Well, with only 20 weeks to go until we’ll be officially unemployed, life on Lunar Bird is starting to get exciting...and to be honest, a bit nerve racking. There is just so much to wrap up in preparation. First of all, its a huge shift in mindset to think of setting aside your life of security and a steady paycheck for a more simple life in terms of material things but with huge potential for adventure. It’s hard to set aside an identity you’ve held on tight to for several decades to reshape yourself into...who knows what? We’re definitely novice to blue water (ocean) sailing, but as E.E. Cummings said, “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”
So....Here’s the current plan. We’ll leave our current jobs in June. Visit some family and wrap up some projects in June/July. I hope to run a 20 mile trail race July 18th near Mt. Saint Helen’s...we’ll see if the race happens, and then we’ll head north to explore Brittish Columbia (if the borders are open). We’ll head back to Washington for 1-2 weeks in September to reprovision and then we’re off to do a 1 year loop in the Pacific. We plan to hit Mexico, maybe the Line Islands, Hawaii, Alaska, and then Brittish Columbia again. After than...we have big dreams for the South Pacific, assuming that the borders to these lovely countries are open by 2023.
Some things we’re doing to improve our knowledge and safety:
1. Taking a marine weather course
2. We plan to sign up for a celestial navigation course
3. Taking an Advanced Wilderness Rescue course through NOLS
Some of the bigger projects (there are many many other smaller projects) that need to be completed before mid July:
Haul out in April: replace 4 thru hulls, install bow thruster, install hydro-vane, install hydro generator
Install water maker and solar panels
Install new dodger, bimini, and davits and make all of the canvas for them
Install emergency life raft
Install new hatches
Install new autopilot
Install chart plotter at the helm
cool starfish! Shadia :)