With the captain lined up, the surveys behind us, and a plan finally taking shape, it felt like we were ready to take the next big step—actually getting our boat ready to move. On paper, it all sounded pretty straightforward: clean her up, outfit her with the basics, and get everything we’d been gathering from West Virginia down to Florida. Simple, right?

We started ordering the essentials—lines, safety gear, galley basics, tools—everything we’d need not just for the trip north, but to begin life aboard. We made lists, checked them twice, and felt like we were getting ahead of things. The plan was for Sandi to pick up a one-way rental car in West Virginia, load it with all our gear, and drive it down to Florida while the final repairs were being completed at the boat yard.

We even had the one-way rental reserved through Enterprise Rent-A-Car.

What could go wrong?

Well… a lot, apparently.

The first crack in the plan came quickly. When it was time to pick up the rental in West Virginia, there was no car. Despite the reservation, despite the planning, despite everything—we were told they didn’t have one available. Just like that, Plan A disappeared.

So we pivoted.

Instead of the rental, Sandi packed up the Durango and hit the road, driving from West Virginia to Florida loaded down with everything we thought we’d need. It wasn’t the plan, but at that point, it was the only way forward. Of course, that created a whole new challenge—once the boat was ready and the delivery began, how were we going to get the car back home? That problem got pushed down the road… literally and figuratively.

Meanwhile, back at the boat yard, things weren’t exactly going according to plan either.

The repairs we needed—especially the cutlass bearings and a few other survey items—were supposed to be relatively straightforward. But progress was slower than expected, and timelines started slipping. What we thought would be a quick turnaround turned into waiting… and more waiting.

It was one of those moments where everything you carefully plan starts to unravel just enough to remind you who’s really in charge.

Boats, schedules, logistics—they all have a way of humbling you.

But even with the hiccups, the stress, and the unexpected detours, we kept moving forward. Because at this point, turning back wasn’t really an option—and honestly, we didn’t want to.

This is part of the journey too. Not just the picture-perfect sunsets and smooth cruising days, but the messy, unpredictable, figure-it-out-as-you-go moments that come with chasing something bigger.

And if there’s one thing we were learning quickly, it’s this:

There’s always something that can go wrong.

But somehow… you keep going anyway.