March 3,2011

Day 7
860 miles out heading about 250 degrees True. Winds 10-15 NNE. Spinnaker went up on my watch this morning. Dennis was happy. We are making 7-8 knots mostly comfortable ride. Are using the autopilot and the windvane together to keep us on a somewhat steady course. Has been hard to get used to steering in a general direction but mostly to the wind. Will take it down before dark. We have had cloud cover for the last several days, it is comfortable, a little cool at night (read long pants, t shirt, sweatshirt and jacket with hood for me). The wind continues to be consistently inconsistent 7-20 knots NNE. Days are good, but nights have been hard for me. I have the best watch schedule 07-10 & 19-22 too bad I can't get a full night's sleep. Oh well, naps are good.

Have I mentioned how blue the water is out here? The color is so amazing, such a pretty deep blue. Have had one flying fish and 2 squid land on the boat, but otherwise no extra passengers. The birds (boobies?) keep eying us, but so far none have attempted to join the party. Have only seen one floating plastic container - was kind of insulting to see and also a reminder about plastic and what a far reaching effect we have on our environment. Our plastic garbage bag is getting fuller, but not too bad. Is still hard to throw the biodegradable stuff overboard, Dennis still can't do it.

So, since it really is all about the food, here is an update. The lettuce lasted in the cooler until yesterday, so 7 days; pears/mangos are being eaten up daily as they are getting soft (wrapped them in newspaper), apples and tomatoes are doing fine, eggs too, but need to drill holes in the lid so they don't go moldy. Will have our first visitors bring powdered eggs to Tahiti, so I will be able to bake without buying expensive eggs. I wish I had brought more lettuce, cucumbers, onions,carrots and potatoes (all of which seem to be holding up well)I should have brought more pancake syrup, and probably more milk, we seem to be going thru a lot of milk..... Oh yeah, and the grill is so not happening. Besides the fact that it is tipped on its side, I don't think I could keep anything on it. Have had to rethink some of my meals, but hey flexibility is my middle name these days. The other thing I wish I had gotten more of, but don't know where I would have put is the Italian sausage from Carne El Mundo. Had the last of it in spaghetti sauce last night. YUM! Will have to start making bread soon, will probably coincide with an increase in the outside temperature!

Started the second tank of water yesterday, so not too bad - about 8 days, 6 with 5 people. Flushed the water maker today. Don't plan to make water until this tank runs out, then we will just work off of the aft 2. One in use one being filled or filled. I am trying to accomplish one non watch/cooking/sleeping/eating thing each day. Yesterday I downloaded music to my ipod - really harder that you would think. Charge the computer, find the cds with mp3 music, figure out how to download to itunes, lock up itunes, consult the 13 year old, download cds to computer then to itunes then to ipod - miracles do happen. Now if I could figure out how to put a movie on the ipod....Feel free to email me with a solution....
Well, almost time to start thinking about dinner.....(eat, sleep, watch, cook, repeat....)

03/28/11

day 5
continue to make good time. We have come 565 miles so far. Had another bumpy night. Lots of discussion today on how to keep it under control. Winds are consistently inconsistent 10-20 knots, is hard for the wind vane to keep up, so have to use the main rudder to help. In general we are heading 240degrees magnetic. Hope to miss the area south of us with no wind. I guess like everything in life there is a trade off - no free lunch so to speak, smooth ride no miles, bumpy ride, miles made good. Is cloudy today, feeling more humid, but still pretty cool. I sewed the opposite velcro piece onto the dodger today, so that the flaps I added to the bimini will cover the hand holds and hopefully keep some of the inevitable rain out. Not the most fun task on a 10-20 degree heal, but one more task crossed off the list. Since it is all about the food :) the menu tonight is meatloaf, mashed potatoes and green beans. The fruit has been holding up pretty well, lost some green beans to mold, but otherwise I am trying to cook the fresh food up before it goes bad. Ran the generator for a while today, don't think it particularly likes to heel either, but just one more thing to keep an eye on. It all sort of runs together after awhile, can't believe it is already 1530. Only 2200 miles to go.....

March 27,2011

Day 4
Had a pretty miserable night last night - lots of rock and roll. Made it to Socorro Island, but conditions did not permit a stop, Dennis stayed up through two watches so was very tired today. Winds were 15-24 knots, we did not put the second reef in the main, and paid the price with a bumpy ride. Bad call on my wind crystal ball reading. Think we will put that second reef in tonight. Have been making 6 kts consistently, Hence covered 132 miles on day 3. Have come 417 miles as of this posting. Better day today, turned downwind (south) some so have a slightly less bouncy ride. Still pretty rolly though. Has been cooler than we expected which I think is a good thing, but certainly more rolly than we expected. All but me are still taking meds for seasickness. No one is ill, just warding off bad spirits. Hopefully tonight everyone will catch up on sleep and have good watches. Have just about used up the cooler food - have had to rethink some meals as using the grill is definitely out for now. Lots of comfort food, pasta, chicken and rice (tonight again), chilli. Seems that for me it is all about the food. Will have Vickie make the last of the lettuce into a salad tonight (yum!). Is nice to have someone to help with the cooking -especially the chopping that everyone knows how much I love to do - not! Haven't been able to start Josh back on school, we tried today, but no one is ready to be inside looking at books just yet - a couple more days maybe...So, we are on a rough course of 230 with winds from the north and 6-8 foot swell averaging about 6kts, partly cloudy skies cool temps.

03/26/11

Well, its the third day out, and things are starting to fall into a groove. We left Punta Mita on Thursday around 1000. Got the news that our dear friend Steve Hall (La Paz and gate 11) passed away. Not a very auspicious way to start a 3 week cruise. Ana will be in our thoughts and prayers.
The trip out of Punta Mita and away from the mainland was slow. We motored for about 3 hours before there was any hint of wind. After that things picked up and have stayed steady at 10-15 knots from the NNW with episodes of 12-18knots (usually when I am trying to cook). We are very happy with the fact that I made myself (and Dennis didn't let me weanie out of) replace the luff tape on our 130 genoa (jib/headsail). It has been great! We are making 5-6 knots consistently. The first night of watches was brutal because we doubled up with Mark and Vickie, wanted to make sure that they were comfortable with the boat and the electronics before setting them free on single watches. They are seasoned sailors and caught on no problem, so last night was much nicer, everyone got a good stretch of sleep. Dennis and Mark set up the Hydrovane yesterday, and we have been sailing with it instead of the autopilot (baby jesus as Josh says). Vastly improved sleeping for Dennis and I without the constant sound of the autopilot steering and the Hydrovane doesn't require power.
Today has been pretty uneventful, made 130 miles on day 2, will be at the Socorro Islands in the morning (sunday) and will at a minimum do a lunch stop, maybe overnight, we'll see. The highlight today was a sailfish chasing our lure. What a beautiful fish. Fluorescent blue. Thankfully he spit the lure out, after chasing it right up to the back of the boat. Would not have been pretty either losing the lure or bringing him in. I shudder at the thought of a fish that big with a pointy thing at the front coming on to our boat. Total carnage!!! He was a beauty though. Last night after dinner we had a dolphin show - Mark thinks spinner dolphins - jumping way high out of the water - it was great too.
So, so far so good, only 2400 more miles to go!

evergreen

03/24/2011 Made it to Punta Mita after leaving La Cruz, spending almost 3 hours at the Port Captain in Nuevo Vallarta for immigration, and then a 3 hour sail to weather in 20 knots or so of wind - very bumpy. The checkout procedure is actually easy, just time consuming for those of you following us here it is. Port Captain closes at 1400 - plan accordingly. There is a dock to tie up to immediately past the Port Captain's office. The port captain's place looks just like the one in La Cruz. It costs 400 pesos - please have a credit card or you will have to go to the bank. The port captain takes about 20 minutes, then you have to wait for immigration to come. Bring in your handheld so you can wait at the restaurant at the head ot the dock - they serve a good mexican brunch. Immigration will go on your boat - our little lady stamped our passports on our boat as she compared them to faces, then left. Then we did too.
I am sad to report that we have had one casualty - the rum container did not fare so well on one of the 20 knot tacks - hit the floor and drained 2 of the 2.5 gallons into the bilge - a sad day for our pocketbooks, but our livers are probably happy!
Had a good night at Punta Mita, and our getting ready to leave. I am using Mark and Vickie's telcel, so an easy post. Will be via the SSB from now on. According to Don the weather guy, we should have good wind the next few days. We'll see.

Throwing off the docklines

Well, we are leaving La Cruz today. We lost one or two skirmishes in the war on "the List", but won the war.  Will leave around 1000 today for Neuvo Vallarta, check out of the country and head to Punta Mita for the evening, then we will head out tomorrow.  Looks like we will have good winds and weather.  More later

carol

test email

March 16,

Happy St Patty's day tomorrow.  On our final countdown for leaving Mexico.  Weather permitting, we will leave on Tuesday next week.  Projects are ongoing - bilge pumps, shade (aft complete, forward almost complete, bimini retrofit will be fast), boat is being buffed and polished by Adrian and his crew (looking good).  Water tanks being filled, provisions being bought and stowed.  Internet is back up.    Yeah!!!!!   Pacific high seems to be settling into place ( good for the trade winds to push us to the Marquessas), boom vang goose neck stil MIA, hopefully tomorrow???  Josh is getting as much kid time in as possible, so all is pretty much status quo.. this is my test post to the blog via email.  hope to post a position report tomorrow and see if it shows up in the blog (it could happen).  Costco run tomorrow afternoon - hope to shoe horn it all in somewhere.............

Projects, projects, projects!!!!

March 9, 2011

Definitely in project mode.  Still in La Cruz, still at the dock.  Teak is being sanded and hopefully they will be done by friday.  It is looking really good. Knock wood I think we are getting more than our money's worth out of these guys.  Dennis has done engine work and installed storm sail track on the mast.  The rigger's have been by to inspect the rigging - which passed, but we are still waiting on the return of the piece of the boom vang that needed welding.  Don't underestimate that amount of chemistry you learn on a boat.... unlike metals (e.g. aluminum and stainless steel) will corrode if they touch.  Hence the need for a weld on the stainless bracket on the boomvang.  I have been working on the shade for the back of the boat.  I figure I have one more full day left.  I am not entirely sure I will have enough supplies to do the shade for the forward section of the boat - may have to do a redesign... we will see.  In the midst of it all we chose to take on 2 crew members for the crossing.  Mark and Vickie from s/v Southern Cross.  They were planning to cross in their boat this year, but as we all know, sometimes life just happens and so they were looking to crew on a boat.  Since we know them and they seem to think they can tolerate a Morrison adventure......We are now 5.  Will make provisioning and space a little crazy, but on the up side we will have two more brains and sets of hands.  Watches are going to be much easier.
So the list is getting shorter, still have a second bilge pump to install and provisions to buy and stow.  We have all been to the dentist this week, and all have return appointments for one thing or another.  Josh gets the prize for no cavities though!!!!  We will have the boat hull and bottom cleaned before we leave, Josh is going to clean the stainless and paint the inside of the hard dinghy....I can't wait to leave the dock and all these projects behind.  We are the poster children for "Boat maintenance in Paradise".
Josh is crewing on a boat for the Banderas Bay Regatta this week.  We all did it last year, but no time for Dennis and I this year.  We heard a call on the net for teenage kids to crew on a boat, went and met the guy and his wife and the rest is history.  There are three cruising kids, and then four or so from the American school in Puerto Vallarta.  So, he will be out the next 3 days on SplishSplash.
Josh even got a birthday party this year.  The kids on Scout made him a cake, Dennis and I went in to PV and got three buckets of the Colonel's best chicken and all the kids and parents sat around the hot tub at Paradise Village in Nuevo Vallarta and had cake and beverages.  Paradise Village is two bus rides from La Cruz, but that is where the kid boats were at that time - so that is where we went.  Not too many big kid boats this year, lots of younger kids here in La Cruz - about a dozen I think.  There are at least four "big kid" boats crossing, so Josh will have something to look forward to when we all catch up in French Polynesia.
Well, not the most creative blog post ever, but the news is here. Maybe next time I will remember to bring up the picture drive and post pictures too!