This really marked the first day of our vacation trip, at least in my mind. Until now, we have gone wide open, since completing the Great Loop last June. As mentioned before, we prepped our home of 22 years for sale, got it sold, bought a new (to us) home on Skidaway Island, did all the work associated with a move (most of which we had forgotten or we probably would have never moved), and then immediately began preparation for this trip.
Planning a trip to the Bahamas requires a little different mindset. Though we’ve never been there, conveniences of home are spaced pretty far apart in the Bahamas. As hard as getting boat work done at home is, it is even more challenging in the Bahamas. We’ve heard too many stories like waiting 2 weeks on a part for an engine or a toilet or a cooktop. It is our intention to be over prepared with spare parts, so if needed, I will be able to handle most things that could go wrong.
We spent the weeks in Marathon continuing the prep, and repairing a couple things that were not a part of our prep. Two days before we arrived in Marathon, the raw water (salt water ) cooling pump started dripping at the seal. The bad news was there was a leak. The good news was the problem started stateside and not on some remote island in the Bahamas. I searched and found what was supposedly the right pump and had it shipped to the marina. It came in, wrong of course, so my vendor then figured out the problem, found the right pump, and had it shipped to me. The better news is the right pump cost half as much as the wrong one. I had to write this down somewhere so when I start complaining (it is inevitable) about how costly it is to operate a boat, I will remember this day when something only cost half as much as I had thought it was going to cost. For the record, this half cost item was still twice as much as it should have cost. I do remember: when the word “marine” is on the box, that word really means “times two”.
We did start having some plumbing trouble, as well, while in Marathon, so I procured those parts and made appropriate repairs. We reviewed all the final lists from the Waterway Guide regarding the Ditch Bag. This is your life bag, in the event the worst goes wrong on the boat. Eprib, hand held VHF, 1st aid kit, copies of driver’s licenses, passports and credit cards, and about 2 dozen other things (water food clothes), were added. Things you take for granted every day, until you don’t have them.
The ditch bag has just about everything you need to survive at sea for several days.
Clint and Mali, with Stella and Will, came to visit us for almost a week. They stayed in a hotel down the road from the marina and we had lots of good visiting time around the pool and the local beach. We ate out, ate in, and enjoyed our time together.
Sombrero Beach/Marathon 
A moment when the grands were chasing the kids. 
Picnic supper at the marina. 
A long day with Honey & Poppy and then a ride back to the car 
Cheetos…one of life’s staples. 
They were here a minute ago. 
Will & Poppy like sunsets 
The next generation of Champions (Fire Protection) checks out the back yard at Marlin Bay. 
Will is almost as heavy as he looks. 
What’s happnin’ Captain? 
Here’s the boat, right here, Honey. 
Stella strikes a pose 
Clint and his sweet mama.
Abigail, along with her dear friend Amanda Sills, joined us the same week, beginning on Wednesday. They stayed on the boat with us, both of them sleeping on the tiny couches in the salon. These two are very accommodating and took up very little space. Our boat is quite comfortable for 2 people, but adding 2 more could certainly make life interesting, if it was the wrong two. But Ab and Amanda were great. Clint and Mali left on Friday, Ab and Amanda on Sunday. We were sad to see them go. Amanda (Dorman) did sleep 12 hours Sunday night, so we may never know how sad or relieved she was that everyone was gone.
Amanda, Amanda, Will, Abigail, & Will 
Who knows what they are studying so hard on that phone. 
We counted and lined up all the pieces, just EXACTLY as Stella said they should be. Will kept the procedure interesting. 
We danced on the top deck to 70’s music. 
Amanda and her 2 children. 
We anchored out one night with Abigail and Amanda, just to let them have the overnight experience. 
These are 2 sweet girls….I mean ladies.
We started watching the weather on Monday, 22 March, looking for a good crossing date. I subscribed to Chris Parker weather service that customizes a plan for us to cross the Atlantic to the Bahamas. With a boat speed of 7 knots, the weather needs to be comfortable to our standard for at least 10 hours. Since our comfort level means seas of less than 3’, that planning has to be done carefully. The forecast looked best for a Saturday crossing. With that tentative date, it was time to get focused.