Departing paradise during hurricane season

Google view of Hurricane hole #3 - top bay by red pin. See
it here with Google Maps.

After our trip up the Exuma chain of islands we had less than two weeks to prepare the boat...BoomDeYada was going in hurricane hole #3 (a body of water surrounded by land and hills) by Kevalli House Resort. Bob, the proprietor lives there and looks out over the boats, about 20 in total. She will sit on her mooring ball in the water for the four months during the height of hurricane season (the official dates for the Atlantic hurricane season are from June 1 to Nov 30, however, there are very rarely hurricanes in June and November...fingers crossed) while we visit home in Canada.

But first, there is lots to do:

Dive under the boat to scrap off any growth that has accumulated since the last time (2-3 weeks ago), snorkel gear and a 12" trowel is used to clean her bottom;
Change the engine oil in both diesel engines;
Empty all extra fuel containers held on deck into the main tank and store below;
To avoid sea growth flush both engines with fresh water once tied up to the mooring ball;
Remove all canvas around the cockpit to reduce windage;
Remove the roller furling forward sail to reduce windage;
Shut down both fridge and freezer and give away the food left;
Bag up any remaining food and spices in airtight bags
Clean all surfaces with anti-mould cleanser, then wipe with tea tree oil for mould prevention;
Remove all flags around the boat;
Seal all portholes with scuba grade silicone to reduce leakage from rain;
Drain fuel from dinghy engine and put below (ethanol in fuel these days destroys seals and caskets);
Add small amount of bleach to water tank and flow through all water hoses to avoid bacteria growth;
Lift dinghy on to forward deck and secure tightly;
Dive to tie a plastic bag around the prop to avoid four months of sea growth;
Cover cockpit pedestal containing navigational equipment to protect from sun and rain;
Ensure beds are lifted with no possibility of leaking water falling on them;
Bag up in airtight bags all bedding, towels and any clothes that will be left on board to keep out potential mould;
Secure BoomDeYada to the mooring ball with a secondary bridle (backup line to the mooring ball);
Secure the wind generator so it doesn't spin madly if we are hit by a hurricane;
Cover and seal the companion-way door so no rain gets in;
Close thru-hulls (holes in the hull used for intake and exhaust of sea and fresh water) in case a hose fails the boat doesn't fill with water;

Leaving your boat anywhere for four months is a little stressful, leaving her in another country, on a mooring ball in the path of potential hurricanes is a little more stressful...we will be watching NOAA's website closely. However, our biggest concern is whether or not we have mould all over the inside when we get back Nov. 1.

We wait until the day before we fly out to move BoomDeYada in to the hole as we know there isn't much breeze and probably plenty of mosquitoes...that makes for a miserable night sleep. The next morning we scurry around with last minute things to do.

We packed two additional large bags that will need to be checked at the airport; these will contain warmer clothing not required here in the Bahamas but were very helpful coming down the coast last year. Our friends, Gord and Jeannie on M/V Blue Heavens, arrived to take us across the harbour to catch our taxi to the airport...homeward bound. Two months at my parents, one month touring in an RV and one month in Trinidad; then we will be back for another season of fun in the sun!