What a difference two weeks makes! It hasn’t been our choice to linger in northern latitudes this long, but rather the choice of our insurance underwriter.

Our old insurance carrier wanted us north of Florida until November 1st, our new carrier says November 15th. The timing here is focused on avoiding the worst of the tropical storms. This time of year two weeks really changes things. Cold fronts roar across the continent more frequently, following each other closer, and reaching further south. Our weather window for a comfortable ocean passage south gets tighter.

Toward the end of this week (or next at the latest!) we will be heading south. First making the 150 mile run south down the Chesapeake Bay to Norfolk, Virginia. Once we get there we will wait while we seriously watch the weather for an opening to run south.

The exact date of our departure is right now being driven by the delivery of two international packages that are delayed in customs clearance. New dodger canvas is on its way from Amel in France, and a new sail is coming from Siri Lanka. Bet you didn’t know that Siri Lanka is a center of sail manufacture these days.

The delay does have a bright side, we get to enjoy the glory of colors that the deciduous forests of northeastern America show every fall. If you are from some other part of the world, and have never experienced it, all I can say is: You have no idea! Hillsides lit up with yellow and red as far as you can see. All the more precious because it is so fleeting. A complex mix of rainfall, temperature, wind, and other stuff combine to make the peak of color quite unpredictable by calendar. You just have to be there.

This year had regular steady rain all summer, making a great growing season, which leads to a better than average color show.