We’re saying’; “Saturday”.  There, now we’ve set a date.  I’ve learned if you don’t commit to a specific date, you’ll never leave.  We could just keep on working on projects for weeks.  They never really end.  But…you don’t have to do ALL of them.  There will always be more.  At some point, you just have to transition from boat working to cruising, and we’re at that point.  Well, almost.  It makes sense to stay another day or so since Ann is getting a lot done on the rain cover and it’s much easier to do it on a picnic table than on the boat.  It’s looking really good too.  Maybe another day and it will be done and we’ll be able to post a picture of the final effort.  In the mean time, here’s Ann at work…

The smile belies all the really hard work.

For my part, I’m securing stuff.  The new dive tanks and the new sewing machine to be specific.  Seems insignificant, but the dive tanks weigh about 50 lbs each (guessing) and if they get loose and start banging around during rough weather it will not be pretty.  So…secure they must be.  Fortunately we “accumulated” a couple ratcheting tie-downs last year.  You never know when you’re going to need stuff and we found these up at the “free-stuff” table.  Every marina has one.  People leave stuff they don’t need.  You know, one person’s junk is another’s treasure.  Well, we grabbed the tie downs and now we’ve saved $47, which is the price one of the marine stores wanted for the things.  Anyway, it took a couple hours down in the hell hole…er…I mean lazarette of drilling, tightening and finally cutting the too-long screws with the angle grinder (sparks flying down in the laz burning my skin, I just close my eyes and cut away then take a file to make them smooth so they don’t tear my skin in some future lazarette adventure).

The dive tanks are now secure in the lazarette with two heavy duty straps and a foam bed. I can even fit all the other stuff back in. We're ready to go!

And to leave you with a last picture of the day, a lovely sunset shot of future cruisers (and treasured friends) Mike and Charmaine on Tamure II.  They are a couple years from “the dream”, but moving closer each day.

Here's to you Mike and Charmaine