Almost ready for the Bahamas, mama Lindsay McRory February 26, 1996 The Bahamas are just around the corner. We can hear them, sense them, and want them. We underestimated the amount of time required for the "Caribbean" outfitting of Hakuna Matata. Not just the time for installation of new equipment--the last of it has just arrived and is being installed--but also the time it takes to prepare for another sail knowing it will be another 1,500 to 2,000 nautical miles before another major refit is possible. There is a little bit of paranoia at work here. We are so used to getting everything we need, at our convenience. It's hard for many people in the developed world to imagine not being able to get something the minute you want it. For us to forget some silly thing, or run out of an important supply that was once available around the corner, can cause problems that fester and have an impact on the trip. Running out of antibiotic ointments, sunscreen lotions, diesel treatment, pencils for school are just a few simple things that could make life uncomfortable. So we're wrapping up our final warm-water inventory and the installation of a few final pieces of equipment. In addition to the major installation already mentioned over the last two months, we have checked the Hakuna Matata from top to bottom, with recent focus this week on several final areas. Engine and generator work and outfitting. We already carry a good list of spares, but we added a few things to make sure we have enough spare materials, fluid, and parts to carry us through 1,000 engine hours. Other engine tasks included: Check through all spare parts on board for corrosion and mildew. Order anything not already on board for spares. Store enough oil and oil filters for six engine oil changes and two generator changes. Pack away 20 primary diesel fuel filters (double-bagged so they don't get wet). Our port and starboard diesel tanks will be filtered by a fuel filtration company before we leave. Stow away ten bottles of diesel fuel treatment. Charts and sailing directions. Our order for new charts totaled just more than $1,000. Even with this chart inventory, we still aren't sure if we'll have all the charts we need for the next few months. Out collection includes charts of different scales and three different types, which adds to the confusion. We have followed many hypothetical routes with our new charts, looking for any gaps in coverage. This was a fun and educational experience for us and the kids. We now have Imray charts covering our routes to Venezuela, some DMA charts for areas not covered, and Streets cruising guides for the Caribbean and Venezuela. Rigging. We did a thorough check of everything from top to bottom, and put a careful eye to all of our spares. Awnings. A sun awning is currently being made for us. It will go from main mast to mizzen mast, above the existing dodger. We've got a cover for the life raft. The life of the life raft will be greatly extended by keeping some heat away from it. Apparently the rubber "bakes" when stored inside the fiberglass raft container. Flags. It's customary to fly a courtesy flag of the country you're visiting from under your starboard spreader. Given the number of countries we are planning on visiting, purchasing all the flags at $20 to $24 would cost more than $480. Some cruisers make their own from colored fabric, some cruisers use permanent markers on white cloth to make their courtesy flags. We haven't decided what we'll do yet. This is far from a complete list, but rather a snapshot of things we have been working on in the last week or so.