.  Tomorrow, I'm cooking Lasagna and Chicken Casserole to be frozen for the crossing.  

The new Viking 8 man Life Raft arrived today!  It is currently living in the elevator while it awaits its install on Ostinato.  We have decided not to keep in the locker during the crossing.  The weight (100 lbs) is too much to be wrestling out of the cubby hole during an emergency.  King plans to build chocks on the back deck where we will secure it while underway...........on the list.

Bon Voyage at Appalachee Bay Yacht Club

A great Bon Voyage at Appalachee Bay Yacht Club last night.  So many wonderful friends that we will certainly miss during our time away. While the group has done many covered dishes, this was a special one complete with a catamaran made of cucumber, (complete with crew and a wind generator) and pea salad, (King's favorite.. peas!). It was perfect getting to see so many friends before we leave, just not enough time to say everything you want to say.

We both tossed and turned all night worried about what today would bring. Today was rigging check day. Would it be good news or bad. Julian Crisp, from Sparman USA out of Gainseville, arrived at 9:30 this morning and gave the boat a thorough going over. We are happy to report the rigging has received a good bill of health along with some instructions on what to change and what to look for during the crossing. We will sleep much better tonight.

24 days - Yikes!

We are now officially 24 days (or so) to cutting the dock lines and beginning our sail across the Atlantic to Europe.  I'm excited about the adventure; anxious and a bit nervous about the crossing, and overwhelmed with all that's left to do to get us ready to leave.....but in the words of Scarlet "I'll think of that tomorrow". 

This will be our second sailing adventure.  The first a circumnavigation of the Caribbean.  Long enough ago that there was no email or cell phones.  This time we are OFFICIALLY retired so hope to be able to linger a bit longer wherever we may decide to land.

The planned route is to the Keys, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Azores, and finally our destination Ireland.  The crew will consist of Kingsley and me ( Sue), King's brother Clif and our friend and neighbor Ed.  I like to call this the ship of old fools......Once we arrive in Ireland, Clif and Ed will depart (likely jumping ship at the first sight of land!) and we will spend the rest of the summer cruising Ireland and Scotland.  In September, Ostinato will head for London to winter at St. Katharine's Marina. 

The next few weeks will be hectic.  I'm still trying to decide what clothes to take, what to store and what to give away.  There is the provisioning room, the Goodwill room and the to be install on the boat (hopefully soon!) room.  The provisioning list is complete but the shopping is not completed.  And of course, since the boat is still a work in progress adding anything else on would be simply increasing the chaos.  It will wait until next week...or so.