Ok, it's May 5th, my 53rd birthday. Ya, not a good day. Last night I must have eaten something bad because half way through dinner I suddenly felt bad and had Gregg take me back to the boat. I maybe slept an hour all night. Today I have been in my bunk all day only leaving a couple times to go to the bathroom and now to write this post. I feel a little better but still not good. I just want to feel like myself again. That is all I can write for now as my head is aching and I find myself staring at the computer screen not knowing what to say and realizing that I am just staring at the screen. Gotta go. Hope to feel better tomorrow.
Bret and Gregg
SV Liahona
Thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday.
Tanner, Tarren and Tallen - I love you guys so much. Miss you tons.
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Monday, May 4, 2015
May 4, Bahia Marquer, Isla Carmen
We got up at a little before 6am this morning to make an assault on the lobsters that would be roaming about finishing up their evening feeding. Cold air, cold water but all worth it. Right? WRONG! Gregg, myself and two from the sailboat Makai were along for the lobster dive. I offered to get in and check it out and then when it was confirmed that it was easy pickins we would all get in and put away enough lobster to last a year. haha. Well, I was in the water for about 40 minutes and saw exactly nothing! It was a cold 40 minutes and I am a little stumped as to why we didn't see anything. I...I didn't see anything. lol. Anyway we got skunked on the lobster so we came back, made some coffee and watched a movie at 7 am in the morning. Doesn't everyone watch a movie at 7am? We pulled out of Danzante with a slight breeze and quickly turned off the motor to enjoy a peaceful sail for the short 6 miles or so we had to go. The sail didn't last very long before it was dead calm and glassy so we motored the rest of the way in.
This afternoon found us diving off of the point with Makai looking for whatever we could find to add to the dinner menu. Gregg was instructed on scallop harvesting by Jackie on Makai and the three of them got some scallops that we will put along side marinated steak then followed by some birthday cake and Kahlua brownies for Eric's birthday today. btw, the snorkeling was super awesome although the water is about 72 degrees which is a little bit chilly.
I just finished squeezing several fresh oranges for orange juice and put the brownies in the oven for tonight's meal with Makai. The day has been peaceful and we are looking forward to spending time with our friends this evening. Not much else to report. Ciao for now.
Bret and Gregg
SV Liahona
This afternoon found us diving off of the point with Makai looking for whatever we could find to add to the dinner menu. Gregg was instructed on scallop harvesting by Jackie on Makai and the three of them got some scallops that we will put along side marinated steak then followed by some birthday cake and Kahlua brownies for Eric's birthday today. btw, the snorkeling was super awesome although the water is about 72 degrees which is a little bit chilly.
I just finished squeezing several fresh oranges for orange juice and put the brownies in the oven for tonight's meal with Makai. The day has been peaceful and we are looking forward to spending time with our friends this evening. Not much else to report. Ciao for now.
Bret and Gregg
SV Liahona
Sunday, May 3, 2015
May 3, Isla Danzante
Gregg and I are anchored here in one of Marne's favorite anchorages, Isla Danzante (the dancer). It as a short 45 minutes or so from Puerto Escondido to the lower anchorage where we dropped the hook in about 20' of water in a narrow cove shaped into the volcanic rock with a white sand beach at it's head. The water is about 74 degrees and we can easily look overboard to see the chain and anchor lying on the bottom below us.
Gregg is still a little lagged from his sleepless 30 hour bus ride down here so he is currently taking a little "power nap" in the aft cabin. The nap was a suggestion from me after he fell asleep several times during a lunchtime conversation out in the cockpit. He had his sunglasses on and as I talked away, as I usually do, haha, and finally proposed a question to him there was no answer. After this happened several times I figured it was time for my little buddy to take a little nappy-poo. lol.
Earlier today we took a dinghy ride up to the north end of the anchorage to say hi to a friend on another boat and also to go for a hike up the hillside where we were rewarded with a beautiful view of this part of the Sea of Cortez with at least 4 to 5 other islands in our view out in the distance. Later we did a little did a little "bug" recon to scout out an area for some night diving to put a few lobsters on the table in the next night or two. Tarren, Nathan and I have dove here at night before and we were rewarded with some bounty so I am hoping for more of the same tonight or early tomorrow morning. We haven't decided yet if we will go out around 10pm tonight or early tomorrow morning just as light is breaking around 6am.
Gregg is already starting to unwind a little and is not grabbing for his phone to check texts or messages 23 times an hour after being disappointed on every occasion he did so and me reminding him there is nothing new on his phone because there is no service here. On several occasions when a question comes up in conversation he grabs his phone, swipes it on and starts heading toward Google for the answer when I laugh and ask him what the hell he is doing. "There's nothing there pal, no service, no internet". We both laugh and I am hoping that by tomorrow he will get the message and stuff it into the bottom of a closet where it belongs until he crosses back over the border. haha.
This may sound a little strange but it makes me very happy to have him here and see him actually decompressing. Seeing him smile and realize he doesn't have a care in the world for the next several days except to be present and enjoy the quiet, stunning beauty, free of any encumbrances of work, cell phones, traffic, bills or any of the hundreds of other daily distractions that you all battle in "the real world".
Dinner tonight will be aboard The Makai, a 43' Leopard Cat with a family of 5. Three kids ages 14, 12 and 10. Super nice people from southern California who have lived aboard for almost 2 years now starting in the Caribbean and now here in Mexico. Their journey, this chapter anyway, will end sometime this summer when they take their boat to San Diego, put it away and go back to work so they can do it again sometime in the future, hopefully sooner than later.
No boat repairs, no fish (but hopefully lobster tonight), no worries. Ciao for now.
Bret and Gregg
SV Liahona
Gregg is still a little lagged from his sleepless 30 hour bus ride down here so he is currently taking a little "power nap" in the aft cabin. The nap was a suggestion from me after he fell asleep several times during a lunchtime conversation out in the cockpit. He had his sunglasses on and as I talked away, as I usually do, haha, and finally proposed a question to him there was no answer. After this happened several times I figured it was time for my little buddy to take a little nappy-poo. lol.
Earlier today we took a dinghy ride up to the north end of the anchorage to say hi to a friend on another boat and also to go for a hike up the hillside where we were rewarded with a beautiful view of this part of the Sea of Cortez with at least 4 to 5 other islands in our view out in the distance. Later we did a little did a little "bug" recon to scout out an area for some night diving to put a few lobsters on the table in the next night or two. Tarren, Nathan and I have dove here at night before and we were rewarded with some bounty so I am hoping for more of the same tonight or early tomorrow morning. We haven't decided yet if we will go out around 10pm tonight or early tomorrow morning just as light is breaking around 6am.
Gregg is already starting to unwind a little and is not grabbing for his phone to check texts or messages 23 times an hour after being disappointed on every occasion he did so and me reminding him there is nothing new on his phone because there is no service here. On several occasions when a question comes up in conversation he grabs his phone, swipes it on and starts heading toward Google for the answer when I laugh and ask him what the hell he is doing. "There's nothing there pal, no service, no internet". We both laugh and I am hoping that by tomorrow he will get the message and stuff it into the bottom of a closet where it belongs until he crosses back over the border. haha.
This may sound a little strange but it makes me very happy to have him here and see him actually decompressing. Seeing him smile and realize he doesn't have a care in the world for the next several days except to be present and enjoy the quiet, stunning beauty, free of any encumbrances of work, cell phones, traffic, bills or any of the hundreds of other daily distractions that you all battle in "the real world".
Dinner tonight will be aboard The Makai, a 43' Leopard Cat with a family of 5. Three kids ages 14, 12 and 10. Super nice people from southern California who have lived aboard for almost 2 years now starting in the Caribbean and now here in Mexico. Their journey, this chapter anyway, will end sometime this summer when they take their boat to San Diego, put it away and go back to work so they can do it again sometime in the future, hopefully sooner than later.
No boat repairs, no fish (but hopefully lobster tonight), no worries. Ciao for now.
Bret and Gregg
SV Liahona
Saturday, May 2, 2015
May 2, Puerto Escondido
Day 2 of Loreto Fest in the books and done. Today they had a little swap meet, which by the way, I was very interested in. I'm always looking to pick up needed or wanted gear for cheap. Today did not disappoint. I bought two blocks with jam cleats that I am going to use to make a Barber hauler with which is tackle that allows me to fine tune whichever headsail I happen to be flying. I also bought a pretty nice fish fillet knife for 50 pesos, about $4 and for the best treasure of the day...a spear gun. I have been looking for a while now and found a really nice one. Tarren, Nathan would be proud as I am now the owner of a teak Riffe speargun complete with a float line. Pretty much just like his but one size smaller. He will be pumped that I have joined the Riffe speargun family. ha.
I took care of several chores on the boat today then around 3:30pm I got a call on the VHF from the marina. When I answered they surprised me by then handing Gregg the mic and he made some sarcastic comment about hurrying up to pick him up, he was tired of waiting. I had no idea he had arrived. Yes, Gregg is here! He is a trooper. After the flight situation fell through he jumped on a bus and after a short (haha) 30 hours later, he is here in Baja. Right now he is up in the cockpit drooling on himself sleeping...I guess he didn't sleep much over the last day and a half. lol. But he is here and we will head out tomorrow to spend some time at the islands nearby. btw Marne, he sends a big thank you and told me how awesome you are and how you took over the communications to let me know of all of the changes. I told him you are the bomb, which you are!
Gregg is a huge fight fan and evidently the Mayweather vs. Paqueo (spelling unkown, ha) is tonight so it looks like we are going to hitch a ride with the store owner into Loreto to watch the fight then grab a cab back later tonight. Tomorrow we will see where the wind takes us but most likely we will head over to Isla Danzante for a day or so. Tarren and I scored some good sized lobsters there several months ago so we are hoping to maybe take advantage of that. That's it for today my friends. Ciao for now.
Bret and Gregg
SV Liahona
I took care of several chores on the boat today then around 3:30pm I got a call on the VHF from the marina. When I answered they surprised me by then handing Gregg the mic and he made some sarcastic comment about hurrying up to pick him up, he was tired of waiting. I had no idea he had arrived. Yes, Gregg is here! He is a trooper. After the flight situation fell through he jumped on a bus and after a short (haha) 30 hours later, he is here in Baja. Right now he is up in the cockpit drooling on himself sleeping...I guess he didn't sleep much over the last day and a half. lol. But he is here and we will head out tomorrow to spend some time at the islands nearby. btw Marne, he sends a big thank you and told me how awesome you are and how you took over the communications to let me know of all of the changes. I told him you are the bomb, which you are!
Gregg is a huge fight fan and evidently the Mayweather vs. Paqueo (spelling unkown, ha) is tonight so it looks like we are going to hitch a ride with the store owner into Loreto to watch the fight then grab a cab back later tonight. Tomorrow we will see where the wind takes us but most likely we will head over to Isla Danzante for a day or so. Tarren and I scored some good sized lobsters there several months ago so we are hoping to maybe take advantage of that. That's it for today my friends. Ciao for now.
Bret and Gregg
SV Liahona
Friday, May 1, 2015
May 1, Puerto Escondido, Loreto Fest
Pretty easy and calm day today waiting for Gregg to arrive from southern California. Unfortunately he emailed with some bad news around noon today. After arriving at LAX to board his plane to Loreto somehow he had some issues with his passport and was not allowed to board the plane. So...he informed me that he is on a bus to Tijuana and then going to grab a bus down here to Loreto. I'm impressed with his determination to get down here. I'm not sure he realizes just how long of a bus ride he is in for. Yikes! Have yet to hear from him again but I am assuming he will be down here sometime late tomorrow afternoon. I have driven it several times from SoCal and it is a solid 16 hours in a car. I can't imagine how long it will be on a bus that stops in every little town in Baja. Gregg...you are the man!
Today was the first day of Loreto Fest, an annual cruiser get together that is held here in Puerto Escondido. I attended a couple cool seminars/talks, one hosted by a guy named Stan Honey. Google him, he is a top ranked, highly sought after race navigator for high stakes ocean races like the TransPac, ARC, Fastnet and many others. He has hundreds of thousands of ocean miles in a sailboat and has worked world class boats owned by Ted Turner and many other of the mega rich ocean racing buffs for the last 40 years. His is also the creator of SailMail and AirMail, the very program that I use to send out this email every day. Amazing guy, amazing resume and yet very humble and approachable. He spoke for an hour today about ocean racing navigation tactics, equipment, forecasting, etc. I chatted with him at the same table at the pot luck at the end of the day. Amazing that someone of that caliber is here in Escondido. He is here with his wife Sally, a world class sailboat racer in her own right, on their Cal 40. Cruising the Sea of Cortez during one of the rare breaks in their busy lives.
Other than that it was a pretty easy, calm, warm day here in Escondido. Fun to hang out with some of my new friends and meet others. However, in the cruising world I'm a kid as the average age is probably 65-70. Not really my typical crowd but I'm just happy to be here. Happier next year when Marne will be at my side sharing all of this with me.
Bret
SV Liahona
Today was the first day of Loreto Fest, an annual cruiser get together that is held here in Puerto Escondido. I attended a couple cool seminars/talks, one hosted by a guy named Stan Honey. Google him, he is a top ranked, highly sought after race navigator for high stakes ocean races like the TransPac, ARC, Fastnet and many others. He has hundreds of thousands of ocean miles in a sailboat and has worked world class boats owned by Ted Turner and many other of the mega rich ocean racing buffs for the last 40 years. His is also the creator of SailMail and AirMail, the very program that I use to send out this email every day. Amazing guy, amazing resume and yet very humble and approachable. He spoke for an hour today about ocean racing navigation tactics, equipment, forecasting, etc. I chatted with him at the same table at the pot luck at the end of the day. Amazing that someone of that caliber is here in Escondido. He is here with his wife Sally, a world class sailboat racer in her own right, on their Cal 40. Cruising the Sea of Cortez during one of the rare breaks in their busy lives.
Other than that it was a pretty easy, calm, warm day here in Escondido. Fun to hang out with some of my new friends and meet others. However, in the cruising world I'm a kid as the average age is probably 65-70. Not really my typical crowd but I'm just happy to be here. Happier next year when Marne will be at my side sharing all of this with me.
Bret
SV Liahona
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