I'm Baaaaack...

Just another quick note that work will resume on the GF this week and my blogging will resume here as well.

Can't get enough of a good thing...

Hello readers,

I should notify all of you that I've created another blog for the "off-season." That's the season I'm off and sailing about, and doing projects on my other boat, S/V Bliss.

For those of you who don't already know, Bliss is another Morgan... a 33 foot Out Island built in 1973. We've owned this boat since 1994, and have been refining and customizing (we call it improving) Bliss all this time.

I've created a blog for Bliss and it's at http://svbliss.blogspot.com

When I'm not here, I'm there.

A Quick Note

Since my last post from almost a month ago, my laptop died, I arrived in Banderas Bay (Puerto Vallarta), caught a flight to Hermosillo, Picked up the VW Westy in San Carlos and took the 1st Mate and dogs to Errorzona and back to San Carlos. I'm now using the 1st Mate's laptop to try and catch up. The plan is to leave on Saturday, arrive in PV Sunday with the whole famn damily. So we're busy getting ready...

Solo Flight - Part Dos- Christmas Day

The calm waters of Balandra Cove just 14 miles northeast of Puerto Escondido. Permission is required to land here, since it is a wildlife preserve now.

Spent Christmas Day sailing from Pta. Pulpito to Balandra. Had the sails up for about 2 hours before the wind quit. Dolphins were spotted here and there and rumors of whale sightings made their way onto the morning cruiser net in Escondido. But I didn't see any whales during my 10 hour journey.

The skies are getting overcast due to an incoming "Pineapple Express." So named because these long (1,000 miles or more) weather systems bring tropical moisture into the desert regions of Mexico and the US from the equator. Sometimes the rain can be intense from these formations; there's always lots of cloudiness and humidity when an Express shows up.

The Escapist- Part Uno

On the 23rd of December, 2008, I hauled up the anchor (actually, I unhooked from the mooring) at around 2 am and with old friend G. onboard and his 25 foot panga in tow, set off for the Baja and points south.

There's not much in the way of internet connections on the open seas (although I've heard of blogging through email over the ham radio) so I'm kinda' catching up in a patchwork fashion.

December 23rd-25th

The winds were light and variable with a 2 to 3 foot southerly swell out to midway across the Sea of Cortez. We're on a westerly course to the town of Mulege, near the mouth of Bahia Conception. Halfway across the swell switches to northwest so we adjust our course for the most comfortable ride. We're running on diesel power since there's no wind.

We put into a small anchorage near Bahia Conception in the dark after 21 hours, and sleep. The next morning, G. gets on his panga and drives over to Mulege. Loaded down with presents, it's a modern day Santa and his sleigh.

I hauled up the anchor and started working my way down the inside coast of Baja. The 1st Mate and the dogs remained back in San Carlos... I hadn't solo-sailed in years and really wanted some time alone out on the sea. For me it's a great place to sort out my life and thoughts, free of minor distractions and noise.

The weather was mild- warm sun during the day and chilly at night. Spent the next night, Christmas Eve, at El Pulpito. I had this little bay all to myself and the stars above.

Mulligan Approved Music™ and Damn Purists

The 1st Mate and I played the Captain's Club on Sunday night, using our new equipment and song list. I recognized Mark Mulligan (markmulligan.net) sitting at the bar with a couple of friends. We were between sets and I stopped to say hello on my way to the head. Mark thought my "guitar work" was really good. He stopped at the 1st Mate's table and gave her a compliment on his way out the door. Nice man. 1st Mate didn't know who he was.

I think the voice harmonizer is a great device, and gives us a lot of optional songs we couldn't do without it... but the one piece we did that didn't use any effects, drum machine, or synthesizers (T. Monk's 'Round Midnight) got the greatest response from the audience. Damn purists.

Back on the Mooring, Back on the Books

The BLISS boat is back on the mooring after a month of dockside work. I left the camera on the boat for some reason, but maybe will pick it up later today. The outboard really needs some attention and I have a bunch of paperwork to do (ugh!) because of the !$%# business. Also, the generator has finally arrived from Michigan via Nogales and I will need to find a spot for it out at the rancho. Did I mention that it's huge? Weighing in about 1,000 pounds, it takes up most of the space in my pickup. I'm going to have to hire a crane to put it in the boat, but the little crane I installed on the pickup does a good job of what I have to do with it now. The genset came with meters, filters, spares, but I haven't seen a technical manual for it yet. I was able to download a users' manual from the Westerbeke website, though.

I may have to get a liter of coconut ice cream to get me through this. That and my camera.

Still comfortable temperatures in San Carlos, thank God. How I despise being cold.