Failure to Launch (on time)

We were warned by those with plenty of experience that we should not try to sail on a timeline. Of course, we trusted that guidance, but didn't think we'd live that reality so soon after moving on board - at least not until we'd at least left Boston.

We moved on board on September 9, as intended. The boys had a final vet appointment scheduled for September 14, so our intent was to be ready to leave by the 15th if the weather was favorable. We spent the week putting the boat in order. We brought so much with us with the mentality of, 'we can always get rid of it if it's in the way, but we may not be able to buy it later'.

We also had a few projects to wrap up before we could leave, and anticipated that we had ample time to complete them. What threw a total wrench in our plans was getting our AIS (automatic information system) working, and then the nor'easter that is set to arrive this afternoon. AIS lands somewhere between 'optional' and 'critical' depending on the type of marine travel you're doing. It allows us to see other boats on our chart plotter (the boat's 'GPS') before we can see them with the naked eye, or even before they crest the horizon. It also streamlines communications - the difference between getting on the radio and saying 'Hey red sailboat with black sails' vs. seeing their name on our screen and saying directly, 'Hey Adhara, I think we are going to get close. What are your intentions?' Most importantly, AIS will alert us if we are in fact on a collision course with another vessel. This is especially important when navigating at night or in heavy fog. So for us, it was a must have. And the bonus is, now our mothers get to know where we are most of the time.

We eventually had to call in professional help to get the AIS sorted. We identified a missing component and ordered it. It came on time and we got it installed, AIS (mostly) working, just as the seas to the east and north of Boston started to build and made northerly travel impossible for us.

So now we are holed up in a marina in Chelsea to ride out the storm. We are happy to be here, honestly. We spent 12 nights on our mooring in the Boston harbor prior to coming here. Adjusting to life on a boat, where you are constantly monitoring how much electricity, water, and propane you're using, and living in a tight space with four sentient beings is a challenge in itself. Doing that while getting constantly rocked by the P'town fast ferry, or kept awake by the umpteenth bachelorette party blasting 'Pink Pony Club' on the tiki boat, is another story. It has been a nice pressure release valve to be on a quiet dock with access to hot showers, walking to get groceries or a meal without waiting for the water taxi or being beholden to their operating hours (although we met some really amazing water taxi captains while we were there that were so helpful in getting all of our stuff loaded).

We also took the opportunity to get some other tasks completed while we had good weather before the storm sets in, so we feel even better about the boat's preparedness and our comfort in living in this new tiny space. And Symen has been loving getting out on the dock for walks during the day, and Vincenzo timidly explores little bit at night.

At this point, we plan to be here until at least Monday morning, maybe Tuesday. The weather looks good to make a run up to Portland on Tuesday morning. The trip should take around 24 hours. It is a divergence from our initial plan to stop a few times between Boston and Portland, but now that we are 2+ weeks behind schedule, we've got some ground to cover. Our AIS should be broadcasting along the way so you can follow along, but we'll just have to wait and see for sure.

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