tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1367096603319188312024-03-12T18:30:51.456-07:00FAMILY OF THREE TAKE TO THE SEAWorking Towards Living the DreamAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-14331591974398869102016-07-01T20:27:00.001-07:002016-07-01T20:27:43.099-07:00<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Almost Home June 2016</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Our sun kissed tans are fading back to white. We started wearing pants and socks as we are now in the Pacific North West. We have had moments of wanting to turn around and head back to warmer weather but we all know that this move will be good so we continue to push north. We had a great visit with family in the Bay area. We spent 6 weeks with them 2 years ago on the way south and now we were able to reconnect. We also stopped by and spent some time with friends who returned a few months ago to “normal.” It was a great debriefing visit for the adults and since our kids are the same age, it gave them a chance to connect with a peer who they can relate to on a different level (adventuretrio.com).</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">We have less silent time and we all talk more about what we left behind and what our future might look like. We have enjoyed 8 more National Parks (my hat is heavy with all the pins)! </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">We have 2 weeks left of our road trip to home. Namaste is safely tucked in Port Angeles. She made the trip via cargo ship in 7 days and without difficulty. We appreciate beyond words the help and support from our cruising community who helped her load onto the ship in La Paz in our absence and again disembark in Victoria, clear customs, and sail her the 20 miles across the Straits of Juan de Fuca to PA, Wa.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">We look forward to reconnecting with our former community-to our friends that supported us prior to our trip and to catch up. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It actually was snowing at Crater Lake!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flying kites in Long Beach, WA.</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-57561350931924100482016-07-01T18:13:00.003-07:002016-07-01T18:13:24.416-07:00<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Transitions May 2016</i></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">After tearful goodbyes to our friends in La Paz, we flew to San Carlos. It is an hour flight over the Sea of Cortez and I would almost just recommend taking that flight as it is a beautiful fly over of the Sea and the islands. What took us a month via boat was done in an hour! Matt, the motorhome, and our car were just where we had left them and both were in good order since we left them 7 months ago. We spent just a few days regrouping before we headed to the states. Tucson was our first destination. We flew through the border and started our adjustment to the USA and our new path. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">It comes in waves. The reality that our trip is “over” sinks in and then it doesn’t. The first week was the hardest so far. We would be traveling for hours with no one saying a word. We were all deep in our own thoughts, starting the mental process of transitioning back to a more “normal” existence.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">We were all moody, snappy, and short with each other while trying to enjoy our road trip adventure. Our first stop, Glen Canyon National Park, Horseshoe Bend, and Antelope Canyon were spectacular. Page, AZ is filled with natural beauty and man made engineering feats that created Lake Powell. While we were in awe of our surroundings and experiences we had, we all still were troubled and each of us having moments of snappiness. </span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Since communication is key, we would talk about our feelings and we all were in different places. Journey was looking forward to meeting new friends, checking out new schools, and looking at new houses. She talks about taking a gap year to travel either after High School or College and wants to travel while in school. Of course we had to remind her that she will have to work to earn money for all this wonderful travel. John, well, change is always more difficult for him initially. He was not dealing with the immediate future of jobs and house hunting, but spends his time looking at RV’s for retirement to take down to Central America. He wasn’t ready to talk about jobs or houses so I would just drop little snippets to help him adjust. Lastly, is me. I trudge forward. I have had 2 interviews via phone calls from Mexico, I have been looking at houses for the past year on the internet, have been in touch with a realtor, and embracing what comes next. I will miss our cruising life, it is just time to move on, for Journey. I know we will travel again in some capacity so I find comfort in knowing that our trip is not the last hoorah.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norma & Christian and the crew of sv Namaste in La Paz. We will miss these two so much!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our gift to the cruiser's shrine.</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-12747905359954488402016-05-17T14:50:00.003-07:002016-05-17T14:50:46.202-07:00IT'S A WRAPSome how the universe knew that our last trip in the Sea of Cortez was happening as Mother Earth showed us an unbelievable time. We left La Paz and headed out to meet the Women Who Sail (WWS) Rendez Vous. WWS is a closed FB group that I have been a part of for years as a space for women to share information related to sailing. About 60 women from around the world came and it was great to meet so many people "in the flesh". There were also about 6 BYOB'ers that participated. We spent 4 days with the group, enjoying camaraderie, giving tours of our boat and chatting about cruising life while visiting amazing anchorages. We swam with the sea lions of Isla Islotes, enjoyed a sunset hike at Isla San Francisco, and enjoyed group dinners. We said goodbye to the group as they made their way back to La Paz and we were headed North, into the Sea.<br />
Highlights:<br />
1. Turning the boat around as we passed 2 other cruising friends heading south that we hadn't seen in a while to reconnect in Agua Verde. We topped the evening off with a beach bonfire with about 6 cruising boats.<br />
2. Discovering the beautiful anchorage of San Juanico. Majestic rock spires jut out from the Sea providing homes to amazing sea life. We also were able to attend the annual Ship Wreck Party at the "Big House" which as Journey describes it as "The Mexican Gatsby Party."<br />
3. Watching schools of Mantas jump out of the water and swim under the dinghy.<br />
4. Watching a Dorado swim/hunt around our boat in Agua Verde for hours. He/She was so beautiful to watch. Dorado's mate for life so if you kill one, the remaining mate will remain solo for life.<br />
5. Watching a Sea lion hunt the school of fish for hours around the boat.<br />
6. Watching a 7 foot Striped Marlin fly 10 feet out of the water 3x as we sailed by-we were screaming our heads off at such a magnificent spectacle.<br />
6. Dinghy ride down the mangroves and into the lagoon at Bahia Amortajada-we saw sea turtles, sharks, and countless fish.<br />
7. Stopping at Isla Coyote, a settlement of about a dozen homes on a small rocky island, off the grid, in the middle of the Sea. The people sell jewelry and fish.<br />
8.Connecting with so many new and old cruising friends in the Sea.<br />
9. Beautiful starry nights and shooting stars<br />
10. Minke whales in Caleta Partida<br />
11. A Blue Whale as we entered La Paz bay.<br />
12. Countless dolphins playing in our bow wake, entertaining us with their graceful acrobatics.<br />
13.Shell hunting on deserted beaches.<br />
14. Priceless family time.<br />
So there it is. We were going to be out for a few weeks and instead we were cruising for a month as the lure of the Sea beckoned us. We are back in La Paz, decommissioning the boat as the ship is scheduled to arrive on 5/22. Bittersweet. We are ready to leave and start our new adventure but we also know that this adventure has been an amazing opportunity for us. So the reality is starting to hit us as we say goodbye to friends, La Paz, Mexico as our sailing adventure closes.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking the ridge at Isla San Francisco for the sunset</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cue Sunset..</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Women Who Sail Rendez Vous, San Evaristo</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cruising kids playing with fire because they are not supervised by responsible adults...JK!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nanuq is a salty dawg!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of Namaste at anchor off Isla Coyote</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQlllYGYWy0FAU5UCuZK2E8AN8IMkiR6fpMrfEbTCCz2-h5siTdmaqG00lboScIRA-OvscwuQlYO8zCruQ6LGO-D4nxO6jTqdIXQWJNTkYaKpb1Yv5i2LeJPpIkkgU0y1Fxpf2AuF8Xvtl/s1600/IMG_4590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQlllYGYWy0FAU5UCuZK2E8AN8IMkiR6fpMrfEbTCCz2-h5siTdmaqG00lboScIRA-OvscwuQlYO8zCruQ6LGO-D4nxO6jTqdIXQWJNTkYaKpb1Yv5i2LeJPpIkkgU0y1Fxpf2AuF8Xvtl/s200/IMG_4590.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The settlement at Isla Coyote</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0vcg8qrji8H0up95bN7pz9DO9rDPtJ8c77Dh-Jz2GhyVu7kLkc4Qkx5pE0trr2caQRzFhb6iy98QTKck_nENvzwfk5Cf3bzxBQPCUL0xxAFpxIZgIl3dMVGrK7E9DArkXLM2QwDKpcD-s/s1600/IMG_4585.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0vcg8qrji8H0up95bN7pz9DO9rDPtJ8c77Dh-Jz2GhyVu7kLkc4Qkx5pE0trr2caQRzFhb6iy98QTKck_nENvzwfk5Cf3bzxBQPCUL0xxAFpxIZgIl3dMVGrK7E9DArkXLM2QwDKpcD-s/s200/IMG_4585.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Namaste at anchor at Bahia Amortajada, Isla San Jose. One of our favorite spots as you dinghy through mangroves into a huge lagoon where we saw sharks, turtles, and beautiful fish.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgso7B0Ckl0F9LNtbGqv2HG2QlrsyjDA_LzojzDDzTpKMnC9bdVPuW9AgzzTb-LxLP9Cc8Gny4HmSkX23bODc0IY5Z-ZhZsGEN44HMy_QisB3UOAyoNlSWsWX9nQo383j-y9n8An3Zixpr/s1600/IMG_4430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgso7B0Ckl0F9LNtbGqv2HG2QlrsyjDA_LzojzDDzTpKMnC9bdVPuW9AgzzTb-LxLP9Cc8Gny4HmSkX23bODc0IY5Z-ZhZsGEN44HMy_QisB3UOAyoNlSWsWX9nQo383j-y9n8An3Zixpr/s320/IMG_4430.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">San Juanico is one of our favorite anchorages-great beaches, great snorkeling, and good wind/wave protection. </td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-70485058925624380872016-04-16T12:09:00.003-07:002016-04-16T12:09:45.300-07:00WHAT ARE WE DOING NOW???Our original plan was to cruise for 2 years and then reassess. Well, reassessment time came and we decided to go home. The best reason and the main reason is for Journey. I can only relay her feelings, but she has told us that while she loves traveling and cruising, she wants to go to school.<br />
Journey has big plans for herself and we support her 100%. Part of her plan is going to High School, meet new friends, get involved in her new school, and then a gap year. Being a sailor, we know that plans are written in sand but this is our "now".<br />
We did put the boat for sale while we were in La Paz and had over half a dozen people look at the boat but no "real" offers. Our options then were as follows:<br />
1. Bash back to Seattle<br />
2. Sail back to San Carlos and leave Namaste on the "hard" for the next few years.<br />
3. Hire a captain to Bash back<br />
4. Ship Namaste home<br />
Option #1 was kicked out as the possibilities as we just don't have the time nor the inclination to Bash. ***(The Bash is bringing your boat around Cabo and taking it the few thousand miles north against the wind and seas.)<br />
Option #3 was an option and we looked into how this could be done. We have dear friends who offered to sail her north for a reasonable fee and so this was an option on the table. The cons with this was that the ride North can be very difficult for the boat (and crew) which can translate into things breaking which equates to $$$.<br />
Option #2 we waxed and waned with as it is super inexpensive (~160USD/mo) to keep the boat on the hard (land). San Carlos is out of the Hurricane belt but basically the boat would be sitting in the desert for several years drying out. That means gaskets on engines and other fittings would dry out, and the constant UV exposure takes a toll on the hull.<br />
Option #4 seemed like the best except for the financial piece. There are two companies that ship out of La Paz and we got quotes for both. One quote for 20kUSD and another for 18kUSD.<br />
This was not in our budget so we went between Option 2 and 3 with the hope that she would sell and then a whole set of different logistics would evolve.<br />
So back and forth, mental gymnastics as we wrestled with the options. This underlying layer of stress was at times difficult to deal with as we are not good with just throwing things to the wind and seeing what the universe gives back to us (insert control freaks).<br />
We continued to explore all the options and then we were told about a group of boats going together on a ship and we were given their contact information. We were able to contact them and we were able to be a part of the "group" to get a better rate. Once we got our final quote which was at a considerable discount but still $$, we made our decision to ship.<br />
Deep breathe, we committed (sent in the $$) for shipping. So shipping a boat....A large tanker/container boat drops anchor out in the bay (the boat starts it journey in Florida, through the Panama Canal, Costa Rica, and then La Paz picking up cargo (yachts) as it sails. The ship has large cranes that they position over the side of the boat where you then bring your boat next to the tanker. They drop slings and the crew essentially take over the boat while you jump off into a panga that whisks you to shore. We know this to be true as John assisted friends of ours who loaded their boat on the April ship. We don't know when the boat will be in La Paz-just approximate dates.<br />
So what to do in the meantime...take off and sail for a few weeks, our last hoorah in Mexico.<br />
Here are a few pics from Guatemala since I don't have any pictures of shipping the boat just yet.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisO6veoAivbd369B4Hh5zgGY1ZVXMDp0ySrOH5eEuZFzN-CGw5Jk-zvy_oeu9XcAcLBm-OQLKjfwOjdKm_BrBMRmyzlxsmGF_31CKNtVbfUl0QfMZ3bwtZL2TOVwNCGlC25xV0SDb7vKe1/s1600/DSCN5736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisO6veoAivbd369B4Hh5zgGY1ZVXMDp0ySrOH5eEuZFzN-CGw5Jk-zvy_oeu9XcAcLBm-OQLKjfwOjdKm_BrBMRmyzlxsmGF_31CKNtVbfUl0QfMZ3bwtZL2TOVwNCGlC25xV0SDb7vKe1/s200/DSCN5736.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Atitlan, Guatemala</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1zimfebVik7_f_0yoeW0MYcFvSf2eQAM0GcZ-jI5OJN99lb2K39Iho9oyMmoGiA8X2MvECHzt_QIkAZVXxSDg-1J0Ne_NjT14EnzZ1iR9lLdjSotDpawXOa7agBCvGLNOIOi-wQf_t_I/s1600/DSCN5849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1zimfebVik7_f_0yoeW0MYcFvSf2eQAM0GcZ-jI5OJN99lb2K39Iho9oyMmoGiA8X2MvECHzt_QIkAZVXxSDg-1J0Ne_NjT14EnzZ1iR9lLdjSotDpawXOa7agBCvGLNOIOi-wQf_t_I/s200/DSCN5849.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finding the comforts of home in Antigua, Guatemala</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-51376842414678339342016-04-15T18:40:00.000-07:002016-04-15T18:40:01.808-07:00What a Ride Part IIOur friend Tom flew back on March 16, 2016 and we flew out on March 17, 2016 for Guatemala. We had wanted to do some inland travel in Mexico but as our visa's were coming due, we felt this was a great option. We have heard from other cruisers about Guatemala so we wanted to check it out too.<br />
We flew from La Paz to Guatemala City, landed around 2pm and then caught another flight out to Flores. Flores is the capital of Peten, the northernmost state and is an easy jumping off spot to visit Tikal, ancient Mayan ruins that have been uncovered.<br />
Flores is a beautiful place, situated on Lake Peten Itza connected to the mainland by a causeway. The town has an European feel with cobblestone streets that wind around the island, beautiful colorful homes that cluster the island and narrow alleyways. It took us all of 20 minutes to walk the circumference of the island. We stayed at Los Amigos Hostel (amigosholstel.com) where we rented a private room with AC/BR for 350Q (8Q=1USD). It is a great Hostel, teeming with 20 somethings buzzing around the garden area where there is a pool table, hammocks, a restaurant/bar and a travel agency. Yes, John and I felt quite old and Journey's eyes were lighting up at the future possibilities of traveling and staying in Hostels. It was quite warm and muggy so we quickly settled into our room, turned on the AC and then made our way for dinner. The restaurant has an excellent international menu serving salads, felafel, hamburgers, pasta,etc. We made our travel arrangements for the Sunset Tour of Tikal the following day.<br />
Tikal National Park is the ruins of an ancient city unearthed in the rainforest of Guatemala. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and dates back to the 4th century BC. We explored the ruins, watching Spider monkeys fly through the trees above us, and listening to the eerie calls of Howler monkeys as they shrieked in the tree tops. We learned about the history of the Mayans and ended the day by watching the sunset over the rainforest canopy while sitting on top one of the pyramids.<br />
After 2 days we flew back to Guatemala City (1 hour flight) and then hired a driver to take us to Panajachel (about 5 hour drive) which is on Lake Atitlan. We stayed in another hostel but this time in a mixed dorm that slept 8. Initially we were the only ones but over the 5 days we stayed, the room filled up. Fortunately, we had lovely "room mates" from all over the world. At night we would share our stories from the day and discussed future plans for the next outing.<br />
The lake is surrounded by several volcanos and if the weather is clear, one can have breath taking views. Small ferries take you to the many little villages that dot the lake to explore for an afternoon or one can choose to stay in these villages. We explored a few of them and enjoyed the unique personalities of each village.<br />
On Sunday, we headed to Chichicastenango affectionately known as ChiChi where it is said that it is the largest market is Central America takes place and is open on Sunday and Thursday. Chichi sits at about 6500 ft elevation and is an easy day trip from Pana. Indigenous Mayan K'iche make up the largest percentage of villagers. Most people speak K'iche as their first language and then Spanish. It sounded like a combination of Russian with tongue clicking. People are dressed primarily in traditional native dress of colorful textiles. Artisan goods, chickens, vegetables and so many other products are sold here. The streets are a maze of stalls making it difficult to make decisions about what textiles to purchase as one was as lovely as the next. We can confidently say we contributed to their economy that day.<br />
From Pana, we took another bus to Antigua. This time we tried our first Airbnb. It was also Semana Santa, or Holy week. To be clear, this is an EVENT! During this week, millions of Guatemalans flock to Antigua to honor the crucifixion and resurrection of JC with parades of floats, elaborate carpet-making and candlelight vigils.<br />
We got to our apartment and it was lovely! Everything was as promised via the owner. We had a 10 minute walk to town through cobblestone streets and colonial architecture. Antigua is a lovely city with interesting architecture, dilapidated churches that somehow are charming, boutiques shops and restaurants that will satiate the palate. We wondered the streets, enjoying a parade (day and night), as well as the alfrombas (sawdust carpets) as we explored.<br />
We hiked Pacaya Volcano which is an active volcano and when we got near the top, we watched the steam rise from the cone as we slid on lava. At night we could see Acatenango volcano spewing lava and by day blowing ash into the sky.<br />
After 2 weeks, we were ready to come home to Mexico. We returned to La Paz on 3/31/16.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6CmjU9rjdSU_w0SfF1ju7xa_mevaHwxP3bwmnCKPbKdiyNCQWQYiRLWFdawyoXdNZXAi3goAUL1ri6x3DDNXOzvVHfl8jX2A2Xo1fQi-NLwPS1I1t9HDTDUQOqS0tSRDZuxC4OOkjXCt9/s1600/IMG_3930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6CmjU9rjdSU_w0SfF1ju7xa_mevaHwxP3bwmnCKPbKdiyNCQWQYiRLWFdawyoXdNZXAi3goAUL1ri6x3DDNXOzvVHfl8jX2A2Xo1fQi-NLwPS1I1t9HDTDUQOqS0tSRDZuxC4OOkjXCt9/s200/IMG_3930.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Los Amigos Hostel, Flores, Guatemala. Journey taking it all in.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical alley way in Flores.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVO72ad4VDyvHPWZ6xfAORv9frVdxD6SzaFbSa9oMy3Pp3E7baobuX7QdQOj-g8nsY6c7aqvDO-iNgJq1Y0YPobG-0pYgOwk8JpeTnO_gWzlS4XYLNPd2SHkkexWeA29As38hB46yuqKQZ/s1600/IMG_3963.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVO72ad4VDyvHPWZ6xfAORv9frVdxD6SzaFbSa9oMy3Pp3E7baobuX7QdQOj-g8nsY6c7aqvDO-iNgJq1Y0YPobG-0pYgOwk8JpeTnO_gWzlS4XYLNPd2SHkkexWeA29As38hB46yuqKQZ/s200/IMG_3963.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The chaos of Chichi. These are the "chicken buses." </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Atitlan with Volcan Atitlan</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhitg5DlD0B_Cb8gTUaV6Pht2YLxHULvAzqVgTNBPuKx9lQy5npyQpawfjEmJwUVsO72dOugq93r6YMrK9jJAQcl3GpUi6rLBC9GBzgvBLgPHt4ZprD1SZ1-7DyXbkRBwk831D9lSpjb7ck/s1600/IMG_3951.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhitg5DlD0B_Cb8gTUaV6Pht2YLxHULvAzqVgTNBPuKx9lQy5npyQpawfjEmJwUVsO72dOugq93r6YMrK9jJAQcl3GpUi6rLBC9GBzgvBLgPHt4ZprD1SZ1-7DyXbkRBwk831D9lSpjb7ck/s200/IMG_3951.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The colors of Chichi.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful Alframbas or sawdust carpets made during Semana Santa, Antigua</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alframbos<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John loves rickety suspension bridges. NOT!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">San Marcos, a small village on the Lake known for Hippie Culture.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYjqGCCfYK7mDRRfrRN6u9wvzxehPf0QFI9orqKlfoBEzAiax48Qom4tj232nRFaA7CJVz3bwHlA-bPRl7xyDdhE7O6-WSx-Fb-P30C7nimFbdggJSj6W2ULDSXp3ujTuMTcqjZ9vVMvtF/s1600/IMG_4038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYjqGCCfYK7mDRRfrRN6u9wvzxehPf0QFI9orqKlfoBEzAiax48Qom4tj232nRFaA7CJVz3bwHlA-bPRl7xyDdhE7O6-WSx-Fb-P30C7nimFbdggJSj6W2ULDSXp3ujTuMTcqjZ9vVMvtF/s200/IMG_4038.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panajachel Nature Reserve Hike</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A family affair making Alframbas<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Women carrying a float<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking lava fields on Pacayo Volcano</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a break hiking</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-45567520732739613822016-04-15T12:52:00.000-07:002016-04-15T12:52:07.268-07:00WHAT A RIDE! PART 1There are many times when I thought, "I should be writing on the blog.." and didn't. So here is the summary of the last 5 months.<br />
We came back to La Paz this year with the intention of sailing south again to the Mainland. As with most cruisers, plans are written in sand. We love La Paz, and due to the El Nino year, the Northers (Northers are strong winds that come down from the North and funnel down the Sea of Cortez bring large seas and high winds) were quite strong and weather windows were short. We also had company coming to visit us in La Paz which meant we would only be on the mainland for about 6 weeks. So we got a slip at Marina de La Paz and nested.<br />
As a family, we decided that we don't like moving around all the time. It is tiring and we enjoy feeling connected to an area-experience the day to day life. So over the last several months we got involved in many activities. We volunteered at a shelter for battered women and children. Journey saw first hand some very trying circumstances that people live under daily. For example, the children take 2 exposed wires and put them together to turn on the light bulb next to the sink. We also volunteered for the second year in a row at an orphanage, teaching English to teens. The kids love Journey as she is very relatable to them and I enjoy it as well. We volunteered in several fundraisers to raise money for local charities that Club Cruceros <span style="background-color: white; color: #1e7d83; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">www.</span><span style="color: #1e7d83; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">clubcruceros</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e7d83; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">.net </span>supports. Journey revived her "Island Girl Bakery" business and sold/donated funds and we modeled in a pageant as well.<br />
Journey has been busy with 9th grade boat/world schooling which kept us in a steady rhythm. We hung with old friends that we cruised with last year and made new friends.<br />
We flew to Nuevo Vallarta to Paradise Village <span style="background-color: white; color: #1e7d83; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">www.</span><span style="color: #1e7d83; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">paradisevillage</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e7d83; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">.com</span> in January as friends from WA came to visit. It was great for Journey to see her friend, grab some pool/beach time as it was for us adults. In February, our niece, Rosie came to visit for 2 weeks as she just graduated from college. We had a blast as we went to San Ignacio <span style="background-color: white; color: #1b6f75; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">www.</span><span style="color: #1b6f75; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">kuyima</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1b6f75; font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">.com </span>with our friends on sv Savarona and sv Astrea to see the mother whales and their new borns in the lagoon. We were surrounded by these grey whales who would spy hop all around the boat to check us out. We also went for a sail to Espiratu Santos for the weekend with our friends on sv Mana Kai. We snorkeled, paddle boarded with dolphins and sea turtles, and had a humpback breach about 25 times. Truly magical.<br />
In early March, John's friend came to visit for a week. We did a trip to Magdelena Bay to see the Grey whales ( w just couldn't get enough)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWHALl_D7AjLe-W3AYksy_Lxo5KSxry6YEoYKxca44SWT1W-iUAoVMjWYYW5sKqvmtqquJ4yyLYmoE9omBfscPKpd5ZtIKgoods526u68cARA6bzdU2B8Z_MmU_3adlt6CBG5hs6jw1lnZ/s1600/DSCN9843.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: black;">and were blessed to actually touch them and played with them for an hour. Again it was a great trip and so fun showing Tom</span></a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kayaking/Paddle boarding around the anchorage at Espiratu Santo</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Volunteering at the orphanage in La Paz, BCS</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset with Rosie, Journey, and Cindy at Candeleros anchorage </td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-26903480310758053832015-12-14T11:50:00.003-08:002015-12-14T11:50:54.812-08:00Getting to La PazWe left Puerto Escondido after a few days and we had a short window that we decided to make the 21hour passage in one shot. The passage started off well, sails up, sun out and we settled into our course. The winds started to build and the sea started to stack-the wind was directly behind us at 20-25k and the seas were on our aft beam. This left the main flogging and a bumpy ride. As the sunset and winds began to build, we decided to reef the main. Unfortunately, we did this a little late as the winds were whipping and as we headed into the wind to lower the sail, we forgot the forward hatch was open just as we buried the bow in the water. I screamed to close it and Journey jumped into action to close the hatch. Disaster was averted and no water went below. As John tended to the sail with his lifejacket and harness in place, he reefed the sail. As the seas bounced us around, John fell into the dodger on his way back to the cockpit breaking the zipper between the dodger and the bimini. We sailed into La Paz at 4 am and drifted outside the channel until first light where we then made our way to Marina de La Paz.<br />
Once we docked, we realized that we had broken the aft end of the boom on the track. We think from the stacked seas and flogging sail, the aluminum failed and the car that holds the end of the sail pulled out of the track.<br />
So we spent the first month in La Paz getting reacquainted with old friends, cleaning the boat, repairing the dodger zipper, and taking the boom off for repair.<br />
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Heading across the Sea<br />
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Beautiful sunrises and sunsets do not disappoint!<br />
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Dolphins are always welcome to ride our bow wake!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Broken Boom-boo hoo.</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-67652488593633569492015-12-14T09:38:00.001-08:002015-12-14T09:38:58.559-08:00Sophmore Year<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">
November 2015</div>
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After a few weeks of putting the boat back together, celebrating my 50th with a grand surprise party of my cruising family arranged by Journey and John, we finally were ready to leave San Carlos. We tucked “Matt” away at Totonaka RV Park where Joseph (the owner) and Jose (manager) have been so accommodating. </div>
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We left around 0945 with some help managing the dock lines and motored out into the Sea. Although there was very little wind, we put on the iron genny for our crossing to Puerto Escondido on the Baja about 130nm. We would have preferred to stop at a few anchorages prior to PE, but a very windy weather front is coming in and we wanted to be tucked in for that. We will hit some of the places we are passing in the Spring when we come back north. </div>
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So last year when we would do passages or crossings, Journey usually would make herself scarce. Typically she would barricade herself in her room, watch movies, read, and nibble on snacks. She was not fond of the passages and often she would be edgy and nervous.</div>
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This passage I see a more seasoned and mature young lady. She took over the helm while John and I were on deck shaking out some mainsail issues. She did this without hesitation or trepidation. She stayed up in the cockpit the entire day and on deck. She watched the beautiful sunset where I watched her take a bunch of selfies (it is quite funny to watch a teen take selfies) and we all screamed and leaned over the bow to watch the dolphins play in our bow wake as they welcomed us back into the Sea. We saw lazy sea lions waving their flippers at us (or flipping us off), we saw sea turtles float by us, and John saw a shark fin.</div>
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Since this is a 24 hour passage, non stop, we look for things to do. We played Boggle which my family hates to play with me and so I know they were desperately bored to suggest such a game. I am a bit of a word hound and win every time. John and Journey played checkers and then we watched several episodes of 30 Rock and Grey’s Anatomy.</div>
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We ate well which is also unusual for us as we tend to eat very little on passages but this time we all had good appetites. </div>
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The day was overcast which was nice since it kept the heat of the sun from blazing on us and night time came early-around 6ish with a moonless sky. The starts are robust without city lights and I love gazing out the cockpit to feel the breeze and look up at the stars.</div>
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We are buddy boating with sv Windsong. We find comfort when we do passages to have other boats to travel with-we do check ins on the VHF every 3 hours to say hi, check equipment, and to hear a friendly voice.</div>
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It is 1232 on November 10, 2015. Our speed in 6.7k, motor sailing with the main up, 10.6k of apparent wind and our arrival time is around 0800 to Puerto Escondido.</div>
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The highlight of this passage for me is having Journey be an integral part of our crew. She had a difficult year last year as she was separated by everything she is comfortable with; her home, friends, traditions, security and exchanged it for flexibility, uncertainty, and adventure. I am looking forward to our sophomore year cruising.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-66058530531325918382015-10-08T16:32:00.001-07:002015-10-08T16:32:09.260-07:00The End of The RoadWe are now at about 15,000 miles that we have travelled by RV and car since June. We admit that this has been one of our best summers ever! We love the RV lifestyle-it is so easy and we were able to cover so much ground and experience so much of the USA. It is a completely different experience that the boat. We were blessed to be able to experience both since they are so different. Our top 10 favorites of this summer in the RV:<br />
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1. Spending time with family and friends<br />
2. Zion National Park<br />
3. Hiking Angels Landing in Zion.<br />
4. Bryce National Park<br />
5. Lunar Eclipse over the Grand Canyon<br />
6. Yellowstone National Park<br />
7. Mt. Rushmore National Park<br />
8. Crested Butte<br />
9. Viewing wildlife in front us (Bears, Elk, Bison)<br />
10. Learning the Geology/History of the areas we visited.<br />
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We are on the countdown until we return to San Carlos, MX to get the boat back in the water. We are looking forward to reconnecting with our cruising family that we miss so much.<br />
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Niagara Falls (Maid of the Mist)<br />
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Jackson, WY (PC Journey)<br />
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Yellowstone NP<br />
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Canyon de Chelly (PC Journey)<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-76698390164255255362015-09-07T19:55:00.000-07:002015-09-07T19:55:28.916-07:00Class of 2019September 7, 2015<br />
Tomorrow Journey starts her freshman year of High School, class of 2019! We have gone from boat schooling to road schooling and will bounce back to boat schooling in another month or so. There are many people traveling in different capacities with their children and I am always intrigued to the choices they make regarding school. Unschooling, online curriculum, traditional curriculum, and do it yourself curriculum are just some of the choices available. There are plenty of "named brands" to be had for homeschooling such as Calvert, Keystone, Switched on Schoolhouse, and Time 4 Learning to name a few. We have used Calvert (Grades 2-6) and enjoyed most of it. It is traditional, classical education at home. Calvert sends a huge box of supplies including lesson manuals for the teacher. This felt good to me when we were on terra firma, working, and living a more traditional lifestyle.<br />
When we left on our trip, we mostly unschooled for 8th grade and opted for more experiential learning. We did have Journey do math (Calvert) everyday, she picked out a science book which she read, she read many books and wrote in her journal. I wish she would have written more on her blog but some battles just went to bed. At the end of the year, she told us that she felt like she wanted more structure. Great-we loved the fact that she chose her learning style.<br />
John and I tend to be type A people in many ways-education is one of them. We both have multiple college degrees and we are believers in education. Knowing that Journey would transition to high school on land so we wanted to make sure we had a curriculum that would meet/exceed a typical land based education. We reviewed many and found one that checked most the boxes for us as there is compromise in everything.<br />
For us, online education is not an option due to internet connectivity is moderate to poor in the areas of Mexico that we travel. We wanted a curriculum that would take me out of the equation as teacher and foster independent learning. The curriculum we have is a cd based curriculum that auto corrects about 85% of her work (tests and quizzes). It provides a portal for the teacher so that monitoring can exist as well as provide rubrics to grade the other 15%.<br />
With that said, we shall see how it goes!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-5789961930131236192015-09-07T19:23:00.001-07:002015-09-07T19:23:19.303-07:00Is it the Journey or the Destination?September 7, 2015<br />
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Since June we have travelled over 8,000 miles in the RV and 3,000 in the car. We have been to 25 states, over 10 National Parks, many national monuments and forests. We have spent time with family and friends and have enjoyed it all.<br />
When we left last year on our sailboat, headed for Mexico and beyond, we didn't quite know what beyond meant. At the time, I would have said either the South Pacific or Panama Canal. Now I know it does not include those things, at least not for a while if ever. I love sailing and our boat but I am able to safely say that crossing an ocean is just not for me. I am in awe of my many friends that have adventured towards those destinations and a hint of envy creeps into my soul when reading their blogs.<br />
For me there are just too many forces that I cannot resist that prevent me from going any further than Mexico. Here is a list and it is not in any order.<br />
1. Fear of storms.<br />
2. Fear of things going wrong and not being able to deal with it.<br />
3. Family-the thought of not seeing our families for years is just not an option.<br />
4. Having a teenager that is desperately wanting to have a steady peer group.<br />
5. Wanting to have other travel experiences other than "the boat".<br />
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I am proud of our accomplishment of sailing the miles we have sailed from Washington to Mexico and look forward to another year of cruising. I also look forward to being open to the possibilities of traveling to more places in other capacities which remain to be unknown.<br />
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Namaste at anchor in Bahia de Los Muertos, Baja<br />
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Matt on the side of the road somewhere in Wyoming<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-81559728728134145872015-08-07T13:41:00.001-07:002015-08-07T20:46:21.769-07:00Summer TravelsWe decided in April 2015 while we were in La Cruz, MX that we would not be spending the summer in the Sea of Cortez as we originally planned. The temperature was heating up and we were imagining a summer of sweltering heat, exhaustion from the heat and extreme grumpiness-all those do not make for a recipe of fun in our book. So we decided to get an RV. We spent many hours looking on line when we had decent wifi and figured Phoenix would be our best bet as there are so many RV's available. We then decided what type we wanted-a Class A which is a motorhome. We also knew we would need a tow car or dinghy. The list when on and on for what we might want and within our price range there seemed to be options.<br />
After hauling out in San Carlos in early June, we went to Phoenix for 10 days. In that time we bought a 34 ft motorhome and a car. We also celebrated Journey's 14th birthday and got to visit with some of John's friends who he hadn't seen in 20 years. We then drove the motorhome back to MX to unload the boat of food, clothes and other items that we would need. We stayed in MX for about 4 days before driving back to Phoenix to pick up our car and head out to the open road.<br />
We quickly acclimated to the motorhome which is a Damon Intruder therefore we aptly name him "Matt." We loved the freedom and ease to go anywhere and not worry about weather and sea state. It is just plain easy. We learned to RV terminology such as "boon docking" which is when you dry camp. We learned to stay at Walmart parking lots when traveling and quickly developed a rhythm for setting up and storing items quickly to get on the road.<br />
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<span style="color: purple;"> Matt, our 34 foot Damon Intruder</span><br />
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<span style="color: purple;">Canyon Lands NP (middle picture), The Narrows at Zion</span></div>
We have enjoyed many of the National Parks such as Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Canyon lands, and Acadia. We have been able to spend time with family and friends in different parts of the States and show our daughter the beauty in our own country. We will return to MX in the fall for another year of cruising but for now we are enjoying our own country and all the wonder it offers.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-54686123821394965442015-06-19T19:29:00.001-07:002015-06-19T19:29:11.752-07:00END OF FRESHMAN YEAR<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px;">
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span> MAY 22, 2014</div>
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Bahia Concepcion is a 25 mile long bay running north to south positioned on the eastern side of Baja on the Sea of Cortez. This bay offers beautiful protected anchorages, snorkeling, a few small restaurants and tiendas (small markets) making this a great cruising stopover. We buddy boated with sv Windsong, a sailboat we met in Puerto Escondido who has a teen on board. We anchored off Posada Concepcion just south west of Santispac. Surrounded by small uninhabited islands and rocky reefs, this area had great wind and wave protection, amenities cruisers seek. We spent a great week here exploring by dinghy the different islands in search of great snorkeling. Although the visibility was slightly murky due to the bottom being stirred up by wind/wave action, we were easily pleased and excited to just explore the reefs. We would land our dinghy on a small beach and gear up. We saw loads of Sargent Majors, trigger fish, puffer fish, and even an octopus. I was able to do some paddle boarding a few days before the afternoon winds would creep in. </div>
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We found ourselves wanting to stay but the time was approaching for us to make our way across the Sea once again. We listened daily to the Ham net, Sonrisa for weather updates given by Geary. For those of you unfamiliar with what that all means I will give a brief tutorial. We have a single side band (SSB) which is a device that allows us long range communication via the ionisphere when the appropriate propagation is set-understand? In order to speak on the Ham nets, one must have a General license from the FCC which required taking 2 tests and lots of studying of information that is still Greek to me. A net is basically a scheduled time for people to checkin in-giving their location and conditions as well as receive forecast information. So, Sonrisa net is a popular net for checkins around the Baja and Geary is a gentleman that lives in El Burro Cove in Bahia Concepcion who generously dedicates his time to develop weather forecasts for cruisers. This is and can be a lifeline to many of us cruising when we have no other way to receive weather so that we can make informed decisions about where to go and when to go. There are other nets, weather gurus, and alternatives for weather as well but Geary does a nice job summarizing it all. Lesson over.</div>
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After getting our weather window (window is another word for opportunity in cruiser lingo), we left the comfort of our anchorage to make the 90 nm crossing towards San Carlos on the mainland side. We calculated (here comes the math) D=RT or 90nm=5knots/x, x=18 hours. Of course we calculate a few different scenarios by plugging in 5.5 or 6 knots which in turn shortens the time. We typically average 5.5 knots. </div>
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We left at 0300 under a moonless sky and scattered clouds which means very little light in which to navigate by when leaving an anchorage strewn with reefs and small islands. The route was circuitous and difficult even though I was able to use our previous route that brought us into the anchorage. Nightime, like fog can be very disorientating. Journey was on the bow with a very strong light looking for dangerous obstacles that we might not see on radar, John was assisting with communication and navigation and I was at the helm steering and navigating. John has the most difficult job as he usually has to deal with me as I squeal in high pitches when I get disoriented at the helm. He holds his cool, calms me down by giving me instructions and for that I am grateful that he treats me with respect. It is a team effort and I know that when challenges come quickly that my family can hold it together.</div>
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After a slow start (it took us 2 hours to travel 9nm) we reached the head of Bahia Concepcion, ready to set our course north east and an hour until sunrise would start-things were looking good! Not so much. </div>
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As soon as Namaste stuck her nose out, the wind shifted to the NE at 10 to 12 knots-going to weather is not ideal as our speed dropped to 3 to 4 knots and the seas began to get sloppy-this makes for a long passage even longer and uncomfortable. We slogged along for several hours watching our arrival time on the chart plotter as midnight-something that unnerves us as entering a port at night is not optimal. After several hours the wind finally shifted to the northwest at 14+knots with building seas. The seas quickly became stacked first at 4 feet then a steady 6-8 feet with occasional 10 footers off our beam. Stacked is when the one wave comes right after another versus a longer swell period which allows time in between for the boat to settle. With stacked seas, moving around is not only uncomfortable but can be dangerous due to flying objects and difficulty holding on. We had the boat prepared for sea which is a routine we have that includes placing all objects that are not physically attached to the boat to be placed in a safe area. We had a few small items that found their way to the cabin floor and the only casualty of the trip was John’s favorite coffee mug. Hmmm. Father’s Day is approaching and we will be near Defenders where I bought him this one many years ago.</div>
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Pulling into San Carlos as the sun was setting felt great. The anchorage is well protected, we were exhausted, we anchored around many boats we have met over the past few months that are preparing to haul out too. So here we are, the end of our freshman year as cruisers is coming to end, bittersweet. We are excited for the next several months to be off the boat-my next blog will give the details of our plans…so stay tuned.</div>
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BROKEN MUG FROM OUR CROSSING<br />
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POUNDING INTO THE WAVES (this was not when it was so bad)<br />
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SUNRISE IN BAHIA CONCEPCION</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-59077081127092186012015-06-19T18:58:00.000-07:002015-06-19T18:58:28.475-07:00Cultural Sensitivity <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">
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May 9, 2015</div>
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We have been in Mexico for almost 6 months and have had the opportunity to gain insight into the plight of language barriers and cultural sensitivity. Since I took 5 years of French, I was not nominated as the main interpreter of our group. John had High School Spanish (over 30 years ago) therefore he was nominated by default. Upon our stay in La Paz, we decided we would take Spanish lessons so we had a National, Sergio, come to the boat 3x week for 2 hours each session. Our brains were so fatigued after the sessions. John’s Spanish improved and was able to pull his prior knowledge that had been dormant in the recesses of his brain back to the forefront. Journey and I got a good a spring board and could understand more than we could converse. </div>
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As we travelled throughout Mexico we have had to buy groceries, ask for directions, ask for bus/transportation information, and general conversational needs. Whilst John has been able to be our main communicator, we have all tried to use the limited mastery of the language that we have to improve our skills. </div>
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Simple tasks such as ordering a meal at a restaurant can be done in English, but we have felt that we are in a Spanish speaking country therefore we should at least try and use our skills. We have found the people of Mexico to be extremely patient with us. Many will try and use their English and we have to ask them to stop so we can learn Spanish. Once they know we are interested in learning the opportunity then lends itself to a “free” lesson. We have had these in shops, markets, and restaurants. We have had several opportunities to help some improve their English while they help us with our Spanish-all done with smiles and laughter as we make strange sounds from our mouths that are supposed to formulate words that seem to sing off the lips of our teachers.</div>
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I think about the immigrants who come to the United States. Are they greeted with kindness when they are trying to assimilate? I could not say for certain that they would be. My maternal grandfather immigrated from the Ukraine as a young boy with his parents to New York-none of them spoke English. My grandfather learned on the streets of New York and in school but his parents struggled. I have gained greater sensitivity to the plight of those who are not only struggling to learn the language of their new home, but trying to complete the work of navigating around their community, shopping, and adhering to government rules/paperwork that is not in one’s native language. </div>
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We will continue our slow progress towards learning Spanish and I am completely thankful to the people of Mexico that we have met that have encouraged and taught us. It is not only the “gift” of language that I am receiving but the “gift” of sensitivity towards those barriers that may hinder someone’s ability to communicate.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-14574212003311172762015-04-03T20:36:00.000-07:002015-04-03T20:38:03.782-07:00In Search of the Holy GrailMany cruisers are in search of something albeit a secluded anchorage, a great marina, titillating snorkeling/scuba..you get the picture. For us, it is kids. We still hold those previous for mentioned "pearls" but traveling with a teen on board has shifted our focus towards finding kids. After 6 months of virtually no kids (we have had a few..thank you mv Adagio and sv the Vortex) but it just didn't seem enough. Having an almost 14 year old girl who craves social interactions (other than her parents) has put us on the quest for the Holy Grail. Fortunately, due to the nature of many other boaters whose maturity is equal to that of young teens (thank you sv Kialoa, sv The Red Thread, sv Naoma, sv Luna) she at least has had intermittent opportunities to play games, be goofy and enjoy some great laughs and teasing. It also brought up some conversations that (pardon the sexism) men at 20,30,40, and 50 are still 13 in so many ways.<br />
We found the Grail at Paradise Village in Nuev<br />
o Vallarta and we have loved having our girl thriving as she navigates the social schedule that she so craves. I have even let school slide a bit so that she can go to the pool earlier with her friends and have established a 10pm curfew at night.<br />
We have had to develop and learn as we go as we hadn't dealt with teen parameters too much before we left. For example, communication and checking in to let us know where she is. Since we do not have phones here, she cannot text or call. Option B is carrying a VHF radio and initially she was required to check in every 2 hours. As she proved her ability to be responsible with checking in, we went to every 4 hours and eventually she no longer carried the radio and would just come back at dinner and then at her 10pm curfew. Establishing a curfew was also new for us.<br />
Traveling with a teen on board can have challenges. We find that teens that grow up on a boat may have an easier time adapting than those plucked out of their "typical teen" lifestyle as their lives become misaligned with what they have come to know. Patience and humor is a must-on both sides. We have many discussions about communication and respect when conversing with each other-often in teen land there is only yelling, eye rolling, and doors slamming. It is a privilege to watch this evolution from the former to a more articulate teen who can express her frustrations and desires intelligently.<br />
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Mina (sv the Vortex) and Journey at Paradise Village<br />
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Crab races on the beach<br />
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Resort gang at Paradise Village<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-4548803098370411172015-03-23T13:49:00.000-07:002015-03-23T13:49:06.400-07:00<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">
2/2015 Mazatlan</div>
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After a wonderful month in La Paz we sailed across the Sea of Cortez which is about 180nm. We initially went ~10nm outside of La Paz to a beautiful anchorage out of a picture book or stock photo to put on your laptop. We left to travel further south on the Baja side towards Muertos where we spent the night and left before sunrise to sail across towards Mazatlan. We had a beautiful sail and landed 32 hours later. We carefully navigated the very short (a few hundred yards) channel which is also very narrow. For sailors this means lots of surge. Lots of water trying to squeeze through a small space. To add to the excitement, there is a dredger that works the narrow channel as it is an estuary and the silt builds quickly. We radio’d the Port Captain for the status and with a little bit of nail biting we entered the channel, whisked by the dredger, and found an end tie to rest Namaste. We secured all her lines and took in our surroundings of palm trees and resort style ammenities. We were quite excited since my mom was flying in a few days after we arrived so we wanted to explore quickly to get an idea of things to do. </div>
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Mazatlan is a big city which took some adjusting on our part. Buses are readily available and cheap-they even have “tourist” buses that have AC and cost a few pesos more if you chose. The buses go all over the city which is convenient. Our first day out was hot and humid which we were not used to as La Paz was cooler (70’s) and we were experiencing 90% humidity and 80+ degree temperatures. Needless to say, tempers were short as we tried to figure out where to go. We regrouped over lunch.</div>
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To make things interesting, Carnival was also starting which means the city becomes a huge party. My mom flew in and we got her checked into the El Cid Marina Resort. She had a great room that looked out towards our boat. Journey moved in for the 2 week visit. </div>
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We settled into a routine, met some great friends at the marina, and had a great visit with mom.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-41809424990866906612015-03-18T14:37:00.001-07:002015-03-18T15:46:26.163-07:00<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica;">
<span style="font-size: large;">3/13/15 LA CRUZ</span></div>
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We are in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle or affectionately known as La Cruz. Like La Paz, we have heard of this glorious place and have read about it’s legendary cruiser anchorage and easy lifestyle. We arrived after a beautiful ~45 nm sail. Upon entering Banadara’s Bay, a large well gently surfaced in the not to distant as if personally welcoming us. We passed Punta Mita which is an anchorage on the north tip of the Bay for our final 10nm. Shortly after entering the bay, the winds began to pick up in the 20k range, which is fine for us as our boat is heavy. We circled around the anchorage where there was about 25 boats bobbing around. We selected our spot and dropped “the hook.” As usual, once the hook is dropped, we go into “unpacking” mode which means all the things that were stowed can now take their rightful spot in the cabin. </div>
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However, we paused and noted that there was quite a bit of swell as we got knocked from side to side so we waited and watched the other boats hobby horsing wildly about their anchors. We scratched our heads thinking the winds would die down once the sun set but to our dismay, they did not, and instead became even more uncomfortable. We were not in any danger just uncomfortable and unable to drop our dinghy from the davits safely to bring Nanuq to shore. </div>
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We radio’d our friends on sv Astrea who we sailed down the Baja with and were anchored not too far away. They had been in the anchorage for a month so they surely could tell us more information. Speaking with Nate and Natalie, they too were having a challenging evening due to the conditions which they reported were atypical. Phew, since we were beginning to question ourselves and maybe we are just wimpy. Nate’s sister Liz was visiting from PA and was feeling a bit queazy from the rocking and rolling. We managed the night but promptly pulled into Marina Riveria Nayarit for a few days. As it turned out, a large storm was coming in and hung over the bay for several days dropping several inches of rain and winds in the 20-30k range.</div>
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Many of the boats in the anchorage also came in for a night or two which helped to validate our decision. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">3/18/15 Small Spaces</span></div>
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Sometimes you just can’t please everyone. Whether on a boat, house, or a camper, there are situations that arise that may come to an impasse. Tension or discourse can be light and easily resolved like dinner options/plans, messiness, or whose turn to do the dishes. Other times, tension can escalate which often can be in a crisis, expectations not realized, or from frustration. Living in small spaces with a teen on board can exacerbate any of these situations to another level. As we morph through this process of cruising, living in a small space, and dealing with the unknown, we find ourselves using these opportunities to use humor (ok, maybe not immediately but soon after) as well as conversing about compromise and flexibility. </div>
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Life is not perfect and learning to accept and rebound from our expectations is an important lesson. Gleaning the gifts in the face of adversity is a challenge but important to hold onto. Journey would tell people that our boat mantra is “The difference between an ordeal or adventure is attitude”. Of course she would say it with Attitude and maybe even an eye roll! It hasn’t always been easy traveling with a young teenager but I wouldn’t have it any other way. We have been able to spend time with her in an invaluable way and watch her gain confidence in a new way. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-27747263268811211762015-03-08T09:20:00.003-07:002015-03-08T09:20:36.384-07:00La Paz<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
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For years we have heard about this magical cruiser’s paradise named La Paz which means Peace. We read about it in blogs, we heard stories from other cruisers and Boat Show talks. So we imagined this utopia, a destination, and longed to be “there.” On December 31, 2014, we sailed into La Paz after a beautiful night at sea and a bashing morning run through San Lorenzo Channel for the last 15nm until we settled into Marina de La Paz, our home for the next month. We were ecstatic to just settle in to a new home for an entire month, especially since we had been on the move since August, with the exception of our 6 week stay in Berkeley. We were looked forward to sleeping without the boat rocking, we didn’t want to study weather reports, plan passages/routes, or spend another night at sea-at least for a while. </div>
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Admittedly, it took us about a week before we decided that La Paz is a fabulous place. I think when one builds a place up in one’s mind, it is hard to meet that expectation. It took us awhile to see through the developing nation aspects and see the beauty and develop connections in the community. </div>
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We now love walking the malecon (an esplanade that follows the water) and watching the locals strolling and enjoying an evening walk with family. We watch them enjoy ice cream at the many ice cream shops, sushi, pizza and hamburgers. We walk a few streets away from the malecon to the city center where more traditional Mexican food carts and restaurants can be found. Mercados which are indoor markets with individual stalls selling fresh fruits, vegetables and meats/fish are abundant and locals conducting their daily business as La Paz is the capital of Baja. It is not a touristy area for the most part. </div>
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We enjoy the 0800 morning cruisers net which we turn on via our VHF radio. It is run by volunteers (other sailors) for an organized 30 minutes of relaying communication for the cruising fleet. There are 5 marinas in the area which include mega yachts (the M5, Ostar etc) as well as those of us that are more modest. There is also a large amount of boats anchored in the bay. Sadly, 3 sailors lost there lives here in September during Hurricane Odilie. Evidence is all around with boats still on their sides on the hard and a few boats eerily in the water with only the top of their masts reaching out of the water as if they are asking for help.</div>
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We will miss La Paz but we will return.</div>
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sv Kialoa bashing through the channel en route to La Paz<br />
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crew of Namaste and The Vortex having fun<br />
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Our sister ship, sv Del Viento joining us at anchor at Coleta Lobos<br />
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A 50th birthday party for Tanya in La Paz</div>
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<b><u>Friends</u></b></div>
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We arrived in La Paz with a part of our flotilla family otherwise dubbed the Umbrella Dumpers. After Cabo, a few of the boats headed to the mainland to continue their adventures while some of us decided to stay on the Baja side. So, Kialoa (Scott and Tanya) and Estrea (Nate, Natalie and Sullie) and the crew of Namaste sailed through the night up into the sea to La Paz. While Estrea anchored out, Kialoa and Namaste headed for Marina de La Paz. When we circled to enter in, we quickly recognized several boats in the harbor, one being our sister ship, Del Viento. We have known The Robertson family for several years, first via email when they were buying their boat (Michael found us on the owner’s website) and then they bashed up the coast from Mexico and visited with us in Washington on their way up north. They were kind enough to have John as crew when they returned south a year later and picked him up in Port Angeles, Wa. and dropped him off in Astoria. He has a great blog <a href="http://logofdelviento.blogspot.com./">logofdelviento.blogspot.com.</a></div>
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We also saw sv Luna, owned by a young, solo sailor named Reed who we met coming down the Pacific Baja. There were several other boats that we knew as well so it was a reunion in the making.</div>
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We settled into our slip space and met our new neighbors, Kim and Eva, from Alaska and were some of the kindest people. </div>
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Shortly after arriving, we serendipitously ran into Rae, Don, Meana, and Henry from sv The Vortex. Rae was Journey’s African Dance teacher in Port Townsend when she was 3! We saw them once when Journey was about 8 years old in Garden Bay which is in the Gulf Islands in Canada. We sat out a gale for 2 nights in that Bay but we managed to sneak out for some ice cream with all our foul weather gear on! Fast forward and we run into them while we were playing Bocce ball on the beach and they were strolling by. The kids spent the next week or so hanging out which gave them all some valuable and rare kid time.</div>
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I think that was one of the highlights of our time in La Paz is the intense friendships born out of short duration. Leaving La Paz was difficult as we were so comfortable but we know the “bungy cord” will bring us back soon.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-80188183947286498002014-12-26T12:48:00.001-08:002014-12-26T12:48:22.898-08:00December 26, 2014<br />
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We are in San Jose del Cabo waiting for a weather window for us to travel north in the Sea of Cortez towards La Paz about 120nm. In winter, strong northerly winds blow down the Sea and create challenging seas so planning is important. There are a few anchorages along the way to break up the journey if weather and seas create a challenge. We just survived our first Christmas away from "home." I will admit that I underestimated the impact on Journey. I also had thought we would be further along in our trip, settled somewhere so I could shop for some gifts and plan a nice day. We did decorate the boat and we are at a marina but Journey really missed being "home". <br />
Sometimes the lessons we are learning on this voyage are very difficult. The concept of change for example. There is a reason people do not like change, it is hard. With that said, opportunity can also come from change. We spent Christmas Eve with 2 other boats, sv KiaLoa and mv Adagio. We had a great evening and then spent Christmas day playing at the beach.<br />
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Playing on the beach with Kevin and Cindy from mv Adagio.<br />
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Christmas eve aboard mv Adagio.<br />
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Christmas Day at the beach. All photos by mv AdagioAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-91200586319184064572014-12-26T12:27:00.000-08:002014-12-26T12:55:37.322-08:00Mexico<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
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After taking our time traveling down the coast and discovering great areas and kind people, we were ready to embark on our trip to Mexico. We celebrated Thanksgiving with “new” friends at their home. We stayed in Chula Vista for a week as we borrowed a car to provision as well as enjoying a great marina with a pool. We then moved the boat back up the bay to La Playa anchorage which is just a weekend stay. We have grown our flotilla to include about 6 boats, most from the NW and Canada. We had several weather planning meetings to decide “the date”, spent many days finishing last minute projects, internet and getting paperwork in order.</div>
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We left late afternoon with our Flotilla family as we literally sailed into the sunset with a full moon. By morning we sailed into Ensenada where we had a slip space at the Cruiseport Marina. It was a challenge to complete all the bureaucracy. Thankfully, we had help by the Marina staff who got us through quickly. Exhausted, we went back to the boat and napped. Our stay in Ensenada was quick, 2 nights and then onto Bahia Tortuga, 350nm south. This meant 2 nights at sea and 3 days. We all faired well and were ecstatic to be there. It is a little outpost, not much other than a few meager stores, a few small motels and restaurants and Pemex for fuel. The days were spent perfecting beach landings, using the internet, and getting together with friends. After 5 days anchored, we left for Abreojos, about 100nm south en route to Magdalena Bay. This outpost mostly makes a living with the whale excursions as the whales travel to a small estuary where they give birth and wait until the babies can survive. </div>
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Part of our flotilla family, dubbed the "Umbrella Dumpers" at the Southwestern Yacht Club, San Diego.<br />
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Namaste under sail leaving San Diego heading to Ensenada. Photo by sv The Red Thread.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-11064605068808585282014-12-26T12:22:00.002-08:002014-12-26T12:22:23.768-08:00What it means to cruise<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
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When we disclosed to many people our plans of taking off for a few years and sailing south, we received lots of different responses. Some supportive, some questioning our sanity, some just couldn’t understand how we could just “leave” our land lives (ie. security of jobs, home etc). </div>
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I don’t have a great answer other than we have curiosity to explore, meet new people and have adventures.</div>
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One question we heard a lot was, “What will you do, won’t it be boring? What will you do everyday? As a cruiser, our lives are typically very busy-it is just busy with other tasks. We spend hours reviewing weather, meeting with other cruisers to discuss weather and passage making. We plan our passages, plan on where we can provision, provision (which typically means shopping and sorting food), fixing or cleaning the parts of the boat, school (after all, Journey does have some school work to be done), and explore whatever new surroundings we are in. </div>
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We have had a few opportunities to do nothing-nap, read a book, or hang out with friends/family.</div>
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I welcome the opportunity to feel “bored” since it mostly feels like we are on the go.</div>
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We have taken some breaks from the challenges of cruising to keep us all sane and content.</div>
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For me, cruising is an opportunity to meet people, hear their stories, help others in whatever way we can, spend time with my family, and learn from various people. </div>
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We have met so many wonderful people so far and from all different walks of life. We befriended a few younger solo sailors, a few families, youngish couples, and older couples. Some have <br />
“bling” boats and others have boats that just have the essentials. Everyone is willing to help one another out if needed. We recently had to say goodbye to a boating couple we have known since Seattle. We planned together through our “getting ready” to cruise lists. We left before they did from PNW but we caught up in Berkeley. We have spent several months with them but they are moving on as they are headed to Australia in the spring. Are hearts were heavy to see them go but hope to see them again in the future. That is the difficult part of cruising.</div>
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Cruisers also use handheld VHF radios like cell phones. We all monitor a particular station and we all call each other to checkin or just chat. It is fun when everyone joins in the banter. I write this as I stare out the cockpit, underway for Cabo, 166nm downwind. We have seen humpbacks the size of our boat jumping completely out of the water, we have seen grey whales slowly lumbering through the water and of course dolphins that perk everyone up.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-73014827847149342782014-12-26T12:19:00.002-08:002014-12-26T12:19:33.623-08:00The One That Almost Got Away <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
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After a long run of 166nm from Bahia Tortuga to Magdalena Bay we were excited to drop hook,rest, go to the beach, and make a nice dinner. It is super frustrating when “plans” don’t come to fruition especially when one is sleep deprived from an overnight passage. </div>
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As we entered the protected bay, the winds picked up to 20 knots on our nose as we dropped anchor. We quickly got the dinghy in the water so we could take Nanuq to shore for his business. The beach inside Mag bay is an easy beach landing with the dink (no crashing waves to surf over). Keep in mind Mag Bay is the size of SF bay but has very little development other than some fishing outposts. There was a bit of fetch (choppy seas) in the bay but we persevered and got to the beach. Nanqu ran around, happy to be a terra firma and complete his doggy transaction.</div>
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We found beautiful shells, soft sand and solitude which was quite nice. As we headed back to the boat, winds picked up again. We had a splashy ride back to the boat and decided to leave the dinghy tied up to the side of the boat as it was too windy to get the dink on the davits (davits are what is used to pull the boat out of the water). We went down below to sort our evening out. It was quite bumpy as the boat hobby horsed at anchor making it difficult to move around. We were disappointed that we would probably not get a restful night of sleep after being up for over 30 hours. I came up to check on our position when something didn’t look right. The dinghy had broken loose from the boat and was drifting quickly away, out towards sea!!!</div>
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In my calm voice (totally not!) I yelled (screamed) for all hands on deck. Within minutes we had 125 feet of anchor chain hauled up and we turned the boat to chase our dinghy. John pulled a great Starsky and Hutch move as he jumped into the dink as I positioned the boat along side. Journey had the boat hook which she used to hold onto the dink until lines were tied. After towing the dink back, re-anchoring, and methodically lifted the dink onto the davits, we were exhausted but the adrenaline was pumping through our veins. </div>
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The night continued to have winds of 20 plus knots and the fetch kept us hobby horsing. We continued to do anchor watch every few hours but did manage to get some decent sleep. </div>
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It is these experiences that although challenge us, it also teaches us team work. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-46218747609274022902014-11-28T13:41:00.001-08:002014-11-28T13:41:30.129-08:00Heading SouthAs we repack the boat, re check our spares, re-provision, download movies, and do laundry to get ready for the next big leg of our adventure, Baja, Mexico. We plan on leaving San Diego and will sail 70nm to Encenada where we will check into Mexico. We have been staying at the south end of San Diego Bay in Chula Vista. Although it is a bit out of town, we have had the good fortune of borrowing a car from dear friends (thank you Skeeter and John) which allowed us to accomplish more than we would have thought and in less time. We also shared Thanksgiving with Skeeter and family which was lovely to have a last "traditional" dinner for awhile.<br />
We are buddy boating with a few other boats, sv The Red Thread out of Seattle and a few Canadian boats as well. We will sail 750nm down the Pacific Baja and tuck into the Sea of Cortez. We do not have a final "destination" as we will wander around in search of warm water and fun.<br />
Journey continues to be an invaluable crew member. She not only manages boating chores but is often thinking of options when we are frustrated or is able to handle her parent's tense moments and come through laughing.<br />
We have loved the trip down the West Coast, we have explored so many communities that we haven't been too and really liked. We enjoyed southern California more than we thought we would and have found that people have been so kind and generous towards us.<br />
We are looking forward to the next part of our journey and will share stories as we can.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-39435311382806587152014-11-02T16:42:00.002-08:002014-11-02T16:42:30.753-08:001000+ Nautical Miles Done.Hard to believe we left 3 months ago. It has been quite an adventure to this point. We thought we left "early" enough which we did, however, it has been a busy hurricane year on the west coast with resultant large swells and storms. We waited out weather in many areas, sometimes up to a week before we felt comfortable venturing out. Everyone has their own tolerance for what they may want to deal with ie. big seas and big winds. We also spent 6 weeks in Berkeley, where we hung out with family and explored the area.<br />
We loved Monterey and we are really starting to enjoy getting used to lots of sunshine and warmth. We have been blessed with dolphins swimming with the boat on multiple occasions including the Rizzo dolphins which are white, large dolphins. I love hearing and seeing Journey yell and get excited when we see the dolphins swimming and jumping off our bow.<br />
We rounded Pt. Conception which is known as the "Cape Horn" of California. For those of you who are not sailors this basically means be prepared for some serious shit! After this point, you are in Southern California. We started to psych ourselves out, but after analyzing weather 4 times a day from various resources, we chose our window to leave. We opted to go straight to Santa Barbara which would mean 36 hours at sea. We had a great first day sail, the night was beautiful and pulled into SB early evening. Pt Conception fortunately, uneventful-just the way we like it!<br />
It was amazing to wake in the morning to Santa Ynez Mountains, tall palm trees and sugar sandy beaches.<br />
We have been buddy boating with our friends on sv The Red Thread since San Francisco. It has been fun spending time with Jesse and Neil, voyage planning and exploring these areas together. I met Jesse through a FB group and then we met at the Seattle Boat Show. While our boat was getting worked on in Seattle, we were able to spend some time together. We all became fast friends and would bounce ideas off each other as we voyaged planned. We did not expect to see much of Jesse and Neil until Mexico as they were leaving later in the season due to work commitments.<br />
As luck would have it, we got to welcome them to Berkeley, sailed to Monterey and now to Santa Barbara. Jesse has a great blog svtheredthread.com. Our paths will part for a bit due to a loss in their family which is heartbreaking but we will reconnect at a later point.<br />
Some of our other boat buddies are on the BaHaHaHA and on their way to Baja. We look forward to reconnecting with them too.<br />
We are enjoying exploring, rented a car to drive up towards San Simeon and take in the Hearst Castle. <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15470773708465129774noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136709660331918831.post-15605988568849871002014-09-15T21:39:00.000-07:002014-09-15T21:39:19.028-07:00RhythmThere are new rhythms that we have had to develop as we acclimate to our life as "cruisers." John and I had a great start when we left Port Angeles, Wa. to Bodega Bay, Ca. We had to work together to maintain our day to day life on the boat. Journey joined us in Bodega Bay to SF, a two day jaunt which took all of us a bit of time to get our dance together. Journey can be a great crew member on the boat and once she joined us, we couldn't believe how we were able to get on without her for those 2 weeks that she was visiting friends.<br />
While we have been in Berkeley, Ca., we have been removed from our "cruising" rhythm as we have been staying with family and visiting the boat every few days. We are having so much fun visiting and playing with cousins and friends.<br />
At a certain point, I had to break the news to Journey that we had to start school. Another rhythm we had to start. The first day was a bit rough for both of us but I am so proud of Journey and her ability to take on her independence with school work among other tasks.<br />
Just as we were developing this new rhythm, I had a great surprise one day. My mom flew in from Connecticut! We were so happy to see her and spend a bit of time with her.<br />
So what about our rhythms? Well, this is cruising. Losing the rigidity and structure of land life in exchange for flexibility. It is a struggle for me at this moment but can only hope as I go through this process that the idea of rhythm will be related to playing the ukelele.<br />
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