Southward Migration Begins

Lake Champlain

44 06.713 N 073 24.832 W

 

The summer went past so fast. We really really don't want to leave the lake, but it is time.

 

We could wait until mid October and experience the best part of the year here. But if we did that, we would freeze our butts going south, and leave. No time to stop and visit Dave and Cathy in North Carolina . So we march to the only drummers song that we pay attention to any more -- the seasons.

 

It has been a great year on Champlain. The weather cooperated well. Libby had a ball seeing Jen and working in Jen's garden. And we greatly enjoyed the company of Jen and Pete.

 

So, here's the plan:

 

We take the mast down at Chipman Point Tuesday.

 

Wednesday-Thursday in Whitehall. There we will have Keith Longtin do some engine maintenance for us. I'll also rewire the mast. After putting up the mast last time, all of our lights, and the wind meter, and the radar stopped working. I presume thst we pinched the wires somehow. I think I am also going to remove the radar and store it at Dave's house. Given AIS, we almost never use the radar any more, and it is trouble to keep it functional.

 

Friday in Mechanicville, NY. We will rent a car over the weekend and visit with my sister Marylyn, and with other friends.

 

Perhaps Tuesday next week, we will raise the mast again in Catskill, NY.

 

By Friday next week we will be ready to put to sea heading for Norfolk, Virginia with the first weather window.

 

A week afte that, we should be in New Bern.

 

By November 1, we'll be in Florida.

 

Sigh. It feels wrong to leave. There is no place better than this place. But alas, that applies only when this place is not frozen solid; which is coming sooner than we like to think.

 

(When living in Sweden, I used to have fantasy dreams about floating the Scandanavisn Penninsula to tropical waters. I should start dreaming that about Vermont.)