Set a Deadline

When you are planning to cruise by sailboat, it is helpful to finally set a deadline.  From experience, I can easily say that if you do not set a deadline for taking off,  you and your boat will never leave the dock.

With this in mind, Joe and I sat down this morning and set our deadline for February 2nd, which is just under two weeks.

We will be ready to leave the Florida and the US on that date, no matter what.  If we are lucky, February 2nd will also provide us an excellent weather window to cross the gulf stream to the Bahamas.  If not, we plan to leave at the first opportunity so that the crossing is safe and not too rough.

Cruising plans are always fluid, but right now we plan to go from Ft. Lauderdale to the West End of Grand Bahamas Island to check into the country.

We plan to spend a little time in the Abacos, then head south towards the Exumas.

To get ready, there is so much to do!  I have been provisioning and figuring out where everything is stowed on the boat.  This is harder than it seems because space is at a premium. Joe is busy installing the new Iridium Go! Sat phone and the new wifi booster.  Joe also bought a new smart phone that interfaces with the Iridium Go! product.  I plan to write a future post about our satellite phone and how we get weather files.

Joe also has to buy all the remaining spare parts we need in case anything breaks (knock on wood).  I am also wrapping and stowing Ethan’s Easter and birthday presents to surprise him on those special days.  I planned ahead and have birthday cake mix, frosting, and balloons for his 5th birthday in April.

Now that the deadline is set, I expect we will be working longer each day in order to get things done in time.  We are very excited to get to the fun part- sailing, snorkeling, walks along the shore, beachcombing, meeting new friends, and more!  Let the countdown begin….