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Wednesday, August 18, 2010

in case you missed the link--

www.seaventure.us  is the site of the new blog and website combined.

Subscribing to posts

Those of you where were getting email updates from here need to come find our new home and subscribe there!


You can use either the RSS feed or an email subscription.

We don't want to loose you during the transition from one address to the other, so please, come on by and sign up so you'll know what we're up to and where we're headed.

www.seaventure.us

Thursday, July 08, 2010

Come and See What We've Done!

Okay. All of you who have subscriptions or are notified via email when I post, things have changed. On www.seaventure.us, our new Wordpress Blog/website, I just found out I can import all of the blogs from here. SO THAT"S WHERE YOU NEED TO VISIT!!!!

www.seaventure.us

I'm sorry, but those of you who were notified via email need to sign up for a subscription now as I haven't found a place for me to insert your emails. Please do so. Then, every time I post, it will send you the text, just as if I were sending an email. It seems to be just a click of a button, so it won't be hard to do!

For those not familiar with subscribing: there's a link at the near-top right of the new blog. It says something like, "Hey, there....RSS..." You want to click on the RSS thingy. Then you'll know when I feel creative enough or have enough to say that I add to the blog. 

That seems to be the only downside I've discovered so far. If you see others, let me know.

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

New Website/New Blog

I'm giving Wordpress a chance. They allow additional pages, which means our website and blog can hang out together. I wish Blogger did the same, but I couldn't find a way to make that happen.

Come on over and take a gander, will you? Let me know what you think.

www.seaventure.us

I can always change back, but this seems a simple solution. If it works well enough, I'll change my writing blog and website next fall when the hosting company sends me a new invoice.

Saturday, July 03, 2010

Puerto Escondido

Yesterday, we slithered up the twenty-some miles to Escondido. And I mean, slithered. What a difference a clean bottom makes when trying to cover ground by boat. I mentioned the slog out of La Paz, barely a knot over water. Michael took care of that in the bahia when he cleaned the prop. But we still had trouble getting over five knots of boat speed all the way to Agua Verde. Then, yesterday, lookee there: almost eight knots through the water. Amazing. So, that's why all the racers keep their boats out of the water between races or dive on them and clean, clean, clean. The La Paz magote just didn't invite diving, you know? Yes, we've had our typhoid shots, but still....

We should have gone sailing, but there were all those projects to finish. It seems there are always projects. Michael finished the aft cabin air conditioning system in Agua Verde -- good man -- and now he's doing some refitting of the pilothouse a/c. This morning is so cool I can't imagine needing it. But just a few days ago, my only recourse was a chilled gel pack on my skin and a big fan blowing. Good to be prepared.

We don't know how long we'll remain in Escondido. It's supposed to be a good hurricane hole. It's also just a short sail from Loreto, Isla Carmen, and, yes, Aqua Verde. We have Internet access here, which we've decided is a must for keeping in touch with folks like my agent and our family.

Agua Verde again

Oh, my, how lovely this place is. We found the small southerly cove empty except for two motorboats enjoying the day. By nightfall, Sea Venture was alone. During the next few days, Michael and I scraped the boat's bottom, removing the detritus we'd picked up in La Paz. Evenings, sport fishing boats would come to park, but they left in the morning, giving us back our bay and our peace. Michael made friends with a number of very curious and very friendly porcupine fish. They would see him donning his flippers and congregate, waiting for a barnacle meal, coming so close that he could touch them. Even though their spines can be poisonous, they seem sweet little critters.

Michael takes a rest as he floats near the boat.

Climbing out. We love that swim step.


And, of course, the perfect place to make water means the perfect place to do laundry.

Sea Venture, the work boat -- keeping  cool under the awning, laundry on the foredeck.

And, finally, an Agua Verde sunset.

Pictures from San Evaristo June 2010

The moon rising.



A guest who hitched a ride on our bimini from Evaristo to Agua Verde.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

San Evaristo Four

We arrived for our fourth visit to San Evaristo on Saturday, after spending Friday night in Caleta Pardita with about twelve other boats. As we headed out of La Paz early Friday, we experienced the drag that comes from a fouled prop, so we drifted around the bay long enough for Michael to cut the streamers off and rid it of barnacles. We also had a lovely visit from the Mexican Navy. They did a quick inspection, were courtesy itself, and happily accepted bottles of water. The gentleman who boarded took photographs of both instrument panels, checked that we had adequate fire extinguishers, and filled in his form. He also gave us the opportunity to express our opinion of the inspection. We gave him the highest honors -- and his crew for taking such care not to mar SV's topsides! He assured us that next year the inspection would not be necessary. US Coast Guard, take heed: this is the way to approach boaters. You will win accolades instead of scorn.
The motorsail from Caleta Partida to Evaristo was slower than usual. We have yet to have enough wind to raise the main, but the mizzen and genoa pulled us along with the help of the iron genny until about 20 minutes out. Then, no wind at all. We entered the anchorage to find a much different situation from April. Only one other boat lay at anchor, Willful Simplicity, a Catalina 27 owned by two delightful people who left the world of horse-training/teaching/blacksmithing for a life on the water. We spent Sunday on dinghy repair. Ah, yes, the dinghy again. Still, who can complain? With 3M 5200 and West Marine sealant, the dinghy once again will see another splash.
We left early Monday for Agua Verde. Pictures to follow.
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Thursday, June 24, 2010

Heading North

We'll be pulling up the anchor and heading north tomorrow morning. We should have winds to our stern, the best place to keep them.

The conditions will determine how far we sail each day and how long we linger at each anchorage. We'll let you know as we go.

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Father's Day

I no longer have an earthly father, but I celebrate today because I am graced with a heavenly one. My earthly papa had a difficult time showing love, probably because his own father decamped when he was two. I grieve for the loss of what might have been for each of us. But my heavenly Father showers all who come, all who ask, with affection. Greater love hath no man.

So, on this day, I celebrate. And I thank the good Lord, my Abba Father, for the gift of His Love in the form of His Son. I thank Him also for the gift of the most precious husband a woman could want. I may have found him late in life, but I sail the seas with a best friend, a gracious lover, a bond servant of my Lord, and the best mechanic anyone on a boat could ever hope for! Glory! Thank you, Lord, for my husband, a father in his own right, and a step-father to my two: J. Michael Fischer, extraordinary captain of Sea Venture.


He is also quite the photographer. This is the sunset we enjoyed last night in La Paz. It is growing hot and humid here. Time to move on. So, as soon as Mr. Fischer finishes stocking the pipe and fittings he needs for the next projects, we will head north.


 And here is our resident night heron. He lives usually on the bobstay, but this evening, he came to roost on the bow pulpit. Michael caught this just before the heron squawked loudly and took off.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Mango Mango

On the walk home from the radiology laboratory on Wednesday, we stopped for un litro of ice cream for the skipper and one of mango for the lactose-intolerant crew. The lovely thing about La Fuente, besides the fact that they make the ice cream themselves, is that they pack up cones to take home with the purchase. Granted, they should. Ice cream here is like gold. But we have few expensive habits; this just happens to be the major one. And we did walk miles in the heat....  And I did get a good report from the doctor....

So, we have decided that the way to enjoy the luxury of fattening food is to eat it occasionally and in small servings. Which is what we did yesterday. A mere scoop, small, in a bowl. But today it was hot again -- at least 100 -- and the breeze hid at midday. What was one (or rather, what were two) to do?

I only filled those giant cones so the treat came even with the top. Honest Injun.

Michael told me to come look at the picture he took. He called it the Mango Monster. See if I talk to him tonight!

Magote Dolphins

They come every day to fish near Sea Venture. Michael took the picture below yesterday. Today they were closer and even more spectacular, but M was involved in a project and the camera remained below. By the time I got outside with it, I saw, but couldn't capture digitally, a glorious leaping tail and flip, and then they moved further afield.

For us it's not the fish that got away, but the photograph.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Dolphins in the Magote

Dolphins must be my favorite creature. I wish I'd had the camera handy this evening when Michael hailed me, but I didn't want to stop watching long enough to go below to get it. I don't know how many swam here, how many were in the pod, but it was dinner time beneath the Magote waters off La Paz.

They arched and dove within feet of the boat, then slipped below to surface on the other side. Some danced out of the water, some surfaced in threes as if choreographed, their movements synchronized: rise, arch, dip again, flip the tail en route.

They've supped their way past us now. But, oh, the beauty they bring to an already beautiful spot.

Thursday, May 06, 2010

La Paz last night


The view off Sea Venture's stern last evening as the day closed down.

Monday, May 03, 2010

La Paz at last!

We tried sailing south from San Evaristo on Thursday, but the one-foot waves were camouflaged under white caps and their larger four to six foot brethren. We should have known better. Flat seas rarely mean flat and one foot happens only after a good long lull.

The weather guessers missed the cold front that slammed into us. The better part of valor seemed to be to turn tail. We did, heading around Isla San Francisco to its eastern side, which would be protected, supposedly, from a westerly corumuel. Well, yes, it was, sort of, but considering that this wasn't a corumuel but instead that cold front, we rolled a bit in the wrap-around swell. A beautiful place, but we don't sleep well when the boat rolls.

Mama has the mid-cabin, which, she assures us, is quite comfortable. And perhaps because it is in the middle of the boat, it experiences less movement. Michael and I woke slightly bleary-eyed. She, instead, greeted us with a chipper smile and spent the morning marveling at rock formations.


Not wanting to battle waves, we waited until they'd calmed on Friday before we slithered south, hoping to race daylight and drop the hook in La Paz. We set the mizzen and staysail for starters, but the blessing of no waves meant no wind as well. Mizzen and Ford Lehman it was, in cool temperatures and under clear skies.

A few dolphin cavorted in the distance. We passed old haunts. A couple of boats met us as they headed north. And then we got within range of La Paz and bam! The wind came up, the seas built, and we slowed...way...down, so that the last miles took much longer than the first. At seven PM we finally dropped anchor.

This wasn't our smoothest anchoring job, I'll admit. Our first attempt looked good, in a big open spot near the end of the Magote. I drove. Michael manned the windlass remote. The anchor lowered, lowered, and then, oh, goodness, look at that! Michael watched as the chain disappeared under the boat as the bow slipped and slid forward, propelled by the current in the direction of a poor unsuspecting sloop.

I was backing madly by now, but it wasn't working. Who'd have thought the current was that fierce? We'd anchored here many, many times last year and never had we seen anything like this.

It was up anchor and away. This time the spot looked good. We found a waypoint in the GPS that said we'd liked anchoring there last year. As Michael was about to hit the drop button on the remote, some fellow screamed "No!". He was shirtless -- we wore jackets -- and he was madly waving his arms.

Now, I'd have expected him to do the orderly thing: pick up his radio and talk to us instead of screaming over the winds. I hailed him on channel 16 -- twice. But he was too busy yelling to answer, so I waited for Captain Michael to come aft and motor us over to question the fellow before he had apoplexy.

"Can't anchor there! At low tide, it's only 3 feet!" he yelled from his boat to ours. I waved and thanked him, then returned to the cockpit. Michael and I agreed that low tide was at that moment and we had 19 feet under our 6.5 foot keel. If we dropped the hook where it had been last year, we probably wouldn't see anything much shallower. But, hey, who wanted to argue with someone on a neighboring (little) boat?  (And what if he'd been right?)

So, Michael motored us around the upper part of the Magote, past all the other boats, and handed over the helm. I tried to place us equidistant from boats, land, and the dividing shoal. M. dropped the hook while I pointed us into the wind -- or current or something -- and we waited until the boat settled in one direction or another: yep, there she went, bow over the anchor as if we were driving in forward gear. Finally, he was able to back her down enough to set the anchor well into the sand.

That was Friday night. Saturday, we walked to the CCC and restocked, especially with vanilla ice cream, which seems to be the favorite of the two who can eat cream. We also lunched at Rancho Viejo on shrimp, fish, beef, and pork tacos. Sunday, we rested. Today is Monday. We just returned from errands abroad, including a trip to La Fuente, our very favorite ice cream parlor. We're set.

We'd give you a La Fuente cone for dessert if you were here.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

San Evaristo revisited



Sunday
Mama is a trooper. No two ways about. Here she is, 82-years-young, and we've been hauling her through rocky and rolly waves that would exhaust anyone. Did she ever complain? Not once. Instead, she greets the end of the day with a smile and a, "Thank you for the lovely trip." Michael and I smile back and imagine what she might have said. If we feel muscles in our hands and shoulders that get used only on uncomfortable passages, what must she? We marvel at this example of graciousness.
Perhaps it's her southern upbringing. And perhaps it's just that she's pleased enough with the results of being here as we drop anchor in an old favorite haunt of hers - the first she's been able to recognize from last year - and watch the pelicans vie with the gulls for dinner.
We motor-sailed into Evaristo in an escalating breeze. The night before we'd spent an unpleasant interlude in Aqua Verde, knocked about by fetch that rolled into the anchorage to hit Sea Venture's beam while she pointed into the north wind.
Most of the anchorages are packed with boats heading north to Puerto Escondido for Loreto Fest. We decided not to stay for the festivities. Mama wouldn't have enjoyed them or the crowds. I'm sorry she did not get to see Aqua Verde at its best: the water truly is green and clear - unless a northerly wind has things churning.
So it was either roll at anchor or roll at sea. The wind was supposed to be dying, the seas flattening. They didn't. There must have been something happening in the north to have caused all the wave action because we never saw winds over 15; they were usually in the 9-11 knot range. The mizzen on a preventer was the only thing that worked. We tried the staysail, but to keep it filled, we had to turn too far so the waves hit us broadside as opposed to off the stern quarter. Motoring it was.
Normally with following seas and wind we can make excellent time, but the waves were obnoxious enough to slow us. Motoring at 7.6 knots allowed us 5.6 over ground. It was a long slog to cover those 44 nautical miles.
But here we are. The water is clear, the breeze from the northwest, the residents of Evaristo enjoying their Sunday. Mama has found a perch on the deck and is soaking up sun, watching the pelicans and gulls.
Life really is good.


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Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Puerto Escondido



Here is a picture of Puerto Escondido at night. Don the Amigo Net weatherman from Summer Passage had suggested that the next day might have high winds, so the anchorage had filled. Then this gorgeous sunset showed up, and we rejoiced: Red sky at night, sailor's delight.

For a daytime picture:


Mama and I sailed the dinghy again, which is really the best way to view the entire harbor. The wind behaved well, allowing us to ghost at times and zip along at others. Our friend, Ken Osgood on Lovely Rita, took a couple of pictures of us using his i-Phone as we sailed past him and his dinghy.

    

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Ballandra, Isla Carmen

After a rowdy 12-hour trip south from Concepcion in rather unpleasant following seas but with enough wind to push us at and above hull speed, we anchored in Ballandra on Thursday evening. On Friday, we visited Loreto for lunch and reprovisioning, returning to Ballandra with ice cream in the freezer. Mama and Michael are happy campers. M. took this picture of Sea Venture sitting happily off the shore in Loreto.





Today we are bouncing around in the wrap-around swell from the north wind that's wending its way down the Sea of Cortez. Payback, I suppose, for all those lovely, mild days we've enjoyed here. On Saturday we were the only boat in the anchorage, so Mama and I lolled around on our little sailing dinghy and had a jolly time. The little boat moves in almost no wind, which is fortuitous as there were mere whispers.

One other boat, Verdia, joined us on Sunday and brought along a friend, whose picture I will post at the end. Now there are 10 boats, all ducking out of the way of wind and waves.

Here are pictures of us sailing my little dinghy around during the last two very benign days, exploring the shallows and the rocks at the entrance to the bay. So much fun!


And now,

for a photo of the critter who tagged along behind Geoff on Verdia from the bay entrance all the way to the point Geoff dropped his hook near us. Michael and I watched it sling its tail around Verdia's chain, then slither past before meandering up among the rocks. We did not go climbing.

Monday, April 05, 2010

San Carlos to Bahia Concepcion

Easter Sunday
Maybe the Lord wanted to bless my mama. Maybe He just decided we'd had enough miserable crossings. I know not, but the day fulfilled every promise of new beginnings that came to the world through Resurrection Sunday, the celebration of new life through the atoning death of our Lord.
Michael and I rose at three in the morning to prepare for departure. By four, Sea Venture was pointed out of Bahia San Carlos and across the sea. The moon was at half-mast, bright enough to light our way out of the bay. The seas had calmed from their rowdy state of several days earlier. This was to be one of only two opportunities to cross this week. I'm glad we chose it.
I climbed back in bed. Michael, the darling, kept the first watch. By six, I'd roused enough to fix breakfast; Mama climbed from her bunk shortly thereafter. We had a leisurely crossing, motorsailing under genoa and mizzen in the light breeze that climbed steadily as we neared the center of the sea. It came from about 170 degrees. We were aiming our nose at 202 degrees. Without the engine's assistance, we would not have been able to point that high. As it was, the light-air genoa bumped our speed up to over 8 knots, 7 over ground.
About 20 miles out from the Baja side, the wildlife appeared. Whale spouts and tails graced the horizon both ahead and behind us. Then an odd thing happened, something we've not seen before. We noticed a set of breakers about a mile off shore, a mile or two from us. Puzzled, we peered through the binoculars. The waves had tails; the waves leapt. It seems that dolphins had formed a line several miles long and were herding prey, having a feeding frenzy. We'd seen them in clusters before, but never in a long line. As we neared, the line surrounded us, circling to the port and starboard. Some cavorted near the boat, leaping and dancing. Some we distracted so that they played next to us before reforming and going after dinner.
'Twas an amazing sight.
Now we are in Bahia Concepcion. Last night we anchored in Santispac; today we've moved next door because a norther should arrive by morning, and it's more protected here. We've met new friends and found old ones from San Carlos. The cruising community is like that, paths crossing again and again. We dined at Ana's Restaurant on beef and chicken tacos. Russ, the owner with his wife, Ana, put on a good feed. He helped us and our friends from Genesis last July. It seems to be his calling: helping cruisers.
We'll see what happens next, but Mama is having a grand time. She's a good sailor and a lot of fun. I told her that we're aiming to keep her young this way.

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Saturday, April 03, 2010

In Guaymas and back to San Carlos


We flew in to Guaymas on the 25th with Mama in tow and spent a delightful week shopping, seeing a doctor -- love Mexican doctors! -- walking the streets, and eating at Poncho Villa's Cantina.

The first picture shows our dock guard keeping watch. We could walk almost to his side before he would lift off. In the next photograph, Mama lounges in the cockpit as we motor from Guaymas to Bahia San Carlos. Wind blew from the south as we left Marina Singlar so we imagined a nice reach north. Nope. By the time we had exited the Guaymas area, we found a windless sea filled with swells that lifted us in an ungainly fashion. We hoisted the mizzen to help cut down on the roll, but it was not a stellar moment in SV's sailing history. Still, five hours later we dropped the hook in the beautiful bay, glad to be back until we realized that the swell was to be our companion through the afternoon and evening. Finally, the next day, the wind changed direction, cutting the swell, but keeping us boat-bound as it climbed into the 30s. M. barely noticed as he kept to his bunk with a stomach virus.

Today is glorious. We launched the dinghy, whose newly-applied and much-touted paint is a disaster -- we are hoping to get another season or two our of her before we're forced to sink capital in a new one -- and headed to shore. In the great blow of yesterday, we lost two fenders.  (That's what happens when the Captain is ill and so has an understandable memory lapse. The Admiral failed to take up the slack because she didn't know there was one.) Someone else is obviously enjoying ownership of them as we could find no trace of either a bright blue Taylor-made one or the older yellowish and very hefty one that came with the boat. Losses aside, we enjoyed the ride and the scone-muffin purchases at Baracuda Bob's. Mama, of course, assuaged her hunger with mango-vanilla ice cream. La Paz and mango sorbet, here we come!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

I apologize again

For all those who got spammed with 30+ emails from this account, I apologize. Again. It seems that when I went in -- with a new password -- to set up email posting so I could send things from our SSB at sea, it enabled whatever/whoever to spam post to this account. I just went in and deleted them. Again.



Monday, February 15, 2010

Facebook Update

Okay. All right. I concede. It's victory to those who pushed me to join Facebook. Even with all of the hassles, the stolen blog, the email invitations to all and sundry and my subsequent embarrassment, I now admit that I'm having fun connecting with friends I haven't heard from in years.

So, to my agent, Terry Burns, thank you. I say it publicly, you were right to spur me on to join. It's way too easy to sit back on the boat and write my stories and feel contentment because the sky is almost always blue, the sun shines ninety percent of the time, the people are friendly, and the doctors still care more about their patients than about their non-existent Mercedes. Most importantly, the Lord my God, the Almighty reigns. Always.

Sometimes, though, He wants us to slip out of our comfort zones. Joining Facebook was uncomfortable for me. Still, there I am. And I'm having fun.

Thank You, Lord, for EARPLUGS

 

We're surviving Carnival thanks to earplugs. With these in, a pillow over my head, the Hella fan on high, and all the hatches and windows closed, we find we can sleep through the worst of it. Though last nigh, Michael (who eschews the pillow over his head routine) woke to what he said was quality music. Too bad it was at 1 AM. He finally took his earplugs out at 1:30 so that he could listen, and then stayed up for an hour. I'm not at all sorry to have missed the program, thank you very much. 

Today, it's back to the dermatologist for a mole removal in a sensitive spot. Oh, well, this too shall pass.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Carnival in Guaymas



Today is the beginning of Carnival. As a prelude, the carnival with rides arrived just after we did. I must say, as I watched the folk going up in the needle and then dropping rapidly to base, my heart stopped. We watched them set up the things; you couldn't have paid me enough to ride on it.

The loud music is supposed to begin tonight. Ah, me. A fan as white noise? A pillow over my head? Hmmmm.... I may get a lot of work finished instead of a lot of sleep.


The picture above was taken a couple of evenings ago. That's from our deck, about 100 yards from the carnival excitement. Tuesday a cruise ship came to port, so the fine restaurants put on a shrimp festival just up the Malecon from the carnival. For 25 pesos per ticket ($1.92) I could get a plate of shrimp fixed by one of these restaurants. Michael, my non-shrimp-eating husband, bought me four tickets. I found shrimp ceviche (incredible), and three other dishes, most of which I brought back to the boat (para llevar--to go--pronounced para yeebar) for lunch and then dinner. Wonderful.

Today I went for my final flouride treatment and Michael had a cavity filled. Let's see, that was $13 for three treatments, $38.46 for each of us to have our teeth cleaned, and another $38.46 for Michael's filling. We both saw the opthalmologist on Saturday for $30.76 each. I love Mexico. The oncology specialist in La Paz last year cost $47.60 for 1.5 hours of consultation along with an ultrasound. Living on Social Security also? Join us for your medical needs. The treatment is first rate. The doctors have time to talk to you. They smile and tell jokes -- usually. And if they don't speak English, they muddle through or have someone in the office who is bilingual. Thank you, Lord, for the blessings of Mexico.

Spam Postings

I want to apologize to any of you who received spam postings from this blog. I recently signed up with Facebook on the advice of my literary agent. Somehow, they got hold of my entire email address book AND this blog. and sent invitations to everyone I'd ever written or done business with -- much to my chagrin.

I logged on here and found that I was now advertising watches. As the friend who notified me of this mess said, if they only gave us all their profit, that might work.

I'm not quite sure how to fix all of this, but I'm trying. Please be patient if it continues. Just let me know and then delete the email. I hate having to register and start all over again.

Blessings to everyone,
Normandie

Monday, February 01, 2010

In Guaymas Again



Leaving Bahia San Carlos.

Kaisen, an 85', 90 ton, steel converted Army work boat owned by Hugh and Victoria, is in the foreground.




Heading to Guaymas into the rising sun.




We may regret this move to Guaymas. Granted, it lets me walk with friend Diane from Daydreamer. And we're closer to shops. And Michael can work on the dinghy while we're here -- the rubberized paint he wants to slather on that ancient PVC dinghy takes 7 days to cure, which we could not manage at anchor.

But, we forgot that Carnival is almost upon us. They are setting up roller coasters RIGHT NEXT to Sea Venture, who is on the end tie with a perfect view and perfect sound. I foresee earplugs in my future.

Oh, well. It should be an interesting experience. Mexico doesn't sleep during Carnival, which may mean we won't either. Diane said that if she and John are still here, they'll drive to the States for the duration. If only we'd set up our trip home for these days!



Sunday, January 31, 2010

Tomorrow It's Back to Guaymas

We said good-bye to folks in San Carlos Marina and here in the bahia today. Tomorrow morning we leave for Guaymas, where we'll go back to the Singlar Marina to ready for our trip to the States. We've dinghy projects and woodwork to finish, because when we return after taxes and visits home, we'll have Mama in tow again with plans to cross back to Baja.

Our friend Ken Osgood, on Lovely Rita, left the marina to head across to the Baja. Michael took this picture as he and his friend Eric were leaving.

Thursday, January 14, 2010



Friends took this picture of us at anchor here in Bahia San Carlos. Can you see why we're still here? Of course, this afternoon it's supposed to blow with a norther coming down the sea, but we'll just stay tucked in, doing an anchor watch at night with our GPS set to wake us if we go walkabout.

We've been having fun with all sorts of new friends, most of whom have recently bought boats here and are getting them set up for cruising south in the next few weeks. Ken on Lovely Rita, a Westsail 32, has proved delightful company as well as extremely generous with his automobile. Ken has sailed for years in the Caribbean, but is like a kid in a candy store with his beautiful little boat as he fixes it and dresses it for cruising. We stopped by to return his car key the other evening and found him listening to classical music, his small diesel heater toasting the cabin, a smile on his face of the purest enjoyment. We'll get pics when we can.

Darcy and Isabelle, Canadians from Victoria, bought Ideal I, a gorgeous Hans Christina, a modern-rigged Hans Christian. They sent pics of the Christmas brunch on their boat. They sailed out yesterday for points of call on the Baja.




Isabelle is the lovely lady with the huge smile in the red vest. Alan and Marisa (in Santa hats) have businesses here in San Carlos, he as a surveyor, she in boat sales. They also have a house and a large fishing boat. Cheryl and Peter, the other couple on board, hail from Australia and are old hands at cruising, having spent years on their former boat plying the waters of the Indian Ocean. Now they own Stolen Kiss, a lovely Hylas, for which we will eventually find photos. We've developed a rather symbiotic relationship with them as well: Michael has the tools and an occasional winch, they have a car loaned to them by Marisa. Good folk all. Cheryl will also get a note if my next Beaufort book sells as she allowed me to interview her about abused children, with whom she worked in Australia. Founts of knowledge found in fun places...