Sunday evening, 12/02/12 we had our boat denaming and renaming ceremony officiated by Captain Nick Chiappani. The dock had one of their potlucks that evening which completed the evening full of good friends and good food. We appeased the wind gods during the ceremony and installed the lettering on Truansea so she is now official. Our dinghy is affectionately known as Hooky, and although we didn’t put her name on the transom she received a little of the champagne spray as well.
According to tradition, once all traces of the previous name have been removed it is not to be spoken again. As a final gesture on the first voyage with the new name one also needs to sail the boat backward at least one boat length to back over the old name and appease the spirits.
A toast to Truansea during the renaming ceremony.
Logan spraying champagne on the bow at the end of the renaming ceremony.
One of our friends introduced us to a group of his Canadian friends that made their way down the coast to Florida and are also crossing to the Bahamas. We will be joining up with their boats this morning to make our way to Miami again. We will anchor there and wait for a weather window to cross the Gulf Stream. If the weather pattern holds, we should be good to go Saturday, Sunday or Monday. I can’t believe we are finally ready to go!
We are going to miss all of our friends at Riviera. When we moved in here, they said it was very easy to get comfortable here and it is a hard place to leave. They hit the nail on the head. We are very fortunate to have met them all and can’t wait for our paths to cross with them again.
Boats throughout Fort Lauderdale are beautifully lit up for the holidays.
Boat neighbors, sv Scarlet, all dec’d out for Christmas. Can you believe they had all these decorations on their boat?
Provisioning the boat has been an interesting experience. Needless to say, our water line is lower than it used to be.
Provisioning the boat. IT is amazing how much stuff you can pack in a 37′ boat!
The last boat maintenance has been completed, including changing the engine oil.
Mark changing the diesel engine oil.
We will not have internet access until we get to the Bahamas. Hopefully we will be making a post by December 10th letting you know where we are at!
Fair winds ~ Christine
Truansea 
Congratulations sailers! I am so excited for you, and I loved this update. I will be sending fair sailing thoughts your way, and I hope your crossing is just exactly like you have dreamed. Be safe my friends.
Let the real adventure begin!!!! Be safe. Pat and my thoughts are with you all.
I’ll be sailing right along with you in my thoughts and holding Truansea and her crew close in my heart as you make your first blue water passage. You all have worked hard to prepare the boat and yourselves for this moment. I’ve been where you are right now and would not hesitate a moment to do it all over again. As a bon voyage gift I am sending to you the words of my most favorite song called the World and Me by Eileen Quinn. If you can find a copy of it to download it is much better with music.
“Five AM, my turn at the helm, the sky above is a shimmering realm
On an endless velvet sea we glide along through the night
And I know how insignificant I am and somehow that seems just right.
The wind like a lover whispers my name, the sun kisses the horizon aflame.
Here and now this is just where I belong reaching silently into the dawn.
Under a clear sky on a rolling sea where there’s time and room enough for me.
Smell of salt air sails set nice and taut there’s nothing I want that I haven’t got
And I can’t think of any other way I would rather be greeting the day.
I know she’ll rise and put me to the test, no doubt without warning
But just for now she lets me rest and holds me in her arms this morning.
No sight of land no sign of man to be found
In the middle of nowhere I am safe and sound
What I have is memory, melody, and rhyme
What I have is time
The sun’s coming up another day at sea
All is right with the world and me.”
I look forward to your next blog post
Happy Sails to All
Mary
Mary,
Thanks for the inspiring reply! We are having a blast. We have had a couple ‘bad boat days’ but for the most part it is great. Heading out tomorrow to New Providence, a longer crossing than the Gulf Stream but much more protected. We will try to keep up the blog posts as we get connections.
Christine
Ahoy!
Great update and photos! It was awesome seeing you and the crew again. Good luck and good fortune!
Sincerely;
JealousDave
David,
It was great seeing you again too. We look forward to catching up with you again next year!
Christine