As of this writing, we have about 6-7 hours until we leave to make a red-eye drive to Detroit Metro to be there by 6 a.m.Friday. We'll be first going to my good friend Amy's parents in Livonia. Her Dad, Jim (don't get confused with all the Jim & Amy's!!) has offered to drive us to the airport, & we'll be leaving our truck at their house. We are very thankful he offered to do this, the parking $ at the airport is outrageous. Once we leave the Houston airport, I have really no idea how often I'll be able to update our blog. If I can't for lack of time/ internet available, I will get bits of info to Bridget back home, & she will at least post something. That's until we go through the Canal, which if you haven't read the previous post is where I put the canal webcam to watch us go through.
We will arrive in Panama Friday evening, will need to spend the night in a hotel, since our arrival time is after the afternoon ferry to the Island where Sunshine is. We will spend Sat. morning getting groceries, the pipe to FINALLY install our wind generator, and any other last minute neccesities. After we complete the canal transfer, we will be leaving a.s.a.p to start heading North, making it over to Portobello first to rest & have a better angle for the wind & current. Since we are doing this entire boat journey, starting from the very beginning 2 years ago, on a wing & a prayer, & enough equipment to be safe but not fancy or expensive, we do not have the capabilities to send emails through satellite out in the middle of the Ocean like some...But we have SPOT! Spot is a Satellite Personal Tracker, hence the name, that we can push a button once a day. Whoever we have predetermined, will receive a prewritten email stating our location & that we're fine. We will have that sent to Bridget, who will then post our location each day here on the blog. Then once we get to an internet site, most likely not until Florida, I will post our blogs that I'll type up & save while under way. SPOT also has a help and a 911 button- just in case you were wondering! Another neat way to view where we are is on Google Earth, in case you haven't visited it, it's pretty cool! Bridget will post this link, directly from our SPOT location each time she updates, you can click on the link & it will take you to the location on Google Earth showing we are!
We plan to take 2 ½ weeks, returning Easter Sunday, but always keep in mind the Jell-O effect with cruising, wind, weather, etc. But this is the best time to make this trek, so we're remaining positive. Jim's been watching the weather along this part of the Carribean & the Gulf for weeks & the weather couldn't be better.
The kids are staying here, mostly since we will be constantly on the boat, they would get bored after about 3 days. Plus having the kids with us, strictly sailing, Jim & I needing to take turns on watch, etc. to try to take care of their daily necessities as well, would make it quite difficult.
We are still planning on getting Sunshine to Michigan this Summer, but again, one step at a time!