MatTag Sailabout

Stories, photos, videos, and natural history updates from a family of three traveling from Alaska to Mexico on their sailboat with their Schipperke.

Vessel Name: RESILIENCE
Vessel Make/Model: Contest 44
Hailing Port: Juneau, Alaska
Crew: Beth Mathews, Jim and Glen Taggart
About:
Beth is a marine biologist who has lived in Alaska for 20 years. She retired from the University of Alaska Southeast to begin this sailing adventure with her family. Her research and teaching focus has been on marine mammals and behavioral ecology. [...]
Extra: 2016: Last year Jim delivered our sailboat from Baja to San Francisco Bay where Glen and I met him for the final leg up the Petaluma River to her new home. Resilience is now moored in the Petaluma Marina, only 20 miles south of our land home in Santa Rosa.
Social:
04 December 2022 | Sonoma County
22 July 2020 | Bodega Bay, CA
06 January 2016 | Petaluma Marina
26 June 2015 | San Juanico Bay
25 June 2015 | Exploring Magdelena Bay
19 June 2015 | Off SW end of Baja
27 May 2015 | Santa Rosa, CA
23 March 2015 | La Paz, Mexico
15 October 2014 | Bahia San Pedro, Mexico
15 October 2014 | Santa Rosa, CA
09 June 2014 | Alameda, CA
05 April 2014 | 27.55'N; 111.50'W
03 April 2014 | San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico
27 March 2014 | 33.9425 N; 118.4081 W
23 February 2014 | Alameda, CA
Recent Blog Posts
22 June 2023 | Fort Bragg

Northbound Expedition: San Francisco Bay to Puget Sound

While I as on my book tour for Deep Waters*, Jim's been preparing Resilience for the big move north from San Francisco Bay aree to our new home in Puget Sound, Washington. For the first 2 weeks in June, Jim and crew--Brendan and Corwin--were geared up to start the journey from CA partway to her new [...]

04 December 2022 | Sonoma County

Shadow selfie with Resilience

Shadow selfie from our pedalboard, my favorite way to explore and go birding. Wishing you a fulfilling new year!

22 July 2020 | Bodega Bay, CA

Wilderness with a Big W

Day 40 aboard S/V Resilience*: Last Saturday (7/11), we ducked out under San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge and motored north into 4-5 foot seas ~4 hours to the shelter of Drakes Bay, off Point Reyes National Seashore. The contrast with exploring the calm, warm-water Delta is striking. Everything [...]

18 December 2019 | Petaluma River

Edgy déjà vu: Petaluma River Retreat from Kincaid Fire Smoke

The Kincade fire began on October 23, 2019 and eventually consumed 78,000 acres--the largest wildfire Sonoma County has ever experienced. The first whiffs of smoke sparked an edgy déjà vu. At noon that day, Jim left our home in Santa Rosa for Petaluma to do some work on our sailboat, planning to return that evening. Although Santa Rosa did not experience an imminent threat, as the Air Quality Index rose, and high-wind forecasts persisted, we decided to shelter on Resilience and head down river to San Francisco. Leaving also meant we could offer our home to a family who had been evacuated from Windsor or Healdsburg, the heart of the Kincaid fire. This short video chronicles our oddly serene trip down the Petaluma River, through agricultural land and past a bucolic small town.

10 January 2016 | Santa Rosa, Ca

VIDEO: Beth reads "The Third Try," a story about releasing fishing line snarled around the prop

Beth Mathews is a marine biologist and writer who set out on a three-year sailing adventure from Alaska to Mexico with her ten-year-old son and husband, after her husband had a debilitating brainstem stroke. In this video, she reads about snorkeling beneath the boat, while in Mexico, to cut the boat's [...]

06 January 2016 | Petaluma Marina

Make a Difference in 2016

With the New Year's first week about to vaporize, I paused today while walking in downtown Petaluma (20 miles south of Santa Rosa) to think about what I had done last year that I wanted to do more of in 2016. The list started with "exercise." Then I remembered that in 2015, I submitted a letter to the [...]

Final projects in Neah Bay

11 August 2011 | Neah Bay, Washington
Beth / overcast light winds
August 10, 2011 Wednesday
Neah Bay, Makah Indian Reservation

We were up late last night presetting the Portland (as in Maine) Pudgy, our new dinghy, as a life raft. In this mode it will sit on our bow, right side up with a cover and be ready to deploy should we need it as we start our offshore passages.

On Monday afternoon we arrived in Neah Bay, the most northwestern corner of the continental U.S., after an easy run from Port Angeles. We had patchy fog out of Port Angeles, with 3-4 foot seas with peaks separated by 4-5 seconds. Not too bad. By mid morning the updated forecast announced a gale warning for central Juan de Fuca Strait. Either the gale did not materialize or we motored west of that region ahead of it. Around eleven, the sea flattened, almost suddenly, and the sun emerged. We really appreciated this transition. We were feeling mild effects of the ocean's giant respirations: chicken soup with crackers was perfect for lunch. Throughout the afternoon, Glen, who has never had free-reign access to sodas, enjoyed serving us ginger ale and Coca Cola in small cups.

From Port Townsend to Neah Bay, the Pudgy rode nestled upside down on the deck, where it just fits. The small boat will function as on our ship-to-shore rowing tender, as our small car equivalent in harbors when we add the 4 HP Honda outboard, as a small sailing rig for Glen (and us when we have time to play), and as a non-passive life raft. It is that last mode that brought us on board to replace our former dinghy. We were cringing at spending $4K for a life raft that would take up valuable on-deck real estate, all with the hope that we would never, ever, use it. But, that also meant that, if we did need it, we would be seeing its interior (vs. exterior only, one hopes) for the first time under extreme duress-- trusting that it would work despite months of cramped idleness in the heat and marine elements. We would also need to trust that a total stranger had packed it correctly and we would not have a first-hand knowledge of its contents or quality.

Every detail on David Hulbert's Pudgy seems to have been considered, reconsidered, and fine-tuned. Late yesterday afternoon, after the other tasks were done, Jim started assembling the exposure canopy while I was looking for the instructions. "Are you sure they didn't send anything?" I asked a second time. "No - there wasn't anything with the other materials," Jim answered. We are different that way. I need instructions to proceed, whereas Jim is willing to get started and trust that his logic will lead him along the right path. (And, yes, if you asked, I would say that there is sometimes tension around that topic.) Jim usually gets it right and obtains a deeper understanding of a system or piece of equipment. It is this willingness to figure things out, to try new approaches, that makes him such a great field biologist and person with whom to explore new places.

I eventually found a draft set of instructions at the Pudgy web page; it was starting to get dark and too late to try to reach the company (they have been amazingly responsive to all questions). We do not have AT&T coverage in Neah Bay, which is served by Verizon, so our cell phones don't work. We thought this communication issue would not strike until we left the U.S.

Using the draft instructions, we reviewed what Jim had done so far, but we came upon an essential gap in exactly how to fasten the large CO2 cartridges. "I am sure that there must be more than this somewhere," I announced, "but I couldn't find it on their web site." I remembered David saying something about the instructions being sent by email. I was frustrated by not having detailed instructions in front of us for this important job, and I can usually find what I need on the internet. Glen, who had been observing the boat set up, because we wanted him to understand how the exposure canopy worked, disappeared down below. About 5 minutes later he returned with his laptop. "I think I found what you need," he announced. And he had! I had limited my search to the company's web site, whereas he had searched more broadly and found a near final draft of the instructions with more text and photographs and exactly what we needed to finish attaching the CO2 Cartridges and correct a couple of other aspects of the assembly.

Side Story: Yesterday, for the third time, Glen wanted to make dinner for us all. On the preceding days he had offered this too late to pull it off, but last night was perfect. Jim and I were going to be immersed in getting the Pudgy's exposure canopy set up. "What would you like to make? We need to make sure you have what you'll need," I responded.

"I'd like to make an egg dish," he announced, "with tortillas.
"Okay, that sounds good." I answered. "What else do you want to serve with it? "We'll need a vegetable or something else."
"I'll cut up the watermelon," he responded.
"Great idea. How about some rice and broccoli to go with it?" I asked.
I don't think we'll need the broccoli, since we'll have the watermelon."
"I think it might be good to have some broccoli too," I suggested wanting to make sure that there was enough food.

After washing the dishes and putting them away to make room for Glen's cooking, I went up top to help Jim some more. The next time I came down, Glen was already cracking eggs in sizzling butter. With no more guidance from me, he was cooking chopped onions and had added Italian seasoning, organic garlic powder and paprika and a touch of salsa. Later, when I came down for something else, he was using our largest knife to cut the round watermelon. I held back on my impulse to express the requisite caution: he was leveraging the knife through the green rind and red flesh fine and did not need advice from me.

We had hoped to be ready to head out into the ocean this morning, but just before dinner Jim and I conceded that we would be too tired for the 13-15 hour run. The day's task list -- figure out why the hydrovane was vibrating, finish adding the hardware to the deck lockers, add strobes to our life jackets, move the boat (we were misdirected by the harbor staff to a slip owned by a couple who came in the night before at 8 PM and were very unhappy to find us in their spot), get fuel, do laundry, check on our routing to Grays Harbor, etc.) had been overly ambitious. We would need another day to rest and finish up that list.

We did not eat dinner until 10:30 PM. Glen had the table set for us and had been reading as he waited for us to finish our job with the boat. We warmed the eggs and tortillas and had roll ups with shredded cheese and salsa and watermelon and brocolli. It was my favorite meal so far.

Today we made time to go to the Makah Indian Museum, a remarkable museum of artifacts from the Ozette community longhouses that were buried in mud slides some 500 years ago. Neah Bay is part of the Makah Indian Reservation (Album 18). The buried artifacts were discovered in 1946. The event and historic value of the perfectly preserved materials have been described as the North American Pompei. Remarkable cedar baskets woven in complex patterns, wood carvings and useful, aesthetic boxes, intricate fish hooks carved from bone, and perfectly symmetrical sleek 40 foot canoes used to hunt grey whales are just a few of the impressive items on display from the important archaeological site. The Makah lived a rich, sophisticated life built around resources from the sea and forest.

Tomorrow we will try to leave close to 5:00 AM. We have a 13-15 hour run to Grays Harbor the next reasonable place we can duck into to rest and refuel if needed. The forecast looks good, other than the morning fog which could complicate getting around Cape Flattery.
Comments
RESILIENCE's Photos - Main
Contains photos I need to store here to upload into posts.
1 Photo
Created 6 January 2016
1 Photo
Created 25 June 2015
Our 2nd stop during our passage south from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas with the 2012 Baja Ha Ha. (This is where Jim is June 20+ 2015)
56 Photos
Created 21 June 2015
Jim has prepped & is sailing/bashing our sailboat up the outer coast of Baja.
4 Photos
Created 19 June 2015
Photos by Forrest Young and Jim.
7 Photos
Created 6 November 2014
This album has 3 photos from our new home in Santa Rosa, CA.
6 Photos
Created 15 October 2014
While the hull and bottom painting projects continue below, we pull out the sails from months of storage inside the boat to reattach them to their booms -- a job that would be hard for Jim to do alone.
16 Photos
Created 5 April 2014
Boat painting continues while we pull the mainsail out of the boat and reattach it.
12 Photos
Created 5 April 2014
Beth and Glen join Jim over Glen's spring vacation in San Carlos, Mexico where the boat is hauled out for painting.
26 Photos
Created 3 April 2014
Over breakfast at the San Ignacio Oasis, I met Tad, Galia, and John, who were touring Baja by motorcylce. We shared a wonderful breakfast. They did a great job of shattering my stereotype of 'bikers.' John is a former avid bicycle rider. Seeing how they packed all of their gear for weeks onto their bikes was impressive.
5 Photos
Created 1 July 2013
San Ignacio is where Glen's cave painting trip originated and ended. I made new friends here with Faith (3 yrs old) and her parents, Isabel and Russ, wrote, walked, paid bills, rode a one-speed bike around town, and painted while Glen was off on his big trip.
30 Photos
Created 23 June 2013
Glen surfs his new board by being towed behind our sailboat as we travel north in the Sea of Cortez.
9 Photos
Created 13 June 2013
Nine of us from 5 family boats visited La Paz's Serpentarium. The highlight was the aviary, where we all got to feed birds that ate out of our hands.
41 Photos
Created 1 June 2013
We loved getting close to the cactus and volcanic rock on this steep, rocky section above a white beach along the lower Sea of Cortez.
25 Photos
Created 24 May 2013
Several mother-calf pairs of gray whales interacted with our boat and us in San Ignacio Lagoon -- an amazing experience.
16 Photos
Created 5 May 2013
Glen meets the other expedition members in San Ignacio, Baja
8 Photos
Created 29 April 2013
On our first day in San Blas we toured the town and ruins with fellow boaters from Lady Carolina
12 Photos
Created 25 February 2013
East of La Paz, in Cerralvo Channel, we encounter a lone, young sperm whale.
6 Photos
Created 26 January 2013
San Diego to Bahia de los Tortugas, including Glen's first tuna (under full sail) and our first overnight sailing.
35 Photos
Created 30 December 2012
Savoring Bahia de los Frailes.
20 Photos
Created 26 December 2012
Glen and Beth move back to Alameda from Ojai; Glen attends Cazadero Music Camp; we decide to bail on maintaining teak cap rails and paint (!) them instead.
70 Photos
Created 19 December 2012
We are coastal hopping our way south, pausing to wait for very good weather and to experience small communities and people along the way.
16 Photos
Created 1 September 2011
Still some essential projects to complete before heading out past Cape Flattery. Made time to visit the fantastic Makah Indian museum in Neah Bay.
9 Photos
Created 11 August 2011
Last days in Port Townsend getting ready to start our offshore trip. First leg to Port Angeles; fogged out on Aug 7.
30 Photos
Created 8 August 2011
We launch our new main sail and discover 2 excellent, free, interactive educational web sites.
26 Photos
Created 29 April 2011
Glen and I took a long side trip to see the edge of one the world’s most unlikely and puzzling migrations: 10 million monarch butterflies, through 4-5 generations, migrate from central Mexico to the Great Lakes region.
47 Photos
Created 12 April 2011
Ijsselmeer gets back in the water and is remasted. Christmas on board and with Nan and Ina.
6 Photos | 1 Sub-Album
Created 23 March 2011
As the deck project marchess on to the fiberglass phase, we appreciate house-sitting for friends, a brief bit of snow, visits from dear friends, and Thanksgiving with Nan and Ina.
63 Photos
Created 23 March 2011
We (especially Jim) continue to work on the deck overhaul, while learning splicing for the running rigging from Brion; Glen celebrates his 12th Birthday in PT and thrives with homeschooling; housesitting a wonderful Victorian home while the deck project drones on keeps us from imploding.
77 Photos | 1 Sub-Album
Created 26 February 2011
As the rigging project is pre-empted by the deck replacement mega-project, we continue to enjoy life in Port Townsend, a visit to the Bauer-Youngs near Mt Ranier, thanksgiving with Beth's cousin Nan (and Ina), housesitting a wonderful Victorian in PT, the Kinetic Sculpture event and more.
63 Photos
Created 7 February 2011
Glen meets new friends at a Marine Biology camp; rigging work continues; we enjoy PT's farmer's market; Glen starts a writing workshop with local author, Patrick Jennings; we share a dinner with the Piatt family.
25 Photos
Created 21 January 2011
We started Ijsselmeer's re-rigging project with Brion Toss, Glen took a sailing class, and we all enjoyed PT's sunny summer.
14 Photos
Created 21 January 2011
photo from our 1992 photo album taken during our stop in Nanaimo to visit Graeme and Dana Ellis, and Jane Watson durg our trip north delivering a new Ijsselmeer from Seattle to Juneau.
1 Photo
Created 1 September 2010
Shortly after arriving in Port Townsend, we started working with Brion Toss, a very talented rigger, to upgrade and revise Ijsselmeer�s standing rigging. The first steps in this process involve 1) removing all sails, 2) tuning and measuring the existing 'rig', 3) removing booth booms, and 4) detaching all of the standing rigging at deck level, and 4) removing both masts.
36 Photos
Created 1 September 2010
July 8-14: We had planned a quick overnight visit with our dear friends, Graeme Ellis and Jane Watson, and their daughter Dana, as we were sprinting to make our date with the rigger in Port Townsend. A new kink in the steering, however, required us to stay a week instead (take us to the briar patch!). Graeme and Jane's hospitality and help were over the top: really. We loved being folded into their and Dana�s rich lives on Protection Island, just offshore of Nanaimo, BC.
34 Photos
Created 1 September 2010
We had two beautiful days traveling down through the inside passage to an anchorage just south of Bella, Bella. Glen discovered kite-flying off the stern.
26 Photos
Created 29 July 2010
Jun 29-Jul 4: We spent a few extra days in Prince Rupert, British Columbia to do some work on Ijsselmeer, and we were also delayed by the weather.
7 Photos
Created 29 July 2010
Photos from some of the preparation steps and from days 1-8 in transit from Juneau to Prince Rupert.
29 Photos
Created 30 June 2010