2nd Month's Reflections by John

Even though we are a sailboat and we try to sail as much as possible, the reality is that we end up motoring a fair amount.  For example, it was about 250 miles from Neah Bay, Washington to Newport, Oregon.  We sailed about 21 hours and motored about 18 hours.  This is similar to what other cruisers are experiencing too.  Speaking of fuel, we have found that each community's fuel dock is a reflection of the community at large.  The fuel guy at the ship canal in Seattle ran the fuel dock like the flight deck of aircraft carrier and made sure that no one spilled a drop of fuel.  The guy at Coos Bay, a Korean war vet, not only told me his life story but that of all his kids.  In fact, I think he would have talked all day if I let him.

I can not imagine hand steering the boat all night and we are very grateful our autopilot does well in following seas.  Typical night conditions are pitch black because you are encased in fog.  Depending upon the wind, you have a large following sea with a period equal to or shorter than the height.  For example, an 8 foot sea at an 8 second period.   The boat rolls around so that you need at least one if not two hands to stay stationary.  It is very, very easy to get disoriented.  Thank god for gps and chart plotters.  My hat goes off to the cruisers who did this before the modern age of electronics.

I got seasick on land.  Let me explain.  After getting banged around at sea for a few days, we decided to rent a car and explore the Oregon coast.  Nicki was driving and I was in the passenger seat.  The car was brand new and had that new car smell.  After about 20 miles I started feeling really, really queasy.  We had to pull over so I could recover.  I guess the vibration of the car was so much different than the ocean that it made me motion sick.  Nicki thinks it's funny because I don't get seasick no matter how bad it is at sea but a short drive in a car on a smooth paved road brought me to my knees.

I was amazed at how much yacht support activity there is in San Francisco.  Svendsen's boat yard in Alameda sort of blew my mind.  It was very educational to see all of the complex boat projects being undertaken, many of which would be impossible to undertake in Alaska.   I think the best one was watching the 60' maxi sled come in on a semi trailer and be set up to race in the international maxi series by the next day.

We are really enjoying all of the people we are meeting.  We have found the yacht clubs are generally a good place to meet locals and get local information.  We are also starting to run into other cruisers headed in the same direction.  We are all starting out so everyone is very, vey happy!

I think we have finally settled into cruising mode.  I can't remember what I used to do for a living.  Nor do I know what day it is, what the date is, or what month it is.  Time has no meaning unless it is related to tide or current.

That's it for now.  I have to take the dingy around the half moon bay anchorage and see what kind of trouble I can get into.