In September we made only one overnight boat trip - to a newfound (and beautiful) anchorage in Southern Harbor off Vinalhaven Island. Shortly thereafter we received a non-solicited ad for a winter slip at the Charleston, SC City marina. After some discussion we decided to take advantage of it and spent the next few weeks, among other things, readying Brilliant for the trip, including new batteries, a new bilge pump and maintenance on various pumps and other rotating equipment. All things came together early this week, including the weather and assurances that the Charleston marina survived Hurricane Matthew. We got underway at 7:30 today on a clear, crisp fall morning (pictured) and anchored nine hours later in a cove off Cape Elizabeth just South of Portland. Our plan is to meander our way South for the next month and then fly home for Thanksgiving.