Delays for the Space Shuttle and for Us as Well...

Our adventure begins!

Well... Not (yet.) :-(

We had planned to depart on Monday, July 6th, the day after my family's reunion get together. But, we still had a few items remaining on our punch list, so we rescheduled our launch date for Sunday, July 12th. We got most of our issues fixed, and had sufficient workarounds for those that remained. But, there is no use setting off amidst a storm, and via workarounds. So, we rescheduled our launch (again.) But, HECK! If those NASA rocket scientists can scrub/reschedule their launches, then so can we!

Sidebar: We once drove halfway across Florida for a shuttle launch, and heard that it was scrubbed as we were passing through Orlando. We simply diverted to some local Orlando entertainment for the day (no great loss.) Fortunately, our next adventure to Cape Canaveral was a SUCCESS! Also FYI: You CAN see the shuttle launches with the naked eye from the opposite coast (Clearwater/St. Petersburg) -- especially at night!


Our new go-for-launch date for Venture Out II is scheduled for Friday morning, July 17th. For those of you who don't know, that is Kelly's birthday. (I had originally hoped to arrive in New Orleans upon her birthday.) Instead, we will celebrate her birthday with the launch of our adventure!

Note: The girls are planning a "girls' nite out" on Thursday evening. So, our Friday "morning" launch may be more like a Friday "noon" launch... ;-)

Goal for Day One: Make it safely through the two locks up here, and then pass the Gateway Arch, then pass the Meramec River, perform a systems-check as we approach Hoppie's Marina, and then cruise to Ste. Genevieve, MO. If all goes well, we will pull into the Ste. Genevieve boat ramp cove before sunset (with plenty of time to spare.) Estimated mileage: 80 statute miles. Duration: 8-10 hours (depending on how long it takes to get through the locks, and how fast the river is running below them.)

So, that's the plan, for now folks! Things are looking good (mechancially.) The weather could still throw an unwelcomed wrench into our plans... For now, however, all systems are "go for launch!"

Nick.




P.S. For weeks now, people have been asking, "When will you guys leave." "Cruising" aboard a boat isn't performed via a calendar. It's performed based on the readiness of the boat, readiness of the crew, and the readiness of the seas/weather. We try to publish "dates" so landlubbers can conceptualize our timeline. But, honestly, we just kinda have to go with the flow...

We expect the trip to New Orleans to take about 10 full days (10 hrs per day) of cruising. And, the trip from New Orleans to Tampa/Clearwater to take another 6 full days. But, we will likely stop for a day or so here and there along the way. Sometimes due to maintenance, other times due to weather, and still other times just because there is a good party/event being advertised.

So, as we publish dates and ETAs, please understand that we have a TON of flexibility in our timelines. Heck, who knows, we might find a way to get stuck in New Orleans for a whole YEAR or something?!!!!