for the new OHIP card as our insurance was going to be for 11 months. Without the new card, they could not issue more than the normal 182-days insurance. A lot of people get around this by coming home every few months for a week or two, thereby resetting their insurance clock. We had no plans to come home so we were happy with our decision. Everyone's situation is different so look into whatever plan works for you. We took out tow boat insurance through TowBoatUS. The price was ridiculously low and the fact we needed to be towed twice certainly covered the premium. Our first tow was in the Tennessee River and would have cost us $1500 had we not had the insurance. The second tow was in Florida and was $450. I wanted to tip the towboat operator in Florida once we got tied up but the poor guy got Canadian dollars as we were just arriving from the Bahamas and didn't have any U.S. cash. Things to do before you leave Now that you have your insurances looked after it is time to think of more personal items. Pat and I set up powers of attorney for health and finance. The bank had a copy of everything and that came in handy when Pat lost his wallet in Chicago and our daughter had to get him a new debit and credit card. Right: We did have some cold mornings in October. Plan clothes for cold and warm weather. CANADIANBOATING.CA 59 When to Cruise: The Great Loop map shows the seasons. Green is for spring, red is for summer, and blue is for fall/winter. Map courtesy of America's Great Loop Cruisers Association. Photo: Buckeye Sailboathttp://www.CANADIANBOATING.CA