We have been furiously preparing for two straight days. Safety gear, communications, provisioning; Moondance was a disaster 24 hours ago as we had pulled all extra gear out of its various hiding places and prepared the nooks and crannies for our own gear.  Magically today it all came together and the provisions and gear somehow all got stowed.  It is now night before departure and we are re-checking to-do lists (need coffee cups, as we rejected the ceramic as dangerous) and washing all the fresh fruit and vegetables.  Some idea of what it takes in terms of food for 8 people on the ocean for 3 weeks: 25 boxes of cereal (if only the rest of the world liked Grape Nuts), 17 pre-made casseroles and dinners, one Yeti cooler with 50 lbs dry ice, 20 cans of tuna, 16 jars of peanut butter, 35 lbs of flour (for homemade bread!), 42 bananas, 60 granola bars, 4 lbs of pasta, 40 sleeves of saltines.

The weather forecast is looking good for tomorrow, 10-15 knots from the SW, gusts to 20 knots in the afternoon. Sweet.