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!
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