We've wrapped up Christmas in ATL and will soon be into all of the college football bowl games over the next week or so. Since we've left the boat, the props have been re-speed treated (an anti-barnacle coating), and the engine and generator oil / filters / impellors changed. I'm evaluating whether to replace the house batteries (five of them) prior to splashing. I know they've been on board for a while and they're a mix of newer and older aged wet-cell batteries. I'd prefer to have them all alike. I replaced one of the three starting batteries while in Sturgeon Bay, WI so there may be a total of seven batteries to replace. Since our cruising area in 2019 will be more remote, I think it's wise to have everything up to date. The boat is not on a charger and it would be pre-mature to replace right now.

You may have noticed our route on the map has been fine tuned to more closely relate to the actual route we have taken. I've had to access navigational charts to plot our course through the TSW because I was unable to determine the route from the available map. It's pretty accurate but I'm going to double check from the Erie Canal to Orillia, ON. It's been fun to re-live this route. I still can't believe we traveled as far as we have. The TSW still gives me sweaty palms as I re-plotted our course!

It's too early to tell when we'll return to the boat although I'm planning on April 15 - May 1. Our first order of business will be re-familiarize ourselves with the boat, test all systems, and re-stock whatever is needed. I anticipate spending two weeks to accomplish that task. From there we'll head toward the North Channel / Georgian Bay (Ontario, Canada) for the first month or so. From there we'll go up the St. Mary's River to Sault Sainte Marie, MI / ON, through the locks and into Lake Superior. We bought our research book on traversing Lake Superior and that's our winter reading assignment. At this point, we anticipate spending a month (or two?) in Lake Superior. We intend on being back to Harbor Springs by August 1st for the month and moving toward Chicago by Labor Day.

In the meantime, to keep ourselves fresh about life on the Loop, we've been reading the daily postings in the AGLCA. Preparation is important but you must be sure it does not lead to paralysis! You must leave the dock and go experience it for yourself!