One week since casting off

One week since casting off and all is well ... sort of!!

Living on board full time certainly takes some getting used to. We are slowly getting it figured out, but it will take a little while to get into the swing of things. It's been so nice to be able to take it slowly for our first couple of weeks and enjoy Georgian Bay and some of its wonderful anchorages.

We have been accompanied by our great sailing friends Don and Sharon, and Mac and Diane as crew on Don and Sharon's boat Symmetry II. We have all traveled together for many years and it has been so great to have them join us at the beginning of our adventure.

After Twelve Mile Bay we sailed to Three Finger Bay where we spent a couple of nights.

Then we motored and sailed to Hale Bay, an anchorage closer to Parry Sound and then to Parry Sound where we met my sister Janette and her husband Rob.

But of course there are always little things that crop up while on the way. The first thing was that the valve on our propane tank would not close. We use propane for the stove and for the fireplace. Because Hugh is very cautious, we always turn the tank on and off for each use, so this was a bit of a safety concern. We do have a solenoid (a little control in the boat that also turns it off/on) so we had to rely on that until we could get the tank fixed in Parry Sound.
Then Hugh was working one morning on his computer in the cockpit (not a bad office setting)! He was plugged into our 12volt socket with a portable inverter (changes from 12v to 110) when it blew a fuse. Not a big deal, except do you think he could find which fuse was blown??  So that needed to get fixed as we charge our cell phones with the 12v plug.
Then poor Hugh woke up with an extremely swollen finger. He had been scrubbing the decks and had  cut his knuckle slightly, but had obviously gotten something in there as it was at least twice it's normal size.

So once in Parry Sound my sister and husband became our wonderful taxi service. Propane tank got revalved and fixed, groceries bought, fuse figured out, and Hugh took a trip to emergency (he will live)! We even had time for a lovely dinner out with all eight of us and a great visit. Thanks again Janette and Rob!!

We are getting better at remembering where we put everything and routines for going sailing (every thing stowed, cupboards closed and locked, ports and hatches closed, instruments on and charts out!)

The weather has been fairly good for most of the week, cooler than normal which makes the water "refreshing" for swimming. A little rain here and there but nothing big until last night when we were hit with quite a thunderstorm with big winds, heavy rain and blinding lightning. Hugh sat in the cockpit to make sure all was well while I hid in my "happy place" (the guest cabin)!! We were fine but I still don't like them!!

So we are now just south of Pointe au Baril in Hopewell Bay where we will sit for a few days (and get Hugh's finger better with his antibiotics)  until we hop across the Bay and head to Tobermory. That will be the true start of our trip as we will be on our own as we say goodbye to Symmetry II, and once we get to Tobermory  everyplace and everywhere will be new and unexplored by us.

All very exciting and scary as we continue on our journey  ... one day at a time.