4.25.2022 - 4.29.2022 Last Week in USVI

With our final week in the USVI, we were pretty busy wrapping up work and boat projects in preparation for our passage back to Florida.

To recap all the work we've done to get Saguaro back to blue water sailing status since we moved aboard in November 2021, I created a summary-

• Generator repair (multiple times)

• New 40gph water maker

• 4 new lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries (1200 amp hours)

• 2 new Victron multi-plus inverters (4800 watts)

• 6 new solar panels - 4 on our solar array and 2 on the hardtop (watts)

• New hardtop

• Yanmar engine servicing

• Standing rigging inspection and tightening

• Starlink order

Our pre-departure preparation checklist this week included the following-

• Refueling our engines and jerry cans - Each engine can hold 85 gallons of diesel and we have another 40-50 gallons in jerry cans. As part of passage planning, the goal is to have 25% reserve in the fuel tanks, which is 42.5 gallons, which we have in our jerry cans.

• Running the water maker to ensure our 240 gallon fresh water tanks are full. To reference water usage, the average to account for is 8 gallon/person per day (8 x 2 x 7 = 112 gallons + some for Ollie).

• Weather forecasting - We use Predict Wind to help us in looking at multiple weather variables (e.g. departure dates/times, wind speed, wave height, total passage time, time spent motoring). We started looking at potential departing dates/times on 4.25.2022 and our planning our departure for on/around 5.1.2022.

• Refilling our propane tanks - Our stove, oven, and grill work off propane so is essential for being able to cook.

• Provisioning and meal planning - While we're able to use our stovetop, oven, and microwave while underway, it's much easier to have meals prepped and/or have grab/go options (e.g. yogurt, wraps).

• Temporary enclosure - Since we couldn't order our enclosure with the rest of the hardtop installation because it would have significantly delayed the shipment, we jury-rigged our old softtop enclosure to give us some protection while on passage.

• Updating our float plan - Our float plan is our projected route and all our boat information that we share with family/friends as a safety precaution. Our family/friends serve as our land support so that if we don't check-in when we say we will, they can sound the alarm to the U.S. Coast Guard and other authorities.

• IridiumGo check - Our IridiumGo is our satellite phone that enables us to communicate while on passage.

• Ditch bag check - A ditch bag is contains key items needed to summon help and to survive in a life raft while waiting for rescue to arrive. Some examples of items included in our ditch bag are passports, flares, handheld VHF radio, EPIRB, and first aid kit.

• Jack line setup - Our jacklines are lines strung along the boat to which a safety harness can be tethered, allowing us to move about the boat/deck safely and to reduce the risk of falling or being swept overboard.

• Dinghy prep - Within the dinghy is a removable plug that keeps water out. While underway, in the event we encounter rain/weather, the dinghy would fill up with water if the plug remains in, so we have to remove it so that significant weight and load to our davit system doesn't affect the dinghy staying hoisted. We also have to extra secure the dinghy with ratchet straps and bungees so that movement is reduced while underway.

• Dramamine prevention - While neither of us have experienced seasickness since moving aboard, we pre-emptively plan to take daily Dramamine so that both of us are able to stay alert and on watch.

• Media downloads - Since this is going to be a longer passage, we want to be more prepared with some media entertainment while underway and during out night watches.

The passage is approximately 1000nm and will take us 6-7 days to complete. While we're excited to be back on the mainland we're definitely going to miss the USVI. We've had a great experience the past 4 months exploring St. Thomas and St. John and look forward to hopefully coming back next season :)