The Hardest Part

Now that it looks like Matthew is going to head East, and even possibly do a loop-de-loop all the way back to the Bahamas (!), its time to resume our departure preparations.

Matthew Projected Track Fri Oct 7

It's often said that leaving the dock is the hardest part of a sailing trip.  Over the last week, I've really come to appreciate that sentiment.  When we were still aiming for an Oct 1 departure, the stress and frenzy of the final preparations were taking a toll on both Joan and I.  It came as almost a relief when Matthew forced our hand and caused us to delay. We both felt as if we had been given a reprieve!  It gave us some much needed time to take care of some "loose ends" in a more leisurely fashion, and put off that scary leap into the (for us anyway) unknown for a little while longer.

But now that Matthew is almost out of the picture, its time to resume.  In theory, we could leave now, or more realistically, tomorrow.

Cue the fickle finger of fate.

Yesterday, in doing our final prep, I was reviewing all the financial arrangements, and discovered a large charge on our credit card that neither of us had made.  We'd been hacked!  We needed to resolve this right away, as that card was going to be our major means of accessing funds during the trip! Calls to the bank got the card cancelled, and a new one ordered.  But then, they hit us with the zinger.  It seems that, unbelievably, they do not offer an option for overnight delivery of a replacement card!  Even paying for expedited delivery requires 3 days, and won't get it here until Monday!   Our life ashore just won't relinquish us without a struggle.

"Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!"

And so we wait.  Our departure date is now Tuesday.

Seems that leaving the dock really is the hardest part of the trip.