The Blog and Journey Begins

Today marks the beginning of our attempt to share our journey with you.  Needless to say we are new to blogging and as I write this I am waiting for my friend Brittany (Stephen) Meyers to complete my blogging lessons.  Specifically the goal is to learn how to link our daily (we hope) journal to Picasa so that you can view our photos.  We also want to create links to other websites that we wish to share.

Speaking of Journeys, Brittany and her husband Scott are leaving tomorrow on the multi-year journey to travel around the world on Rasmus, their 35 foot Hallbery Rassy sloop.  For details of their amazing journey go to their blog. 

Brittany & Scott Meyers just before departing on their journey

So back to the journey.  I will be taking the boat to Marine Services in Dolton IL solo on Thursday or Friday.  This involves traveling south along the lakefront to Hammond, where I will top off the fuel, and then down the Calumet River.  Here I will pass through the O'Brien Lock, the first of over 100 locks on our 6,000 mile journey. The O'Brien Lock has a lift, which is how the distance up or down is described, of approximately 2 feet depending on the height of Lake Michigan.  Marine Services' facility is about 1 mile after the lock.

We will formally start our journey on Monday, October 4th from Marine Services.  The stop over at Marine Services will involve lifting the boat and power washing the bottom, which will save fuel by reducing drag from the summer's accumulation of growth (which appears a film) on the hull.  We will also check the zincs, which are metallic attachments to the hull and shafts that prevent damage to shafts, props and through-hull fittings from electrolysis. 

Going away for a year on a boat involves considerable preparation, which we have been doing since we made the decision to complete the Great Look last February.  The first and most important step was for me to retire, which occurred on March 31 (after 38 years with The Warranty Group).  The second step involves preparing the boat and the third involves preparing ourselves and Kodi.

Boat preparation was relatively simple as Guided Discovery was already well equipped for cruising and we are experienced with her having lived aboard from May to October for the last three years.  Still to ensure maximum safety, utlity and comfort, we made a number of upgrades for the trip. 

The most expensive was a set of spare propellers, which are mounted below the salon.  While we hope they will not be needed, it provides considerable peace of mind knowing that they are available if needed.  The next upgrade involved adding a AIS, which is a transponder that enables us to see commercial traffic well ahead including the vessel's name, length, beam, draft, direction, speed and MMSI number (allowing us to call the vessel directly on the VHF- it actually rings like a phone).   A third upgrade involved the installation of spurs, which are essentially knives mounted to the shafts.  The spurs will cut any line that we inadvertently run over such as lobster "pots" that mark the numerous lobster traps found along the east coast.  Needless to say, getting fouled in a lobster trap line of fish net line can be very dangerous especially in rough seas.

Other preparations involved moving the cockpit air conditioning control, which Sea Ray thoughtlessley mounted in a cabinet at ground level behind the helm, to the contol station are at the helm.  Sea Ray tried to protect the indoor control unit from moisture but in doing so made it very inconvenint to access and even view the settings.  The control allows us to turn on air conditioning, heat and the defroster for our front window.  Further, with Kodi's crate located behind the helm station it was practically inpossible to reach.

Another important addition was a remote control for the bow thruster, which allow it to be activated from anywhere on the boat.  This should be particularly helpful during locking when I am handling lines and away from the helm.  Finally, we added a second anchor and trim tab indicators.

Perhaps the most important thing we did was to put our bills and financial affairs on line.  We began the process in March and as of this writing can safely say that 99% of our bills no longer arriving by snail mail and we do not have to write checks every month.  True freeedom.  We also have forwared our mail to our friend Ionna Cheney.  Forwarding your mail I learned eliminates all 3rd class (junk) mail.  Hence, what Ioanna will only have to deal with forwarding 1st class mail.