Wednesday 22 October 2014

Getting Ready

                                          
                                           MAGGIE on the hard after haul out - April 2014
                                                 

Oct 17,  2014   Oakville, On, Canada

We are getting excited and impatient for our first leg of the Blue Planet Odyssey to begin. Although we have been busy with preparations, it has been frustrating not to be on or near our boat. We have a true long distance relationship with MAGGIE. We live near Toronto, and our boat is “on the hard” in Grenada waiting out the hurricane season.

During the summer work was done to upgrade the canvas, repair and change some of the rigging, redo engine hoses, and prepare the hull  for bottom painting. Last winter we did many other needed repairs and upgrades. Rob installed a hydro generator which worked well, and a new parasailor (asymmetrical spinnaker) is ready to go.

But there has been no lack of things for us to do at this end. We have been ordering parts and supplies, which typically come from the US, to Canada and then shipped them to Grenada, although some have gone directly. We have seven large boxes waiting for us at the marina. It will be a challenge to try to find a home for it all! As you can imagine, there are mounds of paper to work through to get the boat and the house prepared. Our boat and health insurances are organized. Flight tickets are booked. Communications plans are set in place. This weekend is dedicated to a first aid/CPR course. Tuesday is the travel clinic and shots.

We have been talking to as many people as will listen, promoting the BPO message about the health of our oceans, climate change, and what we can learn and/or do during this trip. But the most pleasant chore has been reading about the places we will be visiting.

We are now looking forward to getting to Grenada October 26 and launching October.31. Hopefully there will be no unpleasant surprises from the storage period! We will have the month of November to work on the boat and travel to Martinique, where the Caribbean start of the Blue Planet Odyssey is scheduled for January 18, 2015. It will also give us a chance to work with our crew for the BPO, Bob Shanks. He and his wife, Barbara, will be joining us on November 3 for our trip to Martinique. The Shanks live in Okanagan Falls BC.

We can’t wait to get back on the water!