One Week Before Departure

Well, Gillian and I finally finished stowing all of the food (seen in the second picture, before it was loaded onto the boat), with much appreciated help from our sisters, Karen and Jen, and other S.A.L.T.S. volunteers. The top picture shows the staff and crew of S.A.L.T.S. in the stern of the Pacific Grace, taken in early May. We have all been very busy the past week; Gillian and I with figuring out what we need, ordering, getting all the food on the boat, below deck, and then stowing it. It took us 3 full days, but it's all done! I was busy in the bilge (the sole, underneath the floorboards in the forward most part of the boat) for most of the 3 days storing all of the cans - literally, hundreds . All that is left to do is our fresh shop (fruits and veggies) and get our cabin ready (which is still awaiting a book shelf and - hopefully - some reading lights, as the one in there doesn't work very well (it decides when it wants to turn on). We are having more fun now that the food situation is taken care of, and are down to our final stages of preparing to leave. Everyone is in a state of a little nervousness, maybe some anxiety, perhaps some stress, and an underlying excitement. Families and friends are expected to arrive this week, as well as all the trainees for Leg One. Everyone boards on Saturday, but a few of us will be sleeping on the boat the night before. We set sail on this Sunday, June 3rd, but I don't think I'll feel like it's really happening until the following week, or so Skipper Tony tells me (he has sailed numerous Offshores, with his wife, and 6 children, and they are all coming - the most lovely family too)! I am getting nervous myself as the days draw nearer, but I am looking forward to seeing Matt, my family, and some of my friends, who are all coming out this weekend! 4 more days...WOW!