We are back on the boat and preparing for our winter cruise.
On October 2nd we picked up a rental car, loaded it and started our way back to Hi Flite. First stop was at Cori's sister's near Sioux Falls SD. The next morning we continued driving nonstop until arriving at her brothers in Virginia. The next day we made a run to Annapolis to pick up the paint we needed and then down to Deltaville to check on Hi Flite. We were happy to see that she survived the summer without any problems such as mold, which was our main concern. For the next couple of days we commuted to the boatyard to prepare for life aboard again. After dropping off the rental car we moved aboard working on various projects. The hull got two coats of wax, the bottom got sanded and a fresh coat of bottom paint, the sails were bent on and the canvas and solar panels were installed. We felt we were ready and scheduled a launch date. The fates were against us when the boatlift had a flat tire and it took two days to get it repaired. We were not in any hurry so it wasn't a big inconvenience. Once in the water we moved to a slip and finished our preparations.
The next morning we motored out into the Bay and started south. Of course the winds were on the nose so it was a motorboat ride to Hampton VA where we anchored for the night. The next morning we moved through Norfolk and the Navy Base down to Chesapeake VA where tied up at the free dock at The Great Bridge. It is called The Great Bridge after a battle that occurred there which eventually forced the British out of Norfolk and eventually the battle at Yorktown which ended the Revolutionary War. Early the next morning we and several others started down the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway). We reached the Albemarle Sound and since the winds were blowing 15-20 knots we pulled over to anchor for the night. Albemarle Sound and River are well known for getting rough when the winds pick up and since the forecast was for lighter winds the next day we didn't see any reason to get beat up. The next morning with light winds we sailed across the Sound and continued motoring down the Alligator River and through the Alligator/Pungo canal anchoring for the night in Slade Creek. somewhere we hadn't been before. The next morning after the fog burned off we continued to Broad Creek. We moved up the creek and tied up at Donna and Jerry's (Bluejacket) dock to continue preparing.
Cori has her sewing machine out and is doing some repair to the canvas and headsail and I have been working through a list of small projects. We have made several trips to town for provisions and supplies getting things organized for the upcoming trip. We will be stopping off at Clubfoot Creek to pick up a number of things we have had shipped there and pick up Cori's kayak that she left there.
We don't know how soon we will be leaving for the Bahamas, it will depend on the weather. Our plan is to move to Florida then make the jump across to the Abacos and spend Christmas and New Years there. From there we will move down the Islands with plans to spend time in the island group called The Raggeds. We plan to return to the States around April or May.
