Sailing on Starshine
| Vessel Name: | Starshine |
| Vessel Make/Model: | Outbound 44 |
| Hailing Port: | San Francisco, CA |
| Crew: | Pat and Melodie Williams |
| About: | We have been "working the plan" since 2004 when Pat began taking sailing lessons. That lead to a few sailing vacations on sailboats. Melodie took some classes too. We purchased our boat in 2011. |
27 February 2019 | Alameda California
26 February 2019 | Mazatlan to San Francisco
26 February 2019 | Mazatlan Sinaloa Mexico
01 May 2018 | El Cid - Mazatlan
09 April 2018 | Marina Mazatlan
07 March 2018 | La Cruz de Huanacaxtle
23 January 2018 | La Cruz de Huanacaxtle
04 December 2017 | La Cruz de Huanacaxtle
24 October 2017 | Oakland, CA
04 September 2017 | South Lake Tahoe CA
04 September 2017 | Culver OR
04 September 2017 | Culver OR
04 September 2017 | Redmond Oregon
17 July 2017 | Polson Montana
31 May 2017 | Our new Camper in Ira Texas
04 May 2017 | Nuevo Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit Mexico
04 April 2017 | La Cruz Anchorage
12 March 2017 | Chamela Bay
12 March 2017 | Tenicatita Bay
18 February 2017 | La Cruz de Huanacaxtle
Recent Blog Posts
27 February 2019 | Alameda California
Goodbye Starshine
Melodie and I have accepted an offer on Starshine. We close escrow on March 8, 2019.
26 February 2019 | Mazatlan to San Francisco
The Baja Bash
Preparing for the Baja Bash (the trip north from Mexico to California). They call it “The Bash” because the prevailing winds and waves are from the northwest. So you are basically going uphill (if that makes any sense).
26 February 2019 | Mazatlan Sinaloa Mexico
Summer 2018
As many of you who have followed our blog over the last four years you’ll note that I have not given it any attention since last spring. So let me fill in the blanks.
San Everisto and Isla San Francisco
09 May 2015 | San Everisto
Pat
Today is Monday April 27, 2015. We are anchored at San Everisto. This is place is the farthest north we sailed to during our 2009 charter with the Moorings from La Paz.
We don't have cell service or internet, only our SSB radio. I figured I better keep up with the blog so I don't forget all the neat things we've done before we see the internet again.
Our stopover in La Paz went well: 110 gallons of diesel, 5 gallons of propane, groceries, boat washed, and laundry done. We left as planned on Friday morning April 24.
Our first stop after La Paz was an anchorage called Ensenada Grande. We anchored and our friends on Optimus Prime gave us a dinghy ride over to Wind Dancer where we had cocktails. It was a mini Oakland Yacht Club Cruise Out, as all three boats are members of OYC. Ensenada Grande is open to the west and can be a problem if the nighttime winds called 'Corormels" blow (more on that late).
Saturday was Melodie's birthday and we went over to Optimus Prime for cocktails. What a surprise! They had decorated with "Happy Birthday" balloons and a large parrot sign wishing Melodie a happy birthday. When you live on a boat little things like this are much harder to since space is at such a premium. Melodie even got to blow out a candle on her pineapple upside down cake. It was a double birthday celebrations, as our friends on No Ties were celebrating a birthday too.
A great evening was followed by a long miserable night at anchor. The winds shifted around and began to blow out of the west. The fetch (distance wind waves have to grow in size) made for 2-3 foot waves rolling in to the anchorage. They were right on the bow, so no rolling, but the bow was pitching up and down something fierce. We did not get much sleep. At about midnight we let out some more anchor chain just to make sure we stayed put.
On Sunday we decided to move north toward Isla San Francisco. This is a very picturesque anchorage shown in many tourist or cruising brochures. It has a great beach and the bay is crescent shaped. There was 10 Kts of breeze so we actually SAILED for two hours on a broad reach. We have motored way more than we've sailed here in Mexico.
We decided to pass on Isla SF because it too opens to the west. We continued on to San Everisto, about 9 NM farther north and located on the Baja peninsula. On the way our friends on Wind Dancer warned of a wind line a few miles south of San Everisto. There were suddenly white caps and 20+ winds. This is due to a local weather effect from wind blowing through a gap in the mountains. We appreciated the warning as it gave us a chance to drop our sails while the wind was still manageable. We had to slow down due to the waves which were right on the nose. Once we arrived in San Everisto we didn't do much. Melodie cooked some plantains and I took a nap. We will have a conference with our OYC friends and see if we are gonna stay here one more night or head back to Isla SF.
More updates to follow when we are connected again.
We don't have cell service or internet, only our SSB radio. I figured I better keep up with the blog so I don't forget all the neat things we've done before we see the internet again.
Our stopover in La Paz went well: 110 gallons of diesel, 5 gallons of propane, groceries, boat washed, and laundry done. We left as planned on Friday morning April 24.
Our first stop after La Paz was an anchorage called Ensenada Grande. We anchored and our friends on Optimus Prime gave us a dinghy ride over to Wind Dancer where we had cocktails. It was a mini Oakland Yacht Club Cruise Out, as all three boats are members of OYC. Ensenada Grande is open to the west and can be a problem if the nighttime winds called 'Corormels" blow (more on that late).
Saturday was Melodie's birthday and we went over to Optimus Prime for cocktails. What a surprise! They had decorated with "Happy Birthday" balloons and a large parrot sign wishing Melodie a happy birthday. When you live on a boat little things like this are much harder to since space is at such a premium. Melodie even got to blow out a candle on her pineapple upside down cake. It was a double birthday celebrations, as our friends on No Ties were celebrating a birthday too.
A great evening was followed by a long miserable night at anchor. The winds shifted around and began to blow out of the west. The fetch (distance wind waves have to grow in size) made for 2-3 foot waves rolling in to the anchorage. They were right on the bow, so no rolling, but the bow was pitching up and down something fierce. We did not get much sleep. At about midnight we let out some more anchor chain just to make sure we stayed put.
On Sunday we decided to move north toward Isla San Francisco. This is a very picturesque anchorage shown in many tourist or cruising brochures. It has a great beach and the bay is crescent shaped. There was 10 Kts of breeze so we actually SAILED for two hours on a broad reach. We have motored way more than we've sailed here in Mexico.
We decided to pass on Isla SF because it too opens to the west. We continued on to San Everisto, about 9 NM farther north and located on the Baja peninsula. On the way our friends on Wind Dancer warned of a wind line a few miles south of San Everisto. There were suddenly white caps and 20+ winds. This is due to a local weather effect from wind blowing through a gap in the mountains. We appreciated the warning as it gave us a chance to drop our sails while the wind was still manageable. We had to slow down due to the waves which were right on the nose. Once we arrived in San Everisto we didn't do much. Melodie cooked some plantains and I took a nap. We will have a conference with our OYC friends and see if we are gonna stay here one more night or head back to Isla SF.
More updates to follow when we are connected again.
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