Writing this from our friend’s log cabin in the woods outside of Seward, another fresh dusting of snow has just fallen. The days are getting longer in what seems to be leaps and bounds, and while winter activities like sledding, snowboarding and skiing are still occupying our time, my heart yearns for the ocean. Our hearts, actually.

“Have patience”, I tell myself. Live today, because soon enough we’ll be back aboard Yahtzee and then not long after that we’ll be casting off once again. This time it won’t merely be for a weekend or week-long jaunt out into the bay. No, it’s back to what we know and love — full-time cruising.

That said, the permanence of moving on the boat this go-around means we need to be deliberate in our approach. Simply throwing our stuff aboard and pushing it into cabinets won’t work. Every locker, every cabin, every lazarette, every nook and cranny needs to be emptied. Gear, spare parts, tools, books, school supplies, toys and clothes need to be inventoried, thoughtfully organized and stowed with purpose. And if something isn’t working for us on the boat anymore, we need to find it a new home. Simple as that.

Fortunately, having owned, lived-aboard and cruised Yahtzee for nearly seven years now, we know this move-aboard dance quite well. Over that time we’ve refined our storage areas and options, figured out what works and what doesn’t, and what is essential and what isn’t. We don’t have an overabundance of “things”, and getting and keeping the boat ocean ready is a skill we’ve honed. It’s nearly time to get her going again, and we’re excited for that.

But while the snow still flies and the days slowly warm, we’ll temper our enthusiasm and embrace what we have now. And with that, we’re off to the mountain for a long weekend of skiing and snowboarding with friends…