b.c.bound

Vessel Name: mistletoe
Vessel Make/Model: fraser 41
Hailing Port: victoria b.c.
Crew: chris and jen clarke
09 August 2009 | b.c.
09 August 2009 | hawaii
08 June 2009 | kauai
08 June 2009 | kauai
28 April 2009 | mx
28 April 2009 | mx
09 April 2009 | mx
26 March 2009 | mx
26 March 2009 | mx
16 March 2009 | puesta del sol
15 March 2009 | costa rica
15 March 2009 | costa rica
27 February 2009 | panama
27 February 2009 | panama
27 February 2009 | panama
16 February 2009 | panama
15 February 2009 | san blas
12 February 2009 | caymans
19 January 2009 | cuba
16 January 2009 | cuba
Recent Blog Posts
09 August 2009 | b.c.

hawaii to victoria

Nawiliwili is a few miles from the nearest town so without a bus service we knew it was going to be tough to do what we always need to do in every port. Internet, laundry, provision etc etc. we hitched a ride to town, which was easy. Getting a ride back to the marina was going to be tricky and we decided [...]

09 August 2009 | hawaii

lahaina to kauai

Marty was such a big part of our successful stay in lahaina that we wanted to do something nice for him. He accepted our invitation to sail with us to lanai. The wind finally started blowing in its normal pattern and we had a great sail with Marty steering all the way. We were worried it might be like [...]

08 June 2009 | kauai

maui to kauai

Maui has proved to be one of our best stops of the trip. We were planning to skip all the islands and go directly to Kauai. Due to lack of wind we pulled into lahaina to have a break from two days of solid motoring. We got in after hours so were not able to talk with the harbour master. Some locals were [...]

08 June 2009 | kauai

mx to hawaii

We cast off our lines from Nuevo Vallarta marina at around 5.00 p.m. We were planning on a gentle motor over to the marina in la cruz, about 5 miles north. The wind decided to pipe up as soon as we left the harbour and within a few minutes, we were covered in salt again! We snuck into the fuel dock as [...]

28 April 2009 | mx

p.v.

Finally getting to P.V. after such a slog up from Panama was a huge relief and we both felt like we had come to another one of those milestones along our journey. One thing this leg has taught us. Going up the west coast of the U.S. is definitely not an option for us. Reality has hit me in the face. [...]

28 April 2009 | mx

z-what to p.v.

A few days in z-what and we were ready to roll again. We weighed anchor early and motored a couple of hours around to Ixtapa marina to fuel and top of water tanks, wash salt off etc. Once done, out into a windless ocean and the grim prospect of many more hours of motoring. The wind gods were kind to [...]

z-what to p.v.

28 April 2009 | mx
chris
A few days in z-what and we were ready to roll again. We weighed anchor early and motored a couple of hours around to Ixtapa marina to fuel and top of water tanks, wash salt off etc. Once done, out into a windless ocean and the grim prospect of many more hours of motoring. The wind gods were kind to us and the breeze filled to the point where we could sail without the help of 'suzie' and we sailed all that day until sunset, when the breeze died. There was an unusually large swell running accompanied by a nasty chop. We suffered all night trying to make progress. At dawn we were not far from maruata, a large bay with a little village at one end which looked as though it would offer some shelter while we waited for conditions to improve. When we arrived it was apparent that it was not such a good choice. Big swells rolling into the bay where we were going to anchor. The 20 odd surfers, who were enjoying the conditions, waived us away. We would be disturbing the natural flow of the perfect wave they were all waiting for. We dropped back 50 meters and dropped the hook. It wasn't so much that the boat was rolling, but going up and over the monster swells which were crashing one the beach just behind us. After an hour or so, we began to relax and enjoyed watching all the activity around us. It was Easter Sunday and the beach was packed with people enjoying the holidays. I took advantage of the clean water to do a bit of bottom scrubbing. The water is colder and not as clear as the Caribbean side so the hull hasn't been kept in as good a condition over here and I was surprised to find quite a few barnacles attached to the boat. It wasn't a very easy job while Mistletoe was being bullied about and I had to give up after about half an hour. I got the prop, rudder and hull done, left the keel for another day. Next morning, we decided to give it another try and pocked our nose out. Our stop turned out to be a good move. Conditions had improved and the wind had swung around to an angle we put to good use. Had one of our best sails all that day until as usual the wind died as the sun went away. We motored slowly through the night, like a cruise ship, wanting to be just outside the entrance to the lagoon at Barra de Navidad at first light. We timed it well, and the anchor splashed into a perfectly still pond just as the sun broke over the hills. What a treat to be in a calm anchorage again.
Three days later we were ready to move again. We watched in horror, on our way to the fuel dock, as a huge, mega yacht, pulled in ahead of us. We only need 20 gals! I cut the corner a bit tight and felt the familiar Chichester harbour sensation of running onto a mud bank! We were going slowly and managed to ease off quickly and picked our way around to the dock in deeper water! Turned out there was plenty of space for us and the big power boat was still busy with anchors and lines when we were done. Luckily we had been warned about the water at this place and didn't put any in the tanks. We washed the decks with it and put some into a container. It was chocolate brown!
Another pretty good day of sailing, but as always, the wind veers during the day and forces one into shore. We decided to stop for the night as we had a pretty good anchorage nearby. We stormed into Bahia Chamela with a reefed main and full genoa, at 7 kts! Too much sail. We only had a mile to go so I didn't want to reef the jenny, which is a bit painful. Got behind Isla Colarado, dumped all sail and motored into a lovely little bay on the south side of Isla Pasavera which we would be sharing with hundreds of pelicans, boobies, gulls and terns of all descriptions. We were planning to stay here a full day but, the following morning, when a fresh, southerly wind piped up, it was too good to miss and we blasted out of there the same way we came in. flying along at 6 to 7! Sadly it didn't last. The veering started almost as soon as we got out from behind the island. Damn! Oh well. Keep going now. Were going to go all night but, once again, the chop was killing us so we made for the only option. The guide book describes Ipala as an easy bay to get into. No hidden rocks, a nice flashing light on the point sheltering the bay. We had it in sight when darkness fell and were comfortable about going in after dark. We knew the charts were off by about a mile along this coast so were prepared for that but, to my dismay, the very islands where we had spent the previous night, Colarado and Pasavera blocking the entrance to the bay! I can forgive Navionics for some slight errors but this was unbelievable! This was not the first time they had placed phantom islands in our path. We crept slowly forward, ignoring g.p.s. and charts and just went on eyes, ears and depth sounder. There were 4 other boats anchored in the prime spots so we were forced to stay out a bit further than I would have preferred. Dropped in 40 ft. 45 lbs of anchor and a 120 ft of chain should see us through the night. When I woke early next morning, all but one, dismasted boat, had vanished. They must know something we don't! we decided to up stumps as well. We should have stayed put. We motored all the way to Puerto Vallarta with not a breath of wind all day!
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