Finding Time

Wow, it's difficult for me to believe it's been almost two months since I've been on here! Lack of communication is not one of my problems, as all of you know. Well, I've had good reason, while we are not out of the country yet, Scott and I have been putting in the final push to get the heck out. The list of projects is down to need to (short list), would be nice (shorter list), and finish in Mexico (very, very long list). It's been decided to put much of what we were hoping to get done in the USA down and go as we are. The draw back to this is our shopping list has gotten twice as long. As Americans we are spoiled with the diversity and quality of products we can get in the USA. All cruisers start out worrying about food and provisions, but ours is a little more concerning. Will we be able to find the specific stainless steel screws that we need, or the high pressure hose for the water maker (to be finished in Mexico), or any other oddball item that Scott and I feel make our boat more of a home with each passing day? One of our biggest projects we wanted done was the headliner and port lights in. A project that we've been putting off simply because we couldn't decide what we wanted to use. Well, the decision was put off a little longer when what we thought we were going to use ended up a pile of scrap lumber when we cut it wrong. In hindsight, it was a good thing, as neither of us really liked what we were going to use and didn't want to tell the other in fear of delaying our departure.

In addition to all the projects, there have been the constant running around we need to do to collect all the items we think we need. Constant trips back and forth to several of our suppliers. I know when we finally haul out for bottom paint I'm going to have them raise the water line. Scott and I also like to take what we call "Sanity Trips". The purpose is to get us away from the boat, regroup, and allow us to look at her from a fresh perspective upon our return. Usually, they are only a day or two out to Palm Springs, but we needed to run away and Arizona seemed the best. We love Flagstaff, it's another area we could consider settling if and when we decide to. Two lovely days and several nice meals later, we returned and got more done in a week than we usually get done in 3.

We've also either been host or been hosted by a large group of friends wanting to say "Goodbye". We have the most amazing friends. The nicest part is that we've finally gotten to the part where we can host our friends aboard Reisender and share a little of our lifestyle with them. The most common reaction is how big inside she is. Some of the people we've been able to host have been: Sandy, Nicole, Joe, Valerie, Andy, Dan, Jeff, and Harmony in the last few weeks. I want to thank all of them for their encouragement and friendship. Our last surprise was an invitation for Thanksgiving out in Palm Springs. Thanks Gene! It was perfect timing and for the first time in years I didn't cook. That was a strange feeling!

Well, here we sit, waiting. It seems a theme in our life. We wait for Monday, when we take the cats to get their international health certificates. Then we wait for someone to buy the car, which will be posted for sale on Tuesday. If you know anyone in the Southern California area looking for a great 1997 Volvo Station wagon that gets almost 30 mpg let me know, shameless plug I know! Waiting, waiting, waiting! The wait is almost over and then it's on to traveling again. I'm excited, nervous, and prepared all rolled up together. The boat is as ready as she can be. I've got all the goodies we love to eat, and Scott has all the spare parts he can think of. It's time.

One more item, thank you all for your love, friendship, and encouragement as what has taken 7 years of work and preparation finally comes to full blossom for us!

Fair winds my dear friends!

Strictly Sail Long Beach 2012

This was the first year for the Strictly Sail Long Beach in a long time. In years past it was a combination of sail and power. Scott and I are most fond of the Strictly Sail boat shows that are held around the country, with our favorite being the Strictly Sail Oakland show. When it came to our attention they were holding on in Long Beach we decided to drive up for the day, and are we glad we did. It was definitely a smaller show than we'd been to before, but they really made up for quantity with quality. It seemed to be a success from the venders point of view also. We overheard several saying how surprised they were with the number of attendees, especially on a Thursday. The best part for us, were the seminars on cruising Mexico and we think we've found a marina in Ensenada to stay while we check in. The marina was represented by the dock master and they offer to help with our check in with customs, which is very nice considering Mexico is changing it's requirements for entry and it's not really certain what all will be changing. The best we can tell, for those interested, you can no longer make your first stop anywhere in Mexico without clearing in first. For our west coast cruisers, this would mean no more going to Turtle Bay first and then checking in at Cabo or La Paz. You would be required to either check in at Ensenada or go straight down to Cabo without stopping. As of now, that is the only significant change to entry by boat. OK, OK.... back to the boat show: We also found a wonderful North Sails rep who invited us to bring our used North Sail into his loft for a free inspection and quote on putting a sun guard on it. The best thing is his turn around time: THE NEXT DAY!!! That's amazing as most lofts give a turn around of 7 days. I also fell in love with Dufour boats.

http://www.dufour-yachts.com/

Quality of craftsmanship really impressed both of us. They actually use solid wood throughout, not pressed or laminates like so many other manufacturers. Their representative was a fountain of knowledge on their boats. Usually when reps find out we already have a boat and are just checking things out we are quickly disposed of, but this guy was wonderful. He was really proud to be with this company and even made sure we saw the other Dufour on display and pointed out all sorts of features and details we would have missed.

We found that kind of pride in the product being represented was pretty consistent with the vendors. We rarely felt hurried or that because we weren't buying we were a waste of time for them. Every vendor we approached was glad to spend time explaining their product and it's uses. We only had one vendor who wasn't on his game. We felt he didn't know enough about his product, but the impression was made that he might have been manning the booth for someone on a break. So, in light of all our excellent experiences we'll let that one slip. We've got the website and address. There was one other wonderful thing about the show, most of the vendors represented companies that were from Southern California. We could go directly to the location within a reasonable drive from Newport Beach. For us this is great because it cuts down on shipping. Well for non -boaters this is all pretty boring, but for the boating geek I would recommend the New Strictly Sail Long Beach show if you are in the area. It's still no where the size of Oakland, but it's worth a look.

Fair winds!

Just a couple of thoughts

With our leaving drawing near there are so many questions that people ask when they find out what we are doing. After 7 years aboard a boat the questions about "what's it like?" begin to get stale. It's my life. Yes it is very different for those who don't live on a boat, but the longer I live on a boat the more that life seems strange to me. The look on people's faces when they begin to talk about something on TV and we look vacant never ceases to amaze me. The idea that TV is not a constant part of our daily lives seems to confound people. I used to be addicted to the noise of a TV. The first thing I'd do when I came home was turn it on, whether I was watching or not. It was the noise I needed. Now I find my life constantly interrupted by noise. Airplanes, traffic, the chatter of people just talking, even the music as I'm shopping seems a distraction. The other distraction is the constant rush of today's lifestyle in America. Scott and I live in one of the most populated areas of the country and when we are out and about we feel overwhelmed at times. Cars rushing by, people in a hurry. Grocery shopping which was so much fun for me has become a drudge of "get in, get out". I've found the crush of people when shopping to be claustrophobic at times. We've slowed down so much over the last few years it amazes me more people don't jump off the wheel and do it. So for me that is what life on a boat is like.

Another of my favorite questions is about "stuff". Where do we put it all? That's a funny one to us. We've downsized and downsized again over and over. We finally look at each other and ask why we even have something. So the question of where we put it all tends to be a funny one when you've done you damnedest to get rid of all you can. It's actually very liberating. My wardrobe is about a 3rd what is once was, but what do I really need? Something warm in the winter and something cool in the summer. A sweater or two for the other seasons. We are both avid readers, but with technology as far as it is that's actually OK today. For entertainment purposes we both have electronic book readers, but for resources we keep hard copies. I am a huge cookbook collector. I've just limited myself to 20, so when a new one comes in an old one goes out. As with my galley, a new tool must have two uses, otherwise there is no home on Reisender for it. I also find that I don't need the gadgets I once found I did when on land. I can chop garlic with a knife. It may take a little longer, but who cares? It's just a little more love in a meal. Tools for Scott is a big one. Most of the weight in Reisender is because of our tool lockers (PLURAL), but where we are going we need to be self sufficient. Who couldn't stand to be able to take a care of themselves a little more independently?

I won't bore you too much longer, but the biggest question we hear is about fear. Aren't we afraid? Actually, yes, often, but do you know of anything in life worth doing that doesn't make you a little afraid? If you happen to be married, was that one of the scariest and nervous days of your life? In my years, I've learned there is no such thing as absolute safety. Earthquakes, fire, car accidents all happen, so we could stay on land and let one of them get us, or we could take our chances out here. While this isn't for everyone, we are happy and love the choices we've made. We are actually very boring people in our opinions. We've got friends that amaze us everyday with their accomplishments. I guess it's all in the seat you're sitting in as to what the other person looks like.

Well, just a couple of thoughts. Fair Winds!

Scott Say the Best Asian-Orange Chicken He's Had

So I made this the other night and it was a big hit. Scott said he can never go to a Chinese restaurant and order this again. I did make a few changes to the below recipe and I have noted them where I've made substitutions. Let me know if you enjoy it. We like a little spice to ours so I added extra red pepper in the form of Sambal Olek. You can find this in the Asian section. It's a chili mixture with a great kick. I use it a lot.

Asian Orange Chicken

Ingredients

• Sauce:
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons orange juice(I used a fresh orange)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• 1 cup packed brown sugar  (I used granulated sugar and only 1/4 cup)
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I used Sambal Olek about a tblspn)
•  
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water
•  
• Chicken:
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Pour 1 1/2 cups water, orange juice, lemon juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce into a saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir in the orange zest, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, chopped onion, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and cool 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Place the chicken pieces into a resealable plastic bag. When contents of saucepan have cooled, pour 1 cup of sauce into bag. Reserve the remaining sauce. Seal the bag, and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
3. In another resealable plastic bag, mix the flour, salt, and pepper. Add the marinated chicken pieces, seal the bag, and shake to coat.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place chicken into the skillet, and brown on both sides. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels, and cover with aluminum foil.
5. Wipe out the skillet, and add the sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Mix together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water; stir into the sauce. Reduce heat to medium low, add the chicken pieces, and simmer, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

As the Sea Lion Turns

So Scott and I decided to take a much needed break from the boat and get away to Palm Springs for the weekend. Unfortunately the sea lions did not know it was a weekend off and decided to play a dirty little trick on us. We weren't gone 4 hours when we got the call that a lovely little critter had taken up residency on OUR BOAT!!! Insert all the curse words you want here! For the most part we thought the epic of the sea lions was over and hadn't really been bothered by them for almost a week. They seemed to have been migrating to other areas of the bay. Well, not so.... our saint of a neighbor who called shooed them off only for them to return when he went to the back of our boat. That's when he called us. We don't have any netting for him to throw over the boat and the boat was locked up tight, except for one locker in the cockpit. We told him to use whatever he could and rig up anything to prevent their return. At this point the discussion of scraping our plans and returning to Newport was seriously on the table. Another drink later and we called him back to find out that the little critters had moved on and he'd keep an eye on our boat and call us if need. Weekend saved! It was then on to wine and the rest of our time with friends!

Update on Crusing Thanks to Sandy

Here's some more info on two areas (Newport, OR and Fort Bragg, CA) from my friend Sandy. Thanks Sandy!

Newport, OR: The first marina to starboard as you pass under the bridge is quite nice. Guest dock is the very first dock to port – just across from the fuel dock. Moorage (2008) was $20/day. There are very nice shower facilities and Laundromat at the top of the ramp. Good (free) WiFi in the laundry room. There is also an RV park there. You can walk to the aquarium and the Rogue Brewery (which is at the other end of the marina) but to provision you need to go into town. Fortunately there is a free shuttle to/from several times a day. We were there 10 days waiting out bad weather so by the time we left the shuttle driver knew us by name…sigh…

 

Fort Bragg, CA: I was there long ago taking a smaller (33’) boat from Portland to S.F. The entrance is quite narrow and not particularly well marked. Lots of rock & cement blocks on both sides. Would I go in at night? No! Once inside, the channel is quite narrow and shallow. The boat I was on had a 6’ draft and the middle of the channel was 8’. This is a very “authentic” fishing village and very quaint. Huge population of wildlife and those nasty Sea Lions are quite happy to lie about on boats. The fuel dock is like the one in Eureka. The people are very friendly and there are some great places to eat. I’d have loved to go there again with “Faith” but really didn’t feel like negotiating the tight quarters with that big a boat (41’).

Jerid's Mini-Cruising Guide Part 2

This is from Santa Barbara to Newport Beach. By no means is this a full guide, just the places we've been.

Southern California Cruising

Southern California check in for visitors in many of the harbors is quite different from Northern California and the West Coast. Most, but not all, harbors require the visiting vessel to tie up to the Harbor Police docks to check in and for slip assignment.

Santa Barbara- This is the first harbor that requires checking in at the police docks prior to slip assignment. They are also the first requiring transient boats to show proof of insurance. As of the fall of 2011, the going rate for a slip was 90 cents per foot per night, including showers, water, and electricity. The pump out and fuel dock will be passing on the starboard side of the boat as the visitor is pulling into the police docks. Showers are located through the marina. Laundry facilities are located on shore and require a prepaid card with a minimum purchase. The marina is gated and a key card is required. As of 2011 the rate for the gate key was $8. This is a purchase not a deposit. The key is yours and should you return they will reactivate the key, or pass it on to other boaters coming down behind you. At the marina you will find many restaurants and a small West Marine. Downtown is within walking distance, but they have an excellent trolley system. If you follow Cabrillo Blvd east and turn left on Milpas you will find Tri County Market. This is a great produce stand and market. Following Milpas away from the beach there is a Trader Joes located a few blocks from Tri County. Down town on the corner of Chapala and Carrillo if a Ralph's grocery store. State St is the main street with many wonderful shops and restaurants. There is also a Saturday Market. Ask for time and location at the Harbor Master's Office. To the east of Stearns Wharf is a free anchorage. The anchorage nearest the pier is only available until November 1^st. After that the anchorage is further east. Be advised of all Santa Ana warnings. They can be severe and that is one of the reasons for moving the anchorage further away from the pier during that time of year.

Ventura- We only pulled in for fuel. When attempting to find a slip the rates were some of the most expensive we'd encountered. $1.60 per foot per night. It was decided to go further down the coast to a more reasonable rated facility. The fuel dock is very convenient and easy to find. Visiting boaters are not required to check in with the harbor police. Contact the individual marinas for guest moorage.

Channel Islands Harbor- Many good options for overnight accomodations but not good for provisioning. You are not required to check in with the Harbor Police. Contact the many marinas for a slip. It truly is out in the middle of nowhere. Not a very convenient place without a car.

Marina Del Rey- $1 per foot per night. There are designated transient slips at Burton Chase Park. The rates there have gone up quite a lot in the last few years. Boaters staying there as recently as 2009 reported it to be one of the most reasonably priced harbors in Southern California. To find the transient slips is very easy. After entering the harbor, you find them just past the first basin on the starboard side. There is a large statue of sailor with a helm in his hand at the edge of the park. The statue is sometimes hidden in the tree foliage. After grabbing a slip head, get your slip number and find the police office in the park. They will require insurance and registration. There is a Ralphs across from the park as well as a West Marine. Showers and restrooms are conveniently located in the park. The moorage slips are gated and a deposit is required for the key. Use cash for the deposit as it can take up to 6 weeks to get the deposit back on a credit or debit card.

Los Alamitos Bay Marina (Long Beach)- Visiting boaters much check in at the police docks. If it is after hours you must tie off at the police docks and wait until they open in the morning. Do Not! Do Not! Move to a slip until you have checked in. This is a very serious offense to the authorities and they do not mind you tying up to the docks for the night. They may or may not charge you for the night on the police docks. The going rate is $1 per foot per night. They require registration and proof of insurance including the amount of coverage. As of the fall of 2011 they required a minimum of $300,000 liability coverage. Once in a slip, you will find this an excellent place to provision and find boat parts. There are two boating stores in the parking lot, West Marine and The Captain's Locker. There are several sets of showers, but we found that if two people are showering at the same time only one of you will get hot water. Slips include water, showers, and electricity. As for provisioning within 2 blocks you will find: Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Albertsons, Ralph's and a Sunday Farmer's Market located in the parking lot of the marina. There is a movie theater, Barnes & Noble, Bev Mo Liquor, Best Buy, and many other shops and restaurants within the same two blocks. In & Out Burger is across the street. There is a Passport pickup station at the base of the bridge. Passport is a public bus that will take you all the way to downtown Long Beach for a dollar per person each way, as of the fall 2011. There is an excellent store in downtown Long Beach for charts.

Avalon- Amongst the cruisers we know it is hit or miss whether they like Avalon. We loved it. This is another mooring ball situation which is the easiest we've ever seen. Go to cityofavalon.com for details. When approaching Avalon wait outside the harbor, the harbor police will come to you. As of 2011, they require cash in advance for mooring, but we have heard they now accept credit/debit cards. Call (310)510-0535 to verify this. The rates are posted on the website above. It is expensive considering the only amenities are water, pump out, and the mooring (they also have trash pick up off your boat), but if you travel off season there are substantial discounts. After November 1^st rent two nights get the next consecutive 5 free. There is also a deal between September 15^th and November first (if you rent Thurs, Fri, Sat, and Sun, you get the consecutive Mon, Tues, & Wed free. If staying longer than 2 weeks you will be required to put the City of Avalon on your insurance. The mooring is fore and aft. There is a map of the moorings on the website that is very helpful in finding the assigned mooring ball. The harbor police will give you directions or if it is your first time, if you ask they may guide you directly to your assigned spot. To pick up the mooring have a person the bow and one at the helm. The bow hand will pick up the pennant that is floating and pull it up until you find the first loop. Wrap it around the bow cleat and hand over hand the line to the stern cleat, being careful for hooks that may have gotten hooked in the line. Once at the stern wrap the loop around the cleat. It is recommended to have some form of a chaffing guard. If a Santa Ana occurs during your visit the harbor police may ask you to move and if possible ask to use a double mooring if the one next to you is available. They want your boat safe and not breaking free and heading towards town. Once mooring is complete the harbor police will come on board and put a dye tab in your holding tank to prevent pumping overboard in the harbor. When you are there you will see how clear the water is and really appreciate this pre-caution. There is a water taxi to take you ashore, but it is expensive. It is $5 each way per person. That can rack up quickly. It is more convenient to have your own dinghy for coming and going. There are well marked dinghy docks through out the bay. Please observe the marked rules at each dock. The docks can be crowded and it is common to climb over other dinghies to get to the dock. Showers are located across the street from the Tuna Club. You can't miss the club. The showers are $3 for 5 minutes. Water is a premium on the island. They are hot and clean. There is a laudromat in town and well as a grocery store. The grocery store is a Vons (Vons is the same company as Pavilions and Safeway, they will accept both a Safeway & Pavilions card for discounts). Because space is a premium in town, the Vons is in two locations with one housing the produce, meat, can goods, etc and the other with the bakery & deli. Both are within walking distance of the harbor. There is also a Radio Shack, Hardware, and the post office is located in the center of town. The post office will accept general delivery should the need for mail arise. Tourism is the heart of Avalon and the locals will go out of their way to be friendly and helpful. One more piece of advice, go to the Marlin Club for a drink. The locals are very colorful and no where is this more evident than the Marlin. Drinks are good, the bartenders lively, and the live music on the weekends is excellent. You never know who could be playing there.

Newport Beach- This is an excellent place if you need parts or to get work done on your boat. If is another harbor that you need to go to the harbor police docks before mooring. When you come in the entrace they will be off the starboard side of the boat. You can tie off to either the pumpout station or just past the police & life guard boats there is a temporary tie off to check in. If you choose to use a slip they are right next to the pumpout. Just grab one and head up to the office. They include water, electricity, trash, and showers. There is also a beach at the top of the ramp. The showers are not our favorite. They never seem to get warm and they are timed. You'll need to get the code from the harbor patrol office when you check in. As of 2012, the slips are $40 a night for any size boat that can fit into the slip. Somewhere around 40 feet, but if you hang over a little we've never seen evidence that is is a problem. If you are a more budget minded and if you have a dinghy, they also have mooring. The moorings include water, pumpout, and showers. The bay has public docks throughout that are extremely convenient. I would suggest if you have a choice to opt near Balboa Island in mooring area B. You will be further away from some of the tourist area and there is a laundromat on the island. Pavillions is also within walking distance, as is one of the two West Marines. If you go to the other end of the bay there is a public pier that will take you to Newport Blvd. If you follow Newport Blvd you will come to Minney's Yacht Surplus (Think Disneyland for Boaters). Minney's is a second hand store with just about everything you could imagine. It might take some digging, but if you are looking for a used sail, prop, or anchor you're gonna love this place. There is also a sail loft and engine supply store right next to Minney's. If you can't find it at Minney's there is also MMI but it's a bit of a walk. Minney's is already close to a mile and a half from the dinghy dock. If you don't mind walking, you can get fresh produce at Grower's Direct. Excellent and cheap! There is a public transporation system that looks really convenient. Sprouts, TJ's and Fresh & Easy are all good for finding provisions as well. There is no Walmart within reasonable distance. If you go over to the pumpout dock near the police docks you can make your way within walking distance to Corona Del Mar. In CDM there is an Ace Hardware and an Albertsons.

Additional Newport Beach info: We've been here long enough to add a few more details. MMI can be found at
www.mmimarine.com

They are another boating supply store in the area. MMI is a long walk from the bay, but if you can't find it at any of the other alternatives give them a call and make the walk! LOL! 

Also if you need the bottom scrubbed off try Kim Ozolins from Atlantis Dive Co. (949)722-8693 or cell (949)233-DIVE. He does hull cleaning, zincs, inspections and recoveries. He was a great guy and did an excellent job. He also will give you quite a lot of advice about keeping your hull in good shape here and in Mexico. 

Jerid's Mini-Cruising Guide Part 1

I've put together a baby cruising guide based on our experiences from last fall. There have been a number of inquiries for this information and I'm finding that I'm e-mailing to a number of people. If you know of someone who is interested in going down the Oregon/California coast please forward or direct them to this site. I hope they find it helpful and if you or someone you know finds a correction to this list please send it on to me so we can keep this current.

The first installment will be Astoria, OR to Point Conception, CA.

Astoria, OR-

First and most important- TIME YOUR BAR CROSSING CAREFULLY! With that being said, Astoria is a beautiful and quaint town. There are two marinas, with the bulk of the transient boat berthing in West Basin. West Basin offers showers, electricity (at a fee), and water. If coming in from the Pacific it is before the bridge, if coming down river it is just after the bridge. It is recommended to call to get a slip assignment when a couple of hours out (503)325-8279.If you have done any fishing on your way in, be sure to have a valid fishing license. During our visit, we saw the Game Warden sitting on the dock with binoculars in hand checking every pleasure fishing boat that came in. There is an Englund's Marine a short walk across the parking lot. The is Safeway is a very long walk away. It is recommended to either use a bike or the street trolley that has a stop directly in front of the marina. You can follow the trolley path all the way to the store. Downtown is very close with lots of restaurants and shopping. On Sundays is an excellent farmers market located downtown, just follow the crowds. Excellent produce! The marina offers all the usually amenities: showers, laundry, water, and electricity. The rate for our 41 footer was $20 a night for the slip and $3 for the power hookup. They also have a haul-out and work yard. The last we heard you could do the work yourself, this will be one of the last places for the do-it-your-selfers. The East Basin Marina is a little closer to Safeway, but it is mostly fishing boats and there is quite an issue with the sea lions all through the day. The Columbia River Maritime Museum is well worth the visit. If you are coming down river and crossing the bar for the first time, you might want to avoid it, the 2000 wrecks that have occurred over the last 200 years is a big part of the theme. The town thrives on tourism and the people are very welcoming and helpful. There is also and excellent fish monger at the top of the ramp in the marina. The fuel dock is locating in the marina, but is usually very busy.

Newport, OR-

There are three options for berthing in Newport, OR. The first is to anchor. It is OK to anchor in the bay, as long as you are well outside the marked shipping channel and further upstream past the Embarcadero. As always watch tides and depth. As of 2011 we saw no more than day anchoring in the bay, but in years past we've seen quite a few people anchoring. The second option is Newport Marina just after the bridge. The third is The Embarcadero Resort and Marina. They have excellent facilities, including: showers, hot tub, pool, crabbing dock, work out facilities, laundry, water, and electricity. The staff will even accept mail and package delivery for you at the front desk if you inform them in advance. Most of the cruising guides list the transient dock just at the end of Englund's Marine, but there was confusion in the fall of 2011. We were allowed to tie off there, but there was a new Harbor Master and it wasn't clear if the marina had the right to use that spot. Englund's Marine is in the adjacent parking lot. The historic downtown is within walking distance with many excellent restaurants. There is a small public bus system that does go to the Fred Meyers grocery store and Wal-mart. It is not a super Wal-mart to the groceries are limited. You can obtain the time schedule of the bus system either at the front desk or at one of the stops. The marine research center is across the bridge as well as the Rogue Brewery. There is also a welder located across the bridge as well as a small boating store.

Coos Bay-Actually Charleston-

Charleston is very convenient but follow the channel markers very closely. The Coast Guard station is on 24 hour alert and very helpful if needed. The transient dock is usually very busy with people crabbing from the dock. The rate for a 41 foot boat were $18 a night as of 2011. The transient dock is near the end of “B” dock and is a side tie. It is recommended to contact the harbormaster (541)888-2548 for a slip assignment. See if they have a slip off of the transient dock. In Charleston itself there is little to no provisioning and what is there is expensive. There is a Super Walmart only a $6 cab ride each way in Coos Bay itself. See if there is another cruising boat willing to split the cost. Verify with the taxi dispatch office the current rate. The marina offers showers, electricity, and water. It's nothing really fancy. The laundry facilities are locating in the RV lot near the marina. The fuel dock is located to the right of the transient docks. It is not in any connection with the marina and he will not fill fuel jugs that are not on the boat. The Englund's Marine is just a short walk across the bridge. Behind Englund's is a boat yard. We needed some welding done and found an excellent welder in the yard. He actually came to our boat and picked up the part.

Crescent City, CA-

Due to the tsunami in March, 2011 there were limited facilities in Crescent City. Contact the marina for current information (707)465-1776. The fuel docks were open and they did allow anchoring in the bay with protection from the breakwater. It is not certain whether anchoring in the bay is actually allowed, or was only allowed due to the marina being repaired.

Eureka, CA-

There are 3 options for Eureka as well. The first is to anchor in the bay. The rumor is that anchoring is allowed anywhere outside the channel for up to 72 hours. This has not been confirmed and it is at the boaters own risk. The other two options are marinas. The first is the Eureka Public Marina. Very convenient to downtown and a few grocery stores. It offers the usually amenities: showers, laundry, water, and electricity. The marina is gated and requires a key. Leave a deposit at the harbormaster's office. The gate key is also needed for access to the showers and laundry. The rate for a 41 foot was $30.75 a night. In addition to being very convenient to downtown the fuel dock and Englund's Marine are also very convenient. This is a fishing town, the fuel dock is designed to accommodate fishing vessels rather than pleasure. The fuel dock will be higher and much more abused than the average cruiser may be accustomed to. The other option is Woodley Island Marina. This marina is further away from downtown, but with a substantial savings. A slip for a 41 footer was running $17.90 a night with similar amenities. To reach downtown, cross the bridge which has limited pedestrian crossing safety. There are several grocery stores within walking distance of the Public Marina and a Winco is a short bus ride away. During the week there is also a farmer's market one morning. Ask the harbormaster for the correct day and time of the farmer's market.

Fort Bragg, CA-

We did not go in, but all parties we know who did said the entrance is very narrow. One set of friends came in during the dark and said they wouldn't have tried it if they could have seen what they were really getting into.

Bodega Bay, CA-

A love picturesque town with a very safe harbor. It is not recommended to make an entry for the first time after dark. That is not to say it is impossible. It can be confusing and people like to fish from Bodega Head. The problem is they turn on the headlights of their cars and point them straight at you as you come through the jetties making all the marker and range lights difficult to make out. Finding your way through the channel is easy, just go slow and take your time! Do not go outside the channel. There is shoaling everywhere. There are markets, but they are expensive. Fuel dock is very convenient and the staff at Spud Point Marina is very helpful. This was our most expensive marina ($40 a night for a 41 foot boat). The marina has the usual amenities: shower, water, electricity, and laundry. The showers are high-school locker room style for the men.

San Francisco, CA

If only staying a few days, check out Aquatic Park. It is a free anchorage right downtown. Be warned about all the swimmers in the Park. It is right downtown for everything! There is another anchorage (free) in Richardson Bay up near Sausalito. There is also another free anchorage on the backside of Treasure Island on the east side of the island north of the Bay Bridge. As for marinas, they are to many to name. There is an excellent boating map and guide on the Bay Area that was available at Spud Point Marina's office.The going rate was roughly a $1 a foot per night in the bay area. The only marina I will mention is Emeryville Marina (510)654-3716. It was $25 a night for our boat. Don, the harbor master, was super nice. They have a fuel dock, pump-out, laundry, and showers. There is limited hot water to take your shower early. The town of Emeryville has a free shuttle. It's a quarter of a mile walk to the stop, but it will take you to any of the shopping and provisioning you may need in Emeryville. It will also take you to the Bart Station to go over to the city. This is the first Trader Joe's since Portland that we found and it's within walking distance (about a mile). There is also a movie theater close by. There is a small market on the peninsula that has a lot of great stuff if you don't want to go all the way to TJ's. The view from our boat was downtown San Francisco. This marina is also gated. If you go in here, get directions to the slip. There are all sorts of turns and twists. It's almost as if they just added willy nilly. Oh, one more piece of advice, if you find out how to get there the Blue Pelican is a great used chandlery, not as big as Columbia Marine Exchange, but if you are desperate it's a good option. In the San Francisco, if you are there for a few days we recommend any of the exhibits in Golden Gate Park. We loved the Natural History Museum and the Japanese Tea Garden. Also go for a drink at the Top of The Mark at the Mark Hopkins Hotel. The view is unbelievable. You do need closed shoes and pants (boating attire would not be welcome). Just about anything can be found here. If staying more than three days in San Francisco- check out the Muni Public Transportation system. They operate all public transportation in the city with the exception of BART. A three day pass can be purchased for roughly $20 per person and covers all San Francisco buses, street cars, trolleys, and underground (except BART). The famed cable cars alone are $5 per person each way. This would be a great saving based on that alone. There is an excellent map with all the marinas (phone numbers included) listed. A copy of the map can be requested by calling (415)355-3760 or (415)904-6905. It is called the “2011-2012 San Francisco Bay Area Clean Boating Map”The map can also be found in the harbormaster's office in Bodega Bay.

Half Moon Bay, CA-

Nice little hop down from San Francisco. There is anchorage behind the breakwater that is free. The rate for a 41 footer was $32.80 a night at the marina. There are some restaurants, but the downtown is to far to walk and there is no provisioning close by the marina. Contact the harbormaster at (650)726-4382 about an hour before arrival for slip assignment. It has the usual amenities: showers, laundry, water, and electricity.

Monterrey, CA-

Contact the harbormaster via VHF 16 for moorage. They will assign a spot. $28 a night for 40 ft. They will charge you by the slip they put you in and not on your boat. Deposit is required for the keys to the bathroom. Showers and laundry are OK. TJ's within walking distance as well as a great downtown. If you take the walking path to the Aquarium and then go up the street one block from the aquarium you will find a Rally's grocery store. If you take the main street heading in the opposite direction toward Moss Landing about a mile and a half you will come to a little produce stand on the right hand side of the road. Very good produce and good prices. There is also a great French

Bakery within walking distance. It's called Paris Bakery at 271 Bonifacio Plaze. There is also a seafood market on the pier. There is quite a lot of sea life. Sea otters and sea lions with lounge on the docks and will not move.

Port San Luis, CA-

A great little layover. The guest moorings are cheap, either $5 or $10 a night. The fuel dock is set up for fishing vessels. No provisioning within walking distance. A dinghy will be needed to get ashore. There are no marinas. The entire bay is mooring balls. This is an excellent spot to rest up before Conception. The guest moorings we used didn't not need for us to have our own lines. You reach down with a boat hook, grab the loop, and attach it to your bow cleat. It's been a year, so it may have changed. It is a bow only mooring ball. Contact the harbormaster on VHF 16 with getting close to arrival. There are no facilities. There is a very limited boating supply store on shore.

Enjoy and Fair Winds! Please feel free to contact me with any changes or questions about the information listed at : svreisender@yahoo.com

All information was current to the best of my memory as of the fall of 2011. It is recommended to contact each harbor prior to arrival to verify location of transient slips, current rates, and any harbor information they feel would be important to a visiting boat.

Four Sea Lions and a Pontoon Boat

As of this morning our neighbors are down to 4. It was a quiet night and morning and we finally got a good nights sleep aboard Reisender. After running some errands this morning we came back and appreciated our neighbors being quiet. We took a nap and were woken to a rather loud noise that sounded like, but did not feel like another vessel ramming us. Sound asleep we bounded out of bed and ran to the cockpit, both convinced we'd been struck. To our pleasant surprise it was only the Harbor Patrol hosing off, once again, our neighbors from the boat they were occupying. The other day I thought the pontoon boat would sink with the combined weight of the occupiers, but Scott pointed out it was a pontoon and are virtually unsinkable, so was the Titanic! Today after the Harbor Patrol left, the sea lions returned, as they always do, and began to re-inhabit the pontoon. This time it didn't rebound to it's normal floating level prior to their return. The port pontoon seems to be taking on water and the pontoon boat is slowly sinking. We never like the idea of a boat sinking or damaged in any way. It's a reminder that our home, in which we've put so much work, could be next. Well, while we hate to see a boat sinking, we are a bit relieved that our war with the natives could soon be at an end.... as of now they are still holding on and the starboard pontoon is keeping her afloat... for the time being!

Our War with the Sea Lions

Two days ago our new "neighbors" decided to make it a war of aggression against us. They tried to sink our dink around 6 am. I actually happened to be up and was out the companion way before they had a chance to take our faithful Komen to Davey's Locker. They'd been particularly boisterous that night, having a fight around 3 am that kept me up. We'd had enough, and I apologize to anyone around Newport Harbor who happened to hear our air horn going off at around 6:30 am on Tuesday. It didn't take long for them to realize it was all noise and really wasn't of any importance. They resumed ownership of the abandoned pontoon boat. Yesterday, after two sleepless nights, Scott and I decided to see what options we had to rid ourselves of the invaders. By the way, as of yesterday morning we were up to 6 new neighbors and they were not contented with just staying on the pontoon. They were now inhabiting at least 3 boats total and trying for a fourth. We looked at slingshots but were afraid we'd be arrested. We opted for a water canon that sprays up to 45 feet. It seems to annoy them a bit, but not as much as the water canon from the Harbor Patrol's boat. Around 4:30 yesterday afternoon they were up to 8 and the end of the pontoon was submerged in the water. I phoned the Harbor Patrol and they came out quickly. They scattered and we had a nice chat with the Patrol. It turns out that the Fish and Game Department says the only legal thing to shoot the Sea Lions with would be Nerf pellets. They are soft and will only annoy the animals without causing any damage. The Environmental Protection Agency say "No Way!" They are plastic and other creatures might ingest them. I have seen a number of boats with boards that have nails driven through them. My dislike of these creatures hasn't made it that far yet, and I find that so cruel. As much as I want them gone, my heart breaks each time I see one with a cut from the prop of a boat across it's back. I also soften my reserve when the mother and her pup also dive in for a cool off and a play, then at 3 am I'm strengthened again by my reserve to have a good nights sleep. There is also the stench. We've been lucky enough to be up wind of them so far! As of this morning there are only four, and they weren't as loud, but we will continue to annoy them until the Harbor Patrol removes the pontoon to where it originally came from.

A Sea Lion a Day

A few weeks back a friend from high school, who is also a sailor, happen to be in the area and I invited her out for a visit. We ended the day with a dinghy ride around the bay. She's an east coast sailor, so sea lions are not the norm for her. On our ride around the bay, we came across an abandoned boat that had been taken over by the critters. There was some concern at first as to their aggressiveness and I reassured her we were quite safe at our distance, but no closer. I also happen to mention that I was relived they seemed content to stay on the opposite side of the bay from where we are moored. MY BIG MOUTH!!!! So a couple of days ago one of the bucks decided to take up residence on an abandoned boat behind ours. At first, he was cute and I even named him Ron. He was fine at first, just laying about sunning himself, but then he let the word out that there was a boat with plenty of room and his lady friend decided to show up. Scott named her Wanda. At first Ron wasn't very friendly to her and sent her on her way, but she quickly discovered the transom of a powerboat that was unguarded and she took up residency. I was not completely put out, but notified the Harbormaster of our new neighbors. Then the tourists decided it was time to come for a closer look. Now, Scott and I don't like to be disturbed while in project mode and the constant visits of non-boaters out for a look began to wear on our nerves soon. The screaming child scared of the sea lions put me over the edge. It was time to run the lookers off first, not that easy. I kept telling them that 2 feet away from a several hundred pound wild animal was not really a good idea. Then I said forget it, a few less tourists from the beating end of a sea lion would really help the IQ of the world's population. The morning of day three and yup a third sea lion. I stopped naming them. This was getting serious. They have broken some piping on one boat and torn the canvas work on another. OK, they had their boat, just leave mine alone. So far, so good. Then yesterday, they decided that an immaculately kept powerboat would be their next destination. How they did it I know not, but one of them leaped all the way up over the railing and into the aft deck of the boat and decided to plant his flag. That makes 4. The next morning, today, I awoke at 6 am to the sound of fighting from the new neighbors. They were fighting over the boat behind us and didn't really like the idea of sharing. Sleepy eyed I informed them it was way to early on a Sunday for this kind of behavior. They immediately quieted themselves, to my astonishment. Fast forward a few hours and the Harbor Patrol enters the situation. Water cannon on full they blasted the unwanted tenants from the home they were illegally living. This worked for about 2 hours as they moved them ever so gently (right, that's to keep the animal rights people off my back) away from their conquered territory that they were occupying. We are currently back to two. As of now, my unwanted neighbors are quiet and sleeping, but tomorrow will be another story.....

Well Fair Sailing My Friends.....

What a Month!

In the last month we've seen two old friends from my high school, spent a week in Palm Springs, celebrated 3 anniversaries with one more this week, sold our truck, and checked off more projects off our list than I thought possible. That's a busy month!

I couldn't believe when I got the e-mail that my friend, Burkhart, and his family were visiting California on their vacation from Sardinia this year. We spent a lovely morning roaming the Getty and trying to catch up on 24 years of history. A few weeks later I got and e-mail from him saying we hadn't taken any pictures. Well we had a lot of ground to cover and were a bit busy. The other day, I got an e-mail from another friend, Angie, saying she was in SoCal for work. It turned out we were only 30 minutes apart. She moved around her schedule and we had a lovely afternoon touring the bay on our dinghy (Komen). It was particularly fun because Angie is also a live-a-board boater. We haven't seen each other in 23 years and I must say she looks amazing!

Scott and I celebrated 8 years together in July and decided to take a small trip to Palm Springs. As most of you know, I love Palm Springs! We spent 7 lovely nights soaking up the heat, eating, drinking and floating in the pool! Two of our friends were coming through and stopped to stay with us. That was a treat, as they'd never been there before. The day we returned was Linux's anniversary with us. We've had the pleasure of his company for over 7 years now. About a week after that we celebrated what I now call Cruising Day, the day we finally left Portland on our boat. Our final anniversary will be this week, when we spend the day doting over Pixel and her anniversary of coming to live with us. I haven't decided what special treat to give her yet, but I'm sure she devour it.

Selling the truck was a difficult one for Scott. He loves the Ramcharger, and with good reason. She's been a fantastic vehicle for us. We've logged over 60 thousand miles with her. We've traveled across country twice in her and down to Mexico and back, plus I can't count how many trips to California and the Oregon Coast. We're gonna miss her, but I'm sure she's going to a good home where she can roam in a field and munch on grass all day! Next month will be my turn to say goodbye to the Blue Flash, our Volvo station wagon. I don't think I've ever enjoyed a car more.

As for the projects, all I can say is WOW!!! The boat is in constant disarray, and the cats aren't happy about that, but it seems just about everyday or so we are crossing things off that rather looooooooong list we have. The two of us are very pleased and excited about it. We are also very nervous for our next adventure and spend a lot of time looking over cruising guides of Mexico and secreting plans together about what each of us want to see. It's all very crazy here aboard Reisender! But we are happy and well! Keep your fingers crossed for us that we can keep this pace up!

Cheers and fair winds my dear friends!

Spicy Cold Noodles

I haven't posted a recipe on here in quite sometime. It's way over due! Last night I made a seared steak with a Chinese mustard-soy dipping sauce and a side of spicy cold noodles. We rarely go back for seconds in our house hold (it's not that the food is bad, we are both watch our diet closely), last night we both went back for seconds. The spicy noodles were amazing! Guess what I'm having for lunch today?

OK here's the recipe and a couple of changes that can be made:

Ingredients:
1 pound Chinese egg noodles ( I used Soba, but if you are the typical person with a package of Top Ramen tucked away I'd imagine they would work in a pinch)
3 tblspns soy
2 tblspns rice vinegar
1 tblspn sesame oil
2 teaspns chile paste (I used Sambal Olek)
1/2 a cucumber peeled, seeded, and diced
4 radishes chopped
2 chopped scallons
a handful of chopped cilantro

Boil noodles for 2 to 3 minutes and drain, then plunge into ice cold water to stop the cooking. Do not over cook the noodles to mush. Whisk together soy, vinegar, sesame oil, and chile paste together in a bowl. Add noodles and all remaining ingredients except for 1/2 the cilantro. Chill well. Garnish with remaining cilantro.

The recipe can also be adapted by adding cold Chinese BBQ pork and bean sprouts. You can also make it spicier if you like by adding more chile paste.

Enjoy!

Happy Anniversary Crew of Reisender!

It was one year ago today that the fearless Reisender and crew left Portland, went under the I-5 and railroad bridge, then sailed off towards the beginning of our adventure. There is so much in a year and we've truly packed this one. Thinking about the past year and what we've accomplished makes we so proud of my home and our family aboard her. There have been times I've been scared, I've been nervous, I've cried. There have been times I've laughed, I've been awed, I've been thrilled. During all those times our little floating home is filled with love.

It's the beginning of our second year out, and while we aren't were we want to be (yet), we are where we should be. This next year will be full of more of the same emotions and love. We don't know exactly where we are going or when, but we are out there. I wish the same for you in whatever form you define "out there".

Cheers- and smoothing sailing my friends!

Where to Next?

Many friends have been asking this question. Well, we Mexico obviously, but when and exactly where we aren't sure. As many of you know, we aboard Reisender have trouble sticking to a schedule. "The plan" usually goes out the window (port) somewhere within a few days of making it. We do know that our first stop in Mexico will be Ensenada in Baja Norte. It's the first port we can check in and clear customs. It is also one of the most convenient as all 4 offices we need to check in are located in the same building as well as the Mexican version of Kinko's. Once checked in we will start watching the weather for opportunities to head further down the Baja coast. It will still be hurricane season and we can only go about 300 miles and still be out of the zone, but that's OK. "The Plan" is to just gunk down the coast (for my non-boating friends: gunking is the term for small day hops that lead from one anchorage to another in a relatively short time). There are many small anchorages to stop and explore along the way. Most are without internet and with watching the weather closely we'll need that. The first "major" all weather bay is Turtle Bay in English or Bahia San Bartolome in Spanish. It's not very big, about 3 miles across, but it has a small village, full, and internet. Friends who've stopped there before us all say they could have stayed a week. It's the perfect place to decompress from the fast passed lifestyle of the US and transition into the more sedate way most cruisers live. It's about 300 miles south of Ensenada at Longitude 114 53'W by Latitude 27 degrees 40 N.  I think I got that right.

It's weather watching time again, and once we have a clear trip we'll be gunking again down to Bahia Magdalena. It is again and excellent all weather anchorage. It can still get some of the weather from a hurricane, but mostly rain and wind. Mag Bay is about 260 miles from Turtle Bay with many small bays and coves in between. Then it's only 152 miles to Cabo San Lucas. Scott and I are still discussing weather we want to go in. You must realize that we will have just spent several weeks decompressing from the American pace, do we really want to jump right back in at Cabo? It's mostly a tourist area and we really aren't that interested in how the tourists live while on vacation. The reports of all night parties on the beach and music at any given time do not really sound appealing, but the next anchorage is only about 45 miles further on and if we aren't to tired that, as of now, will be our goal (see above about Reisender's crew and plans).

After Cabo, we are looking forward to La Paz. Everyone we've heard from on a boat says it is a cruiser's paradise. I hear it is convenient and they have most things we could need. The anchorage is good as long as the La Paz Waltz is allowed for (La Paz Waltz is when boats in the same anchorage swing in different directions due to current and wind. Sometimes the boats will gently "Kiss"). If we do have trouble there are a number of marina's and there is a lot within walking distance. It's a good location for us to recoup after our next 1000 miles or so.

From La Paz, we don't know exactly? We've got ideas, but there is an expression: a cruiser's plans are written in sand on the beach at low tide....

The on going list!

As usual with a boat, each project checked off the list seems to add two...or three...or four. Just ask anyone with a boat, especially if they are going cruising. Well, here on Reisender we seem to be narrowing the list down to the essentials. Currently, I'm ripping out the flex water tanks we put a few months ago and adding a rigid tank that will almost double our water capacity. Scott is finishing the lid to the ice box and the thermostat controls for both the freezer and fridge. We also want to put the head-liner in and mount the self steering wind vane. Finally, we hope to add a couple of much needed drawers for clothes and some storage and add and extra hanging locker. With the exception of a few little projects and selling the cars, that's it and we are ready to go. Then it's just waiting out the hurricane season going on in Mexico. I'd give you a date, but you'll just have to be in suspense.... much like us! We know when we'd like to go, but we don't really know what the Universe will allow us to actually do. Excited? YES! Nervous? Not right now. Well, this was a small post and not really any photo's to add, but just wanted to let you know we are still here and still getting ready.

California Myths

I've lived in California on and off for almost 2 years now, and many friends wonder why? They've shown concern over everything from driving here, to expense, to lack of courtesy. Well, I'd like to explore some of these myths about California.

I've heard numerous times about how expensive California is. Well, yes and no! It depends on what we are talking about and where we are talking about. San Francisco will always be one of the most expensive places to live in the country, but Palm Springs not so much. A few examples of some of the more reasonably priced items.

Food: If you eat at home it can be quite cheap. One of the reasons that eating out in California is so expensive is the minimum wage for servers. Servers make the same as everyone else per hour. In places on the East Coast and Midwest, servers only make around $2 and hour. Here that's a difference of $6 and hour more restaurants must pay per employee.  Produce is the most reasonable. There is always something in season here, and if you shop away from the chains it is always cheaper than any other place I've lived. Within 3 miles of where we are staying I have a weekend farmers market and two stores that receive produce daily direct from the growers. Not only is this produce cheaper by cutting out the middlemen, it's also fresher. California also is abound with cattle, poultry, and fresh seafood all at a reasonable price because of being local. We walk about a mile from our boat to get fish direct off the boat. Crab from the same vender is only $3.50 a pound. We've also found shopping at ethnic stores to be of great value. There is a Mexican grocery we go to with shrimp for $4 a pound and an Asian store with filet mignon at $5 a pound. Then there are the usual stores for good prices anywhere you go: Winco, Trader Joe's, Super Wal-mart, and a number of others. If you like wine, CA is the place, but not only for premium's, but there are a number of great discount places. On our recent trip to OH, we were shocked to find out the same wine's in TJ's we see for $2 is $4.50. The checker commented on how good the wine was that I'd selected for such a cheap price. My face must have said it wasn't such a good deal. The clerk questioned me and when informed I was living in CA, he said that he new it wasn't such a good deal then. He apparently has had other people from CA in the store. Not only is the wine reasonable, but hard liquor is down right cheap. Apparently, CA doesn't tax the heck out of alcohol and it's available at any store that wishes to sell it. We can purchase wine or liquor at our local grocery or pharmacy. Not only making it cheap, but convenient also.

Housing: Well, this one is going to be an oddball for most of you. I'm talking about boats and moorings here. That is how we live after all. The boats here are lower that most states except Florida. We've seen exceptional boats for sale here near the 10 grand range. Yes, a lot of it has to do with the economy and people getting rid of toys that can't really afford any longer, but this is about the right place and the right time. If we were looking for a boat, RV, or any other luxury item right now, I'd be looking in CA, particularly Southern California. As for mooring, yes, for the most part that is more expensive, but one just needs to look a little harder. We have found excellent prices in Wilmington, CA. The downside is Wilmington is out of the way and it takes a vehicle to get anywhere, but we've also found for the convenience and just a little more money mooring balls in Newport Beach to be excellent. Actually, the mooring in Newport Beach, during the winter rates, is cheaper than our marina in Portland. The summer rates are a bit higher, but when you average the year out it's almost the same. The rates at Avalon on Catalina Island during the winter are even cheaper than Newport Beach. I know most are thinking "but it's winter", well, yes, but it's also Southern California. We were cold maybe one of two days a week this winter, but most of the time we were still wearing shorts and by mid afternoon were down to short sleeves. So, it kind of balances what we were paying for in trying to keep our boat warm and dry in a colder climate. As for traditional housing, yes it is a little more expensive, but that's supply and demand. You put this many people in once place with limited land and it's gonna cost a little more, but prices have dropped just like everywhere. We also noticed that areas where people would have a second home the prices have dropped as they've walked away or just can't afford to have a second place any longer. Palm Springs is a good example. We've seen one bedroom condos for as low as $40K and in good locations.

As for the people being rude, I've never experienced that here. I find they are direct, loud, and love to show off sometimes, but rude..... never! We've actually had some of the best service when dealing with retail and restaurants, but we are most shocked when we are trying to find some oddball part for the boat and they actually help us find a source. They've gone as far as to call another company to see if they have the item. We've been told in other areas flat out No they don't have it and just turn and walk away. No suggesting another item they might have or since they don't carry it, suggest someone local who might. What's the harm in that? They don't have it so it's not taking money out of their pocket.

Now, the downside, yes, driving in and around LA can be bothersome. I hate to drive to begin with, but when you add 6 lanes of traffic traveling at 70 plus miles an hour I just shut down. So Scott drives, I don't know my way around very well yet, but that's just how it goes. When I do have to drive we keep it to off rush hour traffic. I wouldn't drive in New York, London, or Paris either. Outside of the LA area I'm just fine. It's just like anywhere else in the country. San Francisco is another area I don't like to drive, but I'm told I drive like an old lady. Well, perhaps, I grew up driving on flat straight roads in Florida with about a trillion senior citizens.

As for being loud, yes for the most part it is very loud here, but crowd this many people into one area and it's gonna be. Helicopters and boats during the day, but I've found that is tends to quiet down by sunset. The holiday makers from the rentals on shore start heading home for dinner and some quiet time. While we are in a vacation area, it's not Laguna Beach or South Beach in Miami. It's mostly families who want some quiet while on vacation and they start to settle in after dinner.

As for some of the expensive items we've found, we've found almost the same things to be more costly in other areas as well. Boat items will always be expensive no matter where you are. Oh, you have a boat, well bend over.... any boater can tell you that one. I was a little shocked coming here from Oregon where there is no sales tax, but when I compare it to our cross country trip, it's within a percent or two of almost everywhere we went. Gas is a shock sometimes. There was almost a full dollar difference in price between here and my mother's in SC for a gallon of gas. Well, we just bought a more efficient car, and we stick to local places.

So, California is not for everyone, but it is for us and we've found it to be no more expensive than anywhere else. The expenses are just in a different part of the budget. Driving is not a hassle if you are comfortable with it and the people a delight. The people are a wonderful cross of almost every culture on the planet. This diversity makes it exciting and every errand we run we find to be some sort of an adventure meeting some new and interesting person.

Well, I hope this helps to bring California into a new light

Cheers!

A little less camping out

Well, as it says, we are doing a little less camping out on our boat and have been adding a little more comfort. Scott and I started with a bare bones boat! NO water, NO electricity, NO engine, NO rigging, NO bed, and with a list to long to mention here, the worst was NO FRIDGE! Imagine no cold drinks when you wanted them or food going to waste because you hadn't used it up before going back. There is always the 50 pounds of ice carried back to the boat over the years, now even more difficult because it's 300 feet to the pier plus a mile to the store to get just the most expensive ice. For our latest creature comfort, it was time to tackle putting in the fridge. Scott and I rebuilt the ice box 3 years ago, and did a great job. During a heat wave several years ago, she held 100 pounds of ice for 10 days while the air temp was somewhere around 100 degrees F. The first part was picking a compressor and plate. The box we made was for 100 pounds of ice with food storage on the shelf above it. The shelf above is deep enough for a bottle of wine to stand upright and still close the lid. That's pretty big. When cleaning I can barely reach the bottom and I've got fairly long arms. Scott, after doing tons of research, decided on a water cooled system. The water cooled system is better for the tropics, the water around the boat is almost always cooling than the air, which air cooled was the alternative. Listening to other boaters who've gone south, the water cooled should cut down on how often the compressor runs. For my non-boater friends, the fridge is the biggest energy draw on a boat. It was tense getting the plate in place and not brake anything, we'd already accidentally broken the first one they sent us, bad instructions on where to bend a tube. Scott absolutely hates doing plumbing on a boat, and I have to agree that it is not easy under the best of circumstances. It usually involves spending a day going to Lowes, Home Depot, and several specialty plumbing & hardware stores to find all the parts we need. This plumbing job was no different. After several days of installation, we can have cold food and drinks! A nice cold glass of white wine after a long day really beats the warm glasses we were having.

A couple of other projects checked off of what we are calling the lifestyle list: a fresh coat of paint under the cockpit, our battery bank locker has been cleaned out and freshened up, the cabinets in the galley are going in (keeping things from flying around underway is a much better), cushions cut of both settees in the main salon, thicker mattress for our bunk, a new locker forward of the head for extra storage, and we finally decided where to put an extra water tank to bring us up to about 50 gallons of water on board. We are in the home stretch now and are both thinking about moving on again.

The weather has been great here. While my heart goes out to all of our friends suffering through the heatwave, we've been enjoying 70 to 75. It's been a little over cast in the morning and sunny in the afternoon. Sorry to rub it in, but it's been a long time since we've enjoyed the summer, we are usually working our backsides off on the boat. Now we can just take our time and enjoy where we are for a little while. It's really nice to be here and Scott and I notice the reasonable priced mooring balls for sell. Tempting, a little bit, but then we hear from friends south and know we are only at the beginning of our adventure....

Road Trip 2012

Well, faithful friends, when I last left you we were just leaving Durango, CO and I was of the opinion the last of our interesting views was behind us. I'm happy to say that for the first 6 hours I was wrong! The drive out of Durango was as beautiful as the drive in, actually better. Hwy 550 starts to climb almost immediately reaching the first pass at 10340 feet. It's the highest I'd been, other than in an airplane. Breath taking views as far as we could see. Then, back down and through the quaint town of Silverton. It's another mining town from the late 1800's, but it wasn't as touristy as Durango. Back up, this time reaching just under 11000 feet, and then gently down through the mountains to Ovray, CO. This time a Victorian town that still held all it's charm. It's tucked away quietly in the Colorado Rockies and is well worth the visit. Gently down again and we make our way through Montrose, nothing to report there, but we are on the rise again and this time we top out at 11500 feet. Officially, the highest I'd been in a car! Once we made our way out of the Rockies boredom hit for the next 1200 miles or so. Well, that was until we made it to western Kansas and the dozens of deer on the side of the road. It was a bit tense in Blue Flash while we both kept and eye out for deer crossing. I'm from the South, but I'm not really into road kill for dinner!

The night passed quickly and we were coming through St Louis, then Illinois, and Indiana. Finally, we crossed into Ohio and safely to Scott's mother's house. It was a wonderful visit. We spent a lot of time cooking and laughing. I ask, could it get any better? Wednesday, we went to Cleveland and visited with Scott's second cousin. Thursday, after a drive toward Toledo, we met up with Scott's sister and the only niece of his I hadn't met yet. A lovely time! Friday we made our way south of Canton to see some of where Scott's family is from. It was nice watching mother and son share memories. Friday night, it was more family, with Scott's brother, his wife, nice, her husband, and 2 grand-nieces (both girls funnier than the other). Watching the stars come out we realized it was time to head in, but no one really wanted to. The hardest thing about living this far, it the time with family we miss.

Saturday was  an early morning, for those of you who know Scott, not an easy thing. I drove the morning shift. Atlanta was our goal for the day, and we had 11 hours to drive and dinner plans in 13 hours. All was fine until Columbus, all south bound freeways had detours, delay 15 minutes. Then in Kentucky, an accident in the southern end of the state, delay 30 minutes. In Tennessee, road closed down to one lane due to construction, delay 45 minutes. We were late, but we had half and hour to spare. Glad I shaved in the car! It was dinner at one of our favorite restaurants with my best friend and a group of their friends. Then two days of giggles and wine. The time is always too short when we get together.

My favorite aunt lives just north of Atlanta. I couldn't pass through without a visit to her! We drove up and she had enough food to feed and army. Scott and I aren't big eaters, but I tried. She is my favorite aunt after all. Poor Scott, if you think I can talk (no smart comments please), well you should meet my aunt. Just the same we had a lot of fun. She and I were up late catching up and sharing family stories. The next morning she and I went shopping and got lunch, then it was time to head home.

Wednesday we drove through Greenville on our way to visit my parents. It was the beginning of 4 days of my mother trying to feed us. If Scott didn't know where I get my ability to try and feed everyone, after a day with my aunt and 4 with mom, he surely knows now! I never have enough time to see all my friends and family when I'm home and this was no different. We had dinner with my uncle and his wife on Thursday, and Friday we celebrated my father's 70th birthday with my step sister & her husband, my step brother, my nephew, and my aunt. We all laughed so hard it started to hurt. Saturday, after years of Scott hearing about the infamous Jockey Lot, he finally got to see it. The Jockey Lot is one of the largest flea markets in the South. I don't know how many acres, but it's huge. I think the people watching is some of the best, come on, we're talking rednecks at a flea market! How can that be bad? That afternoon and one more visit with a dear friend and we were ready to start heading west again.

Sunday morning we left Greer, SC and headed up to catch I-40 and start our trip west. Monday afternoon we pulled in to Palm Springs for a couple of days to ourselves.

Finally Wednesday, we were home and Reisender was sitting there safe and sound, waiting for us. We needed this break, and we needed to see our families just as badly. Seeing people who know you and love you despite your craziness is always a good thing!

Well, we are home in Newport and planning our next trek, this time on Reisender.

One if by Land!

Well, as you all know, we love to travel. There is the old saying "one if by land, two if by sea" this trip is a "one", we are currently in Durango, CO. With us staying in the US for the summer, it was decided to make a much needed visit to our families, and a much needed break from the continuing boat projects. So we wouldn't be stuck with deadlines, we made the purchase of Blue Flash, a 1997 Vovlo 850 station wagon. Tuesday morning we packed up the cats, turned everything off on the boat (except the bilge pump), and headed out of California. Scott wanted to take a couple of detours and I said yes. Boy was I glad! We stopped in Oatman, AZ. It's on one of the old sections of Route 66. Oatman is an old mining town turned tourist trap. There is nothing but dinners and shops.... oh and pack mules! The donkeys wander through town allowing visitors to pet them. I must have walked up to a dozen of these docile sleepy animals. They are so calm they just walk into stores and on sidewalks. One old-timer was just standing in the middle of the street and nothing could move him. He just stood there while cars went around him. Tuesday night we made it to Flagstaff and just chilled in our room for the night. Wednesday we drove the back way to Four Corners. It's the only spot in the US where four states come together, IE: another tourist trap. We didn't stop, but headed on into Durango, CO. It's beautiful. Another old mining town turned tourist trap, but it's worth the stop. No donkeys this time, but friendly people and a wonderful margarita. Today is what we call "Hell" day. There's nothing really interesting between us and Scott's mothers house in OH, so we drive straight through. It'll take a full day to get there, but we've done it before so it's not really a big deal. We actually treat it like shifts on the boat. A couple hours on, a couple off. Well, that's about it for now. More from the road later!

Update on the Great Mold Emergency of 2012

So we went through all this trouble of cleaning the locker, cleaning off any cans we could salvage, allowing them to dry in the sun for a day, putting in bubble insulation, and adding a liner over that just to find an inch of standing black water in the bottom a week later. We were not amused, but there is no way that it was condensation over the winter for it to happen so fast. It took a while to figure it out, but we did. Scott was worried we had a small hole somewhere and wanted to know if it was salt water, yup.... I did the grossest thing ever and dipped my finger in and took the smallest taste I possibly could. It was the only way to find out. Sure enough it was salt water. Scott remembered we have a pipe with a vent that runs through that locker. The pipe is for the raw water. Apparently, whenever we start the engine the raw water bubbles out that vent and runs into the bottom of the tank. The next step is to move the vent higher. Scott believes it to be too close to the water line and moving it higher will prevent it from bubbling up any further. All in a day of learning on a boat. There's always a learning curve. We've taken this one with a grain of salt (LOL).

Never Leave on a Friday

"Never leave on a Friday" is an old sailor's mantra. It is supposed to be bad luck. For the most part, we take this advice. I'm not really sure why, it's illogical, but we do it anyway. The funny part is that every time we've left on a Friday, we had to turn around. Years ago on our friend, Jim's, boat we left Half Moon Bay on a Friday heading for Monterrey. Two hours later we were sitting back at the dock. The head winds and waves were against us and we were making about 1/2 a knot. There was another time, with pretty much the same results. So, while I can't find the source of this tradition, we try never to leave on a Friday.

The other is offering the Sea God a shot of alcohol! When Scott first left Oregon on Lunar Dawn 4 1/2 years ago the crew all did a shot and offered one to the ocean before crossing the Columbia Bar. We still do this and so far we've come in safe to every port. It may not have been an easy trip but we made it safe and sound. So the Seas will continue to get a shot of rum. The one time I ran out of rum we used Sake. The Sea God was not mad, but I think he didn't like Sake because our engine quit. LOL! I wouldn't recommend that!

Another superstition is renaming of a boat. I did a ton of research on that one. We removed every bit of evidence of her old name and then ask the Sea God forgiveness of her past sins. Then... you got it... a shot of rum to the Sea God. After about 2 weeks we did the renaming ceremony. Two years ago; June 26, 2010; we renamed her. What a blast and thanks to all my friends who helped celebrate. The tradition is, after asking the Sea God and the Four Winds to protect the boat and crew, the boat is christened. A female is to do the christening, and it is usually a female member of the boat builders family. Since we had no family in the North West we asked our dear friend and surrogate mother, Sherry, if she would christen Reisender. Well, all went well and Sherry did a little research of her own and found out not only does the boat get soaked in champagne, but so does the boat builder, SCOTT!!!! He was drenched and we all had a good laugh.

These are just some of the superstitions of the boating world. I don't always know where they come from, and by no means am I superstitious, but it seems better to be safe than sorry on a boat.

Smooth Sailing to all of you, but not on Friday.

Let's Talk Pizza!

We love Pizza! Our favorite is a toss between Scott's Thai Chicken Pizza and my BBQ Pork Pizza! The other day we bought a Smithfield ham because it was on sale. Well, after 3 days of ham I'm getting sick of it. Time for pizza! I make my own BBQ sauce and top it with shredded ham and pineapple chunks.

Dough: 1 tspn yeast, 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 cup corn meal flour, sprinkling of salt (I use kosher), 2 tblspn olive oil (I use EVOO), and 1 to 1 1/4 cups water.
Mix all dry ingredients, add oil and mix, add 1 cup water and mix until a loose dough ball, add more water if needed, allow to rise in a warm area. Scott and I like a thin crust so I only allow it to rise while I'm making the sauce.

Sauce: 1 cup ketchup, 1 tblspn sugar, 1/8 cup white wine vinegar, 1/8 cup cider vinegar, salt/pepper to taste, 4 tblspns liquid smoke, 3 tblspns Worcestershire sauce, 1/4 tlbspn hot sauce, 1 tspn mustard powder, squeeze of 1/4 of a lemon, dash cayenne.
Mix all ingredients and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake crust alone for 20 minutes or until firm and will slide from pizza stone or baking pan. Top with sauce, I only use about 1/2 the sauce made and reserve the rest for other things. Top with shredded pork or ham. Top with shredded white cheese, jack is good. Top with chunks of pineapple. I then grind pepper over the top to taste. This goes back into the oven for 20 minutes or so.

Enjoy! I do the Thai Chicken Pizza another time!

Day Number 2404

This is day number 2404, approximately, of living aboard a sailboat. Sometimes I refer to it as day number 2404 of slavery. It sometimes feels that way. There are days when it feels like I've had everything taken away and a life I don't want has imposed itself on me. Isn't that what slavery is? It's not all easy times on the deck sipping cocktails in the sunshine. It's the hard work of over 6 years that has gotten us here. That is more my normal life than the relaxing days. We've given up almost every form of comfort over the last 6 years to do this. We camped out on a small boat in the Oregon winter for 3 years with no walking room on the boat and the showers and toilet at the other end of the marina. Try that at 3 am on a Northwestern winter. We ground fiberglass and learned to lay it up, built molds and battled mold. We had to be plumber, electrician, painters, body workers, engine builders, and wood workers at the same time we were trying to learn to sail. The day we got the engine running I cried. The day we got running water I cried. The day we moved aboard I cried. Some days I feel I cry a little inside and don't let anyone see it. We've trudged on through all the hardships. We've propped each other up and tried not to let the other see when we are about to give up. We've talked about selling the boat and giving up, but we are both way to stubborn for that. When those thoughts creep in we start looking around and begin to get proud of our boat. She's not done and not likely to be for a long, long time, but we can move her and she's ours. We get sick at living this way. Little organization, no hot water, dealing with constant problems that suddenly come up. This isn't what either of us signed up for, but would I trade it for a cubicle and mowing the lawn on Saturday? No, I don't think so. It isn't easy and it won't be, but we've gone this far and we will continue to go on. I miss my comforts and we both dream of the day when we have them back, but this is our life and we choose it. Things get a little better everyday on Reisender. Sometimes we just need to step away and get refreshed and see her anew. Today is one of those days. Thanks for listening my friends.

The Great Mold Emergency of 2012!!!

Yesterday afternoon I needed to go deep into our food locker. It's mostly stuff for when we are away from shore and can't get fresh items. It's canned meets and veggies mostly. We've had this strange musty smell coming from  the locker for a few weeks that I wasn't really wanting to find out what it was or were it was coming from. Well, as I said, I went deep into the locker and there it was..... 6 inches of stagnant, black, moldy water!!! I started to empty the locker and slowly make sure nothing that wasn't already in the water shared the soon to be fate of the items that were already down there.... the trash. It took two hours to fully clean and half a gallon of bleach, plus a bottle of wine for the work crew! We threw out about 5 dozen cans of food and after checking some of the dates they were on there way out. So what are we to do, we laughed it off and had good learning experience. With our already loaded list of things to do, we now have one more project. Scott and I will be putting insulation in to keep that locker from sweating. It was the lack of air flow combined with a wet winter and no dehumidifier that was the culprit. We feel lucky as this could have been a health related issue for both of us. Mold, water, and salt are enemies of a boat!

Newport-Ensenada Update

Yesterday was a day of tragedy in the racing community, for the first time in the 65 year history of the Newport to Ensenada Race there were fatalities. Apparently, the s/v Agean, a 37 foot Hunter, was sunk while racing. The cause has not yet been determined, but initial investigation of what wreckage was found leads authorities to believe they either struck or were struck by a much larger vessel. So far 3 bodies have been recovered, but not yet identified. It is known that the owner was on board and acting in the captains capacity for the race. It is unknown of the full crew compliment. Traditionally, when racing, s/v Agean has a crew of 5.

My heart goes out to the families who have lost loved ones in this tragedy.

Newport Beach to Ensenada Sailboat Race

The Newport to Ensenada 2012 Sailboat Race began yesterday at 11am.

Three days ago we started seeing a lot of boats coming into the bay. At first we thought it's simply spring is here, but after a couple of near misses while they were trying to pick up the mooring balls we got curious. I remembered something about a race and sure enough that's what everyone was coming in for. Watching them try to moor would have been funny if they weren't so close to us. One boat actually drifted into the can of the boat behind us. We decided to "hang out" in the cockpit while they were coming in. After our less than organized arrival in Newport back in December, I felt a lot better watching these new arrivals some what less than graceful attempt to moor.

Friday morning was the beginning of the race. I don't race, but I get so excited to see them all out there. There were over 200 boats this year, and I understand that this is down from years past. Someone in the crowd said people just don't want to go to Mexico with all the problems down there. I find that funny, because all our cruising friends in Mexico find just the opposite. They love being down there and feel completely safe. That just means better anchorages for us and them when we finally get there. I hate a crowded anchorage. I personally think it's the economy. We see more and more boats for sale here and fewer people heading south than in years past.

Back to the race, after making sure all our neighbors got off OK (meaning no damage to Reisender), we grabbed the cameras & binoculars and headed over the the Balboa Pier to watch the race begin. It was spectacular to see that many boats with sails up and ready for action. We watched them tack back and forth getting in place for the starting line. The race is approximately 150 miles and will take around a day to day and half to complete. At the time of writing this 3 boats are already in taking roughly 20 hours to complete the journey. For my non-boating followers that does not mean they won. It simply means they are FAST!!! All boats are not created equally and the differences in length, displacement, and sail area are all taken into account and the times will be corrected for these factors and the winner will be announced after all boats are in.

Scott and I looked on enviously as the first group headed across the starting line. Scott did the Oregon Offshore several years later and he would much rather have done this race. Only one night out and the days were warm and sunny compared to the Offshore, which was 3 nights and bitter cold the entire time. That's the difference of sailing Southern California and the Washington Coast.

We've certainly been active the last couple of weeks, I think spring fever is upon us and we are excited to be back in the boating mind set. We are excitedly sketching our plans for the summer and finally down to Mexico.

Cheers! and We miss you all!