Half Moon Bay, California...Day 26

Carol and me in Sausalito.  No, I do not miss work!

On October 4th, my friend Carol and her husband Ryan came out from Sacramento to visit Richard and I.  After a quick boat tour, we all headed out for lunch in Sausalito.  It's always a perk when someone comes to visit and they have a car to drive around in even if Richard and I think we are going way too fast (you get that perspective when you live on a boat that maxes out at about 6-7 miles per hour).  Returning to the boat, Carol asked when we thought we'd be in Tahiti and I suspect she might be brewing a plan to visit!  

Dinghy races inside the breakwater at Half Moon Bay.

We left Sausalito around 9:30 am and motored out under the Golden Gate Bridge.  Again, we had clear skies but with the added excitement of military vessels in the area which meant that we had to be extra careful about how close we were to those vessels (federal law requires that pleasure boats be 500 yards from any military vessel).  The reason for all the military vessels had to do with the Fleet Week activities in San Francisco. We made our way out of San Francisco Bay and turned left to head south towards Half Moon Bay, our next stopover.  We decided to stop at Half Moon Bay in order to circumvent an overnight passage on our way to Monterey.  We motored the entire way and there was really nothing exceptional to report on other than the occasional crab trap and seal.  

Richard called the Pillar Point Marina and secured a slip for us for the night.  Pillar Point Marina is basically a fishing harbor with a couple extra slips available for transient boats. We secured a slip and Richard went out to explore while I prowled the docks in search of fresh seafood.  Richard was the winner in my book as he located the local brew pub while all I was able to locate was a fishmonger selling fresh crab.  I bought and cooked the crab and then heard from Rhythm who was entering the marina.  Plans were discussed and it was decided that we would spend one night in Half Moon Bay and them leave early the next day for Monterey.

Visits from Friends and Walking in San Francisco

Ava and Dave.

Sunday night a friend of mine from New Hampshire (we went to junior and senior high school together), Dave, and his wife Ava drove from Sacramento to see Richard and I on the boat. It was a beautiful late afternoon so we hung out in the cockpit, had some wine that they brought (thanks guys!), and caught them up on our trip so far.  Dave has been following our blogs pretty closely and related a funny story about calling the marina in Bodega Bay looking for us when he didn't see our location map update our position to Sausalito. The funny thing was that Richard had called the marina in Bodega Bay and the harbormaster told him that someone had called looking for us.  They drove us into town and we enjoyed an al fresco dinner on the waterfront with a stunning view of the moon rising over Angel Island and San Francisco in the distance.  

Richard enjoying his diim sum.

Tuesday, the crews from both Osprey and Rhythm took the bus into San Francisco in search of dim sum for lunch. Tim, from Rhythm, had found some good reviews for a dim sum place in Chinatown but when we got there, it was take out only.  So being the tourist that we were, several in the group whipped out their smart phones and we quickly located another dim sum hall for lunch.  

America's Cup challengers in San Francisco Bay.

After lunch we started walking towards the Golden Gate Bridge with the intent of walking across the bridge. Along the way, we happened upon the America's Cup stage and ended up spending some time there walking around and looking at the various vendors' booths and exhibits that were on display.  As we made our way through the exhibits, we noticed that you could actually see the qualifying races going on in San Francisco Bay from the beach behind the America's Cup stage so we walked out there and watched the races for a while.   The speed these boats attained left us envious as we recalled how long it had taken us to make it down the Pacific coast to the Bay Area.  These were state of the art boats designed for nothing but speed.  Here's hoping the USA can win and bring the cup home again! 

As it turned out, we ended up walking from downtown San Francisco all the way across the Golden Gate Bridge.  The views of the city and the bay were spectacular.  Once on the other side of the bridge, we opted for a taxi into Sausalito. Someone calculated it and in all we walked close to 10 miles on our excursion into the city. Because we walked over the bridge, we could now all say that we had both motored under the bridge and walked over it; now if we could only fly over the bridge, we would have the perfect tourist triple crown!

Here are some pictures from our tour of San Francisco, starting in Chinatown and ending on our walk across the bridge.

Chinatown produce vendors.

Getting our bearings in Chinatown.

Richard and Stacey contemplating Chinatown desserts.

Eglise Notre Dame des Victoires in San Francisco.

San Francisco as seen from Golden Gate Park.

Stacey and Richard walking across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Sausalito, California...Day 25

Greeted by fog while leaving Drake's Bay.

When we woke we were surrounded by thick fog.  Not only that, but our anchors had accumulated a massive amount of seaweed and it took quite a bit of time to free the anchor chain from the choke-hold the aquatic vegetation had imposed.  Once under way, even though Rhythm was motoring along close to Osprey, at times we couldn't even see each other's boat as the fog was relentless.  

Osprey approaching the Golden Gate Bridge.

We motored the entire way and once we hit the entrance to San Francisco Bay we were greeted with clear blue skies and NO FOG!  Our prayers had been answered and as we motored under the Golden Gate Bridge everyone had his or her camera out and hundreds of pictures were taken.  This was, after all, a rite of passage and it required extensive documentation.  The benefit of having a buddy boat is that we could take pictures of Rhythm as she passed under the bridge and the crew of Rhythm could take pictures of Osprey as she passed under.  This is pretty much the only way you can get a picture of your own boat under way and we were all more than happy to take pictures on behalf of the each other.

Osprey passing under the Golden Gate Bridge.

As Richard and I passed under the Golden Gate Bridge, I felt exhilarated, excited, accomplished.  We had set out on this incredible journey and this was one of the milestones we had envisioned so many years ago when we started planning this trip.  It was truly joyful for me and the added blessing of clear skies and no fog (thanks Mom!) just added to my experience.  

Stacey with Osprey and the Golden Gate Bridge in background.

The closer we got to Sausalito, the warmer it got.  By the time we reached the Clipper Yacht Harbor Marina, we had stripped out of our foul weather gear and were definitely appreciating the warmth that surrounded us. Rhythm got in before us and motioned us over to the fuel dock where we both topped off the fuel tanks and then headed to our slips.  

As Kathy said, "Champagne for everyone!"

I had texted Kathy and told her that as soon as they were settled in that the entire crew should join Richard and I on Osprey for a well deserved glass of champagne (thanks Gary!) to commemorate this auspicious occasion.  Once the glasses were filled, we all raised our glasses and congratulated ourselves on having just sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge and making it this far on our respective journeys. 

Peanut, the trustworthy and salty mascot of Rhythm.

Even Peanut, Kathy and Tim's canine crew member (geriatric, blind in one eye, deaf and no teeth), joined in on the celebrating (he passed on the champagne).  There really is no doubt that Peanut belongs on this journey.  We all refer to him as the "old man" and he takes it in stride.  

Eureka to Bodega Bay to Drake's Bay

Leaving Eureka, approaching the bar.

We left Eureka on a slack water tide as crossing the Eureka bar can be somewhat dicey if conditions aren't conducive to crossing.  The channel out to the entrance was deceptively calm and when we reached the entrance we were met with significant swells that provided quite a ride. Leaving the bar behind us, we turned south heading towards Bodega Bay.  This passage included an overnight and it was one of the coldest nights we have encountered since leaving Seattle.  The fog was heavy, the seas were moderate and we ended up motoring the entire way.

Entrance to Bodega Bay.

The entrance to Bodega Bay is also a long channel that leads you to the head of the bay where the Spud Point Marina is located and where we had a marina reservation.  The channel itself is long, narrow and pretty straight so it gave the impression of driving Osprey down a highway.  After we tied up to the marina, Richard and I walked into town and had yet another greasy, fried dinner to add to our "nutrition conscious" eating habits.  The next day, we discovered that our furnace wasn't working so Richard called the manufacturer and set up an appointment for a representative to come to the boat once we got to Sausalito.  That evening, Richard's sister, Liz, and her partner, Kate, came to the boat bearing packages we had delivered to their house (wifi boosters), and fresh vegetables from Liz's garden (much appreciated tomatoes!).  Liz and Kate took us out to dinner and this time we avoided the siren call of fried foods and had a great dinner at Terrapin Creek Cafe.  We returned to the boat and spent some time visiting and then Liz and Kate left.

As it was cold in Bodega Bay, we went over to our buddy boat, Rhythm, and asked them if they had a spare space heater we could borrow, which they did.  Thanks to their generosity, we didn't freeze overnight.

A brief moment of clarity before the fog returned; Point Reyes.

The next morning, we headed out of Bodega Bay towards Drake's Bay which is located right around the corner from Point Reyes near the entrance to San Francisco Bay.  The fog lifted briefly as we motored along the coast towards the anchorage but then returned as we headed into the bay to drop our anchor for the night.  A quick call from Rhythm and the plan for both boats was dinner and an early night in preparation for our early morning departure for Sausalito.  No doubt everyone slept well despite the occasional roar of the elephant seals on shore.

25 September 2012
Eureka, CA

Kick ass wifi signal, decent tea drinks and cool waitstaff.

Well, it's my last night in Eureka and I can't say that I'm all too sad about it.  Not that Eureka is horrible; it's just this side if horrible which makes it tolerable.  The population is comprised mainly of Humbodlt homies, homeless people, and the occasional tourist.  Sad really.  But hey, when in Rome, appreciate the scenery they say.  So I tried.  I found myself spending lots of time at the Old Town Cafe and Chocolates which had a strong wifi signal and decent tea drinks.  A couple of night ago I was there and sat in on an acoustic set by a guy from Austin, Texas.  He did riffs of country songs with improvised lyrics which were mostly hysterical, especially his parody of "A Coal Miner's Daughter".  He ended up talking to some locals who introduced him to the world of  couch surfing.  Not sure if he ended up "surfing" that night but he indicated that he had just come from Seattle and Portland and was making his way south.  Despite his parents' push to enter grad school, Austin (that was actually his name and home town) was determined to make it on the road.  Good for him; and I dropped a buck in his open guitar case.

Tonight's dinner consisted of salmon, that Kathy from Rhythm procured from fishermen in Neah Bay, and sauteed vegetables.  It was hilarious to watch as Kathy and Stacey walked down the pier in Neah Bay and approached a fishing boat with the intent of buying a fish from them.  They asked if the guys would sell them a fish, the guys asked how many people were on thier boat, Kathy said four but they were actually with another boat, so six altogether.  The fisherman handed her two chinook salmons and would not accept any payment for the fish.  Kathy was dumbstruck by the generosity but promptly returned to Rhythm with the intent on filleting the fish.

Kathy and Aaron filleting salmon a la You-Tube.

As I looked over from the cockpit of Osprey, I saw Kathy and Aaron in the cockpit of Rhythm discussing the finer points of filleting a salmon, all the while watching a You-Tube video on how to fillet a salmon! The instructional video proved to be successful and Kathy generously came over bearing a fillet of salmon, expertly filleted!  Good job Kathy!

More Victorian-era architecture.

Well, not much more to blog about, but I wanted to post more pictures from Eureka so here you go...I hope you enjoy the random shots I've taken while in town.

The brown pelican that dove for food daily by the boat.

Try their Pale Ale, Indica IPA and Downtown Brown.

Eureka, California...Day 15

19-25 September 2012
Eureka, CA

Carson Mansion, Eureka.

Eureka, California is located in Humboldt County and situated about 270 miles north of San Francisco as the seagull flies. The first non-natives to visit Humboldt Bay were a sea otter hunting party from Alaska in 1806. Eureka itself was founded in 1860 and is known for its Victorian-era architecture. Humboldt County has a thriving "horticultural" industry, made famous by mentions in the Showtime hit series Weeds.  Humboldt County also appears to be the seat of the NorCal movement as evidenced by the plethora of tattoo parlors, "glass" shops and bikers seen around town.

Another example of the Victorian-era architecture in Eureka.

Our time in Eureka ended up being slightly longer than we had anticipated or wanted.  The weather forecasts initially indicated that we might be able to leave by September 24th but subsequent updates to the forecasts showed increasing waves and swells which would have made trying to cross the bar dicey at best.  So that put us out to September 26th and with our fingers crossed we finalized plans to leave.  Fuel was obtained, provisions procured and laundry done.  Richard is putting the coordinates for our route south to Bodega Bay into the chartplotter and I'll finish prepping hot meals for the overnight crossings this afternoon.  We expect to motor out of the channel some time around 10:00 am Wednesday, September 26th.  Wish us luck!

Richard with the lion's share of dessert.

Last night Richard and I ate at The Banana Hut Hawaiian BBQ Restaurant in Eureka and it did not fail to please.  The kalua pig dinner was just like the plate lunches I had in Hawai'i and if you know anything about Richard, you know how he likes his poi (which he ordered as a side).  We finished our meal with a monstrosity of a fried banana, fudge brownie, ice cream, whipped cream and a vat of chocolate sauce whatchamacallit.  The thing was dripping with chocolate sauce and the plate it was served on was floating with more chocolate sauce. Now mind you, I'm not complaining, but I called it quits early on and let Richard have at it.

We got news from our friends on Rhythm that their crew is down to three.  Kathy, Tim and Stacey are having a grand time in the Noyo Basin and have plans to head south to Bodega Bay on Thursday.  That should allow for us to rendezvous in Bodega Bay and make plans for the cruise down to San Francisco.  It sure would be nice to be able to see Osprey and Rhythm sail under the Golden Gate Bridge together; not to mention the fantastic photo opportunity that would provide for each of us to get pictures of the other's boat passing under the bridge.  Initial plans include a stopover in Sausalito, possibly picking up a mooring ball at Angel Island and then a few days in the city.  Stay tuned!

Random Pics

24 September 2012
Eureka, California

In this age of digital photography there is no reason not to take a million pictures hoping that you capture something of value.  That said, I always carry my point-n-shoot camera with me everywhere I go.  When you carry a camera with you all the time, you never know what you're going to see and then photograph.  Sometimes you see something breathtaking; and other times you just see some weird stuff.  But not all of the pictures I take lend themselves to a narrative and so they never find their way into my posts.  I decided that those pics should have their day in the sun, or at least make their way onto my blog.  With that introduction, I am pleased to announce the first post of what will become an ongoing occurrence...Random Pics.  I hope you enjoy the pictures as much as I do.  I somehow feel as though these pictures help fill in the experiences I am having on this incredible journey.  Enjoy!

Dinner with Michael the night before our departure.

The Main Cabin (what you don't see is the total mess behind the photographer).

Leaving Seattle behind us.

Neah Bay, WA: There was a sign above this one about unattended children.

Neah Bay, WA: Hobbit-Boat or Aqua-Yurt?  You decide.

Neah Bay, WA: A steal at $1500!

Oregon Coast, Offshore: Richard, tired and cold.

Newport Bay, OR: Breakwater at the marina.

Newport, OR: I'm sure we fit in some where.

Newport, OR: Rogue Brewery tour safety goggles.  The pink bottles behind me are maple-bacon flavored beer. Yum!

Central Oregon Coast, Offshore: Osprey's zen-like bow wake.