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Living full-time on board and going South (part 4)

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zeil
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1314 Posts

Initially Posted - 11/24/2006 : 23:36:43

Living full-time on board and going South (part 4);

Just in case you worry... we're having a blast and absolutely still love it... being on the boat that is!! To wake up by breaking daylight, at first not entirely sure where we are until it dawns on us that we again spent the night in our little “womb”.

We could not find any more excuses to stay longer at the Marina Dunes RV Park in Marina on Monterey Bay. The staff/management at the RV park did everything to make us comfortable... perhaps they felt sorry for us “homeless boat people” squeezed between half million dollar rigs. We are totally impressed with the area... and not only because the dunes remind us of the coast line in Holland
but also with the affluence of the Bay area. We walked, talked, explored, fixed, repaired and did touristy things including meeting locals during and after the Sunday Church service.

We woke up early Monday morning, hooked up and made equipment trip ready and drove the 101 to Buellton, CA which is 45 miles north of Santa Barbara and reasonably close to LA where we plan to stop and visit/tour the Catalina Factory as one of the trip highlights. The Flying Flags RV Park in Buellton by comparison very large but we were told at arrival that they were booked full for the upcoming Thanks Giving weekend. Phoning and checking in a radius of 100 miles produced not one available site confirmation either. So we stayed put in an overflow area without service connection
By the way, night temps in Buellton were as low as – 2 degrees C or 30 F with no heat!!!

Temperatures of zero degrees C in the boat we had a hard time leaving our warm bed

Day time temps are great at 24 degrees C or + 70 F at Buellton, CA

On top of that when we phoned Catalina to confirm a visit, Janet told us, in a very nice way mind you, that the factory is going to be closed for the Thanks Giving weekend from Thursday to Sunday this week. We Canadians of course celebrate Thanks Giving the 2nd weekend in October and totally forgot that our neighbors run so far behind (just kidding)

Responding and following up on the invitation by Joe Wergers and Jim Baungart of the San Diego Catalina 25/250 Fleet 7 (thank you guys... you saved the day...) we phoned Ineke at the Mission Bay Marina in San Diego who, by just mentioning Joe's, Jim's names, right away booked us a slip on L dock where Catalina 25/250 Fleet 7 is moored. You guys must rate pretty high!! Yes there is room for the trailer and truck when we arrive... all is included.

Going to visit Catalina will now have to wait for a later factory “Thursday only” tour as per Janet's advise... after all it is only a 100 miles or so from San Diego to the factory!! We are very excited about the prospect of meeting real C25 and C250 people for the very first time since we own the boat and... having a floating home again!!

Now... that the pressure is off having to find a place to stay we can finally explore the area around Buellton, CA and do some touristy things again. Any one of you ever visited a real Danish town in the USA?? We did and it so happens that it is only 3 some odd miles from the RV park by the name of Solvang, CA... The town is more Danish than the Danes and includes a Hans Christian Andersen museum, library with authentic looking Danish buildings, streets, fresh produce market, etc... Wish the Canadian currency is at the least at par with the USA when we visit these places!!

Doing touristy things the Dutch way in Solvang, Ca

Johanna eagerly looking for bargains in Solvang, CA

A little taste of a European market in Solvang, Ca

Back for a minute to boat life again... the boats exterior is filthy with road grime and no place to wash it off. All RV parks explicitly prohibit washing vehicles. Now would be the time to capitalize on the fact that we are not a coach, camper or rv... but feel somehow not to force the issue... so the boat's appearance remains below standard until we hit the marina. Johanna casually suggests that they don't seem to understand that boats need water...

Cooked supper the last two nights on the the BBQ. The BBQ was a retirement gift from my colleagues at work (UFG) and is proudly mounted on the custom back center seat rail, above the fuel tank, and absolutely love the result!! Johanna of course made the grocery list, bought the food, cut, sliced vegetables and meat, prepared the kabobs, set the table, cooked the rice, poured the wine, laid out the BBQ tools and utensils including sauces and spices and handed me the plates with the food ready to be BBQ'd and afterwards cleaned up the mess. The kicker to this all is that I got all the credit for cooking dinner... way to go eh!!

Thanksgiving dinner on board (not done on the BBQ)

And... while we are on domestic subjects, duties and responsibilities anyway we may as well give you some idea of what more-or-less our daily routine seems to be... Since the days are very short no matter how far South we travel (we) Johanna seems to like getting supper started and ready by 5:30 pm or so. Cooking is done mostly on the one pit stove and takes some careful planning to serve it all hot... My outside chores around the boat /campsite seem to coincide with dishwashing time... better yet if someone shows up or can be tackled to have a chat that lasts at least beyond the drying stage. There are clear signs, just in case you're wondering, when that stage is done such as dirty dishwater surging into 6 gallon bucket through a 1” plastic hose from the galley's sink.

Reading, writing, playing scrabble and occasionally watching video's on our newly acquired 8” Phillips dvd player seems to fill the evening till about 9:30 pm. when we have a second cup hot chocolate and prepare for bed by 9:45- 10:00 pm. or thereabouts. We are up and around most of the time by or before 7:00 am... have a big hot breakfast with fried eggs and usually oatmeal cooked in milk with juice and freshly brewed coffee which sustains us for a good portion of the day . Again it just so happens that outside chores, fix, repair and talk time coincides with dishes while keeping a careful eye on the sink water slurping into the bucket indicating that the coast is clear again to go down the hatch if desired. (just kidding) Lunch is light and if we stay around the boat we are not above taking a little afternoon snooze on the settee... Oh... just the thought of a little snooze...!!

On the road again somewhere between Santa Barbara and LA, Ca

Today, November 24th, 2006 we drove the long, busy and to us, country folk, hazardous road through LA to San Diego. It seemed that 14 lanes in either direction is the norm... regardless it is a bit overwhelming. We managed fine, made only one small error which had us driving North again. After taking, with luck, a side avenue and not another highway, we took on impuls (our bladders cried our for relieve) a break in the boats cabin while parked in front of some houses in a residential area, (what in the world is that in front of my house) Afterwards we drove onto the 405 highway again and this time facing South.

Locating Marina village on Mission Bay almost next to Sea world did not present a problem. Ineke booked us on dock L slip 4 where the San Diego Catalina 25/250 Fleet 7 is also located. We now look forward to meeting the people and sailing in the beautiful bay area. But... when checking the boat over during our stop in LA I came to the conclusion that we lost yet another part that shook loose and was lost overboard... The part missing is the bottom turnbuckle with attachments of the fore stay. Without it you can't raise and fasten the fore stay and therefore the mast. We arrived at the marina at about 3 pm. and by the time we did the required paperwork, poured over city maps to locate West Marine for the missing part, noted the location to park the trailer and truck and where the launching ramp was located it was past 4 pm. Too late to get everything organized by daylight so we thought it better to find a place in an RV park close by. Fortunately Campland On The Bay could accommodate us without reservation and in spite of the holiday period . It seems to me that the further South we drive the higher the overnight charge. Oh well... grin and bear it!!

Having come this far South and having found warm weather with sunny skies, we hope to spend a little time in the area sailing, exploring and sight seeing.

Tot ziens...until the next installment...
Henk for Johanna too

Henk & Johanna
"Floating", a few off your "barnacles".
"Someday Lady" '95 C250WB #151 ('03 - 2016)
"Sea ya" 30ft Bayliner (04-2018 - 09-2018)
"Mariah" '96 C250WB #191 (05-2019 - 15-05-2023)
"Lady J" '00 C250WK #499 (05-2021 - 09-2022)

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 11/25/2006 : 10:22:44

"Temperatures of zero degrees C in the boat we had a hard time leaving our warm bed"

The answer: A portable propane heater.

You probably won't need one of these until you head back north. I have a 'Mr Heater' model and it's great for warming up the cabin in the morning when you don't have shorepower available.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200307957_200307957

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200326076_200326076

Edited by - on

RedRedWhine
Navigator

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USA
167 Posts

Response Posted - 11/26/2006 : 23:16:00

Hello,

Glad to see you are where I grea up. I lived in Los Alamos, and I still have family living there. Enjoy your trip and Keep us posted.

Don

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sterngucker
Navigator

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USA
169 Posts

Response Posted - 11/28/2006 : 16:29:22

Henk,
Welcome to Mission Bay and Marina Village L-Dock. It will be nice to have another 250 around. I just moved in to L-12 a few weeks ago and hope to make it down this weekend (I live about 200 miles north). Looking forward to meeting you and Johanna, and comparing WB mods. Maybe we'll be able to spot some migrating whales although January is really prime time for that. Looks like decent weather this weekend...

San Diego forecast

Friday: Mostly sunny. Highs 64 to 69 near the coast to 65 to 73 inland.

Friday night: Mostly clear. Lows 41 to 51.

Saturday: Mostly sunny. Highs 65 to 70 near the coast to 66 to 74 inland.

Saturday night: Mostly clear. Lows 40 to 50.

Sunday: Mostly sunny. Highs 65 to 70 near the coast to 66 to 75 inland.

Coastal forecast

FRI...WIND NW 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. SWELL W 2 FT. .
FRI NIGHT...WIND N 10 KT...BECOMING NE AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. SWELL W 2 FT. .
SAT...WIND NE 10 KT IN THE MORNING...BECOMING VARIABLE LESS THAN 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. SWELL W 2 FT. .
SUN...WIND NE 10 KT...EXCEPT NW IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. SWELL W 2 FT.

Enjoy, and hope to see y'all soon.

Edited by - on

gnorgan
Admiral

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USA
563 Posts

Response Posted - 11/29/2006 : 00:09:37

Susie and I will be down Friday night or very early Saturday morning so will be sailing most of the day Saturday.
From what Charlie said above, the sailing should be pretty mild but alot of fun. You both are probably sailing every day of this week....wish we were that lucky!! Some of us still have to work for a living

Hope to see you this weekend.

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zeil
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1314 Posts

Response Posted - 12/04/2006 : 16:13:01

Hi Guys:
Yes we did arrive and just for the record ... we had a GREAT weekend sailing in summer like weather with Charlie, Gary and Susie and Gary. Both Gary and Mike came by on the dock and welcomed us to San Diego. Thanks!!!

Just now discovered an internet connection close to our slip on L dock were we hope to stay for some time and explore the area by boat and truck.. More in the next report

Edited by - on

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