Continuing preparation of "Every Day" and beginning cruising, Part 20

Well, this month has brought many surprises and not all of them good. We dogged a potentially major health issue with Mallory and took us a great deal of time and worry this month. Thanks for the moral support that many of you gave us during this trying time.

The boat is finally in Manitowoc and already in the building ready for refit this winter. The yard over the next month will carefully review the boat and all it's systems and make recommendations for the work that should be done before we depart. We will then compare our list and develop a plan for the winter's work.

In addition to getting our boat ready, we hoped to do some practicing on the whole cruising thing. So, we signed up to do a transport from Bermuda to Fort Lauderdale on a Kaufman 47 with a guy who has a whole lot of experience. We are not so much learning how to sail but learning how he deals with the SSB communications, weather data, food, routing, customs and such. This trip will begin about November 1.

After we signed up for that trip, a friend, Carl Berman, who has, Bambi, an Alden 55, who we met in the fog two years ago transporting up to Sturgeon Bay, told us he was thinking of taking his boat down to the islands this fall and Europe next summer. He was concerned that the boat would be sitting for long periods of time during the winter when he needs to work up here. We suggested that we could baby sit the boat and sail it around the islands. That way the boat would not get lonely during the winter. That was enough for Carl to say, "let's do it".

Starting last Saturday, Mallory and Carl have started the transport. Right now they are in Sturgeon Bay making a few last minute repairs, replacing zincs, etc before they set out though the lakes and Erie Barge Canal. Rob and possibly another friend will meet up in New York for the sail from there to Puerto Rico via Bermuda. It will be interesting matching up these two trips.

Ultimately, this winter should be a lot of fun and truly the start of our trip even though not on our boat. We will be practicing anchoring, entering and leaving different countries, exploring each of the countries in the Caribbean and we are looking forward to spending as much of the winter as we can afford doing that. We will keep you informed as we proceed.

Lastly, we purchased a beautiful condo on Lake Shore Drive just North of Montrose Harbor to simplify and downsize our living arrangements back here. Of course, I (Rob) can never leave well enough alone, and when the penthouse became available I purchased it and Mallory may never forgive me for it. We've been rehabbing the kitchen and living room of the new unit and I'll be moving us by Friday. I think it's really cool but it's been a lot of work getting it done in a short period of time. I'll be very glad to be out sailing once it's done.

That's all for this month. Hope everyone had a really great season this year.