Goodbye Mooring B-72!!!

It's been one year, 1 month, and 18 days since we sailed into Newport Beach Harbor. We haven't moved and inch other than when the breeze and waves rocked the boat. There was much trepidation aboard today as we decided to FINALLY cast off from the mooring balls. Scott and I, both feeling a bit rusty, were anxious to get moving again. The last few days have been spent running around getting things in order: letting the bank know we'll be out of the country, storing our car with a friend, and last minute runs to Trader Joe's. It's all been a bit of a whorl!

When we came to Newport Beach it was with the intent of staying only a few weeks, maybe a month, and definitely not to live here over a year. The idea of living in Orange County was against most things we stand for. It's suburbia hell! Somehow we did land in a little corner that we could enjoy and will talk about with fondness as we look back on our time here. We adore Balboa Island and most she had to offer. She is a family vacation home rental area at the beach. Not something typically that Scott and I would enjoy, but we started to meet people and learn about the area. It's a very small town feeling. The locals full of color and pride in their hometown. The people of Balboa Island are very loyal to this small village. The perimeter of the island is only about 2 miles. Our first night here started out at the Village Inn a local hangout, which became our little hangout over time. Then there is the launderette here on the island. Randy the owner grew up here and became a source of everything Balboa for me. He grew up swimming in Buddy Epson's pool (who had a house here) and had even been in John Wayne's house, before it was torn down. The launderette is a meeting place for the locals. I've had many an interested conversation in there, and learning interesting things there as well. That's where I learned about the shooting at Fashion Island (a local up scale mall) back in December. Then there were the other boaters we got to know. It is a little more difficult getting to know your "neighbors" on a mooring ball than in a marina. In some ways it's nicer being on the mooring. For the most part, we can't hear what our neighbors are up to. Over time we did get to know some of them. There's Norm and Frankie, we met them first. We became "hello" friends with Ben and his wife. Larry and Gaille made us feel welcome. They own the boat behind us and live on another here in the bay. Larry was our friend who helped out when we were over run with sea lions back in the summer. Thanks! will never be enough! We met Mark with his wonderful chocolate lab. And, our closest neighbors, Bruce, Kathleen, and their two children. I've spent many hours watching their kids with friends jumping off the boat and playing in the bay. Such an adventurous family. Then there is a very special person to me, Sally. Sally works in the Harbor Sheriff's office and anyone who has met her thinks the world of her. It's rare to walk into a sheriff's office and feel the kind of warmth that she brings and fills the room with. Then ther are all the staff at Minney's. There are always people I forget to name and think of later, but I thank all of you for your time and help while we called Newport Beach Home!

Our time here has been filled with so much work I couldn't even name it all. I think we've finished, or near finished, so many projects my head could spin at what we've accomplished this year. It would not have been possible with the many convenient boating supplies in the area. We've dealt with welders, sail makers, the staff at Minney's, MMI, Mesa Hose (their motto is "We have more hose then Compton"), and all sorts of others who have gone out of their way to help us. They've either done it quickly, perfectly, or helped us find out who could get it done for us.

Well, it has all lead up to today. We didn't really go that far, about a mile or so. As always, Scott and I are very careful people and prefer baby steps. It's been over a year since Reisender has moved and we thought it prudent to test her a bit to make sure everything is in working order before taking her back out. Today was a run to pick up fuel and then move her to the free anchorage (free one of our favorite words). Both of us are glad we came to the anchorage. It's been even loner since we'd practiced our anchoring skills. I must say both the docking for fuel and the anchoring went well. I guess we are not as rusty as we thought. We'll see how tonight goes and if our anchor holds well. If so, I'll call this a successful day. I'll say fairwell for now friends.

Cheers and fair winds!

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’).