The Adventure Begins

Final Solomons Sunset

After much deliberation, alot of preparation, and just a little bit of procrastination, I have decided the journey begins tomorrow. I have been watching the weather, and tomorrow is the best day out of the next 5 - supposed to be 61 degrees, mostly sunny, and even tho the winds are not going to be what they had called for 5 days ago, there is supposed to be a good breeze, 5-10 out of the S-SW. I have wrapped up most of the major projects that I needed to get done before I got underway - the windvane is improved and mounted, the whisker pole is now on a track and stows vertically at the front of the mast, the radar reflector is permanently mounted on the mast as well. I have spent the day working, the afternoon fueling, and this evening and tonight will be stowing gear and sorting all this junk out.

I have come to one major conclusion at the end of this day, I have way too much JUNK on board this boat. I think I have room to stow all of it for now, but alot of it has been on board since I moved aboard, and has yet to be used. So, it has got to go. I am a bit of a pack rat, so many treasures, so many plans and ideas, but, I just dont have room for all this stuff. Now the good thing is that I will be off loading some stuff with Beth once I reach Hampton Roads. I will not have any further use (until I sail back north in the spring) for my microwave, the heaters, the hotplate, toaster, and all the electric appliances that take up so much damn room.

So this evening will be spent stashing all this stuff, and trying to get it all put away and ready for sea. Quite a task, and I am sure I will be up til all hours of the night trying to get it all done.

But tomorrow is the day. After months of talk, and planning, and work, I cast off in the morning, by 8am I hope, and begin my journey south. The first real stop will be Hampton Roads, Portsmouth to be exact, and then on to Elizabeth City. A few nights there, and an emptied out storage unit later, and I will push on to Manteo for a few days. From Manteo to Edenton for a day, and then on to Morehead City/Beaufort, where I will head out into the Atlantic for my main run south. With all the stops, and the visiting, I figure I will be in the Atlantic in 2 weeks, and hopefully in Florida waters 5-6 days after that.