Dean and I arrived at Half Moon Bay Marina at Yorkeys Knob three weeks ago.  Moonraker is now proudly flying the green Louisiades Rally pennant. Andy and Roger are due tomorrow and the pre-departure week of briefings, drinks and general fun starts then too.  Other boats are arriving and the excitement grows.  Our provisioning and preparation has taken a long time, and as usual, cost thousands. ( BOAT: Break Out Another Thousand).  We have purchased some gifts and  tradeable goods, but need more  items such as sugar, flour, tee-shirts, torches and anything else a subsistence community might like in exchange for fruit, vegies and crayfish.  Educon kindly supplied a box of books we will present to the school. We have stocked enough prescription medication to stock a small hospital. The bilge has been ‘fixed’ for the fifth time, the exhaust pipe welded, the genoa and my teeth have been repaired and new sheets put on (the boat, not me).  Unbelievably we found space to fit in even more spares than we have now (welcome to our spare starter motor and generator). The sat phone is now working, we have all the charts and  guides of the Louisades ever published. Moonraker is about to have her bottom polished and her HF radio serviced. Wow are we shiny!.