Seattle to Mexico on Lady J

The Catch

2011-05-25T15:04:00.000-07:00

TUNES

2011-05-25T14:52:00.000-07:00

Zihuatanejo to Huatulco

2011-05-25T14:08:00.000-07:00

Hi All, This is a delayed post but thought I best catch up before our new cruise within the Sea of Cortez begins. I meet Steve tomorrow in Loreto and we plan to be gone through the month of June. Steve may bring the boat to Hawaii (if you are interested in being crew contact him)or bash up the coast to San Diego.
Anyhow, we joined Vicki and Larry on Rocinante in March and had a wonderful two weeks cruising south of Zihuatanejo. Acapulco was disappointing as I swear we were the only tourists in town. Steve felt the people were a bit a cold, none the less we rode the bus around town and had a great swim anchored off a small bay just south on our way out. I don't think we'll go back there.
Huatulco is unbelievable! It is an area not a city and the cleanliness and beauty far surpass any place I have ever visited in Mexico. If you want a safe, cultural, tourist friendly place with the best food ever...GO to Huatulco.
Have a plane to catch so enjoy the photos and God bless every single one of you!
Rita

The Last Leg!

2010-04-07T14:30:00.000-07:00

April 7th 2010

Hi everyone! I am home as I write this and arrived back in the USA April first. Boy am I glad to be here. I missed nearly everything...especially the water, food, family & friends and of course the toilet and bathtub. Here is what happened and what's happening:

After Amy and Tom departed in Mazanillo my daughter and her boyfriend came aboard and sailed to Puerto Vallarta with us. We had a great trip as we anchored a few nights in Bahia Navidad, Chameyla, Tenacatita and Yelapa. It was amazing how cold it got once we left Zihuatanijho....I think latitude matters when it comes to really being comfortable at sea and at night. Be that as it may, we had a fabulous journey north, the seas a bit rocky, a little bashing, but the fishing was great and all the villages had undiscovered surprises such as the French Baker arriving at our boat early am in Tenacatita. We did not do much snorkeling as I was recovering (again) from a cough and the flu. (I was sick five times on this trip). Ali, Daniel and I flew home from PV as soon as the boat hit the dock and we left Steve in the good hands of our buddy boat friends on Rocinante. It was great to see Larry, Andrew and Vicki. As I write, Steve and Amy are probably at Isla Isabela (please excuse all spelling errors of destinations as I no longer have my guide books for quick reference) and heading towards Mazatlan. Amy joined Steve at PV (thank you Amy...she is the best crew-mate ever)and they plan on reaching Mazatlan on Friday the 9th whereby Darin (my brother-n-law) will join Steve and the two of them will head further north to who knows where. Just kidding. The plan is to put Lady J 'on the hard' in Guyamus (north in the Sea of Cortez) for the summer. Steve wants to paint the hull and do some repairs and perhaps sail away again next winter. Today, I'm not crazy about sailing again in Mexico but maybe this will change in time. Overall the experience was extraordinary and I am soooooo grateful to have had this opportunity with Steve. Steve is amazing and really knows his stuff when it comes to the sea and sailing. I was never frightened (okay...the first leg was horrifying)and always had confidence in his judgement and ability. We have a few words of thanks to special people.
First, thank you Maria and Brandon for watching the homestead and Sassy.....we were always at peace knowing you two were keeping the home fires burning...and the hot tub humming (even though it blew up). Tom and Lois, you guys really made our departure special and my nerves were so calm due to Tom's sage advice and Lois's constant words of encouragement and positive on-going communication. Also, Rob and Bob...you guys rock! Steve always talked about how lucky he is to have you both together and in his life. He was and still is comforted by all the difficult decisions you had to make and grateful that you kept him in the loop during our journey. Also, Paul, you are a great brother and friend to Steve and without you the first run from Seattle to San Diego may not have happened. Nam, your spirit was with us along the way and thank you (and Zung) for the support and great food. Nam, where are you and why are you not with Steve now? I have to mention Amy once more because she was an ongoing crew member and chief organizer in our 'other life' as we sailed in Mexico. She coordinated everything and anything that needed to be done for us and I LOVE YOU, AND Tom is kinda cute too (breaks things a lot however, just kidding Tom) Blake and Ruth, you were spoken of often and Steve truly owes his nautical knowledge and inspiration (and DNA)to you. A big thanks to John and Katsy for helping out with a family crisis, I respect your commitment to family and thank you. Tim, you were our biggest fan and thanks for following with interest. Maryjo and Bill, BIGGEST THANK YOU EVER for all the goods you brought into Mexico for us: the oar,candy,peanut butter, clothes pins, and the list goes on and on and on...If it were not for Bill Troncones may have never happened, what an awful thought. (hey Bill, I have your shorts). France and Deren, what can I say, you not only sailed with us (and our stuff) but received endless phone calls at all hours some good, some whiny and I love you most. Alexandra May Williams, you and Daniel brightened our journey in so many ways and thank you for coordinating our trip to, from, and during, the final leg.
Lisa, you are the best friend ever and I will cherish your support in my heart for life(and thereafter). Shirley and Wad...okay I'm needy, and you both need religion!
Thanks you Providence and Valley General Hospital for keeping me on the payroll as I sailed into the unknown, I have always felt appreciated and valued at work. For those of you who I did not mention I am sorry.....but my heart will continue to overflow into all of your lives and Steve, my greatest love in life, thank you for giving me this opportunity and putting up with my stuff, I have learned so much from you and look forward to our next chapter together. Please stayed tuned everyone as Steve will post one more entry on this blog when he returns in May as it clearly is his turn!!!!!
Thank you all fellow cruisers: Rocinante, Jambo, Andres of Puerto Las Hadas, Vickey @ Vito Latrota, Bob & Margie on No Name, Susy from Chicago, Sea Bear, Paul Out of Poverty, Jarana, and my 'Lavender Angel' Trish Turner, and all the others who I'll never ever forget!

Leaving Zihuatanejho

2010-03-16T10:15:00.000-07:00

March 14, 2010
Ok, here’s the deal: We just had to replace the starter to the boat (we are unsure as to why it blew up…lots of smoke)and Steve had a great time interacting with the locals to achieve this mechanical event. Currently, Steve is in a tizzy because he can’t find the valve tool extractor for the dingy. Yep, you guessed it, another leak in Amy. This time the floor board broke too. It is very mysterious as to how the damage continues to happen, but it certainly is a reoccurring theme that sucks a lot of energy from Steve (me too, as I have to live with him). He already has tore the entire boat apart three times and this means that everything is tossed around, sticky, dirty, unorganized and need I say, he is grumpy . I have tried to tell him that it will appear when he no longer is looking for it but ohhhhhhhhhhhh noooooooooo, he has a much greater time being totally consumed by its disappearance. Thus, the past nearly 24 hours have been miserable. Thank goodness Amy is on board because we just laugh, make jokes and try to guide him. His power is diminished considerable with two women underfoot. Amy arrived on Tuesday (the 9th) and her friend Tom will arrive this afternoon. The plan is to head north to Manzanillo on Tuesday the 16th. Our goal is first and foremost to have fun. We plan on stopping at a couple of good surfing beaches as Tom is a surfer. We will drop anchor, toddle around while the kids are shark bait, and then continue cruising once they are exhausted (if they survive). I must express how many comments and concerns I’ve received over various forms of communication regarding the Cocodrilos…its true folks, they are around but appear not to like humans as food…thank fully. We are still swimming daily probably a mile or more in open water. We love it! We plan on anchoring 14 hours after departure in a lovely bay called Caleta de Campos. This is one of our favorite villages and the one that Maryjo and Bill share great stories about cheap five star housing, crazy locals, tortillarias and great ice cream. Our next idea is to check out Maruata which is about 40 miles north of Caleta. This is the bay that gave me the creeps (unwarranted per Steve) coming down and we never explored the village so we look forward to doing this with Amy and Tom. Maruata is probably one of the most beautiful bays I’ve seen although I’ve declared this about many, many bays on this journey. Amy and Tom leave the boat on the 23rd in Manzanillo and Ali and Daniel (my daughter and her boyfriend) will board the same day. We are on our way home, see you April first! Favorite saying: “Dorkwadd”

Cocodrilo!!!!!

2010-03-08T11:48:00.001-08:00

TSUNAMI

2010-03-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

We survived, and thank you everyone for your phone calls and concern. We took the dingy into the beach the day of, and were notified by our 'beach friends' that in 30 minutes the tsunami was suposed to hit. I was a bit concerned and did not take my eyes off the water till 'the big one' had passed. A 3 to 4 foot wave came up to the shore and covered a rather large area, probably 25feet higher than normal. Our dingy was moved by the wave (and we thought we had it tied way high). So, needless to say, we did see abnormal conditions but they were definately non threatning.
Far more exciting was the visit from the cocodrilo last night....unbelievable! Right to our boat she came when I called. I hope the photo will upload...it is like dial-up down here! Love to all!

Cinnamon Rolls ala Z-wa

2010-02-28T14:38:00.001-08:00

Part of the Story

2010-02-24T17:08:00.000-08:00

February 24, 2010
Cocodrilios: Off the beach we anchor near is a salt water crocodile. I have seen her (female because she is only about 12’ long, the smaller of the species) in the lagoon only once but she is a sight I will never forget. Grey, with scales on her back, and the interesting thing about her is that she never moved once in the two hours I observed. Apparently, she lives in the lagoon and at night she is let out to feed in the ocean. They say she is not really contained by the fence that shields her from the tourists that walk by, I believe them. Appearances are comforting, yet deceiving in this instance. Cocodrilios feed at night, and lounge, much like we do during the day in the sun. Never the less, I do think of her as I swim ashore daily and resist the thoughts and fear that linger in my mind. There are many creatures in the water here, many of them I have not seen. Other than the dolphins, whales and small fish we see play daily; we have spotted some beautiful schools of spotted manta ray. They are a smaller species (about 2-3 feet) and are quite striking. Deren has seen them jump out of the water, a stunt I had not witnessed till today (oh by the way it is February 24, 2010). It’s fun to snorkel and identify the stingrays that hide under the sand. I feel like I’m playing I spy as I seek to spot these camouflaged fish with long stingers. Crabs are everywhere and love to cling onto your boat permanently. Recently we have heard concerns and instances whereby these buggers crawl into your ears. That is why it is best to have a professional clean your boat or at the very least wear protective clothing. We regret not having a visual guide to identify all the various fish we continual see both in and out of the water.
Dingy problems: Amy, her official name, has the knack of getting punctures; thankfully Steve is persistent and ornery enough to never give up trying to patch the continual new found holes…very, very teeny holes. We are not sure if it is our grocery bags or the clasps on the life jacket that continue to puncture her or perhaps we are being vandalized…I doubt the later and I only mention it because there are times our gasoline seems to disappear rather quickly. Almost daily we bring the dingy to a designated spot whereby Jesus, our dingy guardian, is supposed to watch her diligently. I think Jesus is far more interested in helping us land and depart and receiving our pesos than standing watch over the fleet of dingys that flood the shore, and of course he speaks absolutely no English so it is difficult to communicate any concerns or problems we may have. This particular spot is located next to the fishing market where the local fisherman (literally fifty, or so) anchor their pangas and bring in their daily catch. This is an excellent place to get fresh seafood or just view the comings and goings of the locals working. Anyhow, patch number five on Amy will be tested today on our one mile run to Jesus’ Landing. Oh by the way, Steve just brought home one of those mats that you lay under your office chair to insure mobility, yes the type that has razor sharp grasping teeth on the bottom, a sure way to pierce the floor a hundred and fifty times on one run. He agreed a might have a point so it is now folded in half…..he is such a genius, I’ll keep you posted on her status.
The Head: Otherwise known as the throne or the shitter (Steve told me to write this) or internationally known as the bathroom, is also a source of contention, probably not so much with Steve but certainly with me. The daily amount of pumping to get her flushed (which is done with salt water)is estimated to be 100 strokes…at least! She too is known to have issues. Sometimes she needs to be primed because we pump out too much water, sometimes we need to clean the outflow on the outside of the hull as it accumulates growth from the warm water creatures (like crabs), and other times she decides to leak through the pipes onto the floor and the smell is not pretty, attracting little nats and mosquitoes that linger and bite. Thankfully we have Tang which cleans nicely and salt water aplenty to scrub the fiberglass wall and floor. We have two heads on the boat. There, don’t you feel sorry for us now?
Bugs: I have been pleasantly surprised of the absence of these critters. I had visions of cockroach wars and have yet to see a one. Probably because we are at anchor verses tied up at a marina. The no see-ums arrive at sunset and sunrise for only about an hour; I never see them but manage to get a bite or two a week. I do light incense and smelly candles and avoid turning on lights (also to preserve power) which seem to be a deterrent. We see very few traditional looking mosquitoes but do get bites on our legs if we are inshore at dinner (they live under tables etc.). Ants are our biggest problem on the boat right now and really it is a small problem as we are on top of it. Along the sink and perhaps anywhere we have fresh water, the smallest of ants, and I mean barely visible, appear. We have traps out and we see fewer and fewer each day. One of the places we stayed at in Troncones had hundreds of these buggers under the sheets of my bed, needless to say, I did not sleep well.
Weather: It is always warm, a typical day has temperatures near 90° and winds 15 to 20 miles an hour. The tides are very slight compared to the northwest therefore we don’t pay much attention to them. We have very few perfectly clear days which is nice as the cloud coverage gives a bit of a reprieve from the hot afternoon heat. Rain is very infrequent but when it comes it comes in inches. We have a neighbor who collects his drinking water from the sky. He lets his dingy fill up with water and then filters it out. He tells us that he has had it checked and it is purer than our purified water. We may try this during the next rain as we are now paying for our water where ever we go. Even the marina meters our consumption in Ixtapa. While anchored in the bay, Hilda and Ishmael deliver water by panga, 10 five gallon containers at a time, purified water. This goes into the tanks, and our drinking water is hauled aboard via muscle once a week or so. Typically we have ten big jugs on the boat at all times, up to 30 when cruising. Anyhow, the weather is always of interest to us as the swells and ocean storms impact our comfort level. Actually, I think we have both adapted nicely to the rolling and we don’t seem to complain but certainly mention it frequently as a topic of conversation. We rarely check the marine forecasts due to our permanent residence here (almost 2 months before we leave on March 14th) and over time we have learned that where there is one prediction, another completely opposite, also exists. For example, this past Thursday one guy predicted the worst system he has ever seen bringing all kinds of rain and swells to the area. No rain, no swell and the best sleep ever on that particular Thursday.
I guess that is enough for now. Internet is still a royal pain as we do not have it available on the boat, and frankly I have reached the point of letting it go, and sometimes even forgetting it exists. Life is simple and we love it. No, we are not bored. Sometimes we get a bit antsy to move on but then a neighbor drops by, a fish jumps, a new book arrives, something breaks, cushions need cleaning, a good musician shows up, or a storm, and another month has passed. I cook and bake often and reflect daily on the wonderful friends and support I have. It is nice when we call our family and friends and get caught up, and if you have a Verizon cell phone you can call us for free…so do! I wonder if I’ll ever return to my occupation as a counselor and then realize I am still on-call at two hospitals and greatly miss my co-workers and patients. We are both anxious to get home and begin wedding plans; I have stayed up a few nights creating landscape designs and problem solving the unsolvable. Someone once told me that all thoughts and decisions made at night don’t count and should be thrown out….my latest coping skill. xo

Jamin

2010-02-08T14:10:00.000-08:00

The Big One!

2010-02-08T14:07:00.000-08:00

Laundry Z-Style

2010-02-08T14:03:00.000-08:00

Roof Repair Man

2010-02-08T13:59:00.000-08:00

Rita & Amy

2010-02-08T13:55:00.000-08:00

No Shoes,No Shirt, No Problem

2010-02-08T13:45:00.000-08:00

February 7, 2010
Yes, we are still in Zihuatanejo and loving it! Here is the latest: Francie and Deren arrived on the 27th of January and left on the 5th of February. We miss them already as lots of fun was to be had with this feisty, playful couple. Our visit with them began with a sail to Isla Grande where we anchored, swam, walked, ate and drank ourselves into a healthy blissfulness. I must say that health has been a number one priority on this trip and it was great to have Francie as a swimming partner nearly every day. I have met few people who enjoy the water as much as Steve and I. Deren actually ‘snorkeled up’ and cleaned our boat hull. Steve’s ear issues are slowly improving so Deren’s efforts were greatly appreciated as weird, ugly things grow profusely on the hull in this very warm water (85°). Next, Francie and Deren encouraged us to take a bus ride to Playa de Potosi which was a gas. This is my favorite beach so far as the water has some mineral in it that looks like gold. It is about an hour long ride that involves a simple transfer, fast cruising, prime cultural viewing and intense perspiring. After being dropped off by the bus in an unknown region we were offered a ride in the back of a pickup truck several miles to the beach where we ate ice cream, guacamole, salsa & chips, fish, etc for hours. The swimming was great and the many discoveries and people we met just trying to get a bus back to Z-town was consistent with our theme of FUN, FUN, FUN. Noteworthy is our daily consumption of guacamole and chips. Steve is getting a bit sick of this menu item but not me……exclude the tomatoes and I know I have experienced many days thus far where it’s all we have eaten and I believe is the perfect meal. Thankfully Frannie and Deren felt the same. Our next activity was to rent a car ($50.00 a day which includes insurance) and head for Troncones which is an hour drive north. Maryjo and Bill introduced us to a great villa there called Manzanillo Bay Inn and for $100.00 a night we had a great bungalow, pool, private surfing beach, restaurant, and comfortable housing for three days. The only bummer was the rain. Yes rain and lightening invaded us and we had to have fun anyhow. We still managed to boogie board and laugh our way through three days of intense moisture. Deren and Steve actually had to drive back to the boat which we left at Ixtapa marina to dry it out as again, we left the hatches open. Francie and I played cribbage and read most of the day and okay…..she won and I lost 3-2. A few places that I highly recommend if anyone is planning a trip to this area, both in Troncones: www.manzanillobay.com my favorite. Also, a few miles down we stayed in another villa called Majahua palms www.majahuapalms.com this is also nice but you have to walk a ways down the beach to swim and the units not quite as clean. Mike Graves is the owner of the second spot and he and his wife are very friendly Americans who aim to please all guests. Next, after leaving Troncones and boarding the Lady J we went sailing and France caught a fish, a beautiful 18-inch blue fin tuna…a major treat for all of us as we scarfed it up immediately. Sailing and fishing is like being in heaven for those of you who have never tried it I highly recommend the experience so please COME VISIT US! So much more has occurred and at the expense of boring you I’ll stop here. We are now without company and have enjoyed the sail fest activities and actually plan on watching the Super bowl at Banditos restaurant this afternoon. Amy and Tom plan on joining us around the first of March and perhaps we’ll cruise up to Manzanillo with them and pick up Ali and Daniel on the 23rd and home on the first of April from Puerto Vallarta. Steve is idly searching for a crew mate to bring the boat to Mazatlan or north into the Sea of Cortez, so anyone out there interested should contact him. Time is flying and the good news is that Steve and I still love each other.

Swinging in Z-town

2010-01-24T10:22:00.001-08:00

A Day In Zihuatanejo

2010-01-24T10:14:00.000-08:00

Saturday, January 23, 2010
Ola Amigos! We are still in Zihuatanejo and enjoying ourselves immensely. Our daily routine is something like this: Wake up around 7:00ish, have a strong Mexican cup of coffee perhaps with a dash of sweetened condensed (half and half is virtually nonexistent here and refrigerating dairy products is an ongoing challenge), then begin some serious lounging which ivolves reading, journaling, cleaning, maybe a morning swim, making a light breakfast and continual chatting about the sea and our nautical lifestyle. Typically we are ready to disembark around 12:00ish always assessing the overall current, wind & water conditions before doing so. When you have a single line (the anchor) holding on to all your possessions it is important to be cognizant and comfortable to leave. Daily, we swim from the boat to the beach known as Playa de Ropa. I stuff my sunglasses in my swimsuit and Steve puts sunscreen, money and his shades into a zip lock bag and into a zipper pocket. Commuting to the beach is blast, probably a ¼ mile swim, fairly easy going ashore but usually the wind and swell has increases by the time we swim back and it is clearly a workout not for the timid swimmer. We also add a 2 mile walk at least and by the time we return to the boat we feel pretty darn buff and yes, sun kissed! We are exploring every day. Steve generally likes to walk into hardware-like stores and look at various boy things and I force him to eat popsicles, and look at many, many hotels, shops and restaurants. Our favorite line is, “I wish Maria and Brandon were getting married here.” We are constantly being shown all of our new found beach friend’s villas as they are all eager to share and show their great deals. Yesterday we actually met some great folks staying in a trailer park…not for me, but they pay $100.00 a week for an ‘almost new’ trailer on the beach. My favorite place to date is a new hotel named Hotel Don Francisco on the south end of Playa Ropa. I may have Steve talked into getting a room for a week when the time is right….first class, check out the website: www.hotelcasadonfrancisco.com. I have become rather obsessed with food and lodging, I think I need a break from the boat (and Steve). Quarters are tight but truthfully we are doing quite well and have adopted a playful and nurturing child spirit in order to cope with these conditions. I still miss a bathtub and a toilet that simply flushes. Water is an issue and of course battery power. We can actually have water, ice, beer, fuel, propane, and laundry delivered to the boat, rather cheaply I might add. However every two weeks or so the boat requires a deep cleaning and pulling into a marina for a night makes a few of the above chores much easier. Life is never boring and recently a few interesting events have occurred: We were lounging into the early afternoon on Tuesday and Steve was getting a bit antsy to do something (antsy behavior: polishing winches, washing dirty rags, drying dishes, weird utterances and annoyingly under foot) when our nearby boaters started hollering “mayday, mayday, we need your dingy.” Steve, of course jumps into Amy (the name of our dingy) and goes to the rescue. Clueless, I observe the following: One of our fellow cruisers had beached himself on a rocky point…he had actually run aground for whatever reason we are still unsure (I believe he was engaged in sexual activity for reasons I will not disclose here, and also because it seems to be the only answer to the avoidable situation….please keep in mind I try to remain nonjudgmental as I know so very little about sailing). Anyhow, off Steve goes with another skipper into the depths of the bay with several other rescue boats. From a distance I could see the boat smashing against the rocks and my fearless husband right up next to it. The boat was pulled successfully off the rocks with some rudder damage, a few leaks and the skippers wounded pride. The whole ordeal lasted about an hour and Steve returns with an exciting story that involved his life being put at risk as well as others. In a classic situation such as this, the rescuers are known to be in greater danger than the one being rescued. That same day we swam ashore and were palapa-ing with some friends when a parasail ran into a palm tree! Please, please, please tell your children not to participate in this activity, it is stupid and the rules and standards of the trade are nonexistent in Mexico. We are unsure as to the extent of the injuries to this woman but it didn’t look good. This was the most exciting day on the beach yet. As a ordinary day continues, if we don’t go out to dinner, we make it back to the boat by sunset and I light candles and make us a fabulous dinner and hand squeezed margaritas. We have been keeping score of our cribbage games since pre-Christmas, per Ali’s suggestion and 14 to 9 Steve leading is the tally. I was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay ahead till we started keeping score. Cruisers bedtime is around 9:00pm unless I talk Steve into using battery power to watch a movie (thanks Mark).
Today we will find an internet café so I can post this blog. This involves a fabulous 20 minute dingy ride to Playa Principal where Jesus greets us and for 10 pesos guides us in and watches our dingy. We then have a pleasant stroll amongst the vendors and along the cobblestone of Zihuatanejo unsure as to what internet café we’ll come upon and the quality of computer available. We hope to have an early dinner with MaryJo and Bill who will arrive with great stories of their visit to Caleta de Compos. Tomorrow we will lounge and Monday we are off to Marina Ixtapa for a deep cleaning. My sister Francie and her husband Deren will arrive on Wednesday and will be with us for nine days. We love having visitors. I have a dozen events planned including a trip to the copper factory at Santa Clara del Cobre, dinner at El Rincon Marino and another Italian favorite. Francie and I will swim ashore and have a first class breakfast at The Tides, shop for jumbo shrimp at the market, a cruise to Bara de Petosis, and all the other regular activities such as shopping for silk hammocks, snorkeling, palapa-ing and fine dining on the boat. When are you all coming to visit???????? xo

Anchor Storm

2010-01-16T15:17:00.000-08:00

The Crew

2010-01-16T15:09:00.000-08:00

Z-Town

2010-01-16T14:58:00.000-08:00

Hi all, this will be short as using the computer here is very time consuming and not fun. We have been in Z-town for about a week now. The anchorage is marvelous and the weather, swimming, shopping, and daily adventures seem endless. My sister Maryjo and her friend Bill have been with us for the past week....our very first visitors and we had a blast co existing on the boat together. Lot´s of fresh fruit, fish and yesterday we bought a huge boquet of basil and made pesto. My sister Francie and her husband will visit us on the 27th and I´m getting tired of the blog thing...sorry all but I do love you and think of you often, especially those of you at work! I have almost forgotten how to use the phone, my hair is very grey, Steve is finally relaxing and reading books like crazy. Our spanish is improving, Maria is stressed about the wedding and I really miss my horse. Second anchor storm occured last night, it lasted only 10 minutes but we were incrediably responsive and ready to pull anchor if needed. Needs: Blue rubber bands, solar panels would be a plus, and a toilet that flushes with just one push. I still have moisture in the salt shaker and sand in my ears...please send prayers. xxxoooo

Rod Stewart & The Grey Hair Lady

2010-01-16T14:55:00.000-08:00

Careyes

2010-01-01T16:54:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2010-01-01T13:32:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2010-01-01T13:27:00.000-08:00

December 29, 2009
TENACATITA
It is hot here. We have been to so many amazing places I’m not sure where to begin. Okay, I’ll rattle them off: Boca de Tomatlan, Punta Ipala, Chamela, Careyes, and presently we are in Tenacatita. Officially we are now in the tropics and not only do we see it but feel it in every square inch of our bones….so lovely. The water, foliage and sea life continue to astound us. We are just above latitude 19 and will hustle our buns, Mexican style of course, to Zihuatanejo and meet up with our new one week crew: Maryjo and Bill (my sister and here sweetie). We are trying to swim, snorkel and walk everyday and even that can be a challenge at times due to weather and local conditions. Walking…in small villages flip flops won’t work, in fact they don’t work overall because Mexico does not blacktop their roads. The creative bed rock is unbelievable workmanship and one must always watch their step. We have known fellow cruisers with sprain ankles…number one injury. We walk a lot out of necessity, getting food, boat parts, touring etc. Also, getting to shore has to be assessed, if we can get to shore easily and if the beach is walk able, sometimes they extend for miles but have a really steep grade and you just kind of get gobbled up walking a very short distance. Swimming is our number one choice of exercise. Often times the seas are high and the cloudy water is not conducive to snorkeling. I know you feel sorry for us and these obstacles so here are a few more details: Steve broke the ore to the dingy and we have had a few mechanical problems in which Steve has promptly taken care of…the old fashion way I might add. We blew a cooling hose and water was being pumped into the boat. We had 30 gallons of water in the engine compartment before Steve noticed and we had to jerry rig it back together. The problem is temporarily fixed and he plans on finishing the job when we can find a mechanical part store. We now have more battery capacity so we can run the freezer longer without having to constantly start the motor. Steve is my hero AND he still verbalizes undying love for me. I get a bit cranky at times and sick of talking boat talk. I am looking forward to our visit with my sister so we can engage in girl talk and share this fabulous journey with loved ones. Christmas day was glorious; we were in Chamela and had an amazing traditional feast with our buddy boat friends. I made a pumpkin pie, (I actually had a real sugar pumpkin) and mash potatoes and Vicky roasted a turkey on Rocinante. We ate sooooo much, had a jam session and went for an evening swim.
I am participating more and more in the sailing activities. Steve actually let me put the sails up and run the show for a day…okay a few hours and I am enjoying myself. Steve is turning into a drummer and he is often having his first beer at 11:00. We almost flipped the dingy today on the breakers going into the beach. Steve was thrown out of the boat and my weight saved the day! The motor was running I pulled the red kill switch, raised motor and surfed on in while Steve was drowning. Just kidding it was quite shallow. I am his hero…..the dingy prop suffered no damage. I hope you all had a merry Christmas, Steve sends his best wishes to all that give a damn. A few more words about where we have been: Puerto Vallarta has a horrid marina but the culture is splendid. Tomatlan is a very special place that you should all visit by bus if you go to PV. My brother Mick showed it to us and we loved our anchorage there even though we woke up dragging it and could have been a disaster. We did not stop in Yelapa (thought of you Anita) because I had a cold and felt crappie. And rounding Cabo Corrientes is the most beautiful part of Mexico I’ve seen yet (well maybe…). Those of you that have five star tastes really need to visit Careyes and please note that you need to speak three languages to buy a villa there and rooms are $1000.00 per night. It is a picturesque hillside from the sea and ohhhhh how I wish I could vacation there someday. Mom would love it. Tenacatita provided us with a tropical jungle dingy trip up the Rio Iguana that is a host to crocks and other various unknown creatures. The excursion takes you to a beautiful sandy beach where you can swim, eat, buy groceries and dingy home…..great spot to camp, bring the kids, or just sail down and throw out your anchor and stay a year….lots of people do this!
As I send this I must wish you all HAPPY NEW YEAR as we have sailed under moonlight to the lovely Manzanillo Bay. It is hot here. Very magical and European style villas built into the cliffs and the anchorage is protected and boy do they know how to celebrate Ney Years. The light show was incredible from the boat and the music blared until 4:00am (we are getting used to this as the Mexicans love to play tunes into the wee hours). Thanks for reading folks, I could go on and on and on, but time to go enjoy the pool and our friend Andres is showing us a new restaurant for a early dinner. Adios and love to all.

MAN OVERBOARD

2010-01-01T11:37:00.000-08:00

Puerto Vallarta

2009-12-21T08:49:00.000-08:00

December 18th,2009
Happy Holidays everyone! We are alive and well. Reluctantly, we left Isla Isabela heading southeast to San Blas around the 12th of December. We were a bit hesitant to explore San Blas as we were told the mosquitoes were prolific, I think we saw one during our brief stay at anchor. San Blas is a historical village immortalized by H.W. Longfellow’s final poem, The Bells of San Blas. Had a great breakfast, walk, re-provisioned and pushed off to our next anchorage: Chacala. What a beauty! If you ever want to get off the tourist track and stay on a lovely beach with a strong cultural component, this is it. If you enjoy the tropical jungle environment call us for an unbelievable hotel recommendation. Steve and I took a crazy walk one day and ended up on top of a crater and surprisingly this funky hotel built in the jungle (Anita, if you are reading this you would love this place) just appeared…..wild! This is where the picture was taken of Steve behind bars. Again, reluctantly, we left Chacala for Punta Mita, a rather first class place on the northern end of Banderas Bay. I was in need of primping and a bit whiny so Steve took me out to a fabulous Italian dinner. We found a hotel and almost checked into it but Steve was unwilling to spend $450 a night, maybe on Valentines Day. We then cruised another 10 miles south to La Cruz where are friends on Rocinante had a condo. Spent a couple of days boogie boarding, swimming in pools, listening to great music and re-provisioning via long expensive bus rides which prompted us to pull anchor and head into Puerto Vallarta which is where we are now. I have typed this entry in two segments and presently it is December 20th and things are beginning to look like Christmas around the Lady J. When we have power…….and everything revolves around power…..I hang up the Christmas lights in the cockpit. I guess I’d better take a picture! The boat is spic and span, Steve has spent the past couple of days upgrading our batteries, and tomorrow we will leave PV and sail out of Banderas Bay south round Cabo Corrientes perhaps to Bahia Chamela. We will be accompanied by our buddy boat Rocinante and no TV, internet, power, or family for Christmas. Vicky is baking a Turkey and I will bake the pumpkin pie. I so wish you all could join us for this fabulous journey we are on, but in my heart I truly would rather be with all of you for the holidays. Much love, and Feliz Navidad!

Jam Session on Lady J

2009-12-18T14:44:00.001-08:00

ISLA ISABELA

2009-12-18T10:49:00.000-08:00

December 11, 2009
I think we have found paradise! This is a remarkable island totally uninhabited except for the fishermen who populate a small beach off our bow. The island is 20 miles off shore, the exact position for those of you using google earth is: 21.50.6N, 105.52.7. Huge flocks of birds populate what feels like every square inch. Blue and yellow-footed boobies along with frigate birds, terns and gulls live in on the cliffs and nest in the trees. Even Steve tip toes through the groves so as to not disturb the mating pairs and babies. The blue-footed boobies are my favorite as their young are covered in snow white down. It is amazing how they allow us to walk literally a foot away, sometimes closer. I’m talking thousands and thousands of birds. Jacque Cousteau protected this island from development in 1980 as it was one of his favorite places. We have had some amazing walks along cliffs and lava shorelines. And the weather, well it’s always clear, hot, and humid with a slight breeze blowing.
Today is Friday (if it were not for this computer I would be unsure) and we arrived on Wednesday morning around 7:00am. Our departure from Mazatlan began around noon with the spinnaker gently blowing us past the tourist beach and south 150.° We had two remarkable encounters with whales on this journey the first being the most spectacular. We had just finished lowering the genacker into its sock (this is no easy task for just Steve and I…we miss you Amy) and literally 25 feet off our starboard side I saw a massive whale swimming parallel to us much like a dolphin would do. I shouted to Steve, as we are all a little paranoid of whales due to the incident that occurred during our first leg on the Haha, and he calmly replies, “Look, he’s playing with us.” So,this journey began playing with whales. There were two of them, which looked to be as long as our boat (39’) side by side and they gradually spouted away off our stern and we continued to have multiple sightings the entire way to Isabela.
I went snorkeling yesterday and saw a manta ray, turtles and lots of various tropical fish. I have never snorkeled in such deep water and the reefs were incredible off the cliffs. Great exercise! We spent hours mindlessly swimming amongst the treasures of the sea. Lots of jellyfish and the biggest danger is sharks……haven’t seen any yet but this bay is named Bahia Tiburoneros which means shark in Espanola.
We also had our first jam session on the Lady J. Our buddy boat Rocinante has musicians aboard and they joined us for dinner with a bag of musical instruments and five of us serenaded to the sound of the sea till the wee hour of 9:00pm. We have only two other boats at anchor with us and I’m sure we provided interesting entertainment for them and the fishing village! We leave tomorrow for San Blas 45 miles southeast. Things we need: A water maker, solar panels, more ice, scented candles, sunflower seeds (can’t find them in Mexico mainland) a bigger battery, sweet ginger for bread and chocolate. The fishermen love chocolate for trade. They arrive at our boat every morning with fresh fish. They really are not interested in money and ask for things like water, candy, clothing and smiles! Great people here and life is simple. However, there is a penal colony of four islands southwest of us called Islas Tres Marias which is patrolled by the Mexican Navy and is to be avoided at all cost. I’d love to do a research project on that! We often mention how the prisoners live in paradise out here in the middle of no where….yet I’m sure life is quite miserable for them. Enough said for now, love you all!

Local Drug Dealer

2009-12-03T08:58:00.001-08:00

Feeling Groovy

2009-12-03T08:53:00.000-08:00

Sunset crossing the Sea of Cortez

2009-12-03T08:45:00.000-08:00

MAZATLAN

2009-12-03T08:37:00.000-08:00

December 3, 2009

We did it! We crossed the Sea of Cortez. This crossing took us about 42 hours. We slowed way down and took the sails in around midnight as we had to delay our approach until daylight. This is typical when pulling into a new port as one never knows what may lurk close to shore. Speaking of………………… we were sailing ever so quietly and slowly into Mazatlan on November 30th (the morning of Steve’s birthday roughly 6:00am, and it was dark) and suddenly Steve heard a rather large splash. As I arrived in the cock pit we both witnessed a huge spouting whale with a rather intimidating growl sound. We should have turned on the motor (this is what THEY say) or at least music to let them know we were in their playground but ohhhhhhhhhhhh noooooooooooo we heard and saw a few more swashes and thankfully avoided a collision. There is definitely whale paranoia amongst the fleet (okay, mostly with the women). But seriously, you should make noise as their neuro-receptor sensors (just Google it, or call Ali) are different than that of the dolphin. It was a freaky event for both of us, exciting nonetheless. We are in the Mazatlan Marina, dock 4, slip 23 and for those of you interested in finances we are paying about $23 a night, that is with the baja haha discount and if we pay for four nights we get three for free. So much to Steve’s dismay we will stay an entire week before departing to Isla Isabela. Steve likes to keep going and I am one that likes to stop, relax, stay awhile, socialize, cook, eat and enjoy the new surroundings. Steve is taking very good care of me as he knows traveling is tough on my equilibrium. I did not get sick crossing the SOC but it was touch and go at times and hey, we are in no hurry to get anywhere. Therefore, Sunday morning the 6th we will push off again. Steve would like to get to Zihuantanejo for Christmas but I’m not sure we will sail that quickly. Apparently the anchorages between here and Z-town are absolutely divine and my plan is to enjoy, snorkel, fish and RELAX. Today we will pick up our new hammock that we special ordered from a local (cotton seat and nylon handles) and I need to purchase a few kitchen utensils such as a cheese grater and a juice squeezer. Our laundry is being done for a mere 45 pesos folded and all, and I do miss the simple act of a one flush toilet. We are walking several miles every day and our diet includes lots of shrimp here in the shrimp capital of the world. We are still traveling with new found friends on the Rosenante and are never bored or lonely. Thanksgiving was a tough day for me as I missed all of you and was sick. I was also irritated because there is a pumpkin shortage over here and I couldn’t even make a pie……we had to have Kahlua and ice-cream instead. I know, you feel sorry for us! We haven’t had any visitors yet but I did get to spend a few hours with Susie Webster, my sister-n-law who is a flight attendant for Alaska Airlines. We are thinking about a short vacation to the mainland in January to visit our parents and family……….but would much rather you all come visit us here in sunny Mexico. The above photo is of Steve caught in a squall while crossing the SOC, our first rain since we left Seattle on October 15th).

The Captain

2009-11-28T05:47:00.000-08:00

SICK IN LA PAZ

2009-11-21T18:18:00.000-08:00

November 21, 2009
SICK
I got it, Steve has not. The last 36 hours I have spent in bed or in the bathroom. It all starts with flu like symptoms and ends the same way. I have vomited more in the past 30 days than I have in the past 25 years. Once we arrived in La Paz the joy of not cooking was such a wonderful relief we ate out for nearly every meal. The night before I got sick we attended the last haha beach party hosted by the La Paz tourist center and the conditions of the buffet line were questionable BUT I WAS HUNGRY (as always). Enough said as it is painful to reflect on this subject as I am still a bit under. (Ali, it reminds me of your story with Shanda).
We started Spanish classes! Imelda is our teacher and she works for the local community center. Steve and I are beginners so this will be a long slow process. Our stay here in La Paz will probably be until the first week of December as we plan to enjoy Thanksgiving here and continue the Spanish classes. Internet is a constant challenge. Hauling in my computer on the dinging is what’s required and it’s a bit of a hassle (and risk). Most of the internet café’s will not allow me to use a flashdrive, thus the irregular emails. We are settling in therefore tomorrow we will move to a marina slip at Marin Palmira. We walked 5 miles out of town today to check it out. $24.00 a day for our 39 foot vessel and the facility is “almost new” (a famous Mexico saying). I am ready for a few amenities and the boat needs cleaning, water and time to “power up” our tech gear and refrigerator. Recent paranoia: Cockroaches. Tomorrow we will go to the Asian district to find Chinese Chalk. Apparently this substance has glass in it and somehow, someway, you coat the dock lines and base to prevent a cockroach march and infestation. Nice huh? It’s me or them as far as I’m concerned. Enough for now & love to all.

LA PAZ

2009-11-21T18:03:00.000-08:00

November 17th, 2009

It has been an interesting journey getting to this place. Please keep in mind readers that I am not a sailor….I am learning how to be one and again my nautical jargon and overall familiarity is slim. Anchoring, we spend a lot of time anchoring. Setting the anchor (45 # CQR), testing the anchor, listening to the anchor, watching the anchor and finally pulling up the anchor. One needs to be very careful not to scratch the boat while bringing it up. We have this cool remote control device, kind of like the one you use for your TV that easily lifts the 100’ 5/16 chain and 250 or so feet of rode (rope) right off the bottom of the ocean. It’s a nifty thing for a country girl like me. Lifting chain and rode, that’s my job here on the Lady J, what seems like all day long sometimes, as Steve is quite particular as to where, when and how we drop our anchor. Heading toward La Paz from Frailes we anchored in this beautiful, what felt like a canyon, a bay called Puerto Ballandra. The boat next to us was dragging chain and came within 20’ of actually hitting us. The frustrating part of this situation was that Steve refused to move the boat “why should I move, he’s the problem.” So basically the game of chicken is played while this yacht just slowly drags right on by us with nobody seeming too alarmed but me. I’m learning how to relax but sometimes it’s just no easy task, and I miss my horse.
Okay, enough of my whining. Our anchorage in Puerto Ballandra was beautiful but as the evening progressed the winds rose to 25 knots and the swells kept us up all night. First thing in the morning we headed for a new spot as we were anxious to explore beaches, swim and continue slowly to La Paz…hey what’s the hurry right? Well the wind gradually increased and thankfully we hid just around the corner from Ballandra in a new cove called Caleta Lobos (Tim, I sure hope you are tracking all of this and if so the real name of this cove is El Merito). We tucked in behind a big island and barely escaped another tough night of heavy winds in our secure well protected spot (yes, it was a spot). Three nights with little sleep, did I say that life is really tough down here? We never did get to swim or explore the shoreline as the winds kept me snug in the boat and Steve was wanting to be watchful of our new anchorage (he really loves his boat). The truth: Caleta Lobos has mangrove trees on the shoreline that appear to thrive in the sand. After hearing that the birds love to nest in these trees and poisonous snakes linger to eat their eggs this confirmed my decision to stay aboard. We pulled anchor at 630am on Monday and slowly motored into La Paz which is a very long narrow channel probably 3 miles or so. I certainly would not want to pull into here at night. We have dropped anchor in a fleet of a hundred or so boats and spent the day yesterday walking around town and getting groceries. We must have had 10 bags stashed in our little dingy and off we went zipping back to our boat. The boat is home and is quite comfortable for us. Amy arrived with her friends yesterday and she plans on taking a flight home on Wednesday. We will entertain tonight on the boat. I plan on getting some fresh scallops from a fisherman on the wharf and making pasta. Today we will get a slip in Marina de La Paz, fill our water tank (yes we filter and treat it) take showers, do laundry, eat, drink, socialize, shop, walk, run, laugh, cry (I miss being the MOB) and just enjoy La Paz, 85° and the wind has finally subsided.
November 21, 2009

ADIOS

2009-11-13T15:53:00.001-08:00

LOS FRAILES & ENSENADA de LOS MUERTOS

2009-11-13T15:33:00.000-08:00

November 13, 2009
Lady J pulled anchor from Cabo early Tuesday morning. It is now Friday the 13th and we have a lovely anchorage in the Cove of the Dead (Los Muertos). Our first stop was Los Frailes (The Friars) about 43 miles northeast of Cabo. This was an eight hour journey and we probably spent about two hours of it sailing. The wind was light and the sun hot! Hook in the water but no fish. This really was the first journey for just Steve and I, as I mentioned above Amy is on another boat with some wonderful people and is running a day or so behind us. Adios (the boat she is on) pulled into our anchorage at Frailes late Wednesday evening and we didn’t even get to say hello to her as we pulled anchor early Thursday. We did however get her picture…….look how happy she is! The beach at Los Frailes is the highlight and finally we got to snorkel. A bit dangerous near the rocks so we puttered just off the beach and found some wonderful shells and saw some amazing fish. The water is close to 80 degrees and swimming, lounging, eating, drinking, socializing and gazing are our pastimes. Steve is constantly puttering on the boat and I’m happy to report that nothing major has broken yet. We seem to run the battery every five hours to keep the refer working and our computers charged (camera’s & cell phones too). Anyhow, Pulled anchor from Frailes Thursday morning and cruised north for 9 hours to Los Muertos. We saw dolphins! Buck naked, out in the middle of nowhere (okay it was 23°18.5’N 109°24.5’W) Steve shouts “Look!” Sure enough, a small pod of about eight or so dolphins was playing on both sides of the boat. What looked like a mom and baby took lead at the stern of the boat and jumped and frolicked with us for about 5-10 minutes. This was a thrill for me because I had never seen (only heard) of these close appearances. Beautiful creatures, lighter in color than what we have in the northwest and huge! I was too excited to grab the camera so maybe next time I’ll get a shot. This cove was once a thriving little port bringing in supplies and shipping ore from silver mines and salt. Apparently old sunken anchors exist and resemble the dead such the name. Today there is a single restaurant, The Giggling Marlin and Steve and I had a fabulous dinner there last night. We bought a bag of ice which the bartender dumped in two big plastic bags and then we jumped in our dingy and headed back to the boat in total darkness. This particular dingy landing was quite the challenge as it was literally a vertical rock wall about 20 feet high with manmade steps (thankfully). This is Mexico, definitely not Hawaii and not for the less adventurous. Did I say life is really tough? Twenty other boats are anchored with us. We have yet to feel unsafe, and have not gotten sick. Last night at dinner I was reminded of the two rules of sailing by a skipper ready to leave port: No bananas on board and never leave port on a Friday….especially Friday the 13th. Went to bed at 8:00pm and woke at 4:30am to a glorious sunset (photo above), no fish on the hook for at least a week, life is really tough.

Goodbye Cabo

2009-11-09T19:17:00.000-08:00

Steve and I pull anchor tomorrow am...probably at the break of dawn which is roughly 630am. We will sail 43 miles north into the Sea of Cortez to a small bay called Los Frailes. Our journey will be 5-7 hours and we are excited to get out of the craziness of Cabo San Lucas and anchor in a quiet bay. We were snorkeling at Lovers Beach this morning making adjustments our new gear. Amy has decided not to fly home right away, instead she is continuing to La Paz on another boat named Adios with some new friends. This may be the last post for awhile so please continue to send prayers as we love all of you greatly!
(Steve requests special prayers)

Life is Good

2009-11-09T19:15:00.000-08:00

Romance AFTER the Storm

2009-11-09T19:13:00.000-08:00

The Start Line

2009-11-09T19:12:00.000-08:00

A True Pirate

2009-11-09T19:09:00.000-08:00

The Catch

2009-11-09T19:07:00.000-08:00

The Fleet

2009-11-09T19:02:00.001-08:00

Lady J Fan Club

2009-11-09T11:56:00.000-08:00

The Wave

2009-11-09T11:54:00.000-08:00

LEG THREE (Cabo San Lucas)

2009-11-08T08:33:00.001-08:00

November 6th, 2009
We did it! Leg three of the Baja ha-ha is complete. We pulled anchor on Wednesday at 6:00am and sadly sailed goodbye from the beautiful bay of Bahia Santa Maria. We covered 180 miles in roughly 33 hours to our slip. Yes, our slip. We are staying in the luxurious Marina Cabo San Lucas. It is very expensive, probably the priciest place we’ll stay on our entire trip. But we need the amenities, i.e. rest showers, laundry, easy access to groceries, restaurants and the whole tourist thing are fun. The sail was relatively easy compared to leg one, 15-23 knot winds, swells 5-8 feet and at times we had no wind and resorted to motor sailing. We are having interesting moments playing with our genacker which is used for light breezes and is sooooooooooooooo beautiful with its florescent colors. AND we caught a Mahi Mahi (unsure of the spelling) and grilled it an hour within catching (the best fish I have ever had). Our first night in Cabo (we arrived in the dark at 9:00pm) the fleet had a bash at the ever famous Squid Roe. This is a huge bar that probably accommodates 400+ crazy, dancing sailors. We danced, probably got to bed around 1:00amish. Amy continues to function beautifully on little sleep, and she easily establishes wonderful (and very cute) friends. Yesterday she attended the beach party while Steve and I did the wallmart shopping to reprovision the boat. Today is the closing Baja ha-ha ceremony. Perhaps some you heard about the sailboat that sunk during our first leg due to a whale attack. The fleet is trying to fly down the captain of that boat to share the story. My hope is she will be present at this closing event as we have all been a little on edge regarding the fluke episode and wish to know the details and lessons learned. CAN YOU IMAGINE? (The skipper spoke at our closing event last night and please note that it was not a whale attack. For the details of this event, which is quite fascinating I suggest you purchase Latitude 38, January issue) At present, our challenges include: Language, laundry, banking, water, and the heat (loading things on the boat require long walks with heavy items). Amy will probably fly out of Cabo within the next few days (although I think she is open to staying for the season) and Steve and I will putter north to La Paz. We plan on having Thanksgiving with our new friends Dan and Rainy in La Paz but who knows anything can happen between now and then. Anchoring in Punta Los Frailes and then Endenada de los Muertos before reaching La Paz is the projected itinerary. The internet connection continues to be a problem as we have yet to get online from the boat and wireless café’s are scarce. It is a really tough life here dealing with the fresh fish, lovely culture, warm breezes, fellow sailors and warm water. I will probably not be able to post again for a few weeks so please, don’t worry too much about us, I think we’ll survive.

LEG TWO (BAHIA TORTUGAS to BAHIA SANTA MARIA)

2009-11-08T08:16:00.000-08:00

November 3, 2009
The fleet has arrived to Bahia Santa Maria. We are roughly two thirds of the way down the Baja of Mexico. Leg two was a vastly different experience than leg one. The seas were calm, winds never higher than 11 knots and the swells were basically nonexistent. We sailed the first 36 hours with the genacker flying and then ran out of wind. Finally we gave up, dropped the sail and motored in arriving at a breathtaking 11 mile long beach. The trip was 48 hours of pure bliss compared to our first leg and the most exciting part: We caught a blue fin tuna! Amy started her watch at 7:30am and 20 minutes later “FISH ON!” Steve rigged an amazing hand line and it actually worked. Maybe a 15 pound catch. There is no town in this bay only a handful of fisherman. However, specifically for our fleet accoutrements were shipped in by water taxis and the local villagers served us a fabulous lunch. The locals here are poor, badly bruised by hurricanes, yet happiness is abundant. Collectively, we all agree we are in heaven and our only concern is how to feed Steve for the next four days. We are out of bread, have very little ice, smell just a wee bit, and are salty, warm and content. We leave tomorrow at 6:00am (San Diego time) for Cabo San Lucas. Hasta luego amigos!

LEG ONE (SAN DIEGO to BAHIA TORTUGAS)

2009-11-08T07:55:00.000-08:00

First, we feel it necessary to mention our send-off from San Diego. Tom and Lois followed us out in ‘Dela’ and cheered us on as we paraded with the rest of the Baja Haha fleet of 190+ boats. They went above and beyond by creating signs, checking in with us in the early am, and simply being our best support system preparing for this event. THANK YOU TOM AND LOIS (and the boys: Kevin, Kyle & Keenan). Departing San Diego Bay with 190+ beautiful, bright colored genackers (Steve is only 93 percent sure of this spelling) flying was truly a sight to be seen!
We arrived at our 1st anchorage in Bahia Tortugas (Turtle Bay) at approximately 3:00am Thursday. The moon had set around 3:00am and yes; it was pitch black, windy, the crew severely sleep-deprived and needless to say a bit eerie entering into this unknown bay. Especially, after we had just covered 350 miles (64 hours straight sailing) in mostly 12 to 15 foot swells (with intermittent 30+ footers) and 25 to 30 knot winds, gusting to 35 knots! Rita was hearing voices, Amy was seeing things, and Steve was one cool cat. It was a very spiritual experience for all. We are now seasoned and securely anchored for a couple days of rest. The captain remains strong. Rita is recovering from sea sickness and Amy is our champion sailor. Currently we count 50 to 60 of our fellow haha members and are praying for the rest to arrive safely. The officials encouraged those sailing with children, and the weak of heart to head into shore due to heavy weather conditions. But ohhhhhhhhhhh no, not this crew. WE DID IT! Leg one complete. Our new Moto: Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.
An important side note from Steve to Paul and Nam: There were a few times I wished you were there to take a watch but the ladies came through when things got tough and their feminine energy made things rather interesting.

Wireless in Mexico

2009-11-07T16:01:00.000-08:00

Hi all. Finally got to a working computer here in Cabo and it will not accept my flash drive. Stay tuned as we have lots of great pictures and stories. Notably, we are safe after a horrific storm and enjoying the hot weather. I will hopefully be able to post tomorrow! Adios till then!
Rita

Via Italia Trattoria!

2009-10-21T12:06:00.000-07:00

Last night we spent a glorious evening with Lois and Tom Hirsh (Steve's brother). Graciously, we were invited to experience a fabulous evening with their friend Paolo. Paolo and his wife own an authentic Italian restaurant located in downtown Encinitas. The evening, without question qualified as FUN and the food, wine and entertainment pure Italian. Yep, we are definitely preparing for the Baja Ha-ha. Amy arrives on Saturday, the skippers meeting on Sunday am, costume party Sunday evening and Monday am is the start of leg one from San Diego to Turtle Bay.

Going Green!

2009-10-19T08:56:00.000-07:00

Sunny San Diego

2009-10-19T08:28:00.001-07:00

Steve and I arrived in San Diego on the 15th. At this point there is not a whole lot to report except the adjustment to boat life and city life are going well. We rented a Smart car much to the dismay of Steve as it does not quite handle like a F450, but it is economical and FUN (which is our theme). At night we have shrimp munching on our boat hull and we are sleeping well. We both ran yesterday, toured mission beach, and today we have the first Baja gathering. Sorry about the absence of a photo the transmission is in failure mode.

Captain & Crew

2009-09-29T12:22:00.000-07:00

Nam

2009-09-22T09:58:00.000-07:00

San Diego Arrival

2009-09-21T10:23:00.000-07:00

The guys arrived on Saturday morning and I await photo's from Steve so we can share all their exuberant happiness. Thanks Tom and Lois (and boys) for your hospitality and thank you Zune (Nam's wife) for sharing a meal with the boys after arrival. Steve is getting around in Tom's flat- bead pickup which he loves and will move the boat from the police dock to Tom's marina on Thursdayish this week. Amy should be arriving there this week and may babysit the boat while Steve comes home to button up the Carnation hatches before the Baha ha ha festivities begin. Estimated departure from San Diego in October 26th.

Catalina Bay

2009-09-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

I spoke with Steve yesterday around 1:00 pm. "We are arriving early so we'll check out Catalina." The run from Monteray Bay was foggy, "On our three hour watches we were on the edge of our seats." Steve says the had two days of strong wind, clear skys, and absolutely no problems with the boat. "We hauled ass around point Conception in a 35 knot southerly wind, all night." Auto is their best friend, and Nam continues to teach unknown details about the instruments on board. Thanks Nam, I'm sure I'll appreciate this while sailing south to Mexico. The boys are eating Macaroni and cheese compliments of Paul, and Nam is cooking stir fry for dinner. Steve's last words (other than I love you), "We're cutting our toenails and drying out."

2009-09-17T08:31:00.000-07:00

ONE WEEK AT SEA
No word from Steve today, yet................ I hope he'll call but reception is lousy and I am certain they have their hands full.
The picture to the left of Steve and his brother Paul was taken at the dock in Everett (from my cel phone) prior to departure. The few I took of Nam disappeared (sorry Nam).

2009-09-16T14:38:00.000-07:00

Hello Monterey Bay!
Steve called this morning after four nights sailing without communication. They are all doing excellent however it sounds like they are running out of healthy food, "eating crap" was his reply to my enquiry. I had to remind him of exactly what I packed for him as taking the time to look is the challenge. Fifteen to twenty foot waves and fog have been the nightly challenge, and the traffic around the San Francisco Bay was hairy. (Please excuse my lack of nautical verbage, I'm sure this will improve with time). Paul continues to provide excellent navigation support and Nam is just Nam....absolutely an asset! How lucky you are Steve! We only spoke briefly, so more to be revealed. Apparently Paul has a flight out of San Diego next Monday so the race is on for the four boys in a tub, I mean..............The four men on a ship!

DAY FOUR

2009-09-12T18:01:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! It is currently 6:00pm Saturday evening and I just got off the phone with Steve. They were in Coos Bay around 3:00pm refueling and the boys were taking showers. They were unable to go through the 'hole in the wall' due to overall conditions ie fog, tide and currents. The most important thing about this report is that Steve sounded absolutely positive and clearly in his prime. Nam and Paul are a great crew! Apparently Nam was sick for awhile, a normal beginning for him, but his computer skills and Vietnamese food are appreciated big time! Paul and Steve are working as a team and are bonding in brotherhood. I have to say that Paul, Steve and Nam are a handsome crew and 'fit' beyond belief. Babe magnets as my daughter would say. I'll try to figure the photo thing out soon.
Apparently crossing the bar at Coos bay was exciting and challenging. The coast guard was there to greet them for directions and support. At present they are motoring south and Steve thinks Monteray Bay will be their next stop. "We are sailing very little. This is a delivery not a sailing trip." Sounds all business to me, yet he was smiling while speaking...I just know it!
I'm up in the hills with my horse till Wednesday and will report when I return.
Rita

2009-09-12T11:19:00.000-07:00

Received a call from Steve yesterday morning around 9:00am. They were 35 miles off the coast, they figure close to Seaside. Fog was ever present all night yet at the time he called the crew was up and it was clear and 65* all were in good spirits, rested and having a good time.
Steve said that they were probably heading into Newport for fuel although I did not confirm that with him yesterday. Again, no news is good news, yet he has called every day since departure. Our reception is always poor and I just get bits and pieces. To be continued..................

Everett Departure

2009-09-09T09:42:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our blog site and thanks for your interest in our sailing adventure to Mexico. It started yesterday when Steve and I picked up Paul at Meagan and Chris' home in Seward Park. Paul left his car there and I then dropped the guys off at Everett Marina. Nam is the other crew member who will be sailing with them to San Diego. (Paul is Steve's brother and Nam and Steve have been dock neighbors for years). I received a call at 7:30am that they had left port at 6:30am today. All very excited, no wind, no fog, slight rain. Steve gave me the marine forecast website ndbc/nwsforecst, apparently they use this often. The goal is to head south around the bottom of Whidbey Island then north through the straights of Juan De Fuca and around the corner at Cape Flattery. This part of the journey alone may take 24 hours. I will await the next phone call. Apparently they are looking forward to crossing the hole in the wall which is some special, narrow pass that Captain Blake Hirsh (Steve & Paul's Dad) recommends. Our motto is: No news is good news. - Rita