Choices

Flat calm. An ever so subtle transfer of energy from the ocean to the hull brings me back from my thoughts as I lay on my foredeck.  The lights of the small village I float nearby all go dark as if by que as the generators shut down for the night.  The stars already bright suddenly glow brighter as slowly my eyes adjust and I slip back into my thoughts.   Slight blues and red flash as some stars reveal they are not all white.  Maybe they didn't just reveal this, maybe I just started to pay attention.  Or maybe the absence of all man made distraction helped me to see.  Or maybe the barely perseptable movement of the Golden Hind on which I float, tethered  to Terra by a mere hook and rode shifted my thoughts to notice. 

Dawn will again come, all this will be masked by a deep blue, pinks, reds and finally day will break..  Again so many stars disappear from sight.  That's ok because the warmth of first light will touch my skin and distraction from these thoughts are replaced with another beautiful gift.  Life, a life spent living it my way.  For now, I will sacrifice a world I was conditioned to need to live a life with time.  A currency so easily spent by far too many, far to easily.  A currency which seems to be endless until it is too late.  A currency we all have but valued differently by everyone.

I am lucky, not because I am laying on the foredeck on a warm December night floating 35 feet above the ground on crystal clear water.  That was a series of hard choices made and dedication.   No, I am lucky because of the country embossed on my passport.  The choice by those who rule afforded me the chance to choose.   Not all have this. 

 I watched two young boys today, maybe 8 and 10 run out of their fibreboard shack with kitchen pots obviously sent by their mother to fetch water halfway across town.  This sight touched me a bit because I know this is their life. Their little chore and their little dedication to their family.  They will have very little chance for escape for better things.  Maybe one of those little boys will be a shimmering blue or red light unlike the miriad of simple white spots.  Different from the mould.  I hope they see it.

And yet here I am, anchored 600 feet from their doorstep by choice.  I fetched water from the same sistern yesterday. 

If the chance is given or a choice is an option, choose to take back the time.  Don't spend it on money. Money can not buy you time.  Take the conditioned barriers that are built around you since before birth and push them aside.  Take back your time and pursue your life.  This is not a rehearsal and no divine master is going to beam you up when your currency is all spent.  Take it and choose how to spend it.  Chase a dream, be brave and gybe for the first time.  Resetting your sails takes effort and energy to catch the wind in a new direction. The wind is there and the choice is yours which direction you choose, it is not dictated. 

All that is needed is a moment without distraction to see the difference between so many choices that all look the same.  It is easy to miss the subtleties that make one choice shine a little differently.  Not all the same are the paths chosen.

  Right now is the time. Do not wait for tomorrow when today shines so brightly.

 

The Unknown

Today I learned why you should always carry a knife when cruising in Mexico.

I am a very cautious man. When it comes to sailing and sailing offshore I typically double think things and ensure I as well as my boat is prepared for the next journey.  I like to research unfamiliar topics and glean advise from other possibly more experienced individuals to ensure I am as prepared as possible..  I rarely shrink back from a challenge and typically try to over achieve. .  This has been both a help and a hindrance in my life.

Before I set off from the safety of my familiar waters, I heard much talk of piracy and banditos on the Baja as well as elsewhere in Mexico. 

Today I was lucky to have been carrying my dive knife in my backpack.  I wasn't packing it out of fear of being mugged.. No, I only had it on my person because I had just came from a day of free diving and spearing fish for tonight's dinner in the crystal blue waters off an offshore reef..  

After catching enough food for 3 nights supply for Duke and I, I kicked off my flippers, pulled anchor and powered my dinghy back to the sheltered Cove where my sailboat floated lazily on her hook.  The Sun was hot today, and the warm air crystallized the salt on my skin as the chill from evaporation was replaced by the sun's heat aided by the dry air and the spead across the calm water.  I have taken to searching for reefs further from shore, pinnacles where the larger fish roam. This time just around the corner to my starboard is Santa Maria and the small shark fishermen camp where Hammerhead,  Maco are the main prey.  Those big boys are further out.   To my port is a small fishing village of Belcher Bay where they toss the byproducts into the water which according to the locals brings in Tiburon in the 5 ft range for a free dinner.  . Armed with my knife strapped to my leg, a homemade hawaiian sling and a lung full of air, I haven't had to buy meet in weeks.

As I journeyed down the coast, I waited for the water to finally warm and clear enough to hunt.  This would also mean entering another country where things are done differently from my home in Canada.  On the southern trek I passed through areas of extreme oppulance and shady neighborhoods where walking to get supplies, poor women offer favors literally for alcohol.  In these places, I didn't feel in danger or nervous but I felt sick because of how society needs the extremes to push people to the top.  The first rule of physics applies here as well.  I was warned fervently about the corruptness of the people just a few lines of latitude south.  Undaunted, I set the sails and caught a favorable breeze south in the early evening for the overnight passage to clear in.

What I have been met with since entering Mexico has been extremely friendly and helpful people.  There is the typical larceny on the beach by young men wanting money to "watch my dinghy" much like Brazil where this is done in almost every parking lot or street.  I was used to it and somewhat expected it.  But that has only occurred in Bahia Tortugas where the Baja Ha Ha and FUBAR have inadvertently taught the locals that they can expect money from sailors.  This has been isolated to this one location so far but hey man, these locals ended up being very helpful and giving, inviting us to party with them into the late of night.  And that young man did "watch the dinghies" as the rising tide almost washed away a few if it wasn't for him keeping watch and running  out there to drag them higher up the beach.  Well worth the 25 pesos.

This brings me to my bay.  I have spent over a week exploring the huge bay solo as one group of boats headed south and I waited for the rest of the group to catch up. Affording me time to really get to know the people.  I roam the sand roads, waved at by the chubby men and weathered women.  Invited to sit in the shade and engage in a match of 'decipher this sentence'.  I enjoy the interaction.  My Spanish is increasing exponentially as they laugh at my pronunciation. 

Lupas, Moy amigo.  He has found me gasolina when I was almost out, bargained with the water man to get me drinking water straight from the Desaladora Planta cistern.   Gave me two massive lobster simply because I help him with his English.   These are the people of the Baja.  These are people with very little.   Little boys with slicked over parted black hair running down the beach to help me get my dinghy in the Agua.   Beeping their horns and waving as they pull their pangas down the beach road.  They know of me as I live just out of reach in my floating home.  

Any good sailor is self sufficient. Able to find or fix their way out of any situation.  

Arriving back at the Golden Hind IV, I lifted the bucket of fish over the gunwale and spun the inflatable around for shore.  Duke has been on the water for a few hours and needs to take a break.  After landing on the remote beach and the wind picking up, I laced my arms and slid the backpack on for a quick hike.  All is great except for the wind steadily building..  There is a change in the weather coming. A front is clearly visable as the stacked clouds line across the sky.  Shirtless and in shorts, I pull the dinghy across the crushed shell beach and back into the water as duke jumps onto the bow as he has been trained to do.  Firing up the engine, and gunning it to push upwind to the boat,  I quickly sucked up a scrap of fishing net into the prop. Unable to free it by hand and being blown further down the bay, I remembered the dive knife.  I was lucky as this was the first time I packed a knife. Now my multi tool is always on my belt.  Saved me a long long paddle back home.

I know that as this adventure continues, I will pass through areas not near as trusting and safe.  But for now, I can tell you that the people of the Baja in these small, dry fishing villages are gems.  They are rough around the edges but their souls are good and I have been lucky enough to be embraced by them.

Tick Tock

With each mark of latitude and every mile ticking by on the plotter my spirits rise.  The water has gone from a dark greenish black through many hues of dark blue to a light crystal blue.  Sitting snug in the San Quintin channel listening to the gurgling of the 4 knt current on the hull, I have time to reflect on my 1800 NM. journey to get here.

I remember the first few days, leaving the security of my slip in Ladysmith,BC and winding my way through the Gulf Islands and San Juans.  Every island held memories of nights spent under the stars dreaming of the day I would set out.  So many memories of days running spinnaker up the channels and daydreaming of greater adventures. I wondered when I might see these places I have grown to love again.

Another line of latitude finds me off the coast of Washington.  This coast is not to be taken lightly. Wild and cold the nights of solo sailing are lonely. 

A few more ticks of latitude and I cross the Oregon line.  Water is like crystal. Blue and Cold.  The freak wind storms that can develop along this desolate coast will close all the bars making it impossible to find shelter.  I remember the time spent weather routing to ensure the next port would be made before the next weather system rolled in. The big seas have long since become normal.  The Golden Hind IV takes it all in stride and pushes forward .  She is an amazing boat.

Watching the miles go under the keel and the water lightening to a clear blue,  my spirits rise as finally California passes by my port side.  Being caught in an unforcasted wind storm, I surfed into Crescent city in high seas and on the verge of dangerous conditions..  Surfing the angry steep seas, the peaceful blue turned to black as the wind whipped the tops of the waves.  The exhausting run finally saw me making the placid Cove of Crescent city at 2:30AM.  A light fog on the flat water lit up by the Sodium Vapour made me reflect on what just happened and how glad I was to be safe at harbor.  

At 40° latitude. ,  I rounded the infamous Cape Mendocino.  This Cape is a turning point and any cruiser that has rounded this Cape know that it is a big thing.  We set out as a group under calm conditions and rounded in the dead of night.  Flat calm.  Next stop, Sausalito in San Francisco  Bay where a 3 day turn around to reprovision turned into 2 weeks as a storm system slammed into the coast.  

Miles under the keel, blue water passing under keep this journey real.  Dolphins playing in the bow wave like torpedoes trailing phosphorescence in the night. Always a welcome sight and a chance to lay on the bow trailing my hand in the passing water watching the creatures dart back and forth in the black of night.

Lights of LA and new friends opening their arms to me in Cabrillo was a nice break from the open seas. A chance to get out on the town and down many beers in the local bars and boats.  Good times and great new friends.  Newport Beach is the meaning of American excess.  Anchored right in the middle of glass castles and multimillion dollar yachts, I couldn't help but feel excited to get south and out of this atmosphere. 

Finally the crossing where the starboard shroud gets a new flag..  The red white and green of Mexico replaced the stars and stripes..  At about 31°latitude, Ensenada.  Clearing in was a snap.  Although time consuming and about half a tree later, the very official personel made love to their rubber stamps and triple stamped everything.  But what do I care, I'm in and nothing would be better than to celebrate with cheap beer and fish tacos with friends.

This brings me to where I lay now.  Snug in the harbor of San Quintin.  The blue water framed by sand dunes and dormant volcanoes all around the coastline make me realize how far from home I am..  And yet I think about what the future will bring.

Cruising Life

So the expedition to head for Mexico with the expectation to be in San Diego by Oct 20th and across the Mexican border by Nov 30th will not be realized.  Expectations need to be very loosely made.  The Sept/Oct cruising season down the west coast has been very unsettled to say the least.  With major storms wreaking havoc, long periods of no wind or southerly's has slowed the Southern progress.  Maybe that's a good thing. It has forced me to slow down and just take things as they come.  It is good in another way as well.  The slower push south has given me extra days layed up in snug little harbours otherwise blasted by on a faster route.  

Sausalito was a great stop.  San Francisco skyline at night is a treat, floating on the lumpy Anchorage. What was originally going to be a 3 day stop over to reprovision turned into over 2 weeks with impending storms which brang 40 knots at times in Sausalito but also spawned a tornado on the Oregon coast.   This came at the same time as the East coast was blasted by Hurricane Matthew.  

Finally able to head south, I made the 24 hour jump to Monterey Bay, making landfall by 7:30 am.  A day and a half there was more than enough to explore cannery row and take in the aquarium.   Beautiful little city but somehow left me wanting more.  

I was eager to leave monterey to catch the 15 hour weather window which would get me almost to my next destination of Morro  Bay.  This small town is a must stop for cruisers.  Although the bar can be dangerous on an ebb tide and high weather,  it is easily transitted on slack or flood in low and medium conditions.  The flat calm protected Anchorage is home to many different breeds of sea birds, sea lions and pacific sea otters.   These otters are so accustomed to humans that they don't make a move as you paddle right up to them to discover that most of the proud mama's have babies laying on their stomachs.  The crystal blue water and the massive Morro rock make an idealic stop over.  The main street caters to tourists with many coffee shops pubs and restaurants .  The temperature in late October is easy t shirt weather.  Paddle boards and dinghies are an excellent was to explore the dunes and watch rays fly along the bottom, disturbed by the floating craft above....

Duke and I will be stuck here for maybe a week as a calm period passes through leading to strong southerlies.  I'm ok with that.  I plan on snorkeling the delta, chase some rays and enjoy my morning coffee as sleeping sea otters with their heads buried in their paws drift lazily by the Golden Hind.  

Cabrillo bay, Newport Beach and San Diego will just have to wait.  I'm fully in the cruising mode along with my friends made along the way and enjoying what I never had before...  Time.

Settling in takes time

One of the first things I have learned about solo sailing is the vast amount of time one has to reflect on oneself and the things in your past.  Trading the hustle bustle of regular life is a two edged sword.  Regular life has so many distractions between work,  friends,  family,  chores,  pets.... the list goes on..  If you strip all this away and replace it with a small boat and a solid,  unbroken horizon with a pinch of ocean and sometimes wicked waves thrown in...  You spend a lot of time thinking about your past..  The future is yet unwritten.  All there is,  is waves,  wind and time....  Time...  Time to make peace with yourself as you watch the miles tick off on the GPS. 

I think this is a normal readjustment for anyone who goes from a fairly typical daily routine to stepping away from anywhere. 

What I find as being beautiful is taking the time to really enjoy the small things..  Like,  Orion has come above the horizon..  I don't know why but I have felt such enjoyment in seeing Orion make its appearance.  The stars so bright and a depth in the night sky like I haven't seen in a long time.  Blues typically masked from the night sky by the light pollution of civilization..  Seeing the night sky in its true 3 dimensional state not as a flat tapestry of small specks of white.  The sweet desolation of sound.  Wind and waves dominate the spectrum of sound.  Go outside and listen..  What do you hear?  If you are anywhere near a city, you will hear the sounds that civilization makes..  Imagine a world without this.  And the time..  The time to actually appreciate these small things..

The sailing life has many adjustments to make.  Slowing your mind down, thinking about the current and not too far forward or back.  Pay attention to the now because there will be no future if the current isn't respected... And the past, well, be happy for it because without it, you wouldn't be here on the ocean doing what you love.  

Mission: Mexico. Days 1-3

The first few days of leg one to Neah bay  have been fairly uneventful.  Lifted anchor under sunny skies from Ladysmith, BC on September 12th at 11:46. Did a final touch up on the hull, scraping the odd mussel who had being determined to attach itself to the coated hull.  Had fantastic wind from behind allowing me to running on wing with the tide through Samsun Narrows. Just outside of chemainus  , I was greeted by a pod of porpoises which over the next few days turns out to be a common occurrence.

Set anchoring at night in Canoe Bay under Starry Skies. Was a great day on the water. Excited for the trip to come, we bedded down by 10 to watch a movie, Duke and me.

We had an easy morning allowing us to sleep in to hit the tides right for our short 20 nautical mile run to Friday Harbor to clear customs. When pulling up onto the busy Customs dock, I noticed Sea Shepherd and the Martin Sheen vessel was clearing as well. While waiting for the officer to arrive I took the opportunity to talk to the crew who are very inviting and friendly regarding opportunities to volunteer aboard this amazing sailing vessel. Turns out they will be in Mexico in La Paz at the same time I am! Food for thought! Clearing customs turned out to be a bit of an ordeal once they found out I was taking this boat single-handed to Mexico. I was referred up to the customs office with vague description on its location. After searching the streets for half an hour and asking half a dozen people where the customs office is , I found its new location right on the corner two blocks up from where I was told it was.

Duke is a bit of a rockstar, he gets attention everywhere he goes. The crew members of Martin Sheen took a real liking to him but he's coming with me! While drinking coffee at the Bean and working on my website I was told by a couple of young ladies that he's a chick magnet! LOL

That night I did a final rig inspection, found two cotter pins missing which could have led to a catastrophic event and repaired the Windex on the top of the mast. The weather has been fantastic nothing but sunny skies and heavy Dew in the morning. I am chomping at the bit to get going though

The morning of the 15th saw us off the hook by 7 a.m. and under way to catch them through the San Juan Channel. Greeted once again just as I entered the Juan de Fuca Buy two different types of porpoise. The black and white Dalls porpoise  and the harbour porpoise. They are everywhere!

Had some engine issues today , the newly-installed Racor filter was sucking air on one of the fittings. This forced me to shut down the engine as the winds are non-existent and Bob around for two and a half hours while I repaired and bled the system. Back up and running and fighting the tide around race rocks to reach Neah Bay. It is currently 14: 47. At the current rate I will be in Neah Bay by 2 a.m.

Onward I go as I take advantage of a little cell signal.  Last I may see for a while.

Check out the exit video HERE!

https://youtu.be/VCkZ9NrPXs8

A Liquid Life is Finally Heading offshore!

 

So finally after 6 years of rebuilding the Golden Hind IV,

 we are leaving the safety of port and sheltered waters of  

      Eastern Vancouver Island!

 

 

It has been a long road since I bought "Goldie" as one of my good friends has dubbed her.  We have been through a lot of changes as she experienced all my love and attention bringing her back to cruising shape.  She has been given a new lease on life and will soon be heading out to explore the wide open blue like the proud little ship she is.




The plan:

• Quit the job.  Check!!
• Finish up all the last minute projects.  In Progress!!
• Provision the ship for an offshore run to San Fransisco, San Diego and Cabo San Lucas.
• Spend the winter months exploring the Baja and Mainland Mexico.!
• Decide in the spring if we head for the South Pacific or South into Central and South America,

So its time to pack the foul weather gear, life equipment and sunscreen.  The Golden Hind IV is about to put some serious miles under the keel!










If you are interested in following her journey, please check out the link to YouTube  here !

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Thanks for checking out this page and fairwinds!