Friday, May 30, 2008

Grays Harbor


We spent today, Friday 5/30, resting, taking care of business and enjoying making it to Washington!!! Alexus found a local diesel service shop, called and they had someone out in 20 minutes to change all the engine fuel filters, there are 6 fuel filters for both engines. Since it is a commercial fishing harbor, it made great sense that someone would be available. We had all the spare filters and Alexus has had experience with changing them, however it is a mess and time consuming. Don, the engine tech, brought filters and tested everything so we still have our spares. The filters were black and it would have been difficult for the port engine to get fuel while under load. There is a laundry within walking distance, so we did that while the filters were being changed. Tomorrow is the first day of salmon season here and there are a few more boats, but still nothing near the bay area. There is a great restaurant at the end of Westport Marina called Half Moon Bay (Yes, just like back home) and it had excellent food and a great wine list. It was the first nice place for dinner, in fact the nicest we have been in since leaving the SF Bay area. Oregon although pretty was like stepping back in time 50 years. Well tomorrow we get up and head for the Straight of San Juan De Fuca and Neah Harbor. It will take us 14 hours to make the trip, so up early again 5:00am and not in harbor until about 7:30pm. The seas are still nice, 5 feet in 11 seconds, winds out of NW at 8 knots, and the sun is finally out. Given our travel time most likely won't update the blog until Sunday, when we hope to be in Port Angeles! Love to all.

Tillamook to Grays Harbor




We knew it would be a long 12-13 hour day so we were up early and on the water by 7am. We left Tillamook Bay Thursday 5/29 and the weather was gray, but not raining. Seas remained very good with swells at 5 feet every 11 seconds and winds from the northwest at 5-8 knots. We had experienced what we thought was some slippage in the synchronizer. Since we have two engines running at one time, the synchronizer allows us to use one lever and the synchronizer makes sure both engines are turning the same RPMs. Good for the engines, convenient for us and of course, improved fuel use. So we had the same experience again and of course it had to happen as we were moving across the channel of the Columbia River Bar. Now we were 3 miles out, but that volume of water coming out and at ebb tide really created some rough seas. Swells at 10- 12 feet and close together, so we pointed our bow west and we were running 9 to 10 knots on the outgoing river flow and ebb tide. Another lesson and increased respect for managing the Columbia Bar crossing, which we will not be doing. Once we were about 6.5 miles west of the bar, the sea returned to smooth 5 foot swells. We headed north and went about three more miles and the port engine died. So, we turned our nose into the swells and Alexus had a look down in the engine room. Not the most opportune time to be in the engine room. It is hot, and with the engines on, plenty of moving parts. So I could see her, I had her open the engine hatch in the salon. That way I could be at the helm and see she was ok. We did not find the cause at that time. Alexus came up from the engine room and said, boy twin engines are looking really good right now. We had looked at a number of boats at Trawler fest and many were single engine. I think we have changed our mind about the need for twins, it does exist!!! Anyway after I got over my panic about the Columbia Bar and losing the port engine. Alexus got the engine re-started and we "babied" the port engine all the way into Grays Harbor. The port engine issue was most likely the fuel filters, there are many filters because diesel is not the cleanest fuel and we did stir up our tanks when we went around Point Reyes and as we passed the Columbia Bar. We could have the filter and any needed engine work done in Grays Harbor. We got in at 7:45pm tied up, found a restaurant, had dinner, walked back and hit the sack.
Just a note. We do have multiple back up systems, chart plotters, gps and radar, two helms, paper charts, three VHF radios, and often our cells phones work too. We can read electronic and paper charts and have learned to read the radar very well to be able to detect small fishing boats and bouys.

Newport to Tillamook



After two days we rested, fueled up and continued our search looking for a cap for the chain cover on the deck. The chain cover prevents water from getting into the chain locker. We have it duck taped closed and covered right now. We have found duck tape to be a boaters best friend. We actually lost the cover in the rough seas we experienced rounding Point Reyes in California. It has caused us to find Marine supply stores at every stop. Many of them are like old hardware and junk stores where you can find a bizarre assortment of things, and wander around forever, but no chain cover to match our lost one. We left Newport and headed to Tillmook. Not much happening and the sky has been gray with light showers. The seas are excellent at 5 feet every 11 seconds and the winds out of the north west at 5 - 8m knots. Easy cruising, just gray and about 3 mile visibility. We picked up a hitch hiker into Tillamook. I don't know if you can see the little yellow finch on the top of the life raft cover, but she stayed there for about 1/2 hour resting. We were about two miles from shore, so it would have been a long trip for her. The entry into Tillamook is long and quite pretty with interesting rock formations. We will stay here one day and head to Gray's Harbor next.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Coos Bay to Newport


Monday we left Coos Bay in clouds and light fog, the sun never came out all day. The seas were great, 3 feet at 8 seconds and winds out of the north at 4-8 knots. The entrance to Newport is well defined and after an 8.5 our ride we were pulling into the Harbor. It is still the off season even with the Holiday and the salmon season was shortened, so not much happening in the harbor. It was a quiet ride and a quiet night, so will post more tomorrow. We will stay an extra day in Newport and the head to Tillamook on Wednesday.

More Anacortes






We finished up our time at Trawler Fest. Learned quite a bit and met some very significant people in the boating community. We met Authur Defever, the 90 year old still working architect of Defever Boats, Margo Woods, author of Charlie's Charts, a 70 year old woman, who with her husband, sailed all over the world and still single hands her sailboat up to Alaska!!! And we met 60 year old Bob Smith who was the engineer of the very first Ford Lehman diesel marine engine, what an amazing group of friendly, robust and fully living people. In all of that we did a little sight seeing one day of Anacortes and Deception Pass. Alexus took some great pictures of Mt. Baker at sunrise, we are truly becoming morning people.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Welcome to Anacortes



Today, Wednesday 5/21, we are in Anacortes Washington!!!We arrived by car after securing NuMoon in Coos Bay to wait out the weather. After attending the opening reception of Trawler Fest we went over to the Anacortes Yacht Club and actually met some folks who previously had their boat at Grand Marina in Alameda on C dock just over from our old spot on A dock. We headed back to our B & B Autumn Leaves for an early night. We will have breakfast at 7:45am so we can attend the sessions. Alexus will be going to "Mastering Close Quarter Maneuvering" and "Marine Weather Forecasting" and I will be attending "Cruising the B.C. and Alaska Coasts" and "Get to Know your Charging and Electrical Systems". I am sure to some folks it does not sound exciting, but for us it is critical we expand our knowledge and we enjoy learning and meeting boating folks!
Here are a couple of pictures of the B&B.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Coos Bay - not quite Newport






Well time to catch up a couple of days.

We left Brookings Sunday, 5/19 and made it to Coos Bay at about 4:30pm. The weather was great again and the entrance to the bar was not challenging because the seas were good and we entered on a flood tide. As promised here are some pictures of a great sea on Saturday and some of a gray foggy day that we had on Sunday.


We tried to head out to Newport this Tuesday 5/20, morning at 5:00am and two hours into it the weather was getting more intense as we went further north. It was starting to gust around 20 knots, seas were good, but becoming choppy. We also knew that it would get worse in the afternoon. Not wanting to slog through 12 hours of uncomfortable rolling seas and take a beating just to get to Newport, we turned back to Coos Bay. We called on friends on Pier Pressure, the 93 foot beauty, and they had left Florence, four hours south of Newport, and the seas and wind had caused severe and continuous rolling which were very uncomfortable for them. So again, we made a good call as we would have to have dealt with the seas and wind in our little 42 foot NuMoon. We had planned to have a rental car in Newport and drive to Trawler Fest, and were able to arrange a rental car in Coos Bay. We will be driving to Anacortes Washington in the next two days. We were driving by 2:00pm today, Tuesday, 5/20 and made it to Portland before we decided to stop for dinner and a hotel.

Tomorrow we head to Anacortes, by land, which is about 240 miles by car. We are treating ourselves to a very nice stay in a B&B in Anancortes called Autumn Leaves. It appears charming with antiques and a fireplace. Looking forward to the fireplace!!!Will post pictures. Good night and best to all.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Brookings May 17 Saturday





Whew... long day 10.5 hours. We decided to skip Crescent City the seas were so nice and the weather just perfect. So we are tied up at the Brookings transient dock. Yea, we made it to Oregon. All is well. I will post pictures tomorrow for what the seas looked like.
Alexus saw a whale breach and come out of the water, all but his tail. she saw this twice today. We have seen a great number of whales heading north. Lots of blow hole vapor and the fin and ridges of their backs. I hope to see one come out of the water too! Good night all I am one tired cruiser.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Day 2 Eureka May 16










We had a great day in Eureka. Alexus called her friend Rhonda and she met us at the Marina and was the most gracious and charming host and a truly loving person. She drove and walked us around the sights of Eureka and Arcata. There are wonderful Victorian houses and a great "old downtown area"in Eureka. We had breakfast at the Samoan Cookhouse and the walk around town was a great pleasure, as was riding in a car. After spending the morning and early afternoon enjoying Rhonda's company, we returned to the harbor and picked up a few more chandlery items and simply took it easy. We would have enjoyed spending the day with Rhonda, but she had a wonderful evening planned with and for Rich. You go girl!!!When we came back to Woodley Marina our package, all our forwarded mail from Ava, at the Alameda UPS store had arrived. So we caught up on our mail and the normal things in life.

Well we still have good seas, a little fog has moved in, mostly because of the unusually warm weather and we are headed to Crescent City May 17,tomorrow morning around 6:30am, on a flood tide, and hope to make it by 5:30pm May 17th, Saturday. The seas are forecast to be 7 feet at 13 seconds out of the west and winds 5-7 knots out of the west.

Arrival Day 1, May 15, Eureka



Well I need to catch up. We did leave about 5:30am on Thursday and were as prepared as we could be. We had read and heard of the very rough, but passable conditions that occur around Cape Mendocino. We had stripped NuMoon of all her eisenglass and canvas. We had duck taped every possible inlet for water. We covered all the electronics in the flybridge and we removed all cushions from the flybridge. We had bought and placed those micofiber super absorbent towels in strategic places. To my good friend Carl back home, we did not get more than a tablespoon of water in the boat!!! With enough duct tape and good seas, she can be more like a submarine than a water logged boat. The good seas helped.
We headed out into good seas and had a very pleasant ride around the cape. When we left Fort Bragg seas were 6-8 feet at 11 seconds and winds 5-10 miles out of the north west. Winds and seas came from the same direction making going very comfortable. It was simply a very long, but pleasant day. I was able to actually make us a turkey sandwich while underway. I had prepared bowls of grapes, cheese and salami, knowing we might not get a chance to eat or move about easily for 12 hours, but they were not necessary and we had those as a light snack at around 3pm. We arrived into the channel entrance at Eureka at 5:30pm so we made great time.

We have never entered Humboldt Harbor and like San Francisco and other river channels, they have bar conditions that can be tricky. You also are best off to plan your arrival into the bar at a flood tide and we did. You have to call the Coast Guard on channel 22A before you enter the bar for the conditions as they may close the channel. We did and also since it was our first crossing here we asked for an escort in when we were about five miles out. The Coast Guard was great! They met us at the channel maker buoy and we followed them in. They took us all the way to Woodley Island Marina, which wasn't necessary, but I don't think they get out much.
To our surprise they also came aboard after we docked and did an inspection. Since we used to live across from Coast Guard Island in Alameda, and have a Coast Guard Auxiliary boat on our dock, we are very familiar with the regulations and we keep our documentation in a binder, just for the Coast Guard.
We welcomed them aboard, and Alexus took great pride in the look on the young mans face when she handed him the binder with all our docs, waste process doc, previous Coast Guard inspection sheet, ditch bag, flares, personal floatation devices, etc.. So we had a great conversation with them, thanked them for the escort and off they went.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Day 4 in Fort Bragg

We spent the day touring around Fort Bragg on our bikes and went over to Tommy's Marine Service shop. We bought more duct tape, bungee cords, chandlery items, marine silicone, hose everything a good cruiser needs. Tommy was very helpful and has a good assortment of items for boaters. We spent the rest of the day getting Numoon ready for Cape Mendocino, which meant taking down all the eisenglass enclosures and the bimini. We knew from Point Reyes that all that canvas was more windage that simply complicated her handling in rough seas. I will update this post with pictures of NuMoon stripped down. Well tomorrow, Thursday 5/15 we will make another attempt at heading up to Eureka. Again we will be up at 4-4:30am to leave the channel by 5am, about first light. That will allows us to get to Eureka by 6:30 or 7:30pm, still have day light and enter Hunboldt channel on a flood tide. So good night to all and safe travel.

Day 3 In Fort Bragg

We did try to leave today, Wednesday for Humboldt - Eureka, at 4:30 am and after about three miles the swells were still 10-12 feet at 6-7 seconds, and the wind was expected to pick up in the late morning and early afternoon.
Given all that we learned from our Point Reyes experience, we did not want to take another beating. The weather was to get even better in the next couple of days, so we turned around and went back to the dock and tie up. It was a good thing as our friends in Pier Pressure the 93 foot yatch called to say that the Cape Mendocino was so rough that poor Allen was sea sick. Boy, can I feel for him having just had the same experience a couple of days ago.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Day 1 and 2 in Fort Bragg




Sunday 5/11 and Monday 5/12 in Fort Bragg.

We spent a great deal of Sunday cleaning salt and dirt from the boat. I just don't get where in all that water how the boat can get dirty. We rode our folding bikes over to the other side of the River and had lunch at Carine's. We noticed they had a nice dock and since everything is on this side of the River we decided to move the boat. Carine's Fish Grotto is a family run business since 1947 and we met Bessie, Anthony, Grace and Cathy. Exceptionally nice people with the hospitality and good food known in traditional Italian families. We had a great lunch there and felt very welcome and even had a piece of Mama Carine's mothers day cake. We went back to the boat and continued our clean up work.





On Monday, we needed fuel so pulled in to the fuel dock which is an elevated fuel dock about 8 to 10 feet above the boat. You climbed a ladder up and they helped lower the fuel hose down to you. We topped of the tanks and took on 220 gallons of fuel, we carry 500 gallons. It is always an adventure fueling and one of the most costly things we do. Diesel fuel was $4.00 per gallon so you can do the math.

We returned to the Carine's dock and needed to do our laundry, which again was the result of cleaning up small window leaks. The boat was generating more laundry than Alexus or I. Ted, who we met yesterday and had that great dinner with he and his wife Bobi, was over on this side of the river to look at a stove and stopped in to say hi. We asked if he would like to come aboard and see the boat. He did and even offered us a ride to the laundry mat. So with our bikes and towels in the back of his truck off we went saving us a walk/ride up the hill to town.

After doing laundry we rode our bikes around town and bought duct tape, bungee cords, and those super absorbent mico towels so we could stop using our bath towels for the boat!!!

Fort Bragg is very charming and there are great little shops to stop in and just window shop. We headed back to the boat and met Les our neghbor who has a 54 foot Chris Craft built in 1956. She has beautifil wood and Les had replaced almost everything except part of the galley. Boat talk about having living space. She is a great live aboard boat and Les does live aboard. Les is also a Marine Surveyor so if you ever need professional assistance, give him a call at 916-802-6424 if you are near Fort Bragg.

The weather is starting to look good and the wind died down this evening so our plan is to leave very early, say 5:30 and start down the channel on our way to Eureka. Our friends in the 93 foot yacht, Pier Pressure are planing on leaving too, not quite as early, but with their waterline and engines , they will pass us during the day on the way.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Fort Bragg Day 1 Sat. 5/ 10 Evening

Saturday evening, after we got in to Fort Bragg and tied up, we were hungry, tired and looking for a nearby restaurant to walk to. On the way from the Harbor Masters office we met a loving, big Golden Retriever named Baron. He was accompanied by a wonderful person named Bobbi. After introductions we asked about a restaurant nearby and Bobbie offered to have us over for dinner, we did not want to impose, but she insisted, so we were treated to a fabulous abalone dinner, wine and wonderful conversation with Bobbi and her husband Ted.

Ted and Bobbi are gracious hosts, truly generous, adventurers and quite simply fantastic people. They have lived in 20 states from Alaska to Arizona and Colorado. They currently are remodeling a fish processing warehouse that was owned by the Allito's of San Francisco and they run abalone tours, diving and Noyo river trips. If I were a serious abalone diver I would definitely hire Ted with his excellent knowledge of the local area. Here is their contact information - Ted's Yacht Club
19290 S. Harbor Dr. P.O. Box 370, Fort Bragg Ca 95437, Tel 707-367-7855.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Well today Saturday 5/10 we made it safely and easily into Fort Bragg. When we left at 7:00am this morning it was like a choppy day on the SF Bay, not pleasant, but not totally uncomfortable. Seas were 9 feet at 11 seconds, but the wind was between 12-20 knots.
As we got closer to Fort Bragg it began to smooth out and the winds decreased. When we arrived at 5:45pm it was like a bath tub, very calm with 10-12 knot winds. So we spent the first 6 hours bouncing around and the remaining 4 hours to Fort Bragg cruising comfortably.

Friday, May 9, 2008

Bodega Bay 5/9 FridayPM



After a "we'll never do that again" ride from Drakes Bay to Bodega Bay, we are settled, fed, rested and in for the night. We got into Bodega Bay at about 11:30am. However, our ride from Drakes Bay to Bodega was trying for all. Alexus did a great job getting NuMoon to ride the seas in an appropriate manner. There were gusts of up to 30 mile per hour and waves from 14-15 feet. The boat did much better than I, as I ended up sea sick after we moved from the roller coaster to an hour of the side to side motion. However it was a light case and I was able to tape and secure drawers that slid open. 

To cruise in that type of weather for 5 hours, takes a toll physically and mentally. You start looking for any positve change hoping it will continue and not just be the break between sets of waves. We did have some water leaks in at the windows and a couple of port holes. Nothing bad, just made a big mess. Our freinds Art and Mary told us to tape the window seams and all hatches, but we had to learn the hard way. We have some books to stow as they and anything else on a flat surface slid off and onto the deck.  It took us about 45 minutes to get the boat cleaned up and things wiped down and stowed. We did the laundry here in  Bodega, mostly towels from wiping up water  and got things ship shape. Re-secured the dingy, and took down the second anchor off the bow pulpit and stowed it.  Here is one of the Bodega Bay locals resting on the dock.


We met up with oue friend Allen Phillips, he is the captain of Dragonfly and is acting as crew for friends of his Sam and Robert on "Pier Pressure," their 93 foot boat. It is a very impressive and comfortable vessel. We had wonderful dinner with them and we may all leave tomorrow together, headed for Fort Bragg, and as usual dependant on the weather. Here is Alexus standing, yes boat folks, standing in the engine room of Pier Pressure, next to one of the 575hp V16 Detroit disel engines, yes one of the two. 


Well enough for one day, good night to all.  I will write again when we have signal, hopefully tomorrow  Saturday 5/10 in Fort Bragg. 

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

This blog and e-mails to select number of folks will serve as our float plan. A float plan is a way for people to know where we should be when. In a very unlikely case, that we don't arrive when expected, or we cannot be contacted, via cell or e-mail, also very unlikely, then they can alert the U.S. Coast Guard and convey our route intentions.

Well family and our family of friends...we plan on leaving this Thursday, 5/8 for a short ride to Drakes Bay just south of Point Reyes. The weather windows are small so we are planning short runs. 
We will be in Drakes Bay about 5 hours after leaving the slip in Alameda, so we should be there early afternoon. We have been to Drakes Bay before as you can see in the blog. We will anchor there overnight
The next morning Friday 5/9 it will be up early to head around Point Reyes to Bodega Bay. It will take another 5-6 hours to get to Bodega Bay and we plan to be there early Friday 5/9 afternoon to avoid the winds. 
After spending Friday night in a slip in Bodega Harbor , we will leave at first light "daybreak" to make the long run, 12-15 hours to Fort Bragg. We plan to be in Fort Bragg Saturday, 5/10 late afternoon. At that point we are once again waiting on the weather for the next run.  I will keep you posted if there are any changes. And for the sailors and cruisers, I will let you know the weather, sea, anchor/harbor and wind conditions along with our actual crusing speed as we complete each route. 

Friday, May 2, 2008

waiting for the weather

Well we are ready to go.... the house is leased to a very nice couple with three daughters, one away at college and two at home. They move in on May 15th.

We have not set out for our cruise yet, like all cruisers we are dependent on the weather, and we can afford to be picky. Nothing wrong in being a fair weather sailors. So we are resting and finishing up last minute things here in Alameda waiting for a break in the weather. We are all set to go, we have a cruise kit with spare impellers, thermostat, belts, etc....

We have checked NOAA, a web site called Buoy Weather and got a forecast from Commander Weather, all three show winds from 16-25 knots, wind waves 4-5 feet on top of swells 10-16 feet at about 8 seconds. We have no desire to venture out in that weather. The break is expected late next week in about 10 days.

The delay will work out for the best as we could use a rest break from getting the house cleaned up and the boat ready. We are safe and warm here in our slip in Alameda and spending time with our neighbors here at Grand Marina.

As`you can see the weather here is nice, but true at sea. In order to lift our spirits, Mike the Mayor of "B" dock came delivering Margaritas for all.
Take care,
Deb