Marjorie on...

After holding in Westport, Washington for 4 days due to wind not cooperating, we will be making the next leg of our journey today.  Late last night we worked through a data entry of longitude and latitude on buoyweather.com for the next 96 hours sailing. This tool gave us wind and sea conditions for the next 4 days.  that was cool.  I have been struggling to piece together times, locations and wind sea conditions in a sequence. Finding a tool like 'Marine Passage' is most helpful. Regardless, we'll be heading south today to the land of sun and warm.  First we have to get through the muck.

It bothers me that the NOAA Eureka site I use for our coastline weather and sea conditions has been down the last 2days . I sent the webmaster an email this morning.  Hopefully that problem will be fixed soon.

Marjorie

Sailing vessel "Marjorie" 59', Spirit of Tradition, Blue Water Cruising Ketch is moving on from Port Angeles, Washington to Sausalito, California  We wait at her appointed home in Port Angeles, Washington to be joined by her people.  The owner, Gardner Baldwin, will be here on Thursday.  The remaining crew moves in Friday to begin our journey on Saturday, June 23rd to  Sausalito, California. 

The boat, Cascadia, we were to be traveling with on the 17th of June went on ahead as we had issues with a crew member attempting to come in from Canada without a work visa...bummer.  He got turned back and we were instantly short handed.  This was an emotional set back for my Captain, Tracy Obert.  He contacted a former Swiftsure crew member, Alexia, who was able to step up and help us out, hoorah! Also Anne, my dear friend and sailing instructor, allowed me to put a quick email to her sailing buddies to help us find a replacement quickly. It worked! Jon, a captain with NW offshore experience will be joining us.  Thank you Anne!

Cascadia, only having been sailing one day is now in port at Astoria having faced 30-35 k wind on the bow.  This is a tough ride.  Their motor quit on them twice and sailing south into the wind makes it very difficult to actually "sail".  I've been almost constant contact with them today getting updates.  My heart was in my throat as Anne tells me they were being escorted across the potentially horrific bar entrance on the Columbia River by the US Coast Guard.  I had just spent a week long with Anne on a sailing course in the San Juan Islands earlier this month.  Her brother Tom is the owner of the sailing yacht, Cascadia.

To follow Cascadia's journey visit their live blog here:

 http://www.sailblogs.com/member/cascadia/?xjMsgID=274902

They made it safely to harbor in Astoria and are waiting for a response from a local marine services company to have their fuel checked for possible debrie that might have been loosened while getting tossed around on the waves at sea.  More updates to come.

 

Patty Wagon * Eureka, CA to Huntington Beach, CA * February 25 to March 2, 2013

My Captain

Captain Chris Couch with our diver to do repairs

At Woodley Island Marina in Eureka, California we wait an extra day having a diver return to work on straightening bent props.  3 of our 4 prop blades have been bent by impact of debris.  He works to make them right while we watch weather open up for our journey via the Internet.  The wind has calmed to 5-10 kts and the tide is slack for departure at around 0930.  The job done, diver reports we have a 9 inch crease in one of our prop blades that he was able to straighten, along with the other 2 smaller curls but recommends that future repair/replacement will be in order.  Chris and I prepare our craft for departure following a test for vibrations. The line removal from the props shows even though we thought we had cleared the prop shaft we had not.

Making it right - diver working on props

Poly line is tough stuff.  It has to be able to survive wave, salt water, sun and a boat prop. Crab pots hang at the bottom some hundreds of yards of it attached to floats marking their locations.  We spend many hours avoiding getting caught up in it.  This is why.

While we hold here with the boat waiting on wind, weather and repairs we find our way around the harbor area and into the city of Eureka.  This is where my son-in-law, Doug Saucedo, is from.  I have visited here with my family.  It is a much different view from the water.  I like it. 

We wander past the NOAA National Weather Service building, who's NOAA Website I have bookmarked on my navigation links - Eureka site ROCKS!  I feel like I have come to see the band play!  I want to go inside and tell them I worship their work but Chris looks at me kinda funny so I refrain.  The area around the NOAA building is an enchanting wild life preserve, clearly marked and fenced to keep us wild humans out.  The deer stand at the fence looking at us like we are captive and to be viewed with curiosity.  I think the deer have it correct.

So, Chris has named me the "Queen of the Self Portrait", I say - no one else to take my picture, dude.  So here I am waiting in Eureka, California as I monitor the trail mix nut to M & M ratio.  This job is not for the faint of heart.  Serious biz for a sailor mom like me.  Where is Jeannie Berry when you need her with her ever present extra supply of M & M's??!!
Thinking of family, I see granddaughter Calypso everywhere!  In San Diego we found a sailboat and here in Eureka a fishing boat moored a few slips from us.  She is here with me, I know it.  The daughter of a marine biologist and Vehicle Systems Analyst engineer has her fleet waiting.

Coast Guard Station at Eureka - Humboldt Bay

The Coast Guard buildings are some of the most incredible public buildings along the Pacific.  They are well kept, picturesque, functional and honor our coast with their presence.

Leaving Humboldt - nice wave action!

On to Noyo Bay at Fort Bragg, California

Noyo Bay - rustic, small - 30 amp only power, but we like it.
Are these entrances getting smaller or is it just my imagination? I think I named the Brookings entrance the "Mini Bar", this is the "Salad Bar" at Noyo.


As we dine in a lovely restaurant we see the entrance we came through only a short time before. A night here and on next to Bodega Bay - REALLY, there is such a place.  Mystical, literally.

Bodega Bay, California

Our walk to dinner

There is no real town here - no Walmart, no malls - only lovely homes and a couple shops.  Perfect.

Sunset at Bodega Bay - Ahhhh

 

Leaving Bodega Bay at first light - if you are not in the channel you are in the sand at low tide. Fog sucks.

Our track - at 15.6 kts

Monterey Canyon is DEEP!

Heading

Monterey Bay for fuel and food! I love this place. I run to the restaurant and re-connect with the beautiful European mother of twins we met on the Descanso trip! She remembers us with big smiles while she prepares our dinner. It is so nice to make connections in this way. Chris gets the fuel on board. The sun is warm, makes us happy! Maybe an hour and half in port then back out for an all night-er. Beautiful.

Chris captained this type ship in Alaska for Exxon during the Valdez cleanup. I try to imagine...

...as we run through the obstacle course of giant oil rigs

All Right PEOPLE! Hold on to your Mylar balloons - or skip 'em

I will use this opportunity to remind people that the balloon they release for fun sits here in the ocean forever.  I have seen many of them on each trip now.  Chris tells me he has seen them every time and for years.  This cannot be good.  Animals don't know the deference between food and our trash.  Let's try not to put our trash on the menu.

 

Industrial California - Oil Capitol of the USA

Huntington Beach, California - Our Destination!

Patty Wagon is at her NEW HOME!

"Please let me sleep"

My office

Post script:  I finished this blog page a month after our journey concluded.  I apologize for it's lack of content but life has pulled me a few directions since then.  The plan is to continue on my current course - where ever it takes me!  Maybe a sailing lesson in May, possibly back to Breathless as the Puerto Vallarta property sold, or could it be another boat in my future?  All is possible so what shall it be?  Even I can't wait to find out!

We Don't Need No Stinking Crab Pots!

During the layover time in Brookings we rented a car and made several drives out along the stunning Southern Oregon and Northern California coast lines. We visited the Battery Point Lighthouse in Crescent City, Ca. We visited the Samuel Boardman forest district that had many small pullout areas with views of the ocean after a short invested hike. Believe me, it is worth it. Get out of the car and walk just a ways on the Coast Trail and don't be afraid to get a little wet or muddy. 

Miss Patty Wagon did a nice job getting us to the next leg of our journey. During our delay we washed and tidy our boat making her ready for the next leg. Captain Couch showed me how to start the genset by first pushing down the glow plug/shut down override and holding 10 seconds while I hit the starter, turning over the engine. Once started, watch the gage until oil pressure is reached then release the override. This generator makes it possible to run the electricity without being hooked up to an external power source. Another fascinating thing about boats... You can make your own fresh water! On board we have a reverse osmosis system that desalinates sea water! Awesome! I'm thinking a couple solar panels, run this on french fry oil and "Voila!" HOME

We left out of Brookings, Oregon on Sunday, Feb. 25. Around 10 a.m. to make our next harbor in Eureka, California by slack tide at 5:05 p.m.

 

 

This day was full of sun and warmth, much needed by us cave dwellers who have been waiting out the wind in port several days now. It felt wonderful to be making our way further south. We immediately passed gray whales on our port side headed north! Next we moved into the channel to make our way inside St George's reef. We see large swells that make for spectacular breaking waves against the backs of scattered remains of the sunken landmass. Chris tells me that this area was above sea level and extended miles out during the last ice age. Now we see peaks of rock with occasional spruce standing alone in the ocean while the water works the magic of rolling up their backs, casting a spray net out into the air several times a minute. Little worlds all by themselves. The sentinel known as St. George's reef lighthouse is out further, 10 miles. I can see it but my camera cannot. I borrowed a picture from the internet to show this grand ol' decommissioned courageous piece of nautical history. Someday I will get a closer look. Chris tells me he has climbed up on the island and around the lighthouse itself! Being out on the ocean most of his adult life he has seen the good and bad of this magical place, all.

We have boat, water, wind, waves, sun and the enemy ... Crab Pots! Now, there is a big ocean out the folks. Seems like the road would be wide enough for everyone but guess what, it's not. We have a navigational hazard almost every minute of the entire day. If we were not dodging them we were looking for them so we could avoid hitting these things. They are the cages that lay at the bottom of the ocean to ensnare crabs with long lines. Attached are 1, 2 or 3 floats marking their location on the surface, often floats submerged below the waves. They are laid out by boats in the ocean literally everywhere but mostly out to 400 foot depth, sometimes deeper, miles from shore. Now I like crab as much as the next person but after the day we had I think I'll avoid it for awhile. We missed them all ...except one. That little bugger snuck up on us while we struggled to see past the sun glare in our line of vision and direction.

After we connected with the crab pot my Captain immediately but the boat motors into neutral and watched out the rear of boat as the parts of the floats scattered out behind us. Dam. We could hear the change in the engine sounds immediately, we were entangled in the line. Chris worked the boat into reverse to clear what he could of the line, slowly tested, listened, watched and checked below. Finally he felt confident the boat was sound enough to proceed forward. Later Chris tells me that as Captain of the Coast Guard cutter he was often called out to tow in disabled boats that had been caught up, sometimes even in their own lines or cables. The sea on its own is an amazingly treacherous place and humans leave these obstacles all over in it.

We made it to our next bar at Humboldt Bay 5 1/2 hours after our departure from Brookings, Oregon. This was ahead of the slack during the tide. We arrived when the tide was still ebbing, causing large 14 foot waves to break in the entrance of the bar between the jetties. The water was rushing back into the ocean while the tide was receding, ocean covered very densely in crab pots. Large swells rocking us about lifting the boat high, sideways, rolling us side to side. Chris moved us away from the bar area after checking conditions with the Coast Guard and we waited until it was closer to 5 p.m. The report was small craft advisory, 10 to 12 waves, breaking at 14 feet. Hazardous bar conditions also required life jackets which he had out and ready. As we approached I was instructed to put on my life jacket. Now this dance with the water is like watching an athlete. Chris is a master at watching and timing these waves. He is intent, concentrating hard on speed, position, location of land, bar, wave and boat. He increased speed as we moved up the back of the waves allowing us to move into the safety of the sheltered jetty area. My hands held the back of my chair so tight that I only realized how hard after I tried to let go. This was my second big bar entrance with this boat and I can't tell you the terror, the thrill, or the joy. It is only something that can be experienced. Now we think the water is sheltered inside that bar? Nope, large enough waves for a huge wave runner type water craft brings surfers into the bar for a little action! Brave, crazy, thrill seekers? Maybe we all are to some degree.

All tucked in our safe little harbor at Eureka, California. Watching wind for the next couple, see when we can make another day happen on the beautiful place called the Pacific Ocean. Well done, Cap.