Category: Cruising Caro Babbo

Where Caro Babbo sails

We left three weeks ago while CaroBabbo.com was down

Billy Goat Bay, Johnstone Strait, British Columbia, April 30, 2018 – thanks to John Vins, CaroBabbo is back on line.

I don’t have a good explanation about why I wasn’t writing posts to put online all at once when CaroBabbo.com was back online. I didn’t, and here is a fast catch-up.

We’ve been on the trip twenty days so far. Alone, just Jennifer and me. It has been a lovely trip with unexpectedly good weather. We been taking our time and are just entering Johnstone Strait today. Continue reading “We left three weeks ago while CaroBabbo.com was down”

I can see your house from here…

28-MAR-2018, SEATAC Airport – …and other views from up high.

The items highest in my mind are three:

  • I haven’t found the leak in the aft cabin starboard locker. Mogens Winther in the Maxi 95 group has suggested that the water is getting in through the cubby on the starboard side of the cockpit. I can’t see anything there, but I haven’t looked as hard as I might. This could be the entry point.

    The leaky locker. Water is visible, lower left. Despite all the caulking water rain water still enters.
  • The fuel line still seems to be getting air in it despite having replaced everything from the injection pump to the tank including the filters, filter holders, all lines and the valve at the tank. The engine started fine several times in a row over a few days, but on the sail to Port Hadlock, starting was difficult with all the earmarks of air in the lines. The next stop is an electrical pump to push the fuel forward. I’ve resisted, but I’ve run out of ideas.
  • OpenCPN for Android is no longer speaking to the Vesper AIS. We’ve upgraded everything in one go, so it is difficult to pin point what the problem is. I suspect it is the new OpenCPN for Android release, since OpenCPN on my mac works fine. John Register, the author of the port to Android, has been providing fast, intelligent support.

Continue reading “I can see your house from here…”

Trip over, Caro Babbo is in her slip.

Port Townsend, WA, 7-SEP-2017 – This year’s trip is over. Caro Babbo is in her slip at Lee’s landing. Jennifer, Hilary and I are back in Port Townsend for the next few weeks before we start our fall travels: We’ll spend most of the fall at my residence in Atlanta, with time in Phoenix, New York and, for Jennifer, Berlin. Continue reading “Trip over, Caro Babbo is in her slip.”

Vacation after Adventure; Sailing the Portland Pudgy

1-SEP-2017, Matia Island, WA – Yesterday morning we motored just after sunlight from Port Roberts to Matia Island in the San Juans.

We had spent two nights in Vancouver’s False Creek, where, as we have whenever we are anchored there, we dragged.

The dragging isn’t serious. The bottom is sand. When the tide changes the anchor takes twenty or thirty feet to reset. But, it is tight anchoring and I suspect everyone is as fluid as we are. We powered up the first morning and reset. The second morning, we just raised anchor and left.

We didn’t wander around Vancover, visit museums, or even visit the community centers to shower (we have very good internet onboard, so we don’t need to go ashore for internet).
Continue reading “Vacation after Adventure; Sailing the Portland Pudgy”

Adventure over, Home waters

27-AUG-2017, just outside Pender Harbour – We’ve come to realize that the adventure is over for the year.

It is warm here, in the 20sC, 70sF. We haven’t worn foulies or even long trousers in a couple of days. The locals tell us its only rained for four days since May: It has been a glorious summer. Continue reading “Adventure over, Home waters”

Cooking in Meyer’s Chuck

6-AUG-2017, Meyer’s Chuck, AK – I get asked often about what we eat aboard, about what we eat and what we cook when we’re ashore.

We don’t use prepared foods, including bread, and on board we have no refrigeration – though we occasionally buy ice. The ice allows us to have fresh meat and fish until it melts. (It is worth mentioning that even fresh meat and fish will keep for a few days without refrigeration – Remember the Ben Franklin quote about guests and fish, both stink after three days.)

I’m working on a ‘‘simplest’’ bread video for our friend Heath, which I’ll post on YouTube in a day or two. I also outlined a 13-part cooking show, which I abandoned as too much like work. Perhaps I’ll dust it off.

At Jennifer’s urging I’ve started to keep a food journal so that we can go back to things that I’ve cooked that we both liked.

Continue reading “Cooking in Meyer’s Chuck”

We tear out a cleat, anchor in tight quarters and see bears.

5-AUG-2017, Frosty Bay, AK – We ripped the aft starboard cleat out of the boat today, then glued it back it in at a little two-boat dock in Frosty Bay.

Continue reading “We tear out a cleat, anchor in tight quarters and see bears.”

In Petersburg

2-AUG-2107 , Petersburg, AK – Quick status. Full posts from Wrangle when we get there this afternoon.

We arrived in Petersburg, AK yesterday. It was sunny ALL DAY and is sunny this morning. This, we believe is the first time we have had two sunny days in a row on the trip. We also suspect that yesterday was the first full sunny day of the trip. Continue reading “In Petersburg”

Mac comes back to life, 12-Volt Adapter dies, Depth Sounder Packs up

22-JUL-2017 Echo Cove, AK – Electronics on a boat oftentimes act differently than ashore.

We’ll be in Auke Bay, which is part of Juneau, tomorrow so I can pick up the shipping container to send my Mac back to Apple for repair – except that I am writing this on my Mac. Continue reading “Mac comes back to life, 12-Volt Adapter dies, Depth Sounder Packs up”