Seven years after reading that first article about the Great Loop and all the years since of dreaming and planning, searching, traveling, taking courses, and rearranging our lives, the day finally arrives to begin the adventure!
On May 14, 2016, with our little travel trailer and car filled to the brim with 'cruising essentials', we pulled away from Broomfield, CO and began the 1,979 mile drive to FL.
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| On the road in Kansas, heading for Stuart, FL |
The boat had been 'on the hard' at Hinckley Boat Services since late February. Several repairs were to be completed by May 1st, as a condition of the sale. We had also made arrangements for Hinckley to do additional repairs the first few weeks of May, which were recommended by our surveyor. We were hopeful that everything would be completed by the time we arrived; we'd launch the boat and begin moving our belongings aboard. Unfortunately, not everything was done; there were questions about the work that still needed to be sorted out. We also decided to install a prop protector near the propeller while the boat was still out of the water (it will cut rope or line when either is getting wrapped around the propeller - e.g. from crab traps).
So, while the boat was still up on the blocks and cradle, we started to move some of our boxes aboard - lifting them first up to the swim step, climbing a ladder to the swim step, lifting them up into the cockpit and finally hauling them into the salon. Man, we forgot how bloody HOT it can be in Florida in the summer! The heat was in the high 90's, but the heat index was around 110! As soon as we started lugging boxes and working inside the boat we were soaked and exhausted. This was going to be harder and more rigorous than we had planned!
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| Jim getting ready to move boxes from the trailer to the stern (rear) and lift them up onto the swim step, then to the cockpit and finally, into the boat |
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| All the essentials we'd need for living aboard a boat for an extended period - including bikes, deck chairs, pots, pans, buckets, tools....you name it, we got it! Wonder how much we'll have to leave behind in the trailer??!! |
Bazinga was launched and moved to a slip at the Hinckley Marina right before the Memorial Day weekend.
The next four days were spent carting boxes of dishes, silverware, pots, pans, sheets, towels, tools, books, equipment, food, etc., etc. across the boatyard, down the ramp, along the dock and into the boat. We were so miserably hot and exhausted each day that we decided to postpone sleeping on the boat until the air conditioner could keep up with heat. We'd head back to the Hampton Inn, peel off our wet clothes, shower, and collapse in blessed coolness!
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| After Bazinga is moved to a slip, we continue to unload and transport our boxes 75 yards to the boat - in that heat!! |
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| Fill the cart provided by the marina with as much as you can push and balance |
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| After going across the boatyard, head down the ramp to the dock |
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| Jim checking out the small space that houses the generator and batteries |
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| Where to put everything??! |
