Finally we move onboard.

On the Monday while we were at Niagara Falls Adriana was put in the water.

We couldn’t believe it~ Geoff from the marina called Craig on the Saturday before we left to let us know there was a chance Monday would be the day !!  

We had no choice but to let it go ahead, without us being there, we totally trusted the marina and their hoist system but we would have liked to film the process to share with everyone. The hotel rooms had been booked and the other two couples had made their plans so we missed out on witnessing her launch.

So on the Monday night when we got back to Wiarton we did a drive by and there she was floating. 

Adriana was tied to the fuel dock straight out of the cradle and on the Tuesday Craig started the engine for the first time and motored her around to our berth.  It was nerve wracking but the guys from the marina were all there to lend a hand, they helped me securely tie her to the dock.  The first berth we tied to is actually Bill the previous owners berth and it was paid up for the year, we were allowed to stay there until Bill purchased his new boat and brought her over to Wiarton.  

Bill and Shoni have gone with a Grand Bank motor cruiser, a much easier craft for them to handle as they are both in their 70’s.  It’s still a live aboard but with twin engines and no sails. We were invited onboard to have a look around and the timberwork is beautiful and I can see why this boat is perfect from them.  The living area is spacious and sunny, the galley is compact and workable and the bedroom is cosy with a spacious ensuite.

That first day we pottered around on board Adriana it was cold outside and freezing down below we had no power or water so we went back to Todd and Heathers for one last special meal.  We lashed out and bought the most melt in the mouth scotch fillet from the specialist butcher next door to Northern Confections. 

On Wednesday we managed to get shore power plugged in but we could only get the water to turn on part way down the dock, we only realised this after the marina staff had finished for the day.  It was raining and dark with an overnight temperature of 4c and we still had to bring our suitcases over so we said "we’re back" and had another night in the warm comfortable house.

Thursday 2nd of May 50 days after leaving Australia we moved onboard.  

We borrowed Todd and Heathers car, did a quick grocery shop, picked up our suitcases and moved in.  It was our first night sleeping onboard Adriana.

Chaos 

But it didn’t take us long to get sorted, we don’t have much stuff and Adriana has so many storage areas.  The hardest part is storing the things we will use the most in areas that are easily accessible.

Summer shoes, bathers, sarongs and beach towels all went under our bed.  I stashed the toilet rolls in there too. Then on top of that are the map books for New York to the  Bahamas that Bill very kindly passed on to us.

We had done a huge $500 shop early on when we had the bong mobile so all the cans of coconut milk, tomato’s pasta sauce etc went under the lounge seating, the dry goods such as rice, pasta, noodles, flour sugar all went behind the backrest of the lounge seats.  We had to shuffle the cans around so the boat balanced.  We had found a great shop called Bulk Barn where you can buy loose ingredients, so many choices everything you can think of including  powdered Mac and cheese sauce, all the nuts, every type of flour conceivable and a huge range of herbs and spices. We stocked up on all the basics, black pepper, mixed herbs, powdered ginger, cinnamon nutmeg etc. it’s not as if we won’t have access to shops, we will be able to provision as we go but we want to be able to anchor out as much as possible. Plus once we start out to the North Chanel I cant imagine there will be a huge range of foods and things like meat may be a bit more expensive.

I hung my winter clothes in the easy access lockers and drawers.  We both had found a couple more jumpers, some black cords for Craig and black jeans for me from the local Salvation Army op shop.  Before we left Wiarton we were on first name terms with Jan the lovely lady who runs the shop.  We did treat ourselves to a couple of hot water bottles an electric fan heater, some nice throws a Soda stream, some nice bright outdoor cushions and all new bed linen and towels.

One of or first jobs was to check out that our Australian flag was big enough and fitted on the flag pole.

We had a couple of days to get sorted before we moved her from the fuel dock where the marina staff had tied her up when she was first put back in the water.  

We had to move her over to her old berth.

Bill brought over the dodger covers that had been in storage in his garage and helped Craig fit them, having the cockpit enclosed made such a difference it gave us another room.  And with all the sides sipped down it is quite dry and windproof.

Bill also delivered the dingy it is a Highfield 2.9mt with a Mercury 6hp outboard that hangs from the back of the boat from a frame and we can drop or winch it up quite easily when we need it.

On the Sunday Craig and I had our first experience of taking Adriana out for a sail.  It was a lovely sunny day, still chilly - we are still wearing full thermals as normal every day wear, under jeans and layers of jumpers.  

She is huge, really big and she can move....We practiced using the engine first forward, then backwards we tested the bow thrusters, the steering etc.  then Craig hoisted the sails, going upwind she sailed beautifully but on the way back as we tacked across the bay the sails seemed to fill out too much, a bit more than they should, which meant we keeled way over which is normal but with the sails full there was less propulsion than he expected.

This happened partly because its a furling sail - rolled up around itself, sitting vertical rather than the type that you hoist up, the hoist up ones have batons that help keep the sails in shape and partly because they will need to be tuned in and maybe they are a bit stretched, which is how you can tell you have old sails, anyway all went well and Craig was more than happy with her 1st performance.  

On the way back to the dock we could see this man running ? and sure enough he was heading down the dock towards us, then there were 2 men then there were 3.  We ended up with 4 lovely men there to help us catch the cleat and tie up, it was so nice of them, Canadians are so very nice and helpful.  
Once we are on our way this will be my responsibility, Bill had described to us how he and Shoni maneuvered into a port and tied up.  It was Shoni’s job to loop the rope over the cleat on the dock while he drove in, if she missed it then obviously he was going too fast “good advice I thought “.

We were the first yacht out in the water for the year, we may have upset a local by taking that honour.

We enjoyed Bills Marina berth, it’s location was nice and private, not that there were that many people around but it was on the very last arm and had a beautiful view across the lake. 

When we were at Niagara Falls Heather and Sue had slipped away and bought Craig and I a present, thanks girls it is very apt and we will use it everywhere we go.