We have checked the weather and it is looking grand.  Sunny skies and calm wind for the whole week of our first voyage.  You couldn't ask for better conditions.  The ship is essentially ready.  We have fuel and water.  The engine problems have been overcome.  All that is left to do is to make for provisions and do a little light cleaning and we should be underway.

As much as we like to think that we have thought of everything, the one issue that is still lurking around in the great unknown is the 'togetherness' thing.  I don't mean that we don't like spending time together.  We do.  It is just that we have never done it while confined to such a small space.  Our boat is 44' long and has a few levels.  The lower levels have the staterooms and the middle level has the salon, cockpit helm and galley.  Outside is the aft deck and above that is the flybridge.  Sounds like a lot of space, but when you are there, well, not so much.  Like aboard all boats, space is tight.

I know that a lot of folks live aboard their boats full time and never have a problem and I am sure that we won't either.  It is just that we have become empty nesters recently and now that our house is quiet, we kinda like it.  It is nice to find a room in the house to go hide and read a book or watch TV.  On the boat, the other person is going to be aware of everything you do - when you do it.  

There is going to be a transition to this new lifestyle.

The really great thing is that the boat has been outfitted very comfortably.  It has a couple of music systems, satellite TV (which we don't know how to turn on) DVD player with surround sound (don't know how that works either) and four separate remote control units.  I think I counted the buttons once and all together the remotes have 135 of them.  That being said, we plan on bringing several good books along just in case we find ourselves unable to connect to the outside world.... which isn't necessarily a bad thing.  Of course we will have our trusty laptop and cell phones for emergencies, but all in all, we are cutting ourselves off from society for awhile.  It is exciting and scary all at the same time.  Isn't that what life if supposed to be like anyway?  

Wish us a bon voyage.  We will try and update as we pass by some wifi hotspots.