July 2, 2024
With not much time before leaving for Alaska and Fiji, I really wanted to get in a backpacking trip. I wish there had been more time but alas only a single night could be squeezed into my schedule. A massive bonus was that I was the first one on the trail for the year. Well maybe not a massive bonus…
May 9, 2024
With winds overnight I had turned on the anchor alarm around midnight and kept an eye on it until morning. My 4:45am alarm got us up and moving and with just a tinge of light, the anchor was pulled and we motored north. The forecast was winds for the first 12nm from wind pouring in from the Pacific. The possibility…
May 8, 2024
A tradition created by Ralph and Helen on SV MoonDrifter has been continued with the new owners (jaja since 2020) Bill, Ally, and Corey, which is to host French Toast the last day of the rally. And wow did they hit it out of the park this year. Tons of bacon, every possible topping for your French toast, and a…
May 7, 2024
Typically on Isla Monserrate I enjoy a morning hike up into the hills of the island but we woke to an absolute swarm of bobos. Unbelievably worse that Refugio even. It was quickly decided that we were leaving now. Lowell called on the radio to inform the fleet and the reply was that plans had been updated to head for…
May 6, 2024
A quick run for a few items and some ice from the store and we were ready for the catamaran line sail out of Puerto Escondido. A delay getting the charter boats off the dock but by 10:30 we were parading out of the channel with Eddie from West Coast Multihulls capturing it all with his drone. No much wind…
May 5, 2024
Holy wetness, the boat was covered in dew. Yesterday we had some scout bees so my day started swabbing the deck of water. It was really nice to get a free boat wash knocking off the salt and dirt we had accumulated over the past number of days. A pod of dolphins had been out chasing the baitball we saw…
May 4, 2024
My San Juanico tradition was continued with an early paddle into shore before climbing the hill overlooking the bay. I was pushing it a bit because it was a longer walk than normal but I ended up with five minutes to spare. A pretty sunrise with some clouds over the Sea was my payoff. I enjoyed the meditative view awhile…
May 2, 2024
A peaceful night was followed by a short sail, okay motor up to Mulege. Heading up the estuary always makes me nervous and the murky water didn’t help spotting obstructions. Thankfully no drama and after setting a stern anchor we got ready to head into town. Lowell called his guy, Nacho, to pick us up and soon we saw his…
May 1, 2024
The rigging on Gato Loco was just replaced and the rig tensioning was way off at the start of the trip. We went very conservative to this point and had only tightening the inner and outer shrouds. Funny enough, last time in Santa Rosalia I went up the mast too, that time to clean the contacts on the Windex. Up…
April 30, 2024
Not thrilled about the 5:00am departure after three hours sleep but what are you going to do. Around 5:15am we motored our way into the sunrise. Soon we found 15 knots of wind (unfortunately 25 degrees to port) and with the Main at Reef 1 and Jib the engines were pulled way back. As the morning progressed, we lost our…
April 28, 2024
The night before I let everyone know I planned to get up for the sunrise and for a hike before we pulled the anchor at 7am. So at 5:15, I quietly (as much as possible) lowered the dinghy and used the oars to get a quarter mile away before starting the engine and idling away. I headed up around the…
January 17, 2024
My first hotel was halfway up a mountain with nothing nearby, so when asked if I wanted to dine at the hotel for 20 euros it was a quick yes. Little did I know how great the food would be or that I would eat here each night of my stay! Night 1 Hotel Burgaunerhof Breakfast Buffet Hotel Burgaunerhof Night…