What are we up to, anyhow?

It has occured to me that I haven't really told you all what the h*!! we're up to, how we're preparing and what we're expecting from it.
Well, we're moving on board our ocean-going boat near Sept.1, o7, and will be doing some travelling. We don't have plans to take up residence in Ontario again, but will certainly be touring back through the years. We will be going mostly from port to port, visiting towns and villiages for as long as we like it there (it'll depend on whether they have free showers), then sail on to to the next. There will be the odd multi-day passage, but really not that many. The first big one will take around six days of fair winds to get us to the Bahamas. But if it turns out that we like cruising down the Intra-Coastal Waterway, maybe we'll motor inland a bit farther down the coast, then take a shorter passage to the Bahamas. One way or another, we're intending on being in the Bahamas for Christmas.
Imagine! Me! A full time tourist. Taking my revenge on all the tourists who have had their fun with me!
Our boat, Chelonidae, is 36 feet on deck, 10 1/2 feet across (beam), has 39 feet of mast, is sloop-rigged, has a centre cockpit and is constructed of wood. As you can see from the pictures, she has high sides (freeboard) so the decks are mostly dry when sailing. Even when Jim has too much sail up and is trying to bury the side decks under water (to look cool, I suppose), ...hasn't really happened. She was built in 1952 in Littlehampton, UK at the Hillyard Yacht Company. She is a North Sea design, therefore is quite heavily built. Her history includes at least one passage across the Atlantic Ocean, more likely four or five according to the record of owners and known ports. We found some Australian currency in the bilge...could it be?
Among Chelonidae's comforts is a lovely galley. I have a three burner stove top, an oven with a salamander broiler, double sinks with a foot-pump for fresh water, solid teak counter tops and a built in knife holder. The cupboards are made of cherry and white oak, likewise the drawers. The floor (sole) is white oak, finished with a light rub of oil, no varnish down there, that stuff'll kill ya!
The settee area has two comfy "couches", a gorgeous solid teak drop-leaf table, white oak sole, nice propane heater, brass clock and barometer, bookshelves and wine cellar. O.K., the wine cellar is what I call the bilge, but so what?
We have a solar-panel system and a rather large alternator to generate electricity for our cooling system (three 12-V fans), running lights and electric bilge pump. "Mr. Perkins", or "Perky" as Jim calls it, is our Perkins 4-108 deisel. I must tell you about the manual bilge pump, "The Gusher". What fun! We could call it the mini-shower, gull-wetter or guest-prohibitor. It sends gallon after gallon of whatever water collects in the bilge right onto the dock and anything on it! Including tools, groceries waiting to be loaded, friends...you know.
Our guidance-system includes electronic charts, paper charts, home-printed charts and more charts acquired from sailors going the other way who want to get rid of old charts. We have two GPS's, one hand-held and another bad boy I have since learned it is called a chart plotter)that just sits there and tells you all kinds of stuff: lat & long of where you are, coastline, lights, beacons and buoys, time and where the mermaids are.
We each have a life vest/safety harness, a Mustang suit (for cold weather & flotation...not that the two should ever mix). We have a VHF radio and a depth sounder. If we really need anything else, we'll pick it up cheap from other sailors too frustrated with keeping the *&%# thing running...Jim is very handy with repairs and knowing quality when he sees it!
I'll be posting more photos of the interior when we do move aboard and the boat looks more lived-in.
Anyhow, to keep the cruising kitty topped-up, Jim is intending on picking up the odd bit of work doing small boat repairs for others. He can do sail repair, basic deisel maintenance & repair, and anything having to do with wood. I will be thinking about writing some articles for news papers & magazines, who knows? So we won't be completely retired. Just very choosey!

Knowing the time would come to move my humble home to fit the space requirements of a boat, I have purposely gotten rid of a lot of "stuff", not aquired new "stuff", have been allowing old stuff to break/rip/wear out and not replace it. Some things have been replaced with stuff that will be used for the boat. Like my manual coffee grinder and mortar & pestle. I'll find out if I can make peanut butter in the latter. I have already made jam in very small jars so it won't go mouldy too quickly after opening. It kinda feels good to get rid of so much stuff! As we travel, I'm sure we'll pick up souveneir stuff, local crafts and clothing, goodness knows...food glorious food!
I will be posting recipes, news of the weird and wonderful, gobs of pikkies and generally telling you about our reality: two old retired farts having some fun!