Greg installed the big screen t.v.

This trip  to the boat was alot of organizing and getting the boat ready for our ocean voyage to the usvi. This included the life raft inspection and taking the chafing guard to a metal shop to have more made. Greg used the blades from a rocket he shot from the cobra when he was in the army, as a backing to mount the big screen t.v. Now my job is to polish them up. I also have to do some canvas repairs of the enclosure to the cockpit when I get my heavy duty sewing machine. It was a busy trip, but we are getting closer. We even saw dolphins on our sail in the sound, a good sign.

Pictures below of the t.v. extending into the cockpit. The blades from the rocket. The bins of stuff we brought to the boat. 

Our house is on the Market

Valentine's on our boat

Valentines day on the boat. 

Wed Feb. 12th,Our flight was canceled in Baltmore so we decided  to drive the 9 hours to Hilton Head, that turned into12 due of the winter storm.  Our 4 bags filled with gear didn't get to Charelston until 2 days later. A 2 hour drive from Hilton Head.  :)

Hoping for April to come quick.
We can then start moving our life long belongings to the boat.  I am having a hard time deciding on what to keep and what to get rid of.
Chopper is not so sure about the boat yet, the stairs are slick. We will need to cover them so he  and I don't slip.  :)

We found a few things that need repairs.  A chafing plate on the starboard railing fell off during the high winds.  It keeps the lines from rubbing into to the boat. 

We are going to add some hatches near the stern steps, by a professional,  to give us more storage space.

I hope or next trip down is in nicer weather. 

Our Drive To The boat

 

A few days later

Chopper enjoying the sun

New Year 2014 on Lady Valkyrie

Celebrating on Lady Valkyrie, Happy New Year.

We had a great time on the boat, learning where everything turns on, especially the heat. I even cooked a few times in the gas oven. Greg took some time measuring how to get the big screen tv on board. Not in front of my beautiful windows! It was nippy though, the first few days it rained and the temps were in the 40's and 30's at times. Yes, I know, not as bad as Rochester. The visit definitely gave us an urge get the ball rolling faster. Hopefully we will be in the USVI  this year, we know it has to be a permanent location that is further south than S.C, it gets too cold there, or maybe the Flordia Keys! Unfortunately the chopper wasn't able to join us this trip, maybe next time.

Our website: mermaids.dontexist.com

Capt. Ouida :)

Headed to our boat!

There she is!

Opening her up as the new owners!

Dinner with my handsome husband!

First step, get boat

Well here we are, almost 9 years into our 7 year plan to sail to Austraila.  From the Hobie Tiger to the trimaran and now to our 40' catamaran, Wow! We are so blessed!! Very exciting and a little scary at the same time. Greg and I have a boat now and she is beautiful. Greg came up with Lady Valkyrie, a norse warrior goddess, says it reminds him of me. LOL, in my skinner body. Check the boat out on our home page at the bottom.
 Chopper, our boston terrier, now 4 1/2 will have some adjusting to do, what not to pee on! We are looking at the US virgin islands, but will settle for the Keys. No, Austraila has to wait for a few years. We need to get use to our bigger boat.

I would like to do some mission work in the form of bring water, food, clothes to areas we may sail to in the future.
I have my captain's lic. now and Greg has completed his course and working on the paperwork.
Can't wait to see it again.

Thank you for being interested in our adventure!

Ouida Vaillancourt, and chopper too, Greg has his own blog :)
Our home page is:
mermaids.dontexist.com