Turtle Bay

We arrived at Turtle Bay (Bahia San Bartolome') on the Pacific side of the Baja California Sur, at sunrise...what a beautiful picture. However, the town is a poor mining town or? and not so pretty. The landscape is mainly a desert with lots of gullies and ravines...interesting.

We set anchor and the boat next to us hailed us...from Bellingham, WA.

The local fuel dock guy, zoomed out in his "panga" (boat) and said he would be back as soon as he refuled the boat next to us. So, we had breakfast (tofu scrambled with mushrooms, green peppers, etc...and hot sauce...tasty).

Heather downloaded another GRIB file...and found how to make little ballons with the knots of wind speed in them. We will have wind but light for the next day or so...then we should get around 11 knots (currently we have 4 knots).

We left the bay after the "Bellingham" guy asked Heather to be a crew member and gave her his e-mail address. Right...with Corey standing there...and he had a leaky boat, torn head sail, no radar...and she said he was a creep. So much for being nice and giving him weather data.

Heather has problems with the GRIB files wanting to download onto Map Media...vs C-map NT (map media is a Raster file and we don't use it...but it seems to always be in the back ground on this V 11.0 of Max Sea). Oh well, we can get it to appear on C-map...never sure what this software does that way. She digs into it...me? I just want to use it. She is good with computers.

Shortly after leaving Turtle Bay...a huge grey whale breached to the port side of the Noe Mar and crossed our bow...then breached again. All the time leaving a slick of bubbles and yellowish material in it's wake. Is this the famous material that French perfumers paid dearly for? If so, it made the perfume last a long time. The whale was accompanied by another that passed behind the Noe Mar...no bubbles and no slick, but it did show us it's flukes as it dove. What a sight. Add to the great sunset later on...all in all a great day.

We are currently doing 5 knots in 4 knots of wind with gentle seas. 27 deg 17.5 min N and
114 deg 46.7 W.

How do we achieve this great speed over the wind??? Well, Heather and Corey (a racing team if I ever saw one) asked for more sails...I brought out the old and stained Spinnaker...we rigged it, used my spinnaker pole...made a downhaul...and it works. Not to mention the Mizzen Stays'l (aka Mule) and the Tops'l...all flying and all working. Need to save fuel (we took on 120 liters or 30 gallons at a cost of $80).

I am thinking of taking a look at "Mag Bay" and proceeding to our Port of Entry...Cabo...perhaps spending an evening in town and off to La Plaz. Perhaps, due to light wind...I'll leave the Noe Mar there%

Turtle Bay

We arrived at Turtle Bay (Bahia San Bartolome') on the Pacific side of the Baja California Sur, at sunrise...what a beautiful picture. However, the town is a poor mining town or? and not so pretty. The landscape is mainly a desert with lots of gullies and ravines...interesting.

We set anchor and the boat next to us hailed us...from Bellingham, WA.

The local fuel dock guy, zoomed out in his "panga" (boat) and said he would be back as soon as he refuled the boat next to us. So, we had breakfast (tofu scrambled with mushrooms, green peppers, etc...and hot sauce...tasty).

Heather downloaded another GRIB file...and found how to make little ballons with the knots of wind speed in them. We will have wind but light for the next day or so...then we should get around 11 knots (currently we have 4 knots).

We left the bay after the "Bellingham" guy asked Heather to be a crew member and gave her his e-mail address. Right...with Corey standing there...and he had a leaky boat, torn head sail, no radar...and she said he was a creep. So much for being nice and giving him weather data.

Heather has problems with the GRIB files wanting to download onto Map Media...vs C-map NT (map media is a Raster file and we don't use it...but it seems to always be in the back ground on this V 11.0 of Max Sea). Oh well, we can get it to appear on C-map...never sure what this software does that way. She digs into it...me? I just want to use it. She is good with computers.

We are currently doing 5 knots in 4 knots of wind with gentle seas. 27 deg 17.5 min N and
114 deg 46.7 W.

How do we achieve this great speed over the wind??? Well, Heather and Corey (a racing team if I ever saw one) asked for more sails...I brought out the old and stained Spinnaker...we rigged it, used my spinnaker pole...made a downhaul...and it works. Not to mention the Mizzen Stays'l (aka Mule) and the Tops'l...all flying and all working. Need to save fuel (we took on 120 liters or 30 gallons at a cost of $80).

I am thinking of taking a look at "Mag Bay" and proceeding to our Port of Entry...Cabo...perhaps spending an evening in town and off to La Plaz. Perhaps, due to light wind...I'll leave the Noe Mar there and we all can fly home. The trip is great and varied but Candy was unable to fly to San Diego for the day...and it is time to go home.

At our current speed we should arrive in Cabo San Lucas or Cabo Falso in 3 days. Since today is the 27th of February of 2006...that would put us there around March 2nd...depends on the wind.

To go La Plaz is another day or so. After that it would be 2 days to San Carlos or so. Never very accurate when one depends on wind and currents.

Heather asked me why the "Teddy's" became Russian...well, my Russian military hat (very warm) was sitting next to them, I couldn't name a Purple bear for California's Golden Bear (besides, I'm an Oregonian)...and since the "Russian Bear" is tough and ferocious...and these guys are small and gentle...Hey...it just popped into my head. I should give the name Senor Teddyovich to the male Teddy...so there we have it...new names for now....Senora Teddiana (or Teddyana) and Senor Teddyovich.......wait until you meet them...very soft, very cuddley, and good company (probably due to their former owner).

Corey is doing great...me? My rib is killing me...but a few Ibuprofen...and it is OK. Hard to sleep...and I must walk and sit right. Oh well, such is life and it will heal just fine.

I never am able to justify my ballon Jib...it is the same size as my Genoa (but lighter and slightly more belly)and it never seems to do the trick...perhaps I don't know how to set it. Wish my Spinnaker was about 8-10 ft longer...it flys well but is small. Nice shape...horrible color (called...stain).

Time to go for another day.......miss all of you and see most of you soon.

Skipper of the s/v Noe Mar............................ Ken

Senora Tediana and Senor Ted

The wind is still light...however in 4 knots apparent wind we are sailing @ 4.5 knots over the earth...and when we have 5 knots or better we can sail @ 5.3 knots. Must have a current...but the Mizzen Mule works great and the Tops'l is up and pulling also.

We figure on stopping @ Turtle Bay for fuel due to the huge amount of engine time. Speaking of which...clogged another filter...glad I had a spare and very glad I have dual Racor filters.
We should arrive @ Turtle Bay around 5 AM tomorrow morning.

Our current position is: 29 deg 06.77 min N and 115 deg. 32.71 min W. At 9 AM this morning we were out from Bahia Blanca...across the Baja peninsula from the Isla Angel de la Guarda (in the Sea of Cortez)

Corey is feeling better...I gave him my wrist band that is an electrical device to stimulate pressure points to prevent mal de mar.......seems to work...or is he just adjusting? Who cares he is drinking a Belgium Raspberry beer after 2 bowls of granola...great.

OK, who are the Senora & Senor I mentioned???

Senora Tediana (bears are Russian..right) and Senor Ted (However, we are in Mexico) belong to a Welsh Lass and an Ancient Scotsman (both USA blends) and they decided to take up residency on the Noe Mar. These two Teddy Bears have no eyes but are great with ESP...and take long hibernations when I am not aboard. They do indeed enjoy their life aboard (or so they say...by ESP). The Senora is very pretty...all purple and velvety...the Senor is typical male...rather plain but a nice brown hue. They keep each other company and the Skipper also. They thanked me a lot for not going to an adoption home (which the Welsh Lass was going to do...can you believe that?)and said they love the Noe Mar and the Quarter Berth. They just sit and snuggle all day and all night...very nice...and send me good vibes.

Heather is still fixing good meals and the Taylor Stove is working well...the Fridge is cold (thus the Cervaza/Beer) and the water is HOT!!! Life is good...miss Candy and all of my friends (better e-mail a bunch of them and see if I get a reply :) Pat Pope (my youngest husband...aka son-in-law) is posting these blogs...so I thank him.

From the Crew plus Tediana & Ted...plus the Skipper of the Noe Mar....

Hasta luego mi amigos......................Ken

Mexico

What a day,Feb 24th,...taxi rides to the Mexican Consulate (surprise...we do NOT have to have a Visa for the boat...or fishing license...or Insurance...but it is a good idea to get it when we get there...just need our own visa's and they ushered us by a ton of Mexican's in line for hours and hours...what a Country)...next, Whole Foods, the Noe Mar is now listing to the Starboard due to food that Heather got and beer that I tossed in the carts. Oh, talking of Taxi rides...I forgot...yesterday I took a Taxi ride back to DownWind Marine...got a curtesy flag for Mexico, a super filter for contaminated water...set up to filter solid particles out of the marina water...and 99% of all bacteria. Two filters and all set up for the 2 drinking water hoses on board the Noe Mar. Who needs a water maker? Of course one needs to add 1 tablespoon full of bleach with every 10 gallons of water.

Heather took inventory of the food...she and Corey swabed the decks...and the interior...we arranged the bedding...unplugged the shore power...changed oil...we are ready to go. Oh yes, it is very difficult to get rid of used oil in SD.

We backed out with a strong current...got caught crosswise and nicked a big power boat...the owner looked under it and said it cracked his swim platform (it was in neutral and I had just put it in forward...oops..hopefully the liability insurance will cover it). The airies is fine...didn't even bend it...not sure about the power boat B&B...time will tell.

On to the America's Cup harbor and fuel (yes, DownWind Marine had 5 gal diesel tanks).

Set the Main/Mizzen and working jib. The harbor was windy and it was late in the evening...so we reefed the Main. Set a course for Cabo Falso and lost our wind...Oh well, fired up the Iron Genny...Corey took first watch and we took off.

I awoke @ 11 PM, took over until 3 AM...no wind...and I missed the Islas Coronados...Oh well, such is life. We are now off Punta la cesta del gato @ 31 deg 21.4 min N and 116 deg 40.4 min W.

Well, I better get this off...it is my watch soon and Corey is a little quezzy...

Hasta Luego mi amigos...Yes, we are in Mexico..........Skipper of the s/v Noe Mar...Ken

San Diego..WOW!

This last leg of the trip from San Rafael to San Diego was a little of everything.
We had heavy winds...ran one night with "Jib & Jigger"...motored the last night and so goes the West coast weather. The Autopilot kept us on coarse and helped us make record time.

We arrived in San Diego amid jet planes, and the Navy testing huge engines (due to the loud roar that was on going as we entered the harbor). US Coast guard was flying their choppers as was the US Navy...what a busy place. The city was shrouded with smog...but up close it was sunny and pleasant.

We pulled into the Public Docks at the San Diego Police dock/Immigrations at 11:30 on Wed. Feb 22. Not bad after sailing out of San Rafael on the 19th.

As soon as we tied up to the "pump out" station and I went to get a berth...my crew packed and got ready to go. In fact, Clayton called Alaska and got a flight to Seattle that afternoon and I booked Aron to fly out this Sat. I gave them $20 for a Taxi and they both posed for a picture and off they went...before 1 PM.

I got a berth assignment ($10.50) and moved the Noe Mar with help from a couple of guys that were near by. One was buying a boat docked there...and he said he was going to take her to SF and then to the Philipines...this for a man who had never sailed and who looked older than the Noe Mar's skipper...good luck, I said.

Walked to DownWind Marine...got a couple of stainless bolts (one was a 1/2" eyebolt made in France...spendy) to repair the mizzen boom and the autopilot. As it turns out I was able to get a stainless 1/2" nut screwed down low enough to repair the autopilot's pivot. Amazing how much torque the autopilot exerts. Went over to West Marine...but no 5 gal diesel cans and no flexible solar panels...OH well. Stopped by a shop and had a printer make a "port of Origin" sign for the stern of the Noe Mar.

Next...called the Marriott Marina and booked a spendy slip for one night. Was able to get on line for a few minutes and notified Corey where I would be and to take the Marriott shuttle.

Motored to down town San Diego, on Feb 23nd, and found the Marina...tight and the wind shoved me the wrong way...but I made it. Moored and signed in.

WOW!! I found Heather and Corey trying to find the Noe Mar...I and the Noe Mar have a new crew.

Hasta luego...and Mexico here we come...............Skipper Ken

No Wind & Wind!!!

Today is Tues, Feb 21, 2006 our position is 33 deg 52 min N and 118 deg 56 min W...in English this is in the Santa Monica Bay of California...soon to be in the San Pedro Channel off Los Angeles.

Yesterday afternoon...light winds so up went all the sails...including the Mizzen Mule/Spinniker...etc. Of course we took them down in the evening...and then quickly reefed the main...followed by lowering the Mizzen and the Jib...heading up and lowering the Main. The winds were heavy (25-35 knots?) and the waves steep...it got dusk and then dark before the Main was untangled. However, the crew did it while I took the helm (safest place...I'm old but not dumb).

We motored the rest of the night, came into Ventura and refuled, then called Candy and Heidi (message on my phone).

Our top speed was maintained at 8.6 knots and we motor @ 5-5.5 knots. Currently we are under Main and Mizzen, only, and sailing from 5.4-6.2 knots. Wind is on our stern. Nice sunny day.

The dolphins finally found us...or we them...a huge pod has been playing with us for the last 30-60 minutes. Clayton and Aron took lots of digital pictures...great fun.

I have reserved a one night (or did she insist on 2 nights?) moorage at the Marriott Marina in San Diego on the 23rd. We should arrive on the 22nd and I am counting on the San Diego Police moorage for one night.

Need to put a locking nut on the Tiller autopilot...but the new system is fantastic. Batteries are holding up well...but we do motor a lot...more than I wish. We took on 35 gallons of fuel, and at today's prices...spendy.

I was tossed about last night as I picked up a pen to put in it's velcro holder...OUCH...my side still hurts. I did the unspeakable...but only for 5 min...I fell asleep @ 1:45 AM at the end of my watch. Aron says it was 1 AM but I had just checked the clock...so? Ok, I give up, tonight I will set all of my alarms...it is pretty at night but that is a long 4 hours from 10 PM to 2 AM and very boring.

Food is holding up well...we can never eat all of this...water tanks are good...and it is a great day! Oh yes, warm & sunny.

I think on the next leg, I will disable the Aires (no, she is not going in the trash...just that the autopilot is so great going downwind and making good time). We seem to be doing around 100 miles per day, and I have put a highlighted X on our chart I printed out as we progress. I need to print out a chart for the next trip.

Time to close this rambling Blog and see if I can e-mail a friend or 2 before resting for a while.

Hasta luego mi amigos.....................Skipper Ken/s/v Noe Mar

Sailing in the Santa Barbara Channel!

Guess what...here we are 34 deg 27.27 min N and 120 deg 53 min W...heading into the Santa Barbara Channel...with all sails up...and no motor. We are sailing @ 5.5-5.7 knots (as good as the Iron Genny does).

Great fun this afternoon...we got a light air and Clayton said...can we set the Tops'l...of course and so we did. Not enough...next the Mizzen Stays'l (Mule) and we picked up another knot. Not to be one to wonder what to do next...Clayton asked for the Ballon jib...OK...that went up. Hmmm...didn't you say you had a Spinniker? Of course...and stains & all...it soon replaced the Ballon jib...and it worked great.

With the engine off..we calculated we had enough fuel to barely make San Diego...so rather than risk it we are planning on fueling up @ Ventura tomorrow afternoon. If we keep on sailing @ over 5 knots we may not even stop. However, between the Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz Islands we could loose wind...then on with the Iron Genny.

Aron is great, smart and level headed...Clayton is smart and willing to try everything (and is well trained to do so)...good crew. We eat the same things (except Clayton is 100% Vegetarian)...they made a great salad last night...and they let me sleep...but awaken me when required. What a crew. Glad they are aboard...they are making this trip faster than I would have by my self.

That reminds me...we do need a proper and larger Spinniker..hmmm...another BOAT $ ????

Jerry & Joni have been helping me with ideas about San Diego (yes, they answer my SSB e-mail) and are enjoying their life on the s/v Lotus (which they built in their back yard in Salem, OR). They love the small towns of Mexico and are sorry that I am Zinging down the coast of CA.

Did I mention the warmish sunny weather? If not...we have it (around 50 F). Still cool at nights but getting better.

Clayton got the Aries working well...but the wind is variable...so back on with the autopilot (Raymarine) and it is working GREAT!!! I know I gave a guy a bad time about wind vanes vs auto pilots in Port Hadlock the day I left...I owe him an apology.

Miss everyone...but, I am looking forward to the next leg of this journey...look out Mexico...we are comming.

This is all for now...I will report tomorrow...oops...the Iridium phone is great for calling Candy...but I need to use it more for letting in my GRIB files...and the SSB is very good if I tinker with the stations...which I do.

Have a great day...and we will talk to you later..........Skipper Ken of the s/v Noe Mar

The Noe Mar is sailing again!

We got off to a late start on Sat. Feb. 18th...and promptly got out of our channel and spent an hour or 2 getting out of the mudd. The channel to Loch Lomand Marina in San Rafael is very shallow and very narrow. Well, the tide came in (after a power boat tried to help us...no luck) and we motored out of this mess.

As we approached the Golden Gate Bridge, all the sail boats from all of the marina's in the SF area came out to see us sail out under the Bridge, the motor running...since the tide was coming in at about 2 knots. How did all these Yachtsmen/women know we were going to leave?? :)

Today is Sunday the 19th and we have motorsailed...sailed a little and motor'd a lot.

Interesting, on the flight to Oakland I set next to a gentleman, John Hanna, that was Aron's dentist, has sailed on the Ocean Planet with Bruce Schwab, and was going to a safety seminar so he and his crew could race his boat in the Hawaii race coming up. Small world. John says Hi to you Bruce.

I forgot my great crew...Aron Boswith and Clayton Zimmerman. Both very experienced, Clayton is young (18.5) but is gung HO and knowledgeable. Aron, of course has sailed the Med. as the Skipper of a private yacht...and an Coast Guard Able bodied seaman...etc. Great guys...and we all eat the same type of food. OK, so I don't eat much the first few days out...it comes up to easily.

We are currently @ 36 deg 20.9 min N latitude & 122 deg 14.76 min. W longitude. Hopefully, I will get this off by SSB (always iffy).

Wind is currently 11 mph apparent...and on our nose...we are motoring @ 5.5 knots. The day is beautiful...but overcast...and seas are calm. OK...so it got up to 25 mph and gnarly seas last night...but I kept dry (froze my toes & fingers :)...and got to sleep a lot.

I am looking forward to San Diego and the final leg of this journey. Well, final, except for all the sailing adventures in Mexico...wish us luck and a pleasant journey.

OH yes, wish Clayton would quit reading about Shackelton...makes me nervous.

One more thing...Aron says that all the sail boats he has been on had a genset...so, see how out of date I am? Of course he has never seen MaxSea and C-Map NT...so now, who is out of date?

Must go...miss all of my friends...but I will be back...and perhaps we can all set up some sailing next fall in Mexico and the Sea of Cortez???

Skipper of the s/v Noe Mar and Crew...signing off........................Ken

It's as GOOD as it gets!

I drove to Loch Lomand Marina, in San Rafael, CA last month to finish the Noe Mar for the next adventure. Candy had a meeting in SF and she flew down and stayed with me.

Fortunately I got a few days of sunshine and finished rigging the reefing lines & a new halyard. All looks good. Then it rained.

In spite of the rain, I finished the auto pilot installation. Everything seems to work well.

NO, I did not get to "swing" the compass (the new flux gate) and we will do so on our way out of the harbor (this means...slowly turn the boat around 360 deg twice to assure that nothing is interfering with the flux gate compass).

The installation was a real pain in the back...but I accomplished it. The computer for the system must be away from the engine...as needs be the flux gate, as needs be the digital reading monitor...and all must be away from the SSB/main compass...etc. Of course the boat had to be torn apart to run the wires. But it is done, and it works. What a great joy to punch +10 deg and see the tiller swing 10 deg...whoopee. Also, the Aries is rigged to work and not interfer with the Navonic Autopilot...so we have back up. Since the Aries takes no electricty, as soon as we are at sea and settled...I will try to learn how to use it again. I still have faith in the unit.

I gave up on the Electrasan TypeII head unit...seems I am missing a $100 valve (where did I put it?)...and I ran out of time. I also, gave up on the water maker. I was going to test it...but the bay was full of slim and yuk...so forget it, I will test it on the way to Mexico.

Need to call the local diver and see if he can check out the bottom and clean off the whiskers that always grow on a hull.

Aron Bosworth will be comming on the trip to San Diego...seems his prof gave him time off and a make up test. HOORAY...Aron is a US Coast Guard Able Bodied Seaman and very experienced sailing. He will make me toe the line as far as safety goes. Wow!..Seems we have signed on Clayton Zimmerman...who has sailed the Bryony and knows a lot of Port Townsend people. Turns out, he even has sailed with Aron before. Aron says he is really good (about time we have some good sailors...I need all the help I can get :) Sorry we lost Meredith Sornsen due to grad school...but hey it happens. Anyway...need to get south quick.

Now...listen to this, all of you Ocean Planet sailors...Heather and Corey will be the crew with me on the way south to the Baja and the Sea of Cortez. What fun. They both have been sailing a lot since they left France. Corey has even raced in a 40 knot breeze...he is having a blast and apparently sea sickness is subsiding. If not, we carry SCOP patches...etc. After the second day at sea, I am much better, so hopefully Corey will be just fine. He has been working on Heather's free sail boat (his father was a shipwright) and is doing great. As all the crew of the Ocean Planet know, Corey is quite a bicycle mechanic and builder.

Wish us all luck and fair winds. The seven day forcast for the Bay area is sunny but cool...so let's see what we get.

We will post our Lat/Long daily (thanks to Pat...my son-in-law that is the computer geek :).

For all of the Ocean Planet crew...guess what...for the last leg...I have a great couple sailing with me...Heather Guyton & Corey Thompson...seems they both have been sailing and racing this last year...a lot and in heavy winds. Both these legs should be a real blast. Wish us fair and good winds...and warm (getting tired of winter...it snowed yesterday).

Skipper of the s/v Noe Mar......................Ken