The day had finally arrived… DEPARTURE!  Angela completed her last day of work and the kids finished their last full day of school on Friday the 1st of July – Canada Day!  After a quick turnaround (selling car, clearing out house, saying many goodbyes, etc), we fully stuffed the boot of our friend Jess’s car with our things and then headed to the boat the following Monday – the 4th of July!  Auspicious days for those bound for North America!  🙂

A very fully car!

Happy to be heading to the boat

Where will all this go???

Ready (???) to go…

Last night in Inverness

Beautiful parting gift

Last hugs for Aberdeen friends

After being dropped off at the boat and getting a few last hugs, we slowly worked to put everything away.  It is amazing how a boat can slowly “absorb” clothes and possessions.  While we have been through this once before, this aspect still amazes us. If homes were built as efficiently as boats, one would never want for storage.

One more night in Inverness and then we were off!  Still unsure if we realise this fact or not…

After spending the last year getting to know the boat, learning her multiple systems, and fixing/rebuilding/replacing/installing many, many, many items, it was (finally) rewarding to get to do some FUN boat preparation projects!

Our primary objective for the past year was to focus on the main systems that are important for safety – rigging, sails, batteries, charging systems, engine, pumps, anchoring, navigation, communications, spares, spares, spares, etc.  These are all very important aspects for voyaging, but there is only a minor amount of satisfaction to be gained when dull projects are completed.  Yay, the secondary, high-capacity electric bilge pump and alarm are installed – done.  Although, it was a good feeling to have finished the job of removing, replacing, rewiring and recycling 183 kg of AGM batteries!

One of many To-Do lists… mostly ticked off! 🙂

A long list of the items that have been replaced or added.

Before the Corian counter cutting began to install the new sink.

The mess after.

Measuring the old bolts for the autopilot.

Six new AGM batteries ready to be loaded onboard.

With the completion of the important, but somewhat boring tasks, we were able to spend the weekend doing the fun tasks.  We applied the name and logo on the transom and boom, and began loading it with food, and more important items such as Lego!

Proud of the new name and hailing port.

Carefully applying the new name.

Overwhelming the checkout clerk with shopping trip 1 of ??.

Loading the priority items – Lego and games!

We look forward to updating you on our progress through this blog as we prepare Laridae for our voyage and start making our way through Scotland, into Europe and across the Atlantic Ocean.

Anneka and Eric prepare for painting.  A boat never feels larger then when you are standing below it with a paint brush or snorkeling under it with a scrub brush!