Well, it's nice to be sitting at a desktop computer in the stable environment of one's home. The days of typing, then hoping for a good radio connection to upload a rant are now behind me. Unless Lotto intervenes.
It has been easy to adjust to life on land. It helps that Susan & the boys were home ahead of me, but the fact that we house remained fully furnished in our absence helped. That said, we are still unpacking, especially as each time I go down to Mulan, I return with another van load. Last trip was the bulk of the remaining food. There is still enough stowed to provide rations for us if we need to evacuate due to an earthquake.
Talking of earthquakes, I had a good yack to both my brother & sister in N.Z. While on the phone with Vivienne in Christchurch, she felt a small after shock - two weeks after the initial 'quake. All my family are well and were not directly impacted in terms of damage.
To try and find my land legs, I have started running again - although my shuffles barely qualifies as a jog at this stage. I've also refereed half a soccer game for Jack's team - four days after the passage, so the legs were wobbly to say the least. Did it in bare feet, in the best cruiser traditions. I have also attended a rugby refereeing course, so I can now weild a whistle (not to mention yell at the TV) with impunity.
This is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada - another tradition pioneered in Canada! The Capaz crew are coming over for Turkey and trimmings, so it may become a compliant SMYC event. We'll have to crack out the t-shirts and take some snaps!
Thanks to Jamie & Elliot on Totem, we now have photos again, so stay tuned for new uploads to our Picassa web albums site.
Cheers, Team Mulan.

SV Mulan tied up at Semiahmoo Marina at 0745Z Sept 14. The circle is complete. Only missing were the fanfare of a welcoming committee, plus a pass card so we could get a shower! After 24 days, we can probably stay dirty a few more hours until the morning. That's it for now. Team Mulan

If, as in the last posting, the low was weather's last laugh, then right after I posted it we hit comedy central. Mulan's entrance into Juan de Fuca Strait wasa not only at night, but in thick fog. That sent us hurrying to the manual section for the radar guide! All night we played dodgem with freighters and cruise ships. Did I ever state how much I love my AIS? At 0401 September 13, Mulan crossed her outbound track, closing the circle on the adventure. On to Blaine, and a hot shower. woohoo! Cheers, Team Mulan

If it wasn't so grey & gloomy, we'd be able to see land. As at 1840z, we are 30 miles from our waypoint at the entrance to Juan de Fuca Strait. Yesterday we had a rip roaring sail as a low passed over us, but then a big hand reached out and turned the wind-o-meter from 'gnarly' to 'nada'. Unfortunately the swell-o-meter was on time delay, so we were stuck on 'gnarly' with the wave action for a while. At 0200 local time (west coast summer time, ha!) the iron genny was fired up, and we are now motoring in, in a somewhat inglorious end to the passage. It's grey, damp, and with limited visibility - can't even see a 900 foot cargo ship which we know is only 4 miles away. Interesting night motoring, as salmon season must be open, as there were many fishing boats within visual range. Making slow, conservative progress motoring. Hope to be in Blaine late Monday, but we may struggle against the tides, and US CBP may require us to go into Point Roberts to report in, in which case we will sand-bag on the home stretch in order to get there during daylight hours. cheers, team Mulan

If it wasn't so grey & gloomy, we'd be able to see land. As at 1840z, we are 30 miles from our waypoint at the entrance to Juan de Fuca Strait. Yesterday we had a rip roaring sail as a low passed over us, but then a big hand reached out and turned the wind-o-meter from 'gnarly' to 'nada'. Unfortunately the swell-o-meter was on time delay, so we were stuck on 'gnarly' with the wave action for a while. At 0200 local time (west coast summer time, ha!) the iron genny was fired up, and we are now motoring in, in a somewhat inglorious end to the passage. It's grey, damp, and with limited visibility - can't even see a 900 foot cargo ship which we know is only 4 miles away. Interesting night motoring, as salmon season must be open, as there were many fishing boats within visual range. Making slow, conservative progress motoring. Hope to be in Blaine late Monday, but we may struggle against the tides, and US CBP may require us to go into Point Roberts to report in, in which case we will sand-bag on the home stretch in order to get there during daylight hours. cheers, team Mulan

the weather is having the last laugh - we are bashing away as a low passes over us, and green water washes over us! Not too bad - about 25 knots on the beam, but the swells have built. Also raining . Welcome back to the pacific northwest. The gribs tell us it will dissolve into nothingness in the next few hours, which is too bad as we are making good speed today! cheers, team mulan