SV Quiet Moon

Rain, Rain, Go Away.

2011-06-12T23:10:00.000-07:00

I was born and raised in Stockton but I don’t remember any winter like this one. The rain just never seemed to stop. It rained substantially in the valley and snowed in the Sierra on June 4^th! The work we have been trying to do requires reliable dry weather. Teak finish takes 9 coats 24 hours apart with no rain. It has been frustrating but slow progress is being made.

I tried the Tom Sawyer trick of telling people that sanding was "fun" and that I would allow them to try it... no takers.

It takes a bit of effort to strip off old pealing and blistered finish. Then it has to be cleaned, sanded and refinished. There is a lot of woodwork on our boat. That is part of what makes it special. The effort spent refinishing is paid off in a beautiful boat that draws many complements. Worth the effort.

Before and After

The deck, bowsprit, and toe rail remain to be finished. Before that can be done the new electric anchor windlass needs to be installed and I have some finishing woodwork at the bow to do. Fitting the windlass in a very limited space was a trick.

Fitting the new windlass in the limited space at bow.

The good news is that we don’t have any particular schedule to keep so I can work until it is finished. Once the wood is all gleaming there are several electrical and mechanical projects to complete. It’s like a house, projects are never all completed but you can get to a point where they are less pressing. Hope to find that place soon!

Oakland Boat Show and Lats and Atts Cruiser's Party

2011-05-01T22:39:00.000-07:00

It’s mid April and just this week was the first time we have had more than two consecutive days of fair weather. This was really a wet winter and so we are way behind what we thought we would have done by now. Fortunately, we aren’t on a hard and fast schedule. However, mid April is always the Oakland Strictly Sail boat show and Saturday night Latitudes and Attitudes Cruiser’s Bash. This is our seventh year attending the show and the party. We don’t miss it.

Big dollars for boats that I don't really want.

This year we were able to attend all four days of the show and take advantage of the numerous seminars on a wide variety of subjects. Really good stuff and much more valuable than our one day Saturday visits in previous years. We didn’t make any major purchases this year, and actually, I didn’t see any boat that I really loved. New boats are so “antiseptic”. Teak is completely gone from the exterior on all but the most expensive boats and even the interiors are now a combination of plastic and cherry or similar wood. I didn’t love it. The warm teak interior of our boat is more like furniture. We will stick with Quiet Moon.

Goodies and gear everywhere.

Saturday night was the annual Lats and Atts Cruisers Bash. Warm weather, cold beer, hot pizza and live music by Eric Stone. Always a great time and we kept our perfect record by going 0 for seven. We didn’t win anything in the raffles…again.

The usual big crowd at the Lats and Atts Party!

The weather for the show was great and it is still great. Time to really get to work on boat projects. I’m not even going to try and predict when we will get them done. Time to get to work.

Two tickets to Paradise

2011-03-05T14:39:00.000-08:00

Holiday trips have all been made. Got to meet our new grandson Owen. Ria and Cayden’s birthday pizza party. Nice Thanksgiving in Alabama. Christmas with family in Susanville including Matt and family from Oregon. Very enjoyable visits. All the same, I am always glad when the holidays are over. Now we need to focus on our list of projects with the goal of having everything done by April. However, Mom Nature didn’t get the memo. Weather has been cold, gray, and wet. OK, so I expected winter to be winter but what I wasn’t expecting was that the cold and wet would stop most interior projects as well. We have been warm and comfy inside but condensation is a constant battle. Not much to do but wait for better weather…and wait…

Ladies gather on the dock in Newport Beach.

Karen signed up for the Women’s Sailing Convention at the Corinthian Yacht Club in Newport Beach. This provided a nice break from cold and gray. The convention was Feb 5^th. She had a great time and signed up for some training and seminars. She got to practice docking someone’s Hunter 34. The boat survived without a scratch! Nice weather in the mid 70’s was refreshing.

While she was at the convention I did some marina scouting to try and find an affordable place for us to land in the spring and summer. I didn’t have a lot of luck. The most common advice for an affordable place to stay in SoCal: “Ensenada” Not what we wanted to hear.

A sunny February day in Avalon on Catalina Island.

However, Ensenada was in the cards for us. The Carnival cruise ship Paradise was leaving for a four day round trip to Ensenada on the following Monday and it wasn’t full. Fares were dirt cheap…such as $150. We couldn’t resist and spent the next four days enjoying the sun and getting pampered. The ship stopped in Catalina and then Ensenada. It was a nice winter break and then back to Stockton and cold gray. Turns out that the weather was sunny and nice while we were gone. Of course…..
The calendar has rolled to March and we still can’t string a few dry and sunny days in a row but it is gradually improving. The projects await: Teak refinishing, radar install, refrigeration install, hull insulation, nav station…the list goes on. We got a great deal on a new electric windlass to that is on the list as well. We have had our new cushions made for the inside. They are in a hunter green fabric to match the outside trim. The old upholstery and foam was shot. The new cushions are 6” foam and have also allowed converting to a much larger double berth. They look a lot nicer too!
Warm weather is coming and so is the Oakland Strictly Sail boat show and the annual Lat’s and Att’s Cruiser’s Bash in April. We never miss it!

A new chapter begins.

2011-02-14T18:01:00.000-08:00

As I begin writing this Marcus and Cyndi are preparing to sail from San Jose del Cabo to Mazatlan. They are living their Mexican adventure aboard there new vessel, an Ericson Alberg 35, named Gypsy Moon. It was sort of the long way around for them to arrive in Mexico after starting with Quiet Moon and this blog some time ago. Someone once said that the way to make God laugh was to tell him what you have planned. In this case, things seem to have turned out how they are supposed to turn out and in doing so, have brought Karen and I to this blog and to the care of Quiet Moon. Much has happened since Marcus and Cyndi had to leave a wounded Quiet Moon in Monterey. So, time to catch up and share how the Moon came into our lives:

Karen and I got to know Marcus and Cyndi when we had our first Columbia sailboat in Owl Harbor. They had their Cheoy Lee there and were building a floating home. They also were talking about getting a cruising boat and going to Mexico. I was transferred to Southern California and we purchased another Columbia named Quiet Storm which we sailed out of Port Hueneme. Not long after we heard that Marcus and Cyndi had purchased their cruising boat, a Fuji ketch, named Quiet Moon. When they began their trip we followed along and suffered along as things didn’t allow them to complete their trip to Mexico. In the mean time, Karen and I had started shopping for an offshore cruiser for ourselves. We had been shopping for months when we stumbled across the add offering a damaged cruiser for sale. It was Quiet Moon. We didn’t know that Marcus and Cyndi had decided to sell their boat and regroup.
Things were going on in our lives that had us ready to start a cruising life and this just seemed like karma. I was a little concerned, but Marcus and Cyndi were very happy to have the Moon “stay in the family” rather than go to strangers. So for us, Quiet Storm left and became Quiet Moon, the beginning of a big project, and our new cruising lives.

Pulling Up Roots.

Tossing aside land life and moving aboard a sailing vessel is a big project. It’s hard to really understand it unless you have done it. Virtually every possession has to go. Beds, dressers, the big screen TV, tool cabinets…all the big stuff and a million other things accumulated in 20 years of marriage. The rule was, if it can be replaced - it’s gone. Only family photos and memorabilia were spared and they were packed to store at mom’s house. Even so, we still took more stuff to the boat than we needed and are still eliminating stuff even today. The line between want and need really gets put to the test.

The Project Begins.

We jumped in with both feet and all of our remaining stuff in August of 2010. We moved aboard and began to figure out how to get Quiet Moon back underway. She looked pretty sad. The motor was shot beyond repair as well. Where to start?

We decided that the first order of business had to be to get a working engine. At least then the boat would be mobile and we would have more options. The boat was in a slip in Monterey Harbor at the daily visitor’s rate meaning we would be paying $588 per month to stay there. The sooner we could leave to slips costing half that much, the better. Marcus was a great help as he had already been searching for a replacement engine and passed on his contacts. We were able to negotiate a low hour replacement of the exact same engine but then were able to purchase a new - never run - Volvo MD11c out of an abandoned boat building project. The MD11c was the newer version of the MD2b that needed replacing. By “newer” I mean that this new motor was 30 years old - just never run after it was purchased. It turned over smoothly and had compression so I bought a “pig in a poke” and hoped it would run. For $2000 it was worth the gamble considering that new ones cost three times that.

Out with the old....

We had no way to haul engines in our car an the motor was in the hills above Bakersfield. (Very odd - this guy’s property had about nine partially finished sailboat projects and a partially finished house - all hundreds of miles from water…?) Fortunately the motor’s seller was willing to remove it from his boat project and bring it to Monterey for just gas money. Mauricio, a local sailor and handyman was highly recommended by locals and the harbor staff. We used him to help with removing the old engine and installing the new one. Trust me, it is not a one man project. Mauricio was great and worth every penny we paid him. If you are in Monterey and need help ask for him.

Crane operator Karen.

Monterey Harbor has a coin operated crane that is used by the fishermen and local sailors to launch and retrieve their boats. After waiting through several crane break downs, this allowed us to pull the old and install the new motor for less than $5 in coins. The local boat yard wanted $800 for the same thing. This makes it sound easy, which it wasn’t, but it got done and the new OLD engine ran great! That was a relief.

We still couldn’t go anywhere as the rig didn’t have a head stay because of the damage and was unstable. Mauricio was also skilled in fiberglass work and offered to repair and hull to deck joint for a very reasonable $300 while we were out of town for a week. A bargain that I couldn’t pass up. I would have probably wasted that much in materials due to lack of skill. That left me just the finish glass work on the bow and many scratches and gouges all down the starboard side of the hull. Still a lot of work and repainting but we were now watertight.

Monterey outer harbor.

Cannery Row.

Monterey Harbor is a bustling place. Far more of a tourist attraction than I had imagined. Tour buses arrive daily. Major events like classic car auctions and golf tournaments happen almost every weekend. Mega yachts stop by. Lots of money floating around here (sic). The harbor itself is busy with fishing vessels mixed with recreational boats at all hours. The approach to Monterey airport goes directly overhead with a steady stream of biz jet traffic. The tourist pier is alive with music. In short, it’s not a sleepy, quiet harbor. But, except for the strong surge in the harbor from the ocean swells, it’s been an enjoyable to stay here. It’s a beautiful place and everything you want is within walking distance. The sea life around here is entertaining if somewhat annoying at times. It hasn’t been very sunny this simmer, lots of gray days, and the steep slip fees mean we need to keep busy and get repairs finished.

Docks and sometime boats were "shared".

Spectators.

In the time Cyndi and Marcus spent in Monterey they made many friends and all of them came by to find out how they were doing and to see what progress we were making on the Moon. Many thought that she was beyond repair. She looked worse than she actually was. We became the entertainment in the harbor as folks came by daily to watch the repairs progress. There are a lot of really nice folks in Monterey and the Harbormaster staff couldn’t have been more helpful…not to mention letting us do some pretty major repairs there in the slip. Really great people!

How big is it?

We had the new motor, the hull was repaired, but the bowsprit and rig remained. It could not be repaired back to original as the large teak beams couldn’t be replaced…or if they could, I couldn’t afford them. Have you priced teak lately? A new plan and design was needed. One problem (actually many!). I didn’t know how long to make the bowsprit. The original was gone. You can find out almost anything on the internet except, it seems, the “J” dimension for a Fuji 32. I looked at may different designs of bowsprits used everything I could find to try and estimate how long to make the bowsprit. In the end, I went with my best guess and a design that looked like it would work as well as make the best use of teak left over from the damage.

I had emailed another Fuji 32 owner and asked him to measure his boat for me. By the time he got back to me the new bowsprit was already installed. He said that the J dimension on his boat was 15’. I measured my bowsprit and it came out to 14’ 11 ½”…I can live with being off ½”!

The new bowsprit needed me to purchase one main beam and then it made use of a teak anchor platform purchased at a swap meet and much of the broken teak from the old one cut in to usable pieces. The teak toe rail was damaged on the port side and starboard side as well. Both sides were redesigned and repaired using teak from the damage. All in all, it came out functional and looking like it belongs on the boat. If you didn’t know it wasn’t the original design, I don’t think you would notice anything.

Why is everything you need on a Volvo on the back?

Besides the bowsprit and woodwork, there was the hardware. Almost all of the rigging bits on the starboard side and bow had taken a swim. The bow pulpit was twisted into a pretzel. Geez rigging is expensive! The large turnbuckles cost about the same as a car payment! I did a lot of internet shopping and trying to find the best bargains I could to get everything replaced and back ready to sail. The general rule of boat repair is that everything takes twice as long and costs twice as much as you plan for. We found this pretty accurate.

Ready for sea trials...finally.

Finally sailing!

I don’t think there are too many rigs more complicated to tune than a cutter rigged ketch with split backstays and twin furlers. All I can say is I did my best and it seems to sail OK. Lots of things were last minute issues, fuel leaks, lights, systems, etc. but we worked through them and finally got to take the boat out for a SAIL! What a sweet sailing boat. The sun was out. The breeze in the bay was moderate. It was great. Only the autopilot refused to cooperate and that turned out to be minor tuning. This was a big day and a pleasant reward for lots of work. It had been nine months since Quiet Moon last left the harbor.

First sail on Monterey Bay.

North for the winter.

It was now October. The calendar had been ticking away and we really wanted to get north up to the Delta area before winter set in. Each delay and issue made us worry about a rough cold passage north. We now had to deal with waiting for a suitable weather window to had north. At 10pm on October 30^th we set out for Half Moon Bay. We waited almost two weeks for a favorable weather window and left on the heels of a weather system with a south breeze promising a boost on our passage north to Half Moon Bay. With a predicted passage time of 14 hours, leaving at 10pm would give us a daylight arrival Half Moon Bay. The sometimes tricky harbor entrance made that important. Santa Cruz harbor was bypassed. Winter swells can make Santa Cruz dangerous to enter in fall and winter.

The predicted south winds never happened but a confused sea of south and north west swells did happen. That coupled with Karen making her first coastal passage at night made her a bit nauseated for the first couple of hours. The seas settled down outside of Monterey Bay and so did Karen’s stomach. The CPT autopilot steered flawlessly the entire way. We completed the leg in just over 10 hours.

Dad with his Cal 2-27 in Monterey harbor in 1982

Saying Goodbye.

My dad passed away last summer. He was 82 and enjoyed a great life. He taught me about sailing from the 13 foot boat he designed and built when I was young to later racing and cruising on his Cal 2-27 at the Stockton Sailing Club. He was never happier than when he was sailing. We talked sailing and debated sailboat design for years. In his later years he was still busy coming up with new boat designs and following our sailboat adventures. He never got to go full time cruising but was very happy when we were able to make the step up from our Columbia 8.3 Quiet Storm to the fully offshore capable Quiet Moon. He passed shortly after we purchase her but he knew that we were going to be able to realize our dream of cruising.

His wish was to have his ashes spread at sea. His ashes accompanied us on this first coastal passage with Quiet Moon. At sunrise, offshore from Half Moon Bay, we spread his ashes and followed them with his 0U.S. Navy dog tags. He would have like it. I will miss him.

Half Moon Bay

Half Moon Bay.

It was a beautiful warm morning in Half Moon Bay. We pulled into a visitors slip between the fishing boats and had a good breakfast at Ketch Joanne’s on the pier. Then much needed sleep.
The next day was forecast for good conditions in the morning, with swells increasing later in the day and getting progressively bigger over the next few days. Tides weren’t in our favor as flood tide at the Golden Gate wasn’t until 5pm. With the strong current, trying to arrive at the gate much earlier than that would be a waste of time. So balancing increasing swells with tides we left Half Moon Bay under sunny skies at noon on Nov. 1^st.

Passing under the Golden Gate on Nov. 1st.

Passing under the Golden Gate.

Swells were already building up as we headed out but once offshore about 5 miles things settled down and it was a nearly picture perfect day. Seventy degrees, clear skies, smooth seas. This is November? We weren’t complaining! I could not have been happier about how Quiet Moon handled all the varied conditions.

We approached the gate right as the flood tide started giving us a nice speed boost. At the same time we were hearing warnings over the radio about large seas entering Half Moon Bay. Not here. It was smooth sailing. This passage into busy shipping lanes gave us our first opportunity to use our AIS radar. It works great! It puts vessels on the screen long before you can see them, even on a clear day like today. It give us size, name, speed , heading, and shows their relative bearing from our boat. It warns if there is any chance of collision. It’s terrific!

Passing under the gate is something special for any sailor. It was a glorious day with the sun setting behind us as we entered San Francisco Bay. Perfect!

The Delta

Riding the tides.

We had originally planned to stop in Richmond but we were on quite a sleigh ride with the incoming tide. We were doing about 9 knots over the bottom. The Carqunez bridge wasn’t very far away at that rate so we decided to keep going. Night time navigation doesn’t bother me. Lots of sailing in overnight races like the South Tower Race had taught me to navigate the “hard way” by charts and counting the frequency of flashing navigation lights. Now with modern GPS chart plotters it’s just too easy. So we press on, figuring to anchor once we are clear of the Carqunez Straights and into San Pablo Bay.

What we didn’t take into account was that it was a clear, but very moonless, night. You can navigate by lights and GPS but you can’t scout out a suitable anchoring spot in unfamiliar areas in the pitch black. Only option: Press on until we get to familiar waters west of Antioch. It was 2am when we dropped the hook and turned in. Very tired but with a satisfied feeling of having arrived in "home" waters.

Sunset at the Stockton Sailing Club

Tucked in for the winter.

We spent a couple of days anchored in the peace of the delta. The weather was unseasonably warm and pleasant. After harvesting a few hundred pounds of riverbed vegetation with our Bruce anchor, an electric windlass was added to the “must have” list. Hand over hand of 100 ft. of chain, a 35lb anchor, and half the river bottom is more than I care to deal with. Maybe in my younger days….

It was good to arrive at the familiar surroundings of the Stockton Sailing Club. The folks were friendly and the sense of arrival and hot showers felt good. Next up was stowing the boat away and preparing for holiday trips to visit family. November would be a trip back to Alabama for grandkid's birthdays and Thanksgiving. December would be Susanville for Christmas. Then hope for a quick, mild, winter and a chance to finish many boat projects before we head back to the S.F. Bay Area in April.

A New Beginning

2011-01-29T10:19:00.000-08:00

A lot has happened since Karen and I took over the care of Quiet Moon in July of 2010. It was such a sad situation but has seemed to turn out well in the end. Cyndi and Marcus wound up getting to do their Mexican sailing adventure after all, and we wound up with this wonderful vessel to begin our adventures. Karen and I are going to continue this blog as we travel. All the posts prior to this are from Cyndi and Marcus. From here forward, it will be Karen and I.

I am working on a "catch up" post to talk about our trials and adventures in getting the Moon back to seaworthy condition. I will post it soon and try not to be too wordy. We are presently waiting out the winter months in the harbor at the Stockton Sailing Club and tending to the never ending list of little projects....at least the projects are little now. More soon.

Moving On

2010-11-22T07:39:00.000-08:00

We visited Hal and Karen on Quiet Moon Saturday, she looks lovely. Hal did an amazing job and unless you knew about her "surgery" you would not guess. They are enjoying her,and while it is sad that she is no longer our home, she is in good hands.

Life has spun us around recently, and we have purchased another boat, and as things fell into place, we have decided to head for Mexico THIS year. I know, I know, it is hard for me to believe it as well.

If you are interested in following our new adventures, the new blog is www.svgypsymoon.blogspot.com

Blue skies, Cyndi

New Roads

2010-08-15T21:16:00.000-07:00

Working hard, saving money, and looking ahead.

We have sold our beloved Quiet Moon, rehomed her, hahaha. We sold her to friends and the repairs are coming along nicely, which really helps. You really do come to love your boat.

Quiet Moon was our home, our focus for four months, seems like such a short time, but like vanilla; extracted, a small amount, but powerful and potent. She will always be a part of us, I refuse to look back, to entertain what ifs, shoulda woulda coulda.

So even though we SAID we would wait, and buy a boat in Mexico, we have already started the search for a new boat. Or should I say a different boat.

The day we transfered paperwork, we looked at 3 boats. Yea right, we are gonna wait. We seem to be addicted to the water. We have become gypsies, vagabonds, boat people.

I am trying to be content. I love my apartment, ie first land anchorage, and we are one block from the river, but still, every time I drive by the sloughs and the river, I dream of anchorages, quiet places with the lazy river meandering by.

So tomorrow, we head to Alameda and Richmond to see a few possiblities. AHHH boat shopping.

I think I have honed my goal setting to much to fine a point. I don't just fall in love with boats, or see myself on them, they are MINE. They belong to me, and I am a part of them. But it is both a blessing and a curse, it motivates me and also causes frustration and sorrow. These wonderful vessels of transportation to dreamlike setttings, magical locations, visions of the future, the hopes, the dreams of the cruiser, or hopes of many for an eden, nirvana, paradise a Camelot. We all dream of SOMETHING, for some it is an island, a mountain cabin, a beach; we all need a future, a possibilty. We need to believe there is a purpose, a "why" for the sacrifices we make daily.

I think what Marcus and I are doing speaks to the possibilities of the future. If all there is is laundry, childrearing, bills, work, and all the mundane tasks of life, it is just too hard. We all need a dream, a goal, a "someday".

When I was raising my children, my best friend and I had an apartment, not an acutal apartment, but a dream apartment. We talked about it when times were hard, it had white carpet, shiny stainless appliances, and a stereo in a glass case with no littleone's fingerprints. It helped us cope with the day to day "stuff".

I know raising children is important, I am first in line with parents focusing on their children, and lives revolving around them and their activities. But, sometimes, you need to look beyond.

I'll let you know what tomorrows search brings.

The Long and Winding Road

2010-07-17T10:26:00.001-07:00

5/19/2010
It has been a long progression of twists turns and dark places, but the dawn appears to be breaking. So much has happened and we are on a completely different path than I thought we would be on.
It has been too difficult to write about the journey thus far, so many things have happened, and every twist seemed to be against us for a long time. When things are good, time moves so swiftly, but when times are difficult, it seems to last forever.

The time we spent in Monterey was frustrating and at the same time fantastic. Interesting how it can be like that. I think it was frustrating because we had a plan, a direction we were heading, and we faced roadblock after roadblock. It finally became evident the road was impassable for us, at this time. The time of year, the problems with the engine, and finally finances.

After we made the difficult decision to move back home, we knew it was the right one. It was good for us to be there for our family, and they were there for us. We helped my Dad move from a large home into a mobile home park for seniors. It was a good move for him, and while we were getting on our feet, we had a place to stay and food to eat.

But you know what they say about fish and company, both stink after 3 days. Having been adults, on our own, with our own families for most of our lives, it was difficult to adjust to living in someone else’s home. I found a good job rather quickly, but it didn’t seem quick at the time. An illusion of dark times.

At times, I would think, we should be in Mexico, anchored off of a quiet beach, or near a small village where we could row ashore and to live like the locals did. I was happy on the boat. The sacrifices and challenges seemed manageable. On the boat, there was a purpose, a reason, a goal. But on land sacrifices seemed enormous. Dark times.

I believe God has a purpose for everything. My struggles during this time would not accurately reflect my feelings if I did not express them in the contexts of my beliefs. I believed when we arrived in Mexico, we would have an opportunity to share, contribute, give to others less fortunate than us. Our trip did not come down to that. It was a series of others helping us, receiving friendship, help, care from others. We were not the givers, we were the receivers. The people we met, the unselfishness, care and concern of others was humbling. It also renewed and inspired faith. We have friends now we would have never known, had we not had the challenges we had.

I could not understand why it seemed every financial aspect of our life seemed to take the wrong turn. Why things kept going wrong. I searched myself, and did not see where we had done wrong and were being punished. I never believed that was what was happening, but I could not understand why nothing seemed to go right. What could possibly be Gods purpose in this? I struggled, I fought, I cried, I pouted. I was not easy to live with, poor Marcus.

We had done all the right things, bought the tough seaworthy boat, reinforced, rewired, reground, scraped, checked, rechecked and made sure the boat was ready to take care of us. We studied, took classes, read books, talked to others, went to seminars, and prepared ourselves, both mentally and physically. We downsized, saved, paid off, rented out, financially prepared for a season of lean times. The tools were ready, the boat was ready, we were ready. We had done everything right. What happened.

How many times have you read stories of people taking off for the South Pacific that barely know how to hoist a sail, in a boat that is ill prepared for the trials of the sea. A wing and a prayer. Seems like you hear about every now and again. Maybe you just don’t hear about the “almost” group.

But for whatever reason, this was as far as we were to go; for now. We start working, saving, and prepare to strike out on our own again. It is time for our own place, Dad has been patient, I have not. Slowly but surely we start opening up like a snail that has been poked, and pulled back into his shell, and now that things have quieted down, we start reaching out to the future.

A call comes in. There is a late winter storm, and the boat in front of us has chaffed through her bow lines, still tied by the stern line to the mooring, her bow is slamming into the bow of Quiet Moon, wreaking havoc with every swell. The swells and conditions were such that the harbor patrol felt it too dangerous to their staff to attempt to secure the boats, so the damage continued for hours. When finally things were calm enough to remove the offending boat, our boat was severely damaged, still securely moored.

Even now, it is difficult to write about, she is such a part of me, her beautiful bow, now shattered. So as we struggle to come to grips with the awful truth and magnitude of her injuries, we realize she is beyond our ability to repair. Disbelief and sadness. Again, we had done the right things, we made a special trip to Monterey to secure her on the mooring, to be certain she was safe. Now, through no fault, or oversight on our part, her bow, and foredeck are severely damaged, and we are in no position to repair her. So, again, another twist, another dark ally to navigate. Why??? When will this difficult time end.

Then a glimmer of hope, light at the end of this long dark tunnel. The other boat has insurance. Insurance, amazing word of hope. Right or wrong, we had chosen to “self insure” by spending our money on anchors, chafing lines, strong ground tackle, and being diligent, and careful. But when you are absent, you are not able to look after your boat like you can if you are there. Somewhere in the challenges we were facing, we thought about adding insurance when she went on the mooring, but life was going by in a blur by then, and the thought was lost.

So now, maybe the bigger pictures starts coming into focus. We had realized that we would have to sell our beautiful boat, but it would be difficult. Repairing the engine, and trying to market it long distance, and the boat market now, well we would have to sell her for much less than she was worth, or it would take longer than we really had, and costing us expensive slip fees as well.

I know God knows the past and the future, and what is best for us. Maybe he is up there saying, “oh child of mine, I will fix this for you, much better and quicker than you can imagine, but you are not going to like the way I do it”. Sometimes the cure is painful, but necessary.

Long Silence

2010-02-23T13:03:00.000-08:00

I know it has been too long since I updated. Life has been full of challenges, long hard looks, and difficult decisions.
Opportunities are out there.
Get a job? Start a business? Where to live, what to do, those are a couple of the decisions we have ahead.
For the boat, rebuild the engine . . . again, or put in a rebuilt engine. Keep the boat, or sell it. Ouch.
I'll keep in touch.

Ch-ch-ch-Changes

2010-02-06T19:44:00.000-08:00

We have been “unpacking” the boat this week. Deciding what we should leave, and what we should take. The boat is stocked with soups, meats, pasta, sauces, spices, crackers and so much more. The act of “decommissioning” the Moon means facing head on the fact that we are not going to Mexico now. It has been a rough week emotionally, preparing to leave Monterey and the boat, even though we know we are coming back.

We have been so blessed with our cruiser friends lending support, encouragement, sympathy, and understanding. Apparently we are not alone in having the first push south (or west) thwarted, some of our friends know what we are going through; have faced the same rough decisions. One good friend suggested that we were actually EARLY for the trip south this fall. I like that kind of thinking.

I have changed on this little journey of mine. I believe I have a better handle on what is important. Money-no; sure, I wish I had a big bucket of money right now, but I truly believe I am right were I am meant to be, and money might get in the way of that.

I have met people, many great people. Some will probably be in my life for just a short season, but others, I believe will be in my life forever. Kindnesses of strangers, and new friends that feel like old friends. There is a song we used to sing in Girl Scouts, make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other's gold . We are covered with the gold and silver of friends, and the precious jewels of our family.

The adventure continues, not in the direction we thought, but that is what makes it an adventure, right?

Puzzle Pieces

2010-01-29T07:11:00.000-08:00

After 2 years of disassembling our lives and unplugging, we are trying to quickly reassemble the pieces. Where to live, phones, jobs, clothes, vehicles, just to name a few.
It is all part of the journey, we have not hit a dead end, just a detour.

Where will we live? Money is going out, and none is coming in, gotta fix that fast! Put insurance back on the cars, plug back into the work world, change the phones, it just goes on and on.

Just keep moving forward, and be ready to change direction. Now where did I put the puzzle piece that has my shoes on it?

The Answer is Blowin in the Wind

2010-01-17T15:31:00.001-08:00

Thursday we head out of Monterey after 28 days of fun/frustrating times. Leaving many new friends and a lovely community, we were heading out to beat the storms.

I was sick, no fun.

We made it 1/2 way to San Simeon before the engine died. As I lay there, recuperating after feeding the fishes, I was hoping against hope Marcus had hoisted the sails and was cutting the engine. No such luck.

It was late, no wind, and out of range to call for assistance, so we just bobbed, all night. It is really noisy when the swells are tossing the boat around constantly. It was a tough night, very little sleep.

In the morning, we decided the the wind would decide whether we would go south or north.

Winds from the south, so here we are back in Monterey. It is hard, but because of our faith, we believe we are right where we belong. We don't know why, but here we are.

We are weighing our options this weekend, but it honestly doesn't look like Mexico is in our future THIS season. But our spirits are good and we will let you know which way the wind blows us next!!

Looking Good

2010-01-14T08:17:00.000-08:00

Making final preparations to head for San Simeon. It looks like we have a weather window, and hoping things smooth out so we can head further south soon.
San Simeon here we come!

she lives . . .SHE LIVES!!!!

2010-01-11T07:48:00.000-08:00

Engine is purring like a kitten!! So many people to thank. We had help from so many people. Although our time in Monterey has been challenging, it has given us the opportunity to meet so many great people.
Weather will determine whether we leave Tues, Wed, or Thurs.
YAHOO!!!

Hope Today is the Day!

2010-01-09T09:39:00.000-08:00

Went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Thursday, so cool!! I wanted to go so bad, but, it was not in the budget, then a friend allowed us to go for free!! Yahoo. MUST go again, take the grandkids, so fun.
So today the engine goes back together, will be excited to hear it run!

We Know What is WRONG!!!!

2010-01-02T16:43:00.000-08:00

It looks like the problem with the engine is a blown head gasket. It is not good news in one regard, but knowing is better than not knowing. The spirits here were definitely sagging, but now we know what needs to be fixed, and are in the process of fixing it.
Looks like we will be enjoying Monterey for another week, and right now it is lovely. Sunny and nice.
Off to have chicken tacos with some new friends!!! Happy New Year!

Pictures

2009-12-25T10:02:00.000-08:00

Bottom:Starting under the gate Top: Sitting in Santa Cruz

Challenges, We Got Challenges

2009-12-23T08:57:00.000-08:00

Monterey:
Long overdue update: we were heading down the coast, all prepared for our first overnighter, about 15-20 miles down the coast, the wind just started to pick up, and we were getting ready to raise the sails when the engine died. YIKES!!! So we can sail on down the coast to unknown services, or get towed back to Monterey.
This is not good financially, time wise (weather gets rougher in January), or emotionally. But regardless, here we are. We have met some great people, made some new friends, and HOPEFULLY found the problem with the engine. Part will be delivered tomorrow.
Besides the new friends we have made, the silver lining to this dark cloud is that we get to go home for Christmas!!! Yahoo.
We are renting a car and heading home for a day. Everyone is happy about that.
So, if this part fixes the engine, the next weather window after Christmas, we will be heading out. Otherwise, we may be looking for work in Monterey.

Judging Books

2009-12-20T17:56:00.000-08:00

It’s not always comfortable to see things from a different perspective

I’ve been here quite a few times for conferences, and it is totally different without hoards of people here! It is interesting to see places from a totally different perspective. Places you have been in many times become foreign due to the change in your needs from this side of the fence. Last time I was here, I didn’t need block ice, propane, a washer, or a grocery store.

Needs whittle down to actual necessities, or maybe not even necessities, more like basics. I don’t NEED to have a washer and dryer to wash my clothes, but it is nice. Even that, instead of a laundry room, being a requirement, I’m excited because the marina has a washer and dryer.

When we arrived we saw a sea lion swim right under the dock we were walking on, the water was so clear you could easily see his skin and tail flippers and how they moved. Yesterday I saw a jelly fish right by the stairs, I stood and watched him for a long time, way cool!

This is not the trip we had planned, by now we were supposed to have San Diego in the rear view mirror. It is now about transforming the goal oriented, lets get moving, we have places to be mindset. Trying to purpose to enjoy each location each experience for what it has to offer. In Pillar Point, I missed the opportunity to buy crab right off the boat that caught it that morning, I thought it would be there the next day, but the next day the opportunity was gone. Hope I don’t have to learn that lesson too many times.

Looks like tomorrow we will be headed to San Simeon, but if not, maybe I’ll meet an interesting person or maybe a sea otter will show up for breakfast!

Keeping in Touch

2009-12-16T08:11:00.000-08:00

Monterey is lovely, sunny, warm, and you can walk to most places you need to go. I have only found 1 coffee shop that is internet friendly and it is a bit of a walk, I earn that coffee!!

There is a Dennis the Menace park, a kids science museum and of course the Monterey Bay Aquarium. My daughter Mandy was thinking about coming here and taking in the Aquarium while we were here, so my mind is going down the what if route. Sadly, we will be gone before she can bring Lilly down.

Mandy says that when she turns on her computer 1 year old Lilly looks to see if I’m there!! Being away from family is tough, but the computer and phones help. With skype and instant messaging on the computer, it is much easier to stay connected especially with the little ones.

Too Much Time to Think

2009-12-13T16:17:00.000-08:00

I think it is better to keep moving, you don't have time to develop apprehension. Tomorrow Monterey, then our first overnighter; Monterey to San Simeon.

I think it is about 20 hours. We leave around noon so we can arrive in the morning, that way if it takes longer than 20 hours we will still have lots of daylight left.

Very exciting stuff

Location Location Location

2009-12-12T12:54:00.000-08:00

You may be able to see where we are via this link:

http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0erIBM0uMFTif0sWNvrfZqN90UrvqWyxF

SPOT is the economy cruiser's friend!!

Heading Out

2009-12-12T07:42:00.001-08:00

Here we are the day we left Isleton.

Santa Cruz Stall

2009-12-11T12:08:00.000-08:00

It has been nice to be here where my sister is. She has been kind enough to share her car, so we can get some things done. Also, short walk to a bathroom, and a nice coffee house “The Kind Grind” They are very nice there, free internet and great view of the ocean. So here we are stuck in Santa Cruz, waiting for the weather to break. Looks like maybe Monday before we leave.

Wednsday was a little rough, it was cold, and I am apprehensive about the upcoming overnighter to San Simeon. Debated on whether to share my feelings, but good bad or ugly, it may help someone later.

When it is cold, no wind, and you have been motoring for days with what feels like little progress, spirits sag. While dreaming and planning the adventure, you pictures idyllic days with smooth sea’s, sun, fair winds, and surfing long slow swells.

You do NOT plan for no wind, wallowing in beam on waves, ice cold, and sleepless nights with clanging noises and jerking boat movements. I see people shopping, going out to eat, dressed like regular people, not homeless people and I wonder. This is when doubts arise. Did we do the right thing? Is this a mistake? Are we strong enough, mentally and physically?

We have determined this is the price of admission, and it is paid in advance. So, we will pay the price, and continue on with sunny skies, and warm sandy beaches in our dreams.

Santa Cruz

2009-12-09T16:18:00.000-08:00

Here we are in Santa Cruz. COLD COLD COLD!!! But the good news is my sister Cheryl lives here and we have wheels!! So got some laundry done, and a couple of things we "needed". THANKS CHERYL, also thanks for the happy hour tacos, haha!!

Came in around 6pm last night and was a little scary. You head for the beach and make a left just before the sand, oh and there are breakers at the entrance so wait for a lull between sets. On our first approach there appeared to be a boat in the channel. So went around again, and established that it was a dredger, but just stay to the right, and in the center of the channel.

Would prefer not to do that again. Oh, well, here and safe.

Weather permitting will head to Monterey tomorrow.

Did I mention it was cold? Now tell me again, why we didn't fly down to Mexico and buy a boat there?

Proper Cruisers????

2009-12-07T17:59:00.000-08:00

Second night in Pillar Point. Don’t feel like much of a real cruiser, staying at marinas like this. BUT we are still working out our systems, the dinghy must be inflated if we anchor out and want/need to go in, and we will be rowing.
Marcus is smart to realize that we need to be rested up for these passages. To those who have done them for a long time, it may seem small day trips. To us, it is an adjustment to say the least.

I for one have lowered my “standards” of what I thought we would be doing. The key is we are doing it. We are doing it in the manner that is safe for us, that works for us. If I have learned anything in the last few days, it is that every trip/passage is different. Different winds, different sea conditions, different temperatures, different temperaments, different physical abilities. Just different.

Out the Golden Gate- Left Turn

2009-12-07T10:24:00.000-08:00

It was a solemn morning, both quiet and all business as we prepared. Listened carefully to the weather, started the engine and dropped the mooring ball.
This is it.
So we made it out, only one other sailboat off in the distance, it was early, cold and windy. Yesterday tons of sailboats out, but today, it was just us and in incoming barge.

Lumpy, seas, cold with a lot of wave action. I think it took us close to 7 hours to make it to Pillar Point. With the waves, we had to adjust our direction so the waves didn't continually toss us about.

The Moon held up well, and we had most things pretty well stowed. It seemed to take forever, and we had a little spray over the bow, and a few sprinkles. We took a slip for the night, not feeling very cruiserlike, but we are still finding our way, and it was good to turn on the heater.
It was a good thing too, as it rained like crazy last night, and we were snug and warm all night.

I'm working on passagemaking tips like, "make sure one shirt is tucked into your pants so your back does not get cold"
Don't know if this is making any sense, I'm still a little tired this morning, but looking forward to warmer weather.

On to Sausalito!

2009-12-07T10:15:00.000-08:00

12/4/09
Benicia Marina, nice, but lacking customer service. Also, NO INTERNET sure wish they would join the 20th century.
Benicia old town is about a block away, and tonight they were having a really nice street Christmas Fair, and the Yacht club here was having a big party. We are just too tired to participate. I walked 8 blocks to Safeway for a few things and forgot the tortillas, oh well.
Another short day, late getting out due to fog, and then had to fight the tidal currents, looks like tomorrow will be the same. But for tonight a warm, quiet place to stay,
12/5/09
This morning when we saw there was no fog to speak of, we decided to get a quick move on and try to catch a ride with the tide, as we had been at odds with it the entire trip. At one point I thought of Marcus and I as a cartoon, he would portray me as slamming around, at Tasmanian Devil Speeds with similar results. I would portray him as UBER slow motion, looking at every nit an picking it. HAHA we make a good team, but sometimes we do chafe a bit!!

12/5/09 PM
Sausalito, Richardson Bay. Got the heavy weather jib up, chart plotter working, figured out jack lines. Jack line-a rope that is tied to the boat and then you connect a tether to the rope and to your harness so if some reason you start to fall off the boat, you are still connected to the boat and climb back onboard. This is mostly done on passage making, sailing at night or during heavy weather. We want to be a little more cautious, so even though this is really just a day sail to Half Moon Bay, we will try out the safety gear.
I tried to straighten up the inside of the boat a bit, but it still feels pretty cramped and messy. It will take some time for things to find their place. Feels like I may have over provisioned the food a bit (Marcus is ready to start chucking stuff overboard) but we shall see.

AND THEY'RE OFF!

2009-12-03T20:04:00.000-08:00

WE HAVE ACTUALLY LEFT THE DOCK!! We are tied up to the guest dock at Pittsburg Yacht Club guest dock; FOR FREE. Thank you friends and Andres Cove Yacht Club! It makes the transition from dirt dweller to cruiser a little easier. We have nice docks, free electricity, internet, and ICE!! Thanks to Kandie, bartender at the club.

Tomorrow, hopefully Richmond Yacht Club, or maybe China Camp, just depends on tide, winds and sun.

It was a tough couple of days getting out of Dodge, but we finally made it.

Not Yet!!!

2009-11-29T11:05:00.000-08:00

Trying to sort out everything and prepare to manage from afar proves to be more work than anticipated. No surprise, but here we sit, still at the dock.
It really is a good thing we were here, Friday night winds were 20-30 gusting to 40 mph!!! It was a wild ride and we were up every couple of hours lashing down stuff that was not secured.

At 5:30am the staysail (small sail just forward of the mast, aft of the jib) came unfurled and we had to take it down in crazy winds. No fun wresling a heavy piece of canvase with ropes and hard rings attached. No damage done, but a boater on the next dock was not so lucky as his jib was shredded during the same winds. Probably cost $500-$700 used, yikes!!

Great strides have been made and we will be out of the house tonight. On top of everything else, I have a cough, runny nose and no energy.

Bottom line, we will be heading out mid week . . . I think.

Going Away

2009-11-21T20:06:00.001-08:00

We just had our bon voyage party and we are overwhelmed at the love and support of people we have met along the way. It was amazing how many people came and I believe a testament to the power of a dream coming to fruition.

Friends and family brought crayons, colored pencils, and construction paper for us to give to rural children and schools. Generous lot, our friends.

We are truly blessed by the many people who have touched our lives over the years. Thank you all.

Electronics We Got Electronics

2009-11-06T06:31:00.001-08:00

So we now have:
computer
VHF radio
hand held VHF
stereo
MP3 player
GPS
S.P.O.T. gps check-in/emergency locater
chartplotter
autopilot (Thanks CPT autopilot!)
solar panels

This list seems shorter than I thought it would. Keep in mind I also need to make sure they function properly, and that WE function properly in unison with them. Make sure the maps are correct, we have batteries, and chargers for everything.
Oh, and they all have to "talk" to each other! Exciting to have new toys, but a little overwheming to get them all together!

From what I've seen, most cruising boats have MUCH more in the way of electronic devices, but that is just much more to go wrong. Now that we have our autopilot, we are pretty comfortable with how the boat is outfitted. It would not be fun to hand steer the boat all the way to Mexico.

Provisioning

2009-11-05T07:46:00.000-08:00

Went to Costco yesterday, I had a budget in my mind of $100 to do a little provisioning. Not everything, just some things to get started. The $100 is because I am working on being a cash only person. It is pretty easy to use and ATM or credit card, even if there is no money in there, I have overdraft. Makes it too easy to NOT keep track of expenses.

So I think I'm adding up the cost of things, it seems EVERYTHING in Costco is either $5+ or $10+, and I know I have a little more than $100 to spend. I think I'm being careful, and the total is . . . $199. !!!!! Should have known.

Have I mentioned Marcus and I have different views of things? I get home late and it takes several trips to bring all the stuff to the house. He thinks we are bringing 5 days of food and buying more along the way as we need it. I think we need 5 weeks of food and will supplement as we go along. He thinks I have bought too much, I think I have bought too little. What ya gonna do?

Well, I'm gonna go shopping, I need some canned chicken . . .

What Are You, Crazy?

2009-10-21T11:43:00.000-07:00

How do you explain to your family and friends you are pulling up stakes from a good job and a nice house; the safety and security of hearth and home? How do you explain that to yourself?

We are feeling pretty time strapped right about now. Still so much to do and the clock is moving at fast forward. This morning my daughter said, what are you so stressed about, you are leaving for a long vacation . . .

VACATION?? VACATION!! Let's see, I will be "camping out" on the water. No TV, occasional access to the internet, no dishwasher, stocked corner store, refrigeration, minimal electrical access. I'll be cooking in an area with the the footprint of an ice chest, washing clothes by hand in a bucket, water measured by cups, not gallons, weather determining everything you do. Probably will be to hot, too cold, too wet, too tired; a lot.

Your home is subject to being tossed, turned, dragged, rammed and sunk. To go anywhere you must take the dinghy to shore and walk or take a sketchy bus and carry groceries in a backpack. Oh yeah, and the people speak a different language and it takes some doing to figure out where you want to go.

I'm selling, giving away or throwing away all but my most treasured possessions, and going to live in a 32 by 10 ft boat far from the people I love.

We don't have a source of income, and very limited savings, so we will be working as we go. The goal is to live on less than $1000 per month. Mexico is an economical place to be sure, but that is not a lot when you consider food, fuel, water, an occasional night in a marina, and transportation home.

Yes there will be lots of sleepy little lagoons, fascinating people and priceless experiences, but I'm not sure I would classify it as a vacation. Don't mind me, I'm having a paper bag day.

New Bottom Job!

2009-10-11T07:45:00.000-07:00

Paper Bag Days

2009-10-11T07:21:00.000-07:00

Every so often it becomes a little hared to breath, my mind starts racing in circles and I don't know if I can do this. Where will we put these clothes, food, tools, spares? CAN I DO THIS? I'm not 22 anymore, this is crazy, storms, dragging anchors, days at sea . . . MY FAMILY! I'LL MISS MY FAMILY!
Deep breath, step onto Quiet Moon. It seems when I am near my beautiful boat, there is a peace, a happiness. I know it is a little idealistic, and we will have tough days, but she inspires calmness and confidence in me. Another option is to go back in my mind to sitting in the cockpit of Western Grace sailing along off the coast of California. AHHHH my own form of meditation!

Men are from Mars

2009-09-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

Finally convinced Marcus to buy some clothes for the trip. His theory is bring 2 pair, one to wear, one to dry. Not the way I think! Lucky for him I have my black belt in shopping. With a little help from Land's End and Sierra Trading Post, I think we will be properly clothed and protected. Sandals, water shoes, shorts, hats, gloves, underwear, bathing suites, quick drying everything and something a little casual/dressy for checking into Mexico, or an important occasion.

Yesterday was under the bowsprit day. I got in our skiff with a heat gun and scraper and got started. It is hard work to scrape varnish; first heat it up with a heat gun (REALLY powerful and HOT blow dryer) then you take a small flat tool and scrape the softened varnish off of the wood. (at all costs, avoid having the hot metal tip of the gun touch any part of your skin, YIKES-wearing gloves helps). Now try it looking up where the hot little strips of varnish rain down on you. Fortunatly my glasses protect my eyes. It is difficult work and goes slowly, but I think I made real progress. Another few hours/days and I'll be ready for the fun/pretty stuff!

I'm working away, and I think I should document this, as I hope to NEVER do it again. Did I mention our bowsprit is all about the nooks, crannies and hard to reach places? I ask Marcus to get the camera and take a picture of this. He thinks I want a picture of the bowsprit and I have to explain I want a picture of ME working on the boat. It never crosses his mind that someone would want a picture with a person in it. In his mind that just clutters up the view. I rarely see a moment when a picture wouldn't benefit from a smiling face in it. See Mars and Venus!

More work

2009-09-23T10:34:00.000-07:00

Bought material for weather cloths. I hope to put our boat name on them so while we are underway people can identify us. Fine tuning the wind catcher for the front hatch. Repairing the bad caulk on our teak decks, and washing and applying Penofin to the brightwork. (all the pretty wood on the boat for you landlubbers).

The weather has helped me going in the mornings; you don't want to be scrubbing woodwork in the 100+ degree heat.

Marcus is getting pretty good a caulking the decks, we found a good product and he has done enough of the work to get really good at it.

Exciting news! Western Grace leaves Canada at the end of the month and will be in San Francisco in 2 weeks on there way to Mexico. We are looking forward to visiting with John and Joanne. If you are interested in serious sailing, or just hanging around Mexico, for the trip of a lifetime, go to http://www.westerngrace.ca/ We highly recommend John and Joanne, whether you want to learn more about sailing, improve/test your skills, snorkel in beautiful secluded coves, and so much more. They have expanded their route to include not only Mexico but Hawaii and Tahiti as well.

OK back to work!!

Work Work Work

2009-09-18T07:34:00.000-07:00

Business is picking up. GREAT! EXCITING! NEEDED! But as I look around at the "little projects" I have successfully postponed, I realize, for the umpteenth thim I need to buckle down and finish some things.

Remember when I said I work better under pressure? Now is my chance to prove it. So no more internet surfing and research, time to go to work. Now where did I put that to do list?

Spending Like a Drunken Sailor

2009-09-16T07:35:00.000-07:00

I’m trying to kindle in myself the urgency required to take action on the many things that I can, and do, put off. The departure date sometimes seems so close and sometimes far away. I am a procrastinator by nature, and tell everyone I work better under pressure. Probably because I put myself in the position to be under pressure so often, it has HAD to work for me. But with the trip to the bay in the rear view mirror, I see how much needed to be done, and it helped me with the fire I need to use to move me forward.

I found posting an item for sale on eBay is unbelievably easy! I found this because some of my great clothes that will NOT be useful in Mexico on a boat were just too hard to drop off at the Goodwill. So, although I may not really make much money with my eBay endeavors, I know that the people I am placing my beloved “things” with have found value enough to pay me to mail them (is there a name for this disorder?).

Hmm, this is turning into my SECOND post on “stuff”. I really believe this trip may go a long way towards healing my acquisition affliction (wait, thought I was over this).

The only thing I spend time and money on now is boat stuff. I joke that each payday we go to West Marine and just sign our checks over to them. OK, it just feels that way. We are past the research and development stage and full bore to the acquisition stage. Through-hulls, hammocks for veggies, grease, water filters, gas filters, sandals, bathing suits (hey a girl has to have SOMETHING to wear) fans, screws, fittings, gaskets, and the list goes on and on.

So it feels like we are turning a corner, one of many to be sure. Buying school supplies for the kids, batteries, and other things to trade for fish, shrimp and hopefully langostina, or Baja lobster (I have yet to taste this delicacy!) Off to the store for more stuff!!!!

Pink Jobs

2009-09-08T18:20:00.000-07:00

I do mostly the “pink” jobs on a boat; provisioning, sewing, cooking, dishes and cleaning. I know this is a not politically correct term, but the phrase is still used. Maybe because cruising women tend to be secure in their abilities onboard, it is acceptable to use such sexist terms. I also, mend sails, turn wrenches, scrape wood, calk, navigate, drive, research, raise the main, and trim the sails. Should Marcus go overboard at sea, his life is in my hands, so I better know how to turn this ship around and go pick him up!

On a boat there are immediate and negative consequences if you are not organized. The galley is not like your kitchen at home. It starts with provisioning, or grocery shopping for you landlubbers. Those of you who know me know home organization is NOT my strong suite.

I have a detailed map of every storage nook and cranny in my boat with elaborate codes to tell me where to locate things. S for starboard, P for port, b for basement (under floorboards) cu for cupboard, sh for shelf, F for forward, v for V berth (the point of the boat where our bed is). Example: Cake mix- ScuF, or something like that, it is a work in progress. The immediate and negative consequence in this case is emptying out cupboards and lifting up boards till you find the missing can of tomato paste. Of course you understand this is all in theory, I’ll get back to you in a couple of months!

Loading my ice box is like strategically planning a battle. OK, what needs to be coldest, what will I use first, what needs to be on top so it won’t be crushed. It helps if you memorize where everything is so you can open the top for the least amount of time possible, sometimes it even works.

Cooking is like standing in a broom closet, while doing dishes, I lean slightly to the right and touch the stove and the ice box is in the corner between the sink and stove. Every time I open the ice box to get something I have to move anything I am preparing. In addition, everything is moving, even at anchor, a swell can make an interesting experience.

After a long day of sailing, first thing you need to do at anchor is make dinner! Breakfast underway is simple, cereal; lunch a sandwich or warmed up soup. Part of my job is morale officer, and a hot tasty dinner goes a long way towards keeping everyone happy and healthy.

Pink jobs? You bet! While it takes a lot of forethought and is a lot more difficult than on land. I think I'm up to the challenge!

Glen Cove Marina

2009-09-04T20:58:00.000-07:00

Company's Coming!

2009-09-04T20:51:00.000-07:00

8/31/09

Jake and Juliet of Pisces are coming for a visit! Tidy up the boat a bit (looks like a dorm room); inflate the dinghy and Marcus rows off to pick them up. We have never met, yet we greet each other like old friends; it feels like we have known them for years. Through their blog I have been following them on their journey down the coast for over a year. The talk immediately turns to boats, rigging, amps, food storage, engines, weather, and showing off the boat. It is amazing how much of a kinship you can feel with people that are a generation apart.

We could have talked all day, but we needed to leave with the tide and all too soon; time and tide wait for no man. Determined to meet again, a date is set. Tacos in Mazatlan, our first Mexico date! Of course, the odds of it ACTUALLY being in Mazatlan are slim, but their plan is to travel North from Acapulco, and we will be heading south from Cabo San Lucas, so we will meet somewhere in the middle.

The warmth and generosity of cruisers is wonderful. From the “high end” to the econo cruisers, all are friendly and freely share.

The clock is ticking but we purposefully slow ourselves to make sure we are diligent in performing the anchor up checklist, dinghy stowed, water valves closed, and nothing loose to fly across the cabin.

We head out for Raccoon Straights, between Tiburon and Angel Island. Soon, we are cruising along; our first sail in the bay with our own boat! Winds are light and on the beam, perfect for sailing with the Jib, Mizzen and Main up. I know we look pretty, where is a photographer when you need one? Just past Richmond Bridge, in San Pablo Bay, we ghost along at 2 knots (about 2.2 mph slow even by sailboat standards) and begin to think about starting the motor when the wind pipes up, shortly, we are flying!! Now, overpowered (too much sail up) we start dropping sails, wow, wild ride! We have a “lively” sail across San Pablo Bay, and drop the sails just past the Carquinez Bridge right about sunset.

It has been a long and tiring 3 days, and we treat ourselves to a night at Glen Cove Marina. It is a really beautiful marina with a large Victorian type home as the centerpiece; you can almost see the retired sea captain on the deck. I am at the helm and Marcus is forward with the dock lines at the ready. The tricky berth we have at Owl Harbor and all the close quarter docking practice will come in handy here. A narrow entrance and a dogleg turn lead us past the local sailors and to the visitors dock. We work great as a team, and I pilot Quiet Moon gently to her dock for the night.

Sausalito

2009-09-04T19:55:00.001-07:00

8/30/09
At anchor in Richardson Bay, we ARE the view for Sausalito! We take the opportunity to do some boat chores, which naturally, take longer than anticipated. FYI the stencil kit sold for inflatable’s does NOT work like stencils and spray paint. Drop me a line for dinghy lettering 101. Late afternoon trip ashore, I’ll spare you the aromatic motivation, just a word of advice - makes sure you have a useable holding tank before you leave.

We had a nice walk to a gourmet market called Molly Stone’s for ice and bread. Looking around, we could shop here for hours, and spends lots of money! Yummy treats all around. So the walk to the market is what we expect in Mexico, no doubt in our minds, the markets will look nothing like Molly’s!

That's not a wake, that's a surf break!

2009-09-01T16:33:00.000-07:00

8/28/09
Long day of motoring, winds on the nose and you can’t sail into that. By 7pm we made it to San Pablo Bay and decide to anchor just east of Pinole Point. Nice and quiet, we settle in for some Orange chicken and brown rice, always nice to have a hot meal after a full day.

Ice is holding up well, thank you Julia of Pisces for the idea to add a layer of reflective insulation to the ice box; I raise my glass of ice cubes to you!

We watch as a fast ferry passes in the distance, wow, they are fast. The water shooting up behind them is a huge foamy wave, now if we only had a surf board. Surprise 15 minutes later the wave arrives, we are beam on (sideways) and we start rocking and rolling!! Lucky for us, the ferry runs stop about 11, and we finally got some sleep.

Sitting in the cockpit, watching a spectacular sunset is the perfect end to the day. It seemed to last forever with brilliant shades of orange and red, the lights reflecting on the windows across the bay. Interesting how lighting can make things prettier, even an oil processing plant looks lovely lit up. The lights of Pinole reflect on the shimmering water and make pillars of lights.

A whole lot of shakin' going on

2009-08-27T08:33:00.000-07:00

Preparing for a “shakedown” cruise. We are heading to San Francisco Bay for a few days this weekend. It has really opened our eyes to how much we really need to do before leaving. This week has been a busy week anyway, so in the evenings we are cleaning, installing reef hooks, radio, filling water and fuel tanks, Food, ice, clothes, GPS, books, tools, and the list goes on . . .

We added water to the tanks the other night, and turned on the water pump. Yahoo! We hear water gurgling in the pipes, we may have water pressure. Wait, it is still not coming out, hmm, I hear water somewhere. Oh, it is in the cockpit, close that drain. Still none coming out of the sink, WAIT the hot water line in the head is leaking big time. OK one more thing to fix, but we are happy to have things go wrong in port or at least close to home. I would rather have things go wrong here than “out there”.

There is a bit of stress involved with all of this, we wanted to leave Thur. night, but just don’t think that is going to happen. Friday morning it is. Tides, winds, it all factors in.

Before going to Mexico we still need to get the dingy motor up and running, sew weather cloths, put grommets on the sun tarps, and install an inverter, auto pilot. So many things and so little time. But it is good to work really hard now so we won’t be trying to do it all in the last 2 weeks.

It is said you will never be ready, but you have to do the best you can and go.

Refrigeration, we don't need no stinking refrigeration

2009-08-27T08:11:00.000-07:00

8/24/09
So why can’t I have refrigeration anyway? Technical aside: When you are on a boat, not at the dock, you are relatively self sustaining. If you want to run things like lights, computers, refrigerators and such, you need a power source. We have batteries that allow for lights, but you must use them judiciously as they will eventually die. You can recharge the batteries with the engine, but that takes diesel. And I personally don’t want to be a slave to running the engine 2 hours a day to charge up everything. Picture a quiet bay relaxing, enjoying the day, then add the chug of an engine for several hours instead of the chirp of birds, and the lapping of waves.

We wanted to have solar panels that would recharge the batteries and give us much more flexibility in what electrical equipment we have onboard, but money rears its ugly head yet again.

So continues the search for information on what needs to be refrigerated, and what doesn’t. Instead of buying huge quantities of mayonnaise, jam, cheese, and the like. Smaller containers will be used quicker and less likely to go bad.
One of my favorite blogs for the past year has been http://svpisces.blogspot.com/
Jacob and Julia did almost the same trip we are planning at the same time and in a similar sized boat. It was so great to hear about events, good bad and ugly, along the way. It helped me get a feel for what to expect.

Treasures

2009-08-24T08:33:00.000-07:00

One of the challenges we have had is money, or lack thereof. One year ago I would have never considered leaving without refrigeration. We are, of course, civilized people. It is as if we remain safe, and warm (or cold) as long as ice cubes are intact. But as I realized the complication of living onboard with all the “things” I considered essentials, I began to understand that if I held tight to the stuff of civilization, as I saw it, we would never leave the dock. Either that, or we need to tow the Queen Mary.

We have gone from over 2000 sq. ft. to a 32ft boat. Someone described it as living in the hall of your house. To suggest we are heading for a minimalist lifestyle may be an understatement.

Simplicity leads to freedom, and that is a revelation to me. I who surround myself with stuff and things. I am a clutter-bug by birthright. My Father is a surrounded by things, my Uncle Carl is the keeper of the past. My Grandparents and beyond did not let go easily. I have passed this legacy on to my children; although in some, lucky for them, it has not taken hold.

But, if I give away my treasures, I find joy in that, and freedom. How nice it is not to have to find a place for this and that: to try to find the other thing, to dust this award or that memento. How wonderful to see my crystal proudly displayed at my daughter’s home or to see a casserole arrive at a family event in my beautiful dish.

Money can control us, and dictate our lives; if we let it. I am discovering what is important to ME. Not what TV or society thinks is important, but what do I value. Now that is a treasure.

3 months and 7 days, but who's counting

2009-08-21T08:11:00.000-07:00

It is difficult to say exactly when this journey started. Was it when I went sailing in San Diego that summer and met the interesting Aussie crew that was delivering a beautiful yacht to Alaska? Was it the first time I picked up a Latitude 38 and read the stories of tropical coves, fascinating cultures, and sailing adventures? Was it the time Marcus and I laid on the foredeck of our soon to be first sailboat dreaming? Maybe it was the week we spent aboard the Benateau 47 "Caca Fuego", with our new found friends in the BVI? I know we were well on our way when we joined Western Grace with John and Joanne, Harry and Sailor Dave for an amazing trip down the coast of California and Baja.

After much searching and aiming at the moving target of the perfect yacht, we took the plunge (wait, plunge may a poor choice of words). In December 2008 we became the proud, if not a bit nervous owners of Quiet Moon, a 32 ft Fuji ketch. THAT purchase is another story.

So here we are after a slowly evolving journey of research and discovery buying the essentials at a breakneck speed. Our list of "absolute's" are being crossed off rapidly. It seems more things are being crossed off now because of lack of funds than due to purchasing of said items. The criteria now is, what is required for us to sail safely to Mexico.

I have lived and learned so much through the generous sharing of so many other sailor's experiences, I feel it is a responsibility to share our experiences in this process. Hopefully those who are on a similar journey will find vision, encouragment, information or comfort through our adventures.