Our target date for departure from Norfolk was November 1 when our insurance window opened for transit. In the few preceding days since Dave returned from Arlington we wrapped up final preparations for departure. We visited the local Costco and Harris Teeter grocery for final provisioning of (mostly) perishable goods (all non-perishables were already stowed aboard). We prepared the cabins for the reunion of our temporary crew—John, Paul and Carter—who were the same crew that helped us bring the boat south after purchase in December 2006. We topped off our dinghy fuel. Dave awaited the arrival of a replacement B&G electronic component, having been assured that it would arrive prior to our departure. When it failed to arrive by the end of October he was beginning to reconcile himself to the fact that we would have to set sail without it.

On October 30 we began consulting with our hired weather router (Chris Parker) for a weather window of opportunity for departure. Donna had been doing weather research through NOAA downloads over the SSB radio and the apparent conditions around November 1 were confirmed through conversations with Chris on October 31 as not favorable for departure due to excessively strong northerly winds. Thus we began a holding pattern waiting for favorable conditions. We weathered the winds at anchor in Willoughby Harbor and, in fact, dragged anchor in a 35 knot squall early in the morning November 1.

Our "buddy boat" captain Bob delayed his crew arrival just as they were departing for the Detroit airport the morning of Oct 31. They would hold for word from Bob and have to arrange a new flight since one crew volunteer had a narrow window permitting his absence from work for the span of only one week. On November 2, in an early morning conversation, the weather router agreed that a November 4 departure seemed one of the better options for that week and the 4-5 day sail the crossing would entail. Bob quickly arranged flights that day for his crew to arrive at Norfolk the following afternoon. We spent the balance of the day on shopping ventures with Bob to include WalMart, Lowe's, and a fishing store where Bob wanted to pick up a rod and fishing tackle.

The next day, November 3, we sailed to Bluewater Yacht Marina in nearby Hampton to top off our fuel and water tanks. Bob’s family stayed there that night, opting for the more pleasant conditions and amenities of a marina for their final night before our grand adventure. Pas de Deux returned to anchorage at Willoughby Harbor. Dave offered to pick up Bob’s two crew members from Norfolk airport as the airport was much closer to our location than Hampton. He drove them out to Hampton along with picking up the fishing tackle that our crewmember (and fishing expert) Paul had prepared for Bob.

That evening our temporary crew moved aboard at Willoughby. The B&G electronics component arrived that same evening in the nick of time! Unfortunately, we had no time to install it prior to departure but the existing unit was still marginally functional and would perform essentially what was critical for our passage.

We departed the next morning, November 4, at 0703 hours. For Dave, the departure represented years of emotional longing to fulfill a dream. For Donna, it was finally the end of months of practical preparations to make sure we would be comfortable and not starve over the coming six months on the water.

We rendezvous’d near Hampton Roads bridge tunnel with Our White Magic departing from Bluewater Yacht Marina at Hampton. Existing conditions were 15-20 knot NE winds and, due to the close apparent wind angle required to pass through the South Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, we began motor sailing upwind. You can follow our position reports at http://www.winlink.org/userpositions under reporting vessel KI4VYJ.