Stormy Weather

This is the first time I've been in a town in which everyone battens down the hatches when a storm is approaching. It's kind of fun, in the sense that it is novel: everyone spent Sunday provisioning. The grocery store was as popular as a beach on spring break. Some people were stocking up on beer and ice, others on milk ... it's a very individual thing, deciding what you'll be imbibing for the next 7 to 10 days. You see, if the wind is up no deliveries will make it to the island.

On Sunday George and I stocked up on milk and ice and enough food to last for a week. Plus we did laundry ... twice, since the first batch got wet from water that came over the top of the dinghy. And because it's a law of the feline universe that if the humans wash all the cushion covers that don't have cat stains on them, there will be stains on the remaining cushions when the humans return from the laundromat. We worked from dawn till way after dark battening down, stocking up and making everything ship-shape. And we had fun doing it. Our last load of laundry was in the dryer while we sat under the eaves of a nearby hotel, dressed in foul-weather gear and played Scrabble. Then we walked back to the dinghy dock, taking note of the sandbags stacked against shop doors.

We've made it pretty cozy. Here's a photo of our cockpit, complete with the bouquet that George thoughtfully brought home after I dropped enough hints to dent the floorboards* (*This is a Christmas story, to follow in another post). Those are solar panels stacked to the left, since they only act as sails when the winds blow hard. The golden tubes behind them are our oars. We rocked a bit last night and got plenty of rain but stayed dry and comfortable. Today we had gale force winds, but Nereid held her own at the mooring. In the afternoon it was calm enough for George to row to shore and return with a dinner guest - our friend Bob, who's letting us use his deck to build the new dinghy. After a simple dinner, laced with laughter, we sent Bob home with a gallon of milk. Turns out we were hoarding: the grocery store has no milk left.

The dinghy is on hold for weather but nearly complete! I'll post some new photos in the slideshow, above. Meanwhile, it's time to catch some zzzzz's. Fairwinds, all!

Rolling into 2010

Yesterday morning the sun revealed golden and grey tones, light and shadow against the clouds. Last night a blue moon shone on the water, the sun's light taking one last hop and making the water the moon's mirror. In between, the clouds drizzled and drenched. And for a finale, the water put us on its pendulum and rocked us stern to bow, east to west, with such fervor that none of us slept. This is the transition. It's going to be an interesting year.

Happy Holidays 2009!

We are in a coffee shop at Avalon, sitting out the first rain we've seen since arriving several weeks ago. This reminds me of Seattle; sitting near the window with a latte, glad to be indoors. The weather is forecast to return to 70's and sunny for New Year's Eve and N.Y. Day, so that will take us back outdoors to complete the wooden dinghy we're building. It's been a fun project, and we've entertained a lot of people as we work in our small space, loaned to us by Bob, a generous island resident whom we moored next to when we first arrived.

Once we launch the new dinghy, we'll set sail (wind permitting) for Dana Point and San Diego, where we'll stop for as long as it takes to decide our next best course. Since insurance requires us to be north of 27 degrees by June 1, we may actually decide to stay in San Diego through the end of the coming hurricane season (Nov 1, 2010.) That would make sense if we could find jobs that would cover the expenses. Another option is to head to La Paz and then further south (towards Chile) for the storm season. Our friends Bill and Tracey may be going that way, and we'd love to go with them. Another option would be to go through the Panama Canal and up the eastern seaboard. And another may be to head for Hawaii in March, although we have to check the weather windows for that. All these would allow us to circumnavigate the hurricane zones, and each has its own set of costs and promises of adventure.

We're about to be kicked out and offline, due to closing time here. Hope to post again soon!

Redondo Beach - The Cats Come Full Circle

We are anchored in Redondo Beach, CA. This is where I adopted Mimi and Wolfgang nearly 20 years ago, and I think they remember it: for the first time, Mimi came out and spent time on the foredeck, sniffing the air and listening to the sealife.

We've had wind on the nose most of the way down the southern coast from the Channel Islands. Poor weather for sailing, but the dolphins have been out en masse and we have no complaints. There's a record-breaking hurricane headed for Baja, and that may have a domino effect on our plans but if all goes well we'll head for Catalina on Wednesday, stay there several nights and then sail on to San Diego. When we go into Mexico, we're taking hurricane relief packages with us. If you'd like to participate, contact us on e-mail (bennetthastings@yahoo.com) and let us know what you're going to send, then we'll arrange a pick up spot. People need non-perishable items, winter clothing and medical supplies. (Children's clothes are always welcome!) If you want to help but prefer to send cash, please do so through the Mexican Red Cross. (I'll get that address up here a.s.a.p. too.) There are a lot of people in Baja still reeling from the storm that hit a month ago, and this one is reported to have winds over 150mph - the second highest on record. There's sure to be a lot of human need.

We're safe. Love to all of you - Celeste & George

Santa Barbara and Beyond

Okay, all this is taking soooo much longer than we anticipated ... but we're not complaining; however, we are apologizing for the misapprehension on how often we could get to the internet. Assuming you'll forgive us, we move on to happier subjects.

George is enjoying digital photography's abundance: his is the eye behind the photos and films on this post. The bird images are from Avila Beach, which is adjacent to Port San Luis Obispo. A beautiful spot, and very California: people body surfing (in shorts and bathing suits!) and playing volleyball in the sand. We feel like we've passed through some fantastic portal, and perhaps we have done.

The sunset was photographed at Pt. Cojo, the first anchorage south of Pt. Conception. Pt. Conception has been called, by Coast Pilot, the Cape Horn of the Pacific. That seems exaggerated to me, but Coast Pilot is a respectable source ... so I must be one tough broad. It DID get choppy. (Friends call it "The Maytag Effect.) But, I expected much worse. George has been predicting that once we rounded Pt. Conception we would be in the land of milk and honey - calm seas, sunny skies. I was skeptical, but he was right. (And glad I am of that!)

This trip has been something of a scouring pad; removing some of the corruption that attached itself to my spirit over the past couple of years. As usual, my dream life has blossomed. (Studies indicate that sailors often require less sleep because being on the water mimics the same state of consciousness.) I've been visited by family members who have passed and I've spent time in a court of law due to my association with Cervantes. (Interpretations welcome.)

Regarding sailing, in a nutshell, Nereid is behaving beautifully. She was built for this life.

(Now for the film. It was awesome to be in the dinghy as these birds took off, maneuvered and landed as the sun was setting! These birds, we are told, migrate between California and New Zealand. Can anyone identify them, so we can learn more about them?)

(Okay - since I can't get the video to upload before my last chance to get back to Nereid before dark, I'll leave out the video tonight; try to post it tomorrow.)

Lastly (since we are - no surprise - limited on internet time), I'll attach a photo of George descending the rebar ladder at Port San Luis Obispo, so he can clamber across another person's dinghy and get into ours. Port San Luis is rustic, and we have some stories to tell ... but they'll have to wait for another day. Perhaps, to give you an idea, I'll just mention that the fuel dock attendant told us of another boat named Nereid, which sunk last month when too many seals managed to board her. The Harbor office staff says they've seen seals piggybacking on one another to form a stair for getting onto boats moored in their harbor! Nature continues to impress us with her tendency to innovate.





Until next time ... may be the wind be always at your beam. (We're heading for Santa Cruz Island as soon as our permit comes through from The Nature Conservancy. Once there, we hope to gunkhole for 2-3 weeks, so we will be "quiet" during that time, but probably able to phone in a message or two.)

Leaving Monterey

We had a nice stay in, of all places, Oakland where we met up with people we have met on the way and new sailors going to Mexico for the winter. Celeste and I have decided to go easy on ourselves and take short trips rather than racing down, since our insurance company will not permit us to enter Mexico before November 15.Two nights ago we anchored in Half Moon Bay, south of San Francisco. Last night we tied up in Monterey to do some work on the anchor. Tomorrow before dawn we are off to San Simeon, then San Luis Obisbo, then round Point Conception, which is the Cape Horn of North America according to the US Coast Pilot. The weather forecast is excellent so far. Point Conception is our big goal. Southern California begins there, with warmer temperatures and gentle weather conditions, which we deserve after the beating we have taken so far.

We plan to explore the many islands between Santa Babara and the Mexican border. Everywhere we go we reunite with other sailors who we have met in the various ports along the way. I thought we were going to turn into loners, but our social life has never been so active. We love the lifestyle and the people we have met.

Alive and Well in San Francisco Bay

Just a note to say we are here and relaxing in the California sun! We were pretty beat when we arrived but will soon be ready to set sail again for Santa Barbara. We'll leave on Sunday if all goes according to plan -- though, of course, everything is fluid in the sailing life.