San Diego

Sorry for the long delay.  Anyway here goes...

We are in Cabo San Lucas after a great and at times grueling trip down from San Diego. 

This post will be in many parts as Internet is frustrating to find and use down here in Mexico. 

Made into San Diego on Saturday the 19th of October around 1400 or so.  Motored the whole way from Oceanside.  Oceanside was a neat stop over.  Had fun there.  Very laid back and none of that yacht club stuffiness we experienced in Del Rey and Newport Beach.
Spent two nights at the San Diego Yacht Club and took advantage of the nice pool and hot tub.  We also hit the Downwind Marine HaHa party and met some new people and hooked up with some friends that we have met along the way.
Bought the new Magnum MS2012 charger on Monday and started installing it on Tuesday.  Just finished it today, Wednesday.
Jen took the kids on Tuesday and went shopping for Halloween stuff and other necessities. She also picked up her mother from the airport.  Marcia is staying in SD till tomorrow.
While the kids were gone, I started to dismantle the nav station as that is where the old charger lived.  I was fully prepared to to have to rewire the whole AC system because as with everything on this boat, the old owner just didn't do it right the first time.  I was not disappointed.  The AC going into the boat should have a breaker before the charger/inverter.  Appa had the breaker after the power was already through the charger and on it's way to the panel.  So basically the power went from shore to the boat through the charger then it hit a 20 amp breaker then it went through a 30 amp breaker and then to the outlets.  Not the right way.  Not according to the directions that I have anyway.
Went to West Marine and bought 10 feet of 2/0# black wire and another 11 feet of red wire.  Also got a 30 amp breaker, 10 gauge AC wire, 4 new fenders and couple blocks to replace some that are wearing out.
So I pulled the out the old Heart Interface Charger out from under the nav station.  That beast weighs about 70 pounds.  Heart made their chargers with 8 feet of 2/0 gauge wire built into them.  Both black.  No telling which was positive and negative once they got away from the charger.
Got that heavy sucker out and then started to get the new one ready to go into the hole.  Mounted it temporarily and then pulled it out after measuring cable lengths and such.
Wired it up and then cleaned up all the cable.  Works now.

More later.....

Just know that the water is warm and beautiful. We are heading to La Paz which is north into the Sea of Cortez on Wednesday or so. 

Shark!

Got up this morning and after breakfast and getting gas for the dinghy ($14 for 2 gallons), we headed out to Emerald Cove for some snorkeling. The whole family went. Emerald Cove is about 2 miles or so from Isthmus Cove. We dinghied over and landed on this beach and started to snorkel. Ben left us to play on the beach with Sam and Jen so that left Max and I. We saw this. 

Pretty cool, eh?  Leopard shark. Max and I also saw rays, flounders, and some other fish. 

Heading to Avalon tomorrow for couple days and then to Newport for the dreaded trip to Disney. 

Boat has been working well.  Have a leak in the line that goes to the cockpit shower. I think it is from bad hose clamp which I have since replaced. We'll see. The charger is still out but we are on the hook so it doesn't matter. I theorictally have one on order and maybe even waiting for me in San Diego. I ordered the Magnum Power MS2012. Hopefully it'll be an easy install. 

The solar panels are keeping up with demand. We are down a bit from last night's movie, Flushed Away. The inverter and the associated power draw from the TV kills us but we don't do it often. The freezer is also on and that isn't bad but it doesn't help. Having an Otterpop after swimming though is nice.  And ice cubes. Have to have ice cubes. Of course the freezer isn't making them right now but it could. 

Phone died so no texting and I rely on internet from the local bar Harbor Reef. Jen is doing laundry and we are going to have a beer once she shows up. Max and Ben are on Appa studying. 

View from the bar we are getting internet at. Appa is back there somewhere. 

Traffic jam. Dinghy dock. Ours is in there next to the green pram. 

That is all I got for now. 

Everyone is happy and doing well.  School is coming along for the kids. Max is getting into a routine and seems like he is enjoying it.  He does lots of reading. Ben is also devouring books. We are going to do a week with no electronic diversions and see how that goes. 

Killer Queen

When I was just a wee lad, I was really into the ocean liners of old.  I loved the look, speed, and style of them.  Titanic was very interesting and tragic but my favorite of all of them was the Queen Mary. Built in  the 30s and then had her maiden voyage in 1936.  During World War II they called her the Grey Ghost and she was used as a troop transport.  At one point she carried 15,000 men over the Atlantic, on one trip!!

The city of Long Beach bought the Queen Mary for 3 million and change in 1967 and converted her to a hotel and tourist attraction. By the 60s, the jet liner started to bite into the profits of the ocean liners and all of them were either scrapped or if lucky converted to something like the Queen Mary. Philadelphia has the United States ocean liner moth balled and is waiting on someone to save that great ship.  Doubtful that will happen though. 

Anyway, we left Marina Del Rey once Jen got back from Florida.  The morning after in fact.  We were ready to scoot.  At 8am, I paid the moorage fee and we flashed up the motor and slipped the lines.  Destination Long Beach!  It was about 24 miles away and we started out motoring but soon the wind filled and we started to sail.  Sailed till the break wall at Long Beach and then motored into our slip at Rainbow Harbor.  

Sam drew this on our way to Long Beach. Amazing. 

Rainbow Harbor at Long Beach is a nice enough place.  Security is present and we had no problems despite being warned the Long Beach can be trouble.  The area we were in looked brand new.  They have a huge convention center and associated hotels right there along with a wide variety of restaurants. We ate at Hooters.  Yep.  I had a cold Coors Light. Ice was in the beer they poured it so cold.  Just lovely.

The next day we hopped on the bus and 10 minutes later I was in front of the Queen Mary.  Armed with our "good" camera, I looked every bit the tourist.  We signed up for two tours.  One tour showed some of the boat and gave general info.  The other tour was a fun, spooky type thing where they talked about how haunted the Queen Mary is.  Both tour guides were great.  We laughed and laughed with them as they guided around the ship.  

The ship's horn still blows at 1000, 1200, 1500, and 1800.  It is a grand, low, rumbling type of sound when it sounds.  I'm told it is an A and can be heard for 15 miles and the reverberation has been heard over 50.  They tuned it so low so as not to be painful when you were onboard and it sounded.  

We all had appetizers and a drink in the first class lounge and then toured the Russian sub that is moored next to the Queen Mary. Great tour.  I think we liked the sub more than the ship. It started to rain as we were wrapping up our tours. The first rain since I left Neah Bay. That was on August 15th!!  

Once back from the Queen Mary and on Appa, Jen and I were laying in our cabin with the kids in the main saloon area waiting for dinner time and Sam was telling Max and Ben a story about her new toy dog.  There was this big narrative about how the dog had no family because "a red lion died the daddy dog".  The story went on and on. We were in tears listening to it. 

During dinner, we hashed out what to do next.  We will hit Disney next week and we will leave the boat in Newport Beach. But first, Catalina Island!

Thursday morning Jen headed out to the grocery store to provision us while I got the boat ready for traveling. Same old thing, check oil, fill water tanks, store stuff away, and go over the rigging. 

By 1000 we were on our way.   No wind till we motored out about 5 miles and then it filled in from the South at 10 knots or so.  Raised sail and soon the wind built to a honest 15 and off we went on a beam reach.  Some bottle nosed dolphins played in our bow wave for about 5 minutes and then they were off jumping and screwing around in our wake.  

We got into Isthmus Cove on Catalina Island and right in the town of Two Harbors. Very sweet place. Has a Hawaiian vibe. The water has about 30 foot visibility. Max started yelling when we went to grab the mooring pin that he could see bottom and in the NW that means you are going to run around. Not here.  

Hit the dinghy dock after securing the mooring lines and walked to town.  One grocery store and a restaurant. That is it. And it is ok. This part of the island you can walk to the other side in 15 minutes. 

Went swimming this morning once I dug out the wet suits. Water temp is 65 and while we don't need wetsuits I knew that we would want to stay in the water awhile and got the suits out.  Visibility was about 40 feet or so. I did a little cleaning of the bottom of the boat and then went off with the boys and snorkeled. Ben did great and Max is a natural.  Sam joined us about 10 minutes later and saw the orange fish called Garibaldi. We also saw an octopus and couple other fish species also. Seals were swimming around us but nothing close to see. 

Sunshine

One of the boats we met, Sunshine, shot these photos as Max and I were anchoring in Santa Cruz.
Funny thing about boat names.  If people don't know your real name, they shout out your boat name.  We get to call Bob and DeeDee "Sunshine".  Makes me smile every time!

No woman, me cry!

Jen has been gone now for 3 weeks.  Or at least it feels that way.  We have been at the Del Rey Yacht Club since Monday.  3 free days and the rest are 0.75 a foot.  That adds up.  I am ready to go.  

They have a guest dock here across the marina that is close to Ralph's.  Evidently Fred Meyer and Ralph know one another.  Pretty nice grocery store.  We bought this.

Straight from Mexico.  Made with cane sugar.

The West Marine is next door to Ralph's along with a yogurt shop.  So you know that we hit those.  Got these spice racks at WM and a couple of new breakers.  I also bought this raft.

I think the top rack is too high but I have a picture I want to hang under the racks.  We'll see.

Surprisingly good peach yogurt

The kids have been eating like crazy.  Good appetites.  Ben has been getting his computer assignments done and reading a bunch.  He is also trying to be more diligent about checking his emails.

 I think you know when you stayed too long in one place when the people start to complain a bit.  We got a call about our towels hanging on the lifelines.  The YC thinks that looks trashy and it is verboten.  OK.  We can do that.  Then I got bitched at about the kids tracking water from the pool into the bathroom.  OK.  Towel them off better.  While the members that I have met have been unbelievably friendly, I am sure that there are members who don't want kids here (Seattle Yacht Club has the same problem) and rattle their walkers when they get upset.

They had a party here last night and you should have seen the cars.  California is all about automobiles.  3 Ferraris with a couple Porsches thrown in and one sparkling Aston Martin.  Meh.  I use to know the horsepower on every Ferrari, Lamborghini, etc.  I could tell what model year it was.  Now...I don't care.  I'll never own one.  I use to think that maybe I would but my career trajectory isn't aiming at a Ferrari dealership.  S'OK.  Usually you have to work yourself to death to get a car like that.  I don't have to work for a year.  I get to spend that time with my family.  Who is richer?  They are.  But I am OK with that.

To the left is my 2004 Ferrari and on the right is my 2010 Porsche.  The maintenance regime on those two is unbelievable.

Going to change oil today or tomorrow and get ready to leave.  I think we are going to go to Catalina Island for a bit and then to Newport.  Maybe Newport first and get Disneyland done.  Then we can get out to the island and relax.

   

Marina Del Rey

We are at Del Rey YC.  They have a nice pool and we have yet to step off the boat and not be asked if we need something or if they can help in some way.  Extremely friendly.  We got here at 1800 or so and then had a burger then went for a swim.  Felt great.  

Here are some photos.

Heading up the trail.  Really hot.

Samey and Jenny.  Samey is sporting the latest in hiking attire.  

Appa with Sunshine.  They are from Victoria.

Yellowbank beach area.

Some kid that wandered in my surf shot!

Olive grove that was part of the farm that use to be on the island.  That is the beach we are anchored off

Discovery from C dock in Seattle.  They sailed to SF and just as they were going under the bridge, some woman jumped off the Golden Gate and landed right in front of their boat.  No she was not alright.  They had to wait couple hours while the cops got their crap together.

About ready to scrub the waterline and check the prop.

So our plan is to stay at the Del Rey YC till they throw us out.  Jen flies out with Max on Thursday and they come back on Monday.  Tuesday we leave for.....hell if I know.

California Dreamin'

Since posting that last blog,we have not had any cell coverage at all.  Zip. Nada.  

Sunday we woke up and made eggs with bacon and got into the school work.  Max zipped through his and Ben is finally starting to better at paying attention.  He's trying hard but there are a lot of distractions and it is difficult for him. Samey and I played for a bit and then she played downstairs by herself as the boys and Jen continued to wade through their work.  

So I rebuilt the macerator prior to leaving Ventura.  We tested it on the dock and it didn't work.  I took it apart again and cleaned the brushes and checked the motor out and everything appeared fine.  Put it in the tank and nothing. So I walked down to Beacon Marine and dropped $200 on a new one.  Plugged it into the holding tank and since it was new and we were leaving in 15 minutes, left it and went about casting off. We got well away from shore and tested the macerator out and nothing. She no work. Grrrrr. Ok so I am getting 13 volts at the pump with the wires disconnected, once I connect wires, nothing.  Breaker. Another damn breaker gone bad.  Water pump first and now this.  I feel so dumb.  Used another breaker and the pump works like a champ.  I am always going to start at the breaker first from now on when having electrical problems.  That seems like a no brainer actually but I just assume that the beaker is ok. Dumb. But problem solved.  Now I have 2 pumps. Both new.  

The battery charger for shore power is failing but I already wrote about that.  It will invert so we watched movies once or twice while at anchor.  The engine charges the batteries fine but we really need to figure this out and get a new one.  

Other than that, Appa has been great.  Touch wood.  

So we spent Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Smugglers Cove.  We thought about leaving and finding another anchorage but really, the island looks the same from all areas and we had a nice beach.  

Saturday we hiked up to Yellowbanks Beach.  About 3.4 mile round trip hike.  Hot and dusty but beautiful. 

This is at the start of our hike.  Jen and Samey made it 1/4 of the way but it was too much for the 3 year old.  Jen took the camel pak and I took the bag with the diapers when we split. Not a good thing.

Max, Ben and I made the trek and when back to the beach, the water never felt nicer. Big rollers coming in made for fun surfing and since the diapers were now back, Samey could go "number 2". Good times, eh?

Here is Samey waiting for the diaper which I was carrying on our hike. Made friends with this tree Jen tells me.

We played in the surf for couple hours and then loaded up the dinghy and actually made it off the beach with only a couple drops getting in the dinghy.  On our way back to Appa, we saw Discovery anchored next to us. They are our dock mates from Seattle. We never really knew them all that well but Andy putted over in his dink and we now have more friends. They are sailing their Passport 42 to mexico also but not doing the haha. Nice people. 

Max and I cleaned the waterline of the boat and then we had dinner and watched Tales of Earthsea. Weird flick. Animated. Good but weird. 

No wind, light swell.  We slept good. 

Sunday was almost repeat of Saturday. School then we got into the dink and explored a bit. Went over the Yellowbanks and the water was this Caribbean blue. Beautiful. The beach looked treacherous but beautiful and as we were discussing about landing the dink on it, Samey says "Let's try it!"  So cute that we had to.  Never ever take direction from a three year old.  Ever. 

We caught a great wave in but the outgoing current slowed us enough that the next wave caught us.  The beach gets deep quick so the waves break close in. The wave picked up the boat and slammed us onto the beach.  We didn't tip or roll but the impact was harsh. No injuries and the dink was ok.  Just a rough landing. The trouble would be getting off this beach. 

We played for a bit then decided to get out of there and back to "our" beach. Pretty big surf so I got the two kids in the dink and launched with Max and Jen swimming out through the breakers to the dinghy. I love my wife.  She just swam nice as you please out to us and up into the dinghy and we were off.  We picked a good time as I think we all could have gotten in the dink and been alright but it was kinda crazy conditions so we played it safe.  So to speak. 

We decided that we had enough beach landings for the day so we swam off the boat.  Dinner then we all read books then off to bed.  I finished Passage to Juneau and started a John Sanford novel. Killed that last night and am reading Down River by John Hart. 

Running low on food so we decided to hoist anchor and head for Marina Del Rey. We actually have enough food but we are out of veggies, milk is low, eggs gone, all meat gone, plenty of ramen however. 

Woke up at 7 this morning and pulled the Rocna out of it's home for the past three days and headed due east. No wind but as soon as we were past Anacapa island.....dolphins. Maybe two hundred of them. Swarmed the boat like bees to a flower. A baby was learning among them and got real close to us. Ben and Jen iPhone videoed some of it.  I called down to Samey who was drawing at the table that dolphins were near us. She looked at me with a moment of uncertainty, then flung her pencils down and ran up to me. We walked to the bow and she just stared.  Mesmerized. Ben was shaking he was so excited. Max also. Five of us at the bow, rolling along watching the dolphins for about 20 minutes.  Loved it. No one missing.  Didn't have to say "Mom, you missed it...." or "Max, you should have seen...."  Hard to explain. So glad that we were all there. All the toil and frustration that comes with planning a trip like this felt worth it. 

Jen and Ben will post pictures and such of the dolphins on their blogs. 

What I think they are doing.

What they are doing. 

Getting ready to fish.