It's almost time to go.

The last time I moved, my prize possession was a stereo and I was moving out of my parent's house.  I have worked at the same place since I was 19 years old.  Getting ready for a year long boating adventure and all the extra stuff that goes with it... that's new to me.

We have been getting shots.  Extra trips to the dentist and the optometrist.  I had a wisdom tooth pulled for my troubles.  We have been trading this insurance for that insurance.  And we have been selling stuff.  The Sea Ray is sold, finally.  The boat trailer went 2 days later.  I am selling my truck.  It's 'Let's Make a Deal' time.

Meanwhile, Knot Yet is getting filled up.  To the point were some stuff is getting hauled out.

I finally got my new chain.  3/8" chain weighs 1.49lbs per foot.  Last week I had 200ft delivered, right to the dock.  No more wimpy 15ft of 1/4" chain.  Better still, no more dirty rope on my decks.  Now that we are all chain, it gravity feeds nicely in the anchor locker.

The dinghy davits are installed on the swim platform.  No more towing the dinghy!  Or loading it into the cockpit!  The dinghy got treated to a new motor.  Our beloved Nissan 9.8hp just wasn't getting the three of us up on plane anymore.  Enter, a brand new Yamaha 15hp 2 stroke, capable of getting the three of us up on plane, plus an extra adult.  Smiles all around.

Seven scuba tanks have found a home in the fish box.  BCs, regs, wetsuits, masks, snorkels, fins are still searching for a home.

Safety equipment.  We have never kept a 'ditch bag' before.  We have spent hours considering 'this' or 'that'.  A lot of the stuff we have always carried and now it just has a strategic home.  The biggest addition is still in the mail, but I finally decided on a PLB over an EPIRB.  The PLB may not be the ultimate for a cruising boat, but it suits me the best.  I plan on carrying it with me on other land based adventures, as well.

You get the picture.  Lots of new equipment.  The boat is starting to squat a bit.  No room left for luxuries.

Back during our boat shopping, we looked at plenty of Oceans.  I looked at one Viking.  I was impressed by the engine room.  The previous owner had laid the boat out for doing his own maintenance, right down to a dedicated stereo system in the engine room.  So, before we even had our boat, I had purchased a shiny stainless steel, 5 drawer tool box.  For the life of me it has not found a suitable home and is now off the boat.  My tools now lie in tupperware boxes under the couch.  Less than glamourous.

I am big fan of Pelican cases,  my camera gear is protected by several of them.  Not for the next year, we don't have the room.

So that is now the theme, if we don't 'need' it...  off it goes.

One more week!  Sometime next weekend we will head for our annual pilgrimage to the North Channel.  We will spend some time with family and friends.  More importantly, we will try and figure out how everything sits.  We have the option one more trip home before heading south.

Exciting times for sure.