Rapturous!

Vessel Name: Rapture
Vessel Make/Model: Caliber 40 LRC
Hailing Port: Berkeley, CA
Crew: Greg Newman, Susan Wells
Social:
07 March 2024 | Tasmania
27 January 2024 | Manley Beach
03 December 2023 | The Gold Coast, Jumpinpin
22 November 2023 | The Boatworks, QLD
15 November 2023 | Morton Bay
27 October 2023 | Bundaberg marina
15 October 2023 | Townsville Marina
04 October 2023 | Townsville, Queensland, Australia
28 July 2023
08 July 2023 | Keppel Bay Marina
30 June 2023 | Gladstone Marina
20 May 2023 | Bundaberg, Australia
23 March 2023 | Antarctic peninsula
10 March 2023 | Calafate and El Chaitén
21 February 2023 | Puerto Varas, Chiloe and Cochrane
05 February 2023 | Santiago, Chile
21 January 2023 | Santiago
12 January 2023 | USA
Recent Blog Posts
07 March 2024 | Tasmania

Tasmania

A misty, high alpine scene

27 January 2024 | Manley Beach

Sydney

Sydney Harbour Bridge

08 January 2024

Southport to Coff’s Harbour

Coffs Harbor from Muttonbird Island

03 December 2023 | The Gold Coast, Jumpinpin

The Gold Coast and Southport

Walking the beach at Southport

22 November 2023 | The Boatworks, QLD

Boatwork

The reason for stopping in the Brisbane area was to get a few boat projects done. Greg had been talking to contractors for weeks and more recently he has been calling suppliers to make sure that parts would be available. Our first stop was Scarborough Marina where Greg and I started with giving Rapture [...]

15 November 2023 | Morton Bay

Bundaberg to Morton Bay

The next part of our journey down to Brisbane lay to the inside of Frazier Island. This area, called the Great Sandy Strait is a vast network of channels and shoals that have to be navigated carefully. The navigation channel is clearly marked but there are areas where it can only be navigated at [...]

Making the passage

15 December 2018 | Paradise Village Marina, Nuevo Vallarta
Susan
Sadly, we had to leave Los Frailes behind to make the crossing to Puerto Vallarta. The wind behaved exactly as expected and we were able to sail almost the whole way. On the first day, we were on a beam to broad reach so we pulled out the staysail, my favorite sail. With the waves off our aft quarter we averaged about seven knots. The staysail balanced the boat so well that there was almost no weather helm. We regretted not mounting the hydrovane rudder as the two-day passage would have been a perfect opportunity to master the controls. However, Otto was under no stress as he guided us over the sea and we'll have plenty of time to use the hydrovane during the three week voyage to the Marquesas.

The wind dropped overnight and veered so we were reaching (sailing upwind). We furled in the staysail and bellied out the jib and main trying to catch as much air as possible. My ability to trim the sails has improved with all the light air we've had. It's actually really fun to tweak the traveler, Vang, and sheets and watch the SOG (Speed over Ground) tick upward. We have become so attuned to the boat now. Our feet feel the vibration of the sails and lines and the water passing over the rudder. The wind on our cheek and the back of our neck alerts us to adjust course. Our bodies respond automatically to the proprioception of the heel. We check the instruments as an afterthought.

The wind dropped just as we were entering Banderas Bay before dawn at the end of the second day. Now we had traffic. The quiet of my early morning watch was shattered by the VHF hailing, "Raptore, Raptore, Raptore. This is Bella Dona." A 65 foot catamaran was alerting us to their presence miles away. A little later a 120 foot passenger ship showed up on the AIS directly behind us traveling at 12 knots. I waited until they were about 2 miles behind us at which stage they looked like a floating hotel. I hailed, "Chrystal, Chrystal, Chrystal. This is the sailing vessel Rapture." To my relief they responded and reassured me that they could see us and that they would keep clear.

We docked at Paradise Marina in Nuevo Vallarta at 9:30 am. We're side tied to the main dock so our portholes are exposed to anyone walking by. Bella Dona is just down the fairway. We're also sideways to the tidal surge which is hard on the boat. Paradise Marina is a huge beach resort complete with swimming pools, tennis courts, parrots and two Bengal tigers (seriously). After our inland travels we will probably move to another marina.
Comments
Rapture's Photos - Main
166 Photos
Created 16 March 2024
75 Photos
Created 26 January 2024
51 Photos
Created 6 December 2023
17 Photos
Created 17 August 2023
57 Photos
Created 20 July 2023
41 Photos
Created 24 May 2023
34 Photos
Created 2 May 2023
76 Photos
Created 6 April 2023
119 Photos
Created 26 February 2023
39 Photos
Created 28 January 2023
Nov 2022 to Jan 2023
20 Photos
Created 14 January 2023
68 Photos
Created 15 October 2022
81 Photos
Created 7 September 2022
146 Photos
Created 13 June 2022
21 Photos
Created 31 May 2022
16 Photos
Created 17 April 2022
21 Photos
Created 7 April 2022
74 Photos
Created 22 March 2022
32 Photos
Created 24 January 2022
61 Photos
Created 5 January 2022
80 Photos
Created 31 December 2021
26 Photos
Created 6 December 2021
89 Photos
Created 11 November 2021
7 Photos
Created 15 July 2021
187 Photos
Created 26 March 2021
80 Photos
Created 25 February 2021
8 Photos
Created 27 January 2021
8 Photos
Created 13 January 2021
66 Photos
Created 18 December 2020
39 Photos
Created 30 October 2020
29 Photos
Created 12 October 2020
15 Photos
Created 11 October 2020
54 Photos
Created 23 September 2020
18 Photos
Created 10 September 2020
56 Photos
Created 11 August 2020
40 Photos
Created 11 July 2020
11 Photos
Created 14 June 2020
6 Photos
Created 8 June 2020
21 Photos
Created 23 May 2020
12 Photos
Created 8 March 2020
33 Photos
Created 8 March 2020
57 Photos
Created 22 February 2020
58 Photos
Created 21 January 2020
19 Photos
Created 21 January 2020
34 Photos
Created 30 December 2019
Tahiti, Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea, Tahaa, Bora Bora
83 Photos
Created 9 June 2019
14 Photos
Created 23 May 2019
15 Photos
Created 15 April 2019
7 Photos
Created 15 April 2019
2 Photos
Created 24 November 2018
50 Photos | 2 Sub-Albums
Created 30 May 2018
9 Photos
Created 8 August 2017
Photos of the boat, people and places in the Bay.
3 Photos
Created 24 June 2017
Memorial Weekend 2017 Greg, Susan, Mike and Toni Spicer, Nick Spycher
11 Photos
Created 23 June 2017
29 Photos
Created 21 May 2016
July 25 to August 15 San Franciso, Half Moon Bay, Monterey, Morro Bay, Cojo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz Island, Santa Rosa Island, Santa Barbara Island, Catalina.
15 Photos
Created 23 August 2015
The Food Saver vacuum sealer is a really useful device. The aluminum packs contain a 2 person serving. They just need to be defrosted and thrown in the oven - no prep work required. We could bake all 3 at once, or the crew that is sleeping can bake theirs when they wake up.
6 Photos
Created 24 June 2014
Memorial day cruise from San Fran down to Monterey, but we turned West at Santa Cruz for about 50 miles before tacking North for a direct beam reach back to San Fran.
12 Photos
Created 18 June 2014
The second overnight cruise. San Fran North West to Pt. Reyes, then south cutting east to Pillar Point and back to San Fran.
21 Photos
Created 18 June 2014
2 Photos
Created 6 May 2014

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Photo Albums
16 March 2024
166 Photos
26 January 2024
75 Photos