Blogging

It will be night soon

15-oct-2019, 24° 39.75N 135° 28.78W — We’re about halfway there. In ten days we should arrive in Hilo. Stronger winds of the trades will push us wing and wing across the last one thousand miles and there.

The Predict Wind software we have been using for routing takes us on a dog leg keeping us on a broad reach, while our friend and guardian, Ray Penson has lobbied for the typical run- before- the-tradewinds route. Jennifer wants to try that, so we are changing our course southward to join the trades in the next three days or so. Continue reading “It will be night soon”

Night time and watches

Three weeks or so ago – To the left when heading from Catalina to San Diego is continual early morning. Just beyond the thickened marine layer Los Angeles’ false morning promises an end of the inky moonless night. The dark impenetrable cloud south of Los Angeles is no cloud at all, it is lightless Pendleton marine base.

The artificial morning returns with San Diego’s north county, culminating with the city itself.

The dark night waters are busy with military activity.

From more than twenty miles away, we could see a very white glow on the horizon: tankers, warships and lighters gathered together. As Caro Babbo approached, the group disbanded. Continue reading “Night time and watches”

700 miles from land

11-oct-2019 – In the moment I am fine. The waves roll under us, the weather routing software keeps us away from strong winds and big seas, and above all our guardian angel Ray Penson watches over us.

But those words, 700 miles from land terrify me. Last night we saw a ship on AIS one hundred miles from us, but those are probably the nearest human beings.

Things break and we recover. I fret about things that could break that we can’t recover from. Continue reading “700 miles from land”

Natalie, Unintended consequences, Law? and someplace everyone has heard of.

Catalina, CA, 26-SEP-2019 — ”I met these two Swedish men on the island who said to me, ‘We’re looking for a woman named Natalie who runs these adventure races,’ ” said the woman that Jennifer and I first saw walking up the winding dirt road from Two Harbors to the cliff overlook where we all stood.

We said to her, ”And that would be you?”

Continue reading “Natalie, Unintended consequences, Law? and someplace everyone has heard of.”

Where we are now and some perspective.

Two weeks ago:

29-AUG-2019 – Today is the first day Jennifer and I are not sea sick and scared. Overcoming being frightened is just a matter of realizing that we can do this. We have trained, practiced and prepared. It is very little different than coastal sailing other than there is no heading in when we’re tired of this.

Other differences of note are a single point of sail (leaving the sails untouched) for more than 24 hours at a time. We’ve gotten used to large rollers with waves atop them, and found that on starless, moonless lights the only orientation one has are the instruments.

Continue reading “Where we are now and some perspective.”

Quick Note

Aquatic Park, NPS, San Francisco, 5-SEP-2019 – A quick note to let everyone know we’re okay.

We arrived in San Fran, Tuesday afternoon after a night Bodega Bay, resting.

I have a few posts to make and much to write.

As beginners, we did fine. We learned a tremendous amount, which has changed our thinking on a number of things.

Jennifer found it a terrifying experience and is rethinking everything. This will have a large effect on our forward plans. We are (or seem to be) resolved to sail down to San Diego.

The experience for me was very interesting. It is important to trust the equipment and the boat that so much time, effort, money and thought was put into. It will work.

Continue reading “Quick Note”

So why aren’t we out in the pacific?

Off Point Flattery, 27-AUG-2019 08.11 PT– We set out this morning to lumpy waves in the Strait and are just rounding Cape Flattery via Tatoosh Island.

We may also have realtime tracking at: https://forecast.predictwind.com/tracking/display/CaroBabbo

Sorry about the unfinished blog post below. I was working from a tablet keyboard that didn’t like me.

The next 24-hours should be breezy and bumpy and then a predicted nice ride to San Fran.

I’ll spend some time later putting together real post. For the moment, wish us well.

Neah Bay, 23-AUG-2019 — Leaving Monday morning was a bit more rush than planned. I spoke with Frank at 11pm Sunday evening arranging a 6:30 am bridge opening. Jennifer and I got to sleep before midnight. I was up at 5:15 to get coffee started. Jennifer would get up about 5:45, which is plenty of time to leave slip at 6:20 and be ready for the opening.

At 5:30, Frank called to tell me we needed to make a six am opening. Could we make it? The question was rhetorical and disingenuous. If we didn’t take his offer we would need to wait until after rush hour traffic; the bridges don’t operate from 7 until 9 am each work day.

Island Chief, the very large tug that moves gravel barges to and from Lake Washington had a 6 am opening. We should fall in behind her.

I woke Jennifer to tell her the news, and walked over to Harrison’s boatm, Berkley to wake him and tell him the news. Harrison was already awake and on deck.

We had originally planned to leave on the 14th, but Harrison asks us to wait until the 19th to sail with him up to Port Townsend. We never would have made the 14th. We didn’t strap Hilary Hoffmann, our Portland Pudgy, rigged as a life raft, upside down on the foredeck until just before I called Frank.

Before Jennifer and I on Caro Babbo and Harrison and two friends, one asleep, and two dogs aboard Berkeley waiting outside of Lee’s Landing for Island Chief and her barge, we had listened on VHF 13 to the captain of Island Chief speak with Frank at the University Bridge.

Where is Jennifer’s Car and When are we leaving?

Lee’s Landing, Lake Union, Seattle, WA, 14-Aug-2019 – A fast status as we’re finishing up getting ready to leave.

There is a heavy and unrelenting feeling of pressure to get everything done, but as I sit to write this fast and hurried post, I realize that there are five days to go and there is no need to feel this pressure. Everything on critical path is easily accomplished. Yes, the list is unending, but that it is because it is a boat, just like a house, there is always more to do.

Continue reading “Where is Jennifer’s Car and When are we leaving?”

Shakin’ and Breakin’

P.S. Jennifer’s car was stolen

Port Townsend, in the rain, 10-AUG-2018 – There will be no wind today until after three pm, just PNW rain: may be a quarter inch (6mm) per hour. It is a dark Seattle winter day in early August. The temperatures are higher (low sixties), but no sailing.

We’re on our shakedown cruise.

Continue reading “Shakin’ and Breakin’”