This is it!!   We are actually underway!!!     But, before the take off ,many ,many things had to be done, bought, fixed, oils changed, hydrolics checked, everything cleaned, strange looking things hauled out of places that have not been visited for a few years (!!), i found beans, lentils, sprouting stuff, from long ago, and as i have no intention to start doing all that, out they go!!      Vacuumed all the storage areas out, and then started shopping!!!        I had made lists, many lists, then started new lists, and by the time a month had passed, i was actually down to one list!!!!         We know from last time, what things are hard to find in the North, and which groceries are a small fortune there.      The biggest challenge will be greens, fresh veggies, fresh fruit, but several spots , heading North, have a decent supply.       We applied for our USA sticker, good thing to do beforehand, and then , we were asked by our friend John , if we would consider “lending” our boat for a full inspection, by SAR folks, and some trainees!!   Well, sure!!!   what could possibly be not right or not there!!!         I raced into Victoria , to buy fire buckets, stainless steel, with red (yes!) lines, we went over the whole boat and it all looked to be perfect!!      The day came, sunday morning!      very nice folks entered our boat, oohed and ahhhhed, about her, we felt proud, they were carrying important looking books, and lists…….    well, we did well, but….. they asked us for our registration papers, well sure!!! here they are!!!      They were out dated, not up to par, of darn, i had never written in the change of address , so we never received the new form, so that was a stripe against us, then we showed ,proudly, our boating cards, at least, i showed mine, Bert looked and looked, tore his wallet apart, looked again, no card!!!   oh, oh, not good!!   Then the question came, where do you have your second ,50′ heaving line??   second one???       oh oh, so there you go, three things against us, later on i found the second line, and found Bert’s card in his wallet, and phoned Ottawa and renewed the registration, John was qualified to reinspect us, he kept walking past our cockpit, on way to his boat, dangling the little sticker, “i have something here”, he would chant, good grief, i REALLY wanted that sticker now!!    Even bribed him with cookies!!!!       Now Curtsy proudly shows her sticker, and we are on the way.      At the moment we are in Lund, tied to the inside of the outside breakwater.   Its a beautiful day, bright sun, our friends are here, Don and Janice with their sailboat  WATERFORD.      Rita and Vaughan are following with BARAKA BASHAD.