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Living on board full time and going South (PART 6)

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zeil
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1314 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/02/2007 : 18:52:17

Living on board full time and going South (PART 6)

It is 7:15 am... as usual we're just up, made the V berth bed and Johanna is busy preparing breakfast of fried eggs, milk cooked oatmeal, juice and coffee. The aroma and sound of fresh brewing coffee fills the cabin. Half of the coffee is saved into a thermos for later... It's been light for about a half hour and when the sun shines, which it does most of the time, you can tell the time, just about to the minute, by the sun rays creeping up on the wall of the V berth. Great, goes through your mind, the sun is shining again... something we don't seem to get enough of... Oh why not... lets just snuggle in nice and warm for a few more minutes...

Then, when it is high time to wake up, you glance around the cabin, V berth, galley and aft berth and again you get the feeling that you're happy to be snug and comfortable inside the C250 WB and even more so because today, it's raining, hard at times and driven by winds of up to 60 mph according to the forecast. Waking up during the night to check the mooring lines and dingy which is on its side on the dock secured by bungees. Everything seems fine. The wind hauls and whines through the moored boats and produces a choir of clings and clangs with halyards and lines striking the mast and rigging. Close by, on another dock, a half unfurled jib makes and awful racket and will be torn to tatters before long. The boat rocks back and forth on its moorings and the wind in the rigging makes it whine... not at all unpleasant.

We plan our day according to the conditions and decide to stay around to do chores, perhaps work on the trip report, continue to build a needed “catch-all shelf”, against the head's bulkhead, do some wood carving, install the 2x2 ft. ½ inch thick closed cell, interlocking fatigue mats bought a week ago as the latest remedy for the sweating in the aft berth. Johanna decides to do her favorite thing and writes the grandkids postcards plus stories, is planning to do some baby sock knitting for the new arrivals, overhaul the galley's storing capacity and together later in the morning will enjoy the coffee saved at breakfast.

Later we'll take a look at the harbors mouth to view the huge rollers breaking at the entrance. Just before lunch time Jim stops by to check on his boat on L dock and walks together with the two of us in the 30 to 40 knot wind to the ocean, stays to have lunch and will be off to work again later. Jim routinely arrives late morning, prepares the boat, sets sail and does not return until dark to drive home after the rush hour subsides. Jim and his C25 seem to belong together!! Enjoyed a few days ago sailing with him and learned some new tricks including flying a spinnaker which was a first for me...

Now, a few days later the sun is shining and it promises to be another day we dreamed of before we started the trip of just “messing about with boats” and doing projects and things... nothing special but totally enjoyable. Looking back it's hard to believe that we arrived on L dock in Marina Village at Mission Bay, San Diego over 4 weeks ago.

Where did the time go... it seems we only just got here and are still settling in. Am hardly able to recall (old age as well) what we did during all that time although come to think of it the journal reflects a long list of activities. Seems just like when we traveled Europe with the kids during a six week house exchange with a family in Belgium back in 1991 (they left their Mercedes at the airport and we brought our Pinto) (just kidding), we seem to need a “crash day” every 4 or 5 days. There is only so much one can absorb doing sight seeing, museums, discovering and traveling besides biking, walking and sailing.

Christmas was celebrated on board of Someday Lady with a fine home cooked meal complete with all trimmings. The kids had all sent us “care packages” which are totally appreciated and enjoyed bringing our married kids and the grandchildren ever so close again. Johanna taped all the kids pictures and drawings to the cockpit's bulkhead and we gained a few pounds consuming all the goodies the “ favorite food care packages” contained. Oh well we'll exercise a little more... Earlier on Christmas eave we attended a heartwarming Christmas celebration in the church we've been going to since our arrival and feel there very much at home... It's gonna be hard to leave again...!

Speaking of leaving... it seems that a rough trip time outline is shaping up... We have to remind ourselves that part of retirement and concept of this trip is to have no particular schedule or fixed plan but for now to travel/sail South where it was warm... However, a few things do need to be kept in mind including our limited US visa waiver and renewal by the end of next month, second our arrival in Ontario, which seems unbelievable far away, during mid May '07 to travel the 350 mile Trent/Severn Canal system, third the promise to our 5 grand-children in Smithers BC to let them look after us for a couple of weeks while their parents take a much wanted break, and lastly doing some contract work for my former employer, (just because I like too and sure helps with some very welcome p(l)ay money) Sooo... given these knowns we decided going further South, at this time, would only make sense if, and you guessed it, laying-up our own float and road equipment for a short while and taking a 10 day cruise continuing our way South along the Pacific coast through the Panama canal and then East to Puerto Rico. Since we're able to safely store the equipment and given the price to fly to Seattle (Vancouver) to renew our US visa's and at the same time visit the kids in Vancouver we booked the entire trip. The only leg not booked/confirmed is the return trip back to San Diego.

Yes... we are rather exited about this leg of the trip... we have never taken a cruise before and so it 'll be a new adventure. In short the itinerary calls for renting a one-way car from San Diego to LA, stay overnight to fly the next day to Acapulco, Mexico with transfer to the ship the same day... Ports of call during the 10 day trip will be Huatulco in Mexico, Puerto Quetzal in Guatemala, Puntarenas in Costa Rica, Forte Amador, Panama, Aruba and finally San Juan in Porto Rico. We're planning to stay 2 days in Porto Rico to explore the rain forest and a fort. After that we'll fly to Seattle and travel to Vancouver for a short 10 day family visit and return to San Diego to continue our trip to Florida. The trip to and stay in Florida will be probably along the same lines as the trip South, however, we are open to recommendations and suggestions.

At the very beginning of our previous report (part 5) we mentioned that we hadn't changed our minds at all regarding living in the “cramped” space of the C250 WB... I should have used the word “confined” which much better describes the layout of the interior. Even after using the boat as our home for over 3 months there is little, besides personalizing it with some shelves and things, that we can think of. We love the double function of the settee with V berth bed and by keeping the removable cross back rest in place the V berth bed stays neat and organized, which for Johanna, is important. The seating in the settee area, with the cross back rest in place, proved over and over that it is ideal for eating, reading, watching videos, entertaining and taking (almost full body length) afternoon nappies.

The modified teak table with extensions and slide outs with storage baskets below works out great and stays neat most of the time. We store our books, flash lights, wallet, address/phone book, writing material, logs, maps, music CD's, a bottle of afternoon wine & spiced rum with snackies, parts & pieces of projects and misc. all for easy reach and use. Most food items, except fresh, are stored in the coaming below the starboard settee. My substantial amount of boat tools, tape, glue, electrical stuff and battery loader, plastic boxes with spare parts & bolts and screws, 2 dock chairs together with a green Pokon sunbrella, (the kids hate the thing) fishing stuff, extra sheets and lines of all sizes, spare anchor and rode, two white coveralls & work gloves for bottom work, some spray paint are stored together with odds and ends in the coaming below the port settee. Both sides are full... The area below the V berth is used for 2 cases of bottled water (extra weight) and for stuff we took along but seldom seem to use... In spite of cutting the hatch board in half and adding a piano hinge it is still a chore to get into that area. I'll stop describing all this boring stuff now before your minds drift off. However, having all this organized and what's even more knowing where to find it in a pinch can be very satisfying or hugely frustrating when you know you have it but don't remember where the dickens you stored it... Naturally Johanna should know it... right??

Oh...ya... forgot to mention that our, 30 year plus back home neighbors, Henk and Ginny Vander Horst (sure they are Dutch) are going to visit us in few days here in San Diego with their entire extended family of 14 people... We will meet them at Seaworld and hopefully give them (I practiced lots) a good soaking with the water cannons during their river ride at Seaworld and afterwards spend lots of (making-up) time together... we are excited and really looking forward to finally seeing some faces we will recognize.

See you next time which most likely will be after we return from the big-ship trip since we don't intent to take the computer along or e-mail from the boat's $8.95 per minute or more connection...

Love ye all...!!

Henk Grasmeyer
hgrasmeyer@uniserve.com

IMG_1944 IMG_1963 IMG_1947 IMG_1966 IMG_1925 IMG_1978 IMG_1923 IMG_1942 IMG_1941 IMG_1935 IMG_1908 IMG_1973 IMG_1917 IMG_1967
IMG_1982 IMG_1938

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 - zeil on 01/02/2007 18:56:48

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 01/02/2007 : 23:25:05

Henk, I'm really going to miss you and Joanna I wish you were staying. Let me know soon if you are going to come back to race Newport-Ensenada with me. It is April 27 - 29. We would be gone April 26 - 30. 5 days at sea and a trip to Ensenada. Help me finish what I started. 2 years in a row DNF does not taste good to me.

Love that photo of us during the wind storm.

Edited by - on

zeil
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1314 Posts

Response Posted - 01/05/2007 : 21:53:48

Thank you Jim, Gary, Mike, Charlie, Ineke, Jerry, dock attendants and every one else for making our stay on Mission Bay a very special time... we'll provide more detail in the next trip report. Right now we are in LA to transfer to Acapulco on the way to see the Panama Canal... a wish I have had since I was a young boy.

Jim, as mentioned, I would love to crew with you during the Newport Ensenada race if things work out.

Our road and float equipment is safely stored at Gary and Susan Norgan's place... A huge thank you in advance

Edited by - on

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