Sophie Sails

Vessel Name: Sophie
21 March 2012
30 December 2011 | Mazatlan, MX
24 December 2011 | Mazatlan, MX
20 December 2011 | Mazatlan, MX
16 December 2011 | Mazatlan, MX
12 October 2011 | San Francisco Bay
Recent Blog Posts
21 March 2012

Our One Picture

Well, what with one thing and another it's a bit difficult for us to upload pictures and we haven't put too much effort into the process, so you'll have to be satisfied for now with a picture of our tour group in front of the Sierra Negra Caldera.

30 December 2011 | Mazatlan, MX

Holiday blogs

The family von surf

24 December 2011 | Mazatlan, MX

Feliz Navidad!

We’ll use our bully pulpit today to send out a Christmas cheer to all on our list. Today is Christmas and we are planning to sail this evening to Isla Isabel, a small island about 90 miles south of Mazatlan. It is often referred to as the Galapagos of the Sea of Cortez. On it are found blue-footed [...]

20 December 2011 | Mazatlan, MX

A Day in the Life-in Port

Some of you may be wondering what, exactly, a sailor does when the boat is tucked away in the marina and isn’t out - well, sailing. For those of you that have, and for those who have been pondering grander thoughts (such as: “What to wear today?” or “I need to eat dinner tonight, what will I [...]

16 December 2011 | Mazatlan, MX

Sophie's Southern Saga Begins

Hello readers of the sagas of Sophie!

12 October 2011 | San Francisco Bay

Hello

Hello,

Sophie's Southern Saga Begins

16 December 2011 | Mazatlan, MX
Dan / Cloudy 70 F Calm
Hello readers of the sagas of Sophie!

We are back at it again with another adventure. To those of you who were with us on the trip down the West coast of North America, this part will be old news. But to those of you who are just joining in, here’s how it works. Will and Dan will be the primary crew for this adventure, which has already begun in Mazatlan and ends we know not where; but perhaps if Neptune, Poseidon and their watery cousins are gentle with us, we’ll make it to the South Pacific by May or June; after that, no plan. We’ll be joined by family and friends along the way, (there’s always a crew spot open should any of you wish to shed a few layers).

While we’re off shore and out of reach of the Wi-Fi umbilical, we will have a very slow, but steady means of passing messages back and forth via an HF radio. Gayle, the reliable one in the family, will serve as a relay, so-called Gaylemail. We will send a single email to her and she will broadcast it via a blind copy to all and send along to us any messages from land. While in port and blessed with free Wi-Fi, Dan’s regular email danon447ATgmail.com will work should you wish. If you have any questions, comments, or witticisms feel free to send them our way by either method. So, let the gambits begin!


Winter warmth

The crew of Sophie began their escape of the grasp of the Northern New Mexico winter on Monday, the 12th of December. A short lived storm put several inches of snow on the ground and most certainly frustrated many of the daily commuters who were simply trying to get home from work. We were caught up in the fray; in the first hour of our exodus we moved only about three miles. We consoled ourselves that if we were already sailing in very light winds, we’d be doing about as well. Thankfully, we didn’t have to sail to the airport.

We were greeted upon arrival to temperatures that seemed hot to us, the high seventies, with light northwest breezes. Queuing up for immigration at the Mazatlan airport brought home to us how popular of a winter getaway the place can be. There were two lines: one for residents and one for foreigners, the latter being much longer. Government business out of the way, we went to find a taxi, and when we mentioned that we needed to go to Marina Mazatlan, another cruiser chimed in that he was headed that way as well and would like to share the cab. So, we met our first kindred soul, a Bay area sailor with a Ph. D in physical chemistry, and only a few minutes into our adventure.

Sophie was sitting pretty, just as we had left her, and in a few minutes we were sipping a celebratory beer, finally, really believing that it had all begun. The last couple of days have been a mix of minor boat projects that didn’t get done back in San Francisco and a general re-acquaintance with the local environs (read palapa bars with live music). We’ve met some new arrivals, traded stories about our passages so far and are just getting used to all this air at sea level (read taking naps). Play plans include a trek over to a surf spot a few miles away on Saturday and some day sailing early next week before the first of the family arrive, Gayle and Stephen, on Christmas eve.

The crew of Sophie
Lying Marina Mazatlan
15 December 2011

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