Are we there yet?

Are we there yet (we keep asking)...nope, we should be in San Carlos slightly after midnight today, Friday, March 31.

Currently we are 26 deg 41.6 minutes N and 110 deg 49.7 min W....the local time is 11:34 AM.

David fixed freeze dried lasagna last night, chopped up a bunch of garlic, mixed it with butter and heated the bread in the oven. Seems he learned how not to light the top burner...soot every where. I woke up and shut it down. Other than cleaning up this morning...all is OK. I liked his bread...not sure about freeze dried anything.

Stove: my stove is a Taylor kerosene unit with primus burners (new). It must be preheated with alcohol...then when the alcohol flame goes out, you must strike a match or lighter and then, and only then, turn on the burner slightly. If you reverse this process...you burn a lot of kerosene...yellow flame and soot everywhere. Reason why a kerosene stove...safety and efficiency. Propane stoves are easy to use, and the odorless/colorless gas is heavier than air...thus you must have shut off valves and siffers to be safe. Plus the canister has to be on deck somewhere...and so it goes. Women love Propane due to it's ease. I prefer Kerosene due to it's simplicity in plumbing, safety, and it creates less moisture in the boat. It also puts out more BTU's. I suppose I should name my Taylor...Baron...for my first Doberman...a one man's dog and a mean sucker if you do things wrong. That is the Taylor. If anyone wishes to see one or locate one...respond to my blog and I'll fill you in. By the way...like my old Dobbie...the stove is black and beautiful.

Wind? What wind...? When we have it ...it is on the nose...but most the time we don't have enough to speak about...currently we have "0" knots.

Dave is busy reading true accounts of sailing written by the Pirates of old....not sure about that kid (he is only 45 going on 46) and listening to his super I-POD.

Me? I am busy bumping my head into "knees" of the cabin deck....yes, it hurts and does bleed........OH well...maybe I'll become a "Pirate" and wear the wound as a badge of honor.

Are we there yet??? Nope...I didn't write that much...enjoy and pictures will be forth comming.

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

WE ARE ON OUR FINAL LEG

Today is Thursday, March 30, 2006...our current position is: 24 deg 38.84 min N (Latitude) and 110 deg 27.18 W (Longitude).

My crew is my son, David (now pronounce his name y espanol)and that is all. We have about 2 days to go to make our port of
San Carlos, SON, Mx.

Last night we had winds up to 12-15 knots in La Paz...this morning (after I got fuel and we cast off)@ 6:30 AM we found ourselves with the proverbial winds...aka light to none. If we would've left in the evening...we could've got some good sailing...but it made sense to have one last meal on shore.

Sorry to diverse from the sailing subject...but our last meal on shore in La Paz was a kick. Seems a restaurant close to the down town marina (Marina de la Paz) hosts norte americano crusiers. They had their own band...everyone sat together (we met a couple from Utah)...drank tons of cervesa and ate Italian food. Yes, it was a kick and fun. Not many locals, except for a couple women looking for ????

We vary in speed over the land from 6.2 knots to 5 knots, we have the sails up but the wind is on our nose...may have to do some tacking...I am watching the wind. I downloaded the currents so we will know if we have current with us or against us (should be with us 80% of the way).

I will check in tomorrow before Pat leaves for San Carlos (my son-in-law who is posting these blogs when I am at sea).

Hasta luego mi amigos...and yes...I do miss all of you.

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

Recovering in San Rafael

New boom...and ready for her sails to be laced on.

The s/v Noe Mar

Here she is sailing in Washington, just before the start...in about 30 knots of wind...using the working jib.

First Crew

My nephew Steve...the fisherman. Check out the Tuna he caught while the tiller was lashed. No autopilot for him.

More Reading

Notice, how all the crew reads...well, Clayton is NOT on watch but is enjoying the sun.

More Crew

Notice the book Aron is reading as he is on watch........hmmm!

Crew

Heather, at the helm....

Corey

 

Noe Mar in light air...off Mexico

Yes, we are sailing....about 5 knots 

Crew

Corey...now, you know why he and Heather are a couple...it is the smiles........great crew 

The Crews

Though I have 2 to 3 more days to sail to San Carlos, SON, Mx, I thought I'd tell everyone about the great crews that have been on board the Noe Mar during this long journey.

First leg, from Port Hadlock, WA to San Francisco bay:

Steve Dimock, Nephew, sailed aboard the Noe Mar once before for a day sail.

Totally unexperienced but a great guy.

Apparently, he trusted his "O'l Unc" a lot. Steve is very innovative, a hard worker and all around great guy.

We encountered no wind and up to 40 knots of wind. We had waves that washed clear over the Noe Mar (normally at night) and doused both of us. We actually were running under a double reefed main, working jib (small) and a reefed mizzen...then we were tossed sideways and it took both of us to control the helm, as water rushed over the starboard deck. Still, no "knock down".

We lashed the helm to a self tailing winch and took 6 hour watches. Yes, we broke the boom (due to a big worm that did in the center section of it)in 40 knots of wind. On the bright side, Steve caught a big Albacore Tuna while on the early AM watch. Steve is 41 (right?), married, runs a motel with his wife Susan...has two step-sons and a grandson. Gutsy and a great crew member.

Next leg...from San Rafael to San Diego we had two great crew members:

Aron Bosworth: US Coast Guard Able Bodied Seaman. Experienced sailor, worked as the Captain of a private sailing yacht in the Mediterranean. Very knowledgeable...good sailor...good person to have aboard , he kept me in line when it came to safety and setting the sails. Might add that he makes a mean salad...all natural...and is a good cook. Age...around 29. Going for a Masters degree in environmental studies.

Clayton Zimmerman: Young, only 18 1/2 but...sailed on many of Port Townsend's schooners. Knows his knots and sail setting. Might add that he knows all of the great people in Port Townsend and Port Hadlock that I know. He even dated a young lady (she's in College back east currently) that I sailed with when she was a new born baby strapped to her sailing Mothers front and/or her Captain Dad's front...I guess that was over 18 years ago on that Schooner. What happened to time? Might add that Clayton is vegetarian...so with he, Aron, and myself...we had great food.

One other thing...during this leg of the journey south...we used the Navionics Autopilot that I installed in San Rafael. What a great help. This unit is strong...lots of torque...bent the main bolt holding it...but I repaired that in San Diego. Our wind was light most of the time. We did have one night where it got a little snarly...25 knots and choppy waves. We lowered the main and sailed the night under "Jib & Jigger". This was the helmsman's call (Aron in this case) and a good one. They woke me to take the helm. Glad for great crew members.

The last leg of the journey (well, one more short leg to go...later this month) the crew was made up of a young couple (mid 20's) that I met in France when I crewed on the Ocean Planet: Heather and Corey...great people and good friends. They saw Steve and I off at the Ajax Cafe in Port Hadlock and listened to Doc. Malcolm, one of my son-in-laws, play his Sax and give us a great send off.

As to sailing...they both have been racing a sailboat during this last year in the Pudget Sound area (Washington) and doing well. Thus, like the previous crew...they could and did set sails...especially light air. They both did really great with the Spinnaker and the Ballon Jib as well as the Mizzens Stays'l (Mule).

Both, Heather and Corey are great cooks...Heather is vegetarian...so we had great food. Seems the vegetarians go to greater lengths to cook good food and great salads. We all enjoy each other's company, so our land visits were fun. Might mention that Heather speaks a fair amount of espanol....thanks Heather...that helped us out a lot. Corey, is good with marlinspike and fixing things in general. Whoopie! Sorry about the sea sickness Corey...still he stood all of his watches and was great company. Heather, always woke with a huge grin and cheery attitude...no matter what time of day or night that her watch started.

All in all...great crews...and a great trip. I will send another blog about the last part of the trip from La Paz to San Carlos, SON, Mx at the end of this month.

Thanks for reading about the Noe Mar's little journey...and her great crew members...Skipper of the s/v Noe Mar...Ken Scott

Home Tomorrow

We left the Cabo fuel docks, after being awaken @ 3:30 AM and at the other dock we convinced them to let us stay until it opened @ 6:00 AM. Or was it Heather, when she leaned against the cabin side with her toes on the toe rail...looked at the Guards and said:"We are not moving" and meant it. Anyway...we had filled our water tanks with our new bacteria filter...and though they opened the fuel dock @ 5 AM and filled our tanks...we shoved off into the sunrise.

The sail around the Cape and up to La Paz, was uneventful...motor...no wind...a bit of wind once in a while, which picked up our speed by a knot or two.

I plotted a course around the two islands before La Paz...but when I took over @ 10 PM that night...I realized I could go between the islands...and that is what we did. This allowed us to arrive in the Marina de La Paz, around 11 AM. Whoopee...we got a temporary berth, two keys and got a shower. We now smell a lot better.

This was Sat. March 4, 2006 and our position is 24 deg 9.34 min N and 110 deg 19.5658 min W.

We walked over to La Marina del Palmar and asked the staff if I could rent a slip for 3 weeks. He said yes, but come back Monday. Which we did...and, of course, paid the fee for a months rental, plus $50 for a diver to clean the bottom of Noe Mar on the 22nd of March.

We all had fun on Sunday. Corey sailed the Tinker, Heather finished varnishing the hand rails, and then we decided to go swimming across the bay on a low level Mangrove Island.

We unloaded Noe Mar's hard dingy (called Squirrelly by Doc Malcolm)and attached the little 3.3 HP outboard motor to it. We got it running, after we turned the fuel on and opened the vent (easy when these things happen) and motored through a lot of wind (where was this wind when we wanted & needed it?) and waves. Well, Ol' Squirrelly is a pram...and only 7' long...so over the front came warm salt water. We made it to the island and went swimming, after we emptied the dingy.

The water was very warm...and the mangroves are certainly a funny looking bush.

We motored back and kept scooping water out...and surveyed the Hurricane damage to any sail boats. Some sunk, some listing, some scratched and scuffed a lot. I believe the Hurricane was in 2003.

We went to a good restaurant for lunch...bought tickets home on line (after Heather had 5-6 websites open, looking for the fastest and cheapes flight to PDX).

We fly home Tuesday and arrive at 6 PM. Now, if that bus to the Cabo airport is on time...or should we take a shuttle?

Sunday night there was a carnival on the sidewalks of the water front. We found great pan and thus had a great breakfast this morning (Monday).

Wait...this is our PORT OF ENTRY...so we started the paper cha-cha-cha. We went to the bank to get our Visa's stamped (came by boat so we could stay...thus, need visas) and paid for that. Went to the migracion office...more stamping and money...then to the ??? at the port...cash and more stamping...then we walked a mile or so to the Port Capitan....now the boat became official and more money was spent.

Amazing...we got all of this done by noon and stopped for a short snack. Now,so Corey says, if we were in France...stretch that to a week. Fortunately, the Mexican government has made all of this much easier this year than before. It helped a lot that Heather is able to speak espanol...seems she worked in Ecuador for most of a year and in the Chiapas another stretch. She says she gets it mixed with French a lot...but hey, it works. I would advise anyone cruising down here to take a crash course in the USA and then take a course here in Mexico. In spite of Cabo/La Paz/etc being Norte Americano turista areas...espanol is the main language. Oh yes, if you stumble, fall, but try...the local people appreciate it and understand.

Oh yes, the Tinker sails like a dream...the dingy "Squirrelly" is good...But heavy (home made out of Fiberglas).

Heather scrubbed the topsides of the neo Mar...Corey cleaned the insides...All done by the time I had made the slip accommodations this morning...What a crew. We ate the pan (warmed in our oven) and cheese for breakfast...But Heather hates the Taylor cooker. Seems like she turned a burner down...like off...And tried to re-light it. OK, Corey turned the stove off and we let the smoke out of the cabin. She still doesn't believe that Kerosene is safer than Propane (well, she does...But doesn't want to).

I will be anxious to go home...And at the same time I will look forward to coming back on the 27th of March for some minor painting/cleaning and 2 days sailing to San Carlos. Do I have any volunteers???? Probably be a motor sail...but who knows...it could be a beam reach.

I have lots of stories to tell about the three sets of crew members the Noe Mar had, and I am sure, the crew has a ton of them on the Skipper...time will tell. If I get any e-mails from them...I will post them on the blog. OH yes, Heather is teaching me more tricks on using a PC (her personal choice is MAC) and is really good at it.

Hasta Pronto mi amigos................Skipper of the s/v Noe Mar....Ken

Whales & Cabo

It is currently 7:30 AM March 3, 2006...our position is 22 deg 55.4 min N, 109 deg 44.38 W. This is off the coast of Bueno Vista where Candy took her children & yours truly for a Christmas vacation several years ago.

Yesterday after Mag Bay...and light or non-existent winds...we spotted two whales together. Apparently mating, because one watched while on stood on his head...raised his flukes and slapped the water with them...this he did repeatedly. Typical male of the species showing off for the female...and she liked it. We cut the engine and drifted for a half hour watching them and taking pictures. WOW! is all I can say...and I'm glad they were ahead and to our starboard...not under us (Ouch).

On this same journey south we had dolphins playing with our bow...but perhaps we were to slow...who knows...but they left almost as soon as they came. What a joy to see this.

At sunset, I watched for a "green flash" but alas...no Tequila on board...so no green flash. However, a few evenings ago I did see the last sliver of the sun turn to a bright green color (does this count?) but I am sure that was a retina after image...vs the atmosphere causing this. There are many articles on this subject, written by believers, in Latitude 38 this last month...including one account that is...well...X-rated for this blog. I still think it is retina after image or to much Tequila and sun.

Heather continues to varnish the hand rails and Corey is setting sails at every move (what a crew).

We arrived in Cabo last night around 11 PM...no one around...and no answer to our hale on the VHF. So we moored at a fuel dock (we needed fuel)and found water in a tap. We got out the hoses and my "jim dandy" crud and bacteria filter system and filled both tanks (it is nice to have water) and put in 2 tblsp of bleach in each tank as we filled them. The bleach will disappear in a few days. Thus, we have clean, safe water. Great!.

We crashed around midnight and @ 3:30 AM the security guard rapped on the cabin sides and woke me up. My espanol is poor to non-existent and Heather's is good but mixed with French. The guard spoke no English...but he informed me we had to move and the dock would open @ 6 AM (I understood the number and he used his fingers to assure me of the time).

OK, we cast off...slowly looking at the next marina (only two there)...and the next marina had 3-4 guards...no English. We found this fuel dock and convinced their leader to let us crash for 2 hours. Heather just looked at them and said...we are staying...and she meant it. Anyway...@ 4:45 AM...the big fishing boats with their clients came and the dock hands rapped on the hull. OK, OK...we filled with diesel (need to check this but I am sure their prices were higher than Turtle Bay) and off we motored with a ton of fishing boats of all sizes, crossing our bow...running to and fro...egads...and the sun coming up in our eyes. I must add a Carnival Cruise ship coming in pointed right at us...or we pointed right at them...directly out of the sun. Of course we passed starboard to starboard. Those things are huge.

I set the way-points for our course around the end of the Baja and up to La Paz...no wind and the new GRIB file says we won't have over 2 knots of wind...thanks for a good engine and a full compliment of fuel.

The temperature @ 8 AM is 71 F outside and 79 F in the boat...wind is on our nose...at about 3 knots true...not worth trying to sail...but the sails are up and they do help us gain a half a knot or so. I might add the Jib is lowered.

Corey fixed a great breakfast for all of us...pancakes, real maple syrup, goat yogurt (Brian @ Highland would love it), fresh fruit cut up...my V-8 juice (it is now all gone)...and a great morning.

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

PS...no we have not been able to clear customs and emigration yet...how could we? However, the fuel dock took the boats name....hmmmm.

Whales, Whales everywhere

We entered Mag Bay on March 1, 2006 @ 12:30 PM. We motor-sailed in and out. Going in we had a current against us and with sails and engine...only 3 knots. Coming out we did the same...sometimes 6.5 knots and some of it was only 3.2 knots. Since it is over 9 knots into the bay...well we didn't get back on our path until........

We saw 10-15 maybe more grey whales...and some passed under our hull (this made the depth sounder go crazy). One even "Breached"...head way up in the air...most of the body out of the sea. Then back down with flukes showing. We even saw a baby whale dive...it's flukes were so small someone thought it was a dolphin...wrong tail.

Lots of local fishermen in their very white and shinny wooden fishing boats. Netting their catch. Very colorful. Of course where the fisherman's catch was being loaded...hundreds of Pelican's were waiting and perhaps a thousand gulls waiting for their misses. Quite a picture.

The land of the bay is stark...like New Mexico or Arizona...but around a long spit in the low sandy region are mangroves...yes, a swamp in the middle of a dry arid country. Very interesting if one had a kayak and lots of time.

I guess I should say: Water, Water every where and not a drop to drink. Seems we ran out of water this evening (March 2) around 9 PM...I shut the valves from the engine to the hot water tank, turned off the water pump and checked the bilge for bottled water...yes, we have enough. We will be washing dishes with salt water and a slight rinse...or like Ocean Planet...we will wipe our own dishes & keep them separate. We do have sanitary hand cleaner and wipes...so we will do fine. Now, comes the real question, can we make the water maker work tomorrow? Wish us luck. I have a theory...not enough water was coming into the system before. That and when we slowed the engine down, we couldn't build up enough membrane pressure. If this fails...then the system fails. Wish us luck. Might mention, for you land lubber...the Head uses salt water:)

This is the morning of March 2, 2006...our position is 23 deg 32 min N and 110 deg 55 min W. The time is 10 AM PST....normally I post the blog the following morning @ 9 AM...I am late due to a failed attempt to get the water maker going. Seems the water supply pump is not working at all...12 Volts to it from the main panel...but no dice. When I came down the Oregon coast with my nephew Steve, we hit some hard waves...and it came loose when I inspected it in San Rafael...so perhaps a wire is loose that I cannot see. Need to take it out and bench test it.

Oh well...some day we may have a water maker...funny the same brand of pump is for my main water supply...and it has always worked and still does (when there is water :)

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

Bahia Magdalena

As I said yesterday...Wind is a fickle woman...last night, under Main & Mizzen it got up 14 knots and with the Iron Genny...we clipped along @ 6.8 knots. It was rough and bumpy..but OK by me.
I took a long watch (8 PM - 4:30 AM) because Heather was on watch a long while and crashed at 9:30 PM and Corey still is a little "under the weather". Not sure we can do anything...he isn't barffing but he is very quite and pale. In my case, when this happens, I can sleep it off. I read in Latitude 38 that 3-5 gms of Vitamin C will cure this...but seems I don't have any Vitamin C...need to get a contact with a Vitamin Company for better pricing...etc :)

We are currently just north of the entrance of "Bahia Magdalena" @ 24 deg 34.17 min N and 112 deg
11.23 min W and the entrance of "Mag Bay" (as sailors call it) is 24 deg 31'N and 112 deg 03'W.

We have the Tops'l raised but since the wind is variable and on our stern most the time (wait it is coming up on our beam...time to raise the Balloon Jib?)we don't have a head sail raised.

We plan on going in and out of Mag Bay for a photo shoot and going right back out. This is due to the fact that I don't wish to clear customs here...I am shooting for Cabo San Lucas which is 156 nautical miles away and should take us around 32 hours to make it (currently it is 9:30 AM March 1, 2006). This would put us in Cabo around 5:30 PM of the 2nd...but if the winds are light we may be later or very early the 3rd of March...is the customs open on Sat.??? Let's hope we arrive by Friday early AM and have a day to do this.

I am off to set the Genoa (first try)...so, must sign off........talk to all of you tomorrow...and yes, the weather is very sunny and 64 F outside at this time.

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

Wind a fickle Woman

Wind, where art thou? Last night we had 12-15 knots and with the Tops'l up, well, she really zinged. We were running without a Jib so I turned on the deck light and clipped in and went up front. Choose to use the "working jib" so that meant un-shackling the Genoa and re-shackling on the working jib and, of course, lashing the other to the bow sprit...after one was un-lashed. In spite of me feeling cool earlier...I was sweating when I was done. Heather woke up and came up to check all out (thanks Heather). She stayed up for a while...then went back to bed.

I figured since she was up for a while, I would keep watch for an additional hour...but she got up and took over @ 3:30 AM...so I crashed.

Did I mention that last night she made a great tossed green salad, sliced apples, sliced pears,cheese & a glass of wine (OK...I had two). We do eat good on the Noe Mar.

This morning the wind dropped again...up with the "Mule" and then we put the "Balloon Jib" up for fun. We got it to work better than a Genoa would, in this light air. Now, however, down came the "Mule"...not enough wind.

Baths...Corey took a real shower yesterday...and a upper body wash on deck this AM...me I sponge bath now and then...perhaps that is why Heather opens all the hatches :)

Motor is on again...but I charge the Frig (holding plate) and take radar off stand-by (no need for it here...but may as well use it).

This is February 28, 2006 and our position is 26 deg 7 min N and 113 deg 39 min W...due to light and variable winds we have had to set course a few degrees out of our way...so in a few hours we will jibe back to correct that. Currently, with the motor running...we are only doing 5 knots or so. We could stay on course and lower all sails...but then we would end up putting them all up again. So much for Gaffer's and no roller furling...but I don't mind. Beats what happened to "Bellingham"...and he had roller furling and a marconi sloop rig.

Time to get some sun...it is 68 F currently @ 10 AM.

Cabo...here we come............Hasta luego mi amigos............Skipper of the Noe Mar, Ken