The Voyages of SV Passat II

April, 2011 - JAMES AND MARIA WEDDING

2011-11-05T10:18:00.000-07:00

We cut our cruising season short to attend our son James and Maria's wedding. A great family reunion as well.

February 4th to 13th, 2011 - ROATAN, HONDURAS

2011-02-13T12:48:00.000-08:00

From Belize to Roatan was another upwind, against the current slog. 25.5 hours to do what we can do in under 19 hours in "normal" conditions.

We start out anchoring in French Harbor, next to Fantasy Island Resort. We then move into the marina, in the exact spot our friends Dave & Linda on SV "Starshine" occupied when we were here two years ago. Our nearest neighbor is a real Lounge Lizard.

One of the days we rented a car we gave a lift to Jonesy & Terry off SV "Niki Wiki" to the West End and we all have lunch at the Light House restaurant.

The only paved highway runs along the "spine" of the island, offering great views. We share the view with the Blues Brothers.

Rush hour, Roatan style.

We enjoy lunch at Caya Resort on the North East part of the Island. Good food, world class view.

Launch ride from Oak Ridge to Jones Ville and the Hole in the Wall Restaurant. We travel with friends Alex and Carol, friends from Victoria; former Victorian Ward; his wife Carla, son and new daughter. The owner Bob is an American that sailed to Roatan, built a house, sank his boat and built a restaurant on a dock over the sunken boat. The decor includes a live parrot. It was all you can eat lobster and beef, with potatoes, beans, and coleslaw day. A day to remember!

We snorkel off of Coco View Resort. The main attraction for us was the VERY large lobster that sauntered by. I guess he knew that we had had our fill of lobster at Hole in the Wall the day before.

January 11th to February 3rd, 2011 - Belize with Cathy & Mike

2011-02-10T14:32:00.000-08:00

We arrive in San Pedro, Belize on January 11th, via a stop over at Bahia de la Espiritu Santos, Mexico. It was all motor sailing on the nose.

On January 15th we are joined by friends Mike & Cathy. First order of business, dinner at Elvi's Restaurant. Mike checks the anchor set, the best we can get in the hard sand is the tip and part of one fluke. The beach scene, with flag, restaurant and bar names providing reminders of home.

We take a snorkeling tour of Hol Chin Channel and Shark Ray Ally. The highlights were the Turtle, Ray and Nurse Shark. Sandra actually petted the shark.

We visit Altun Ha Mayan Ruins. It was a non-cruise ship day and we had the place virtually to ourselves. We were able to climb up to the top of the highest pyramid for some great photos. Lunch was at the Jungle Spa, literally in the middle of nowhere. Great food and top marks for presentation. After lunch we sample the pools. Our land transportation. A sleeping salt water Crocodile. A domesticated relative of the Raccoon. Cute but too wild to pet.

Full moon rising over a cruise ship off English Cay.

We sail to Colson Cays and spend two days snorkeling the reefs. Murky water reduced the ability to get good pictures, except for the jelly fish. Mike saw a Lion Fish. They are a non-native highly poisonous fish that is devastating the local fish stock.

We wait out a blow in the very sheltered anchorage at Pelican Cays.

We end our visit with Mike and Cathy with a great meal in Placencia, Belize.

We sign out of Belize at Big Creek, using the Hockey Pokey Water Taxi.

December 31st, 2010 - New Years Eve Party

2011-01-02T13:49:00.001-08:00

2010 first annual Cruisers New Years Party at El Cid Marina. In attendance were the crew of "Passat II", "Queen Mary", "Starsinger" and "N' Joy Boat III". All Canadians!

The cruisers were sponsored by Bob & Jody (Latitudes & Attitudes Magazine) and Armando (El Cid Marina Dock Master). For $20.00 US we had a super lobster diner, unlimited booze, live entertainment, party favors and fireworks.

Lots and lots of smiles. The beauty between us is "Katty" who works in the El Cid Marina office.

The live music by "Endless Summer"and Circus performers were fantastic.

We say good-by to the old year 2010.

December 30th, 2010 - Sad Goodby

2011-01-02T13:38:00.000-08:00

We bid a sad farewell to James and Maria as they head home.

Even sadder, (for my wallet) I was caught speeding on the way to Cancun after dropping them off. To avoid having to pay a supposed $180 US fine I paid a 500 peso bribe. Not even 5 miles further on I was stopped by another cop for "speeding". This time I knew I was not. I stuck to my guns and got off with a "warning" and no fine or bribe. Needless to say we were sure to stay 10 km under the posted limit from then on.

December 29th, 2010 - Chichen Itza Mayan Ruins (revisited)

2011-01-02T13:15:00.000-08:00

See our March 2010 posting for pictures of our first visit to this, the largest, Mayan ruin restored to date. The first time we were part of a tour group. This time we were on our own and saw parts of the site the tour missed.

The older part was pure Myan, before the influence of the Aztecs. James feeds one of the snake gods.

The Sacred Cenote. Some bones were found at the bottom, suggesting that animals and humans were sacrificed here. James and Maria enjoy a short break.

The main temple. the pillars of the administration buildings. I do my "Sampson" impression again, now with a short beard, with the same nil result. Did the Mayans invent X & Os???

December 28th, 2010 - Grand Cenote

2011-01-02T13:08:00.000-08:00

James and I stop at Grand Cenote for a swim. The water is crystal clear and warm. The side caves could go on for miles. A very refreshing end to the day.

December 28th, 2010 - Coba Mayan Ruins

2011-01-02T12:52:00.000-08:00

The "high"light at the Coba Ruins is the highest temple discovered so far. You are still allowed to climb it. James, Maria & I did, but Sandra sat this one out.

I pull my "Sampson" impersonation, but even with the long beard I had no effect.

Coba is spread out along one of the major Mayan roads. Many rented bikes or hired bike taxis. Next time we would to.

December 25th, 2010 - Xmas Morning at El Cid Marina

2011-01-02T12:34:00.000-08:00

Twas the morning of Xmas and all through the boat, not a creature was stirring...until I anounced "coffee & Baileys".

We enjoy a mid morning coffee and open presents with son James and his fiancee Maria. Sandra surprises me with a Roots watch. I had one for years that was the best, toughest watch I ever owned. It even survived a long stint in our chain locker under 300 feet of 3/8 inch chain and came out ticking.

December 18th, 2010 - Xmas Lights Puerto Morelos, MX

2010-12-19T14:07:00.000-08:00

Puerto Morelos does up the central square for Xmas. Each time we come to town there is something added.

We dine out at "El Faro" (The Lighthouse) restaurant, with the lighthouse in the background. The food was very good the service so-so and the cost average. All things considered we would go back.

December 18th, 2010 - Tulum Mayan Ruins

2010-12-19T14:05:00.000-08:00

Tulum is the third Mayan ruin we have visited (see previous posts in the spring of 2010). Of the 400 identified sites in Mexico (approx. 150 have been excavated), this is the only port. The population was small, but it was a key to the coastal trading that extended from the Gulf of Mexico to Honduras.

The ruins are guarded by dozens of Iguana. We learned that the males are the ones with the ridge on their backs.

The main temple and the home of the Priest/King. The homes are not in as good shape as they used timber in their construction. The temples are all limestone.

The temple of fertility.

The temple of the wind. It had a hole that became a whistle when the wind comes at a certain strength, from a certain direction, that gives warning of a hurricane.

The temple of water. It is located above a "Cenote" (underground river).

Son James and fiancee Maria behind the main temple.

Sandra wets her feet in the Tulum Harbor.

December 17th, 2010 - Snorkeling the Pueto Morelos Reef

2010-12-19T14:01:00.000-08:00

We decided to hire a guide and are glad we did. For $20 US, plus the $2.50 US park fee each we got; the guide, transportation out to the reef and dives on two sites over a two hour period. I took 1,200 pictures, which I edited down to 77, with these 19 being the most interesting:

Me and son James and his fiancee Maria in and out of the water. Some of the more photogenic beasts in the water.

Brain and Fan Corral.

Peak-a-boo. Where's Waldo?

Corral, with extreme editing.

December 1st to 10th, 2010 - Rio Dulce, Guatemala to Puerto Morelas, Mx

2010-12-12T00:07:00.000-08:00

This was an uncomfortable up wind passage, where we averaged less then 3 kts over the ground, pounding into seas most of the way. The exception was the last day where we were going downwind at 7 kts with only the stay sail up, helped by 2 to 3 kts of current. We normally average 5 kts.

I was sea sick, feeding the fishes, even having taken my medication. Sandra was not feeling well but did not loose her "cookies".

Sunset off Tres Puntas, as we leave Guatemala for Mexico. Is this the rare "blue flash" at sunset or me playing with my new photo editing program?

There are pirates now operating in the bays in Honduras, east of Tres Puntas. A French boat was robbed by a group of armed men the week before we left. During our passage a Canadian was murdered. Hopefully the Honduran authorities will act as the bays were these events took place are reported to be beautiful.

Beast on board. We wait out a cold front in Tobbaco Reach, Belize and are joined by this Dragon Fly.

Beauty on the bow. We wait out another blow in Bahia de la Ascencion, Mx.

We arrive safely at El Cid Marina in Peurto Morelas, Mx and decorate for the Xmas season.

We wish you all fair winds and calm seas this holiday season.

November 5th to 30th - Guatemamla City & Rio Dulce

2010-12-11T16:43:00.000-08:00

We arrive in Guatemala City and stay at Las Torres Apartment Hotel. Basic but clean rooms in Zone 10, the newer and better part of town, near the airport. In the early morning it was 70 F, but a big fire was going in the common room as this was cold for the locals. We were in shorts and shirt, the locals wore jackets.

Back at Mario's Marina I usually got up early for coffee. Sandra never got to see the dawn mist rising off the lake and the local heading for work with his "pilot" on the bow. There are few roads so the river acts as the main street for the "Marina District".

Sandra takes a quick trip to the Bano between downpours. The boat in the picture is SV "Niki Wiki" out of San Diego. We met them in Hualtouco, Mx (on the Pacific side) in November 2008. It was good to get a chance to get to know them better.

American Thanksgiving at Mario's Marina. The marina supplied the turkey and the cruisers the rest of the food. Jim the owner kidding around. Sandra watching American Football. Happy cruisers, full of food and booze.

We visit Castillo San Filipe, built to protect the silver exported from the area via the river from"pirates" (British Privateers). I take aim at one of the personal water craft buzzing around, but unfortunately the cannon was not loaded.

We anchor at Texan Bay for two nights on our way down the Rio Dulce. Very sheltered and calm, but reported to be hot and buggy during the summer.

October 29th to November 5th, 2010 - NYC

2010-12-11T07:12:00.000-08:00

I lost one of our cameras traveling between Victoria and Vancouver, so there is a hole in this story as it contained many pictures that had not been downloaded. The up side is now we have a new camera, that came with a more advanced editing system. So you can expect some creativity with the photos from now on.

On our way back to the boat, moored in Guatemala, we stopped off in NYC to visit son James and his fiancee Maria at there new apartment overlooking the East River.

We took in many of the sites we missed in previous visits.

St Paul's Chapel was where President Geo. Washington had his inauguration ceremony. More recently it was a rest center for the emergency workers during 911.

The fountain and a statue in front of City Hall, after I did some extreme editing.

We walked across the Brooklyn Bridge...and back.

Liberty caught on a cell phone. To me she should be pictured in B&W. The original flame is now in the museum, along with full scale models of her face and feet. She casts a BIG shadow. We share a new view of the NYC skyline.

Ellis Island was mainly built out of the fill from the dredging of NY Harbor. The original islet was part of Jersey, but the land has been in dispute as NYC claims that the fill came from them.

Sandra was able to go online and find one of her ancestors came through Ellis Island on his was to Revelstoke, BC. His sponsors in Canada turned out to be his future In-Laws as he ended up marrying their daughter.

I am pictured with the "ideal" Park Guide. Our real guide was informative, but had the demeanor of a very bored and not so civil servant.

The bronze statue is of the first immigrant processed at Ellis Island.

2010-10-19 EDNA - A CELEBRATION OF LIFE

2010-10-19T16:37:00.000-07:00

Barrie's mom, Edna, passes in September 2010, having lived a full and productive life.

In September, 1914 she entered the world.

Early days.

Primary School pageant.

With sister Philis and brother Roy in the '20s.

As a fashionable teen in the '20s.

Teachers College class president in the '30s.

Teaching in rural Alberta in the '30s.

Meets and marries Bill in the '40s.

Teaching in the '40s.

Two sons Barrie & Earl arrive in the 50's.

Starts a kindergarten in the 50's.

Teaching in the '50s.

Teaching in the '60s.

Graduates from university in 70.

Teaching in the '70s.

Barrie marries in the '70s.

The Grandchildren arrive in the 70's & 80's.

Earl marries in the '80s.

Retired life 70's, 80's, 90's.

A loved wife, mother, grandmother and teacher she remains in our hearts and minds.

May, June & July 2010 - HOME IN VICTORIA, ETC. - MAJOR EVENTS

2010-08-07T15:51:00.000-07:00

Shortly after or arrival back in Victoria we have a visit from Brian & Kathie (SV Tarin), Fleet of 2007 Bluewater Cruiser Association members. We last saw then in Tenacatita, Mexico as they left the anchorage for the Marquesas. They eventually made it to New Zealand and sold the boat and returned to Canada. It was great to catch up with them before they went back to Ontario to work.

Fisgard Lighthouse turns 150 years old. It is the oldest lighthouse on the West Coast of Canada. We toast the birthday with Lighthouse 150 beer, a special brew prepared by a local micro brewery.

The Canadian Navy celebrates it's 100th birthday with a Centennial International Fleet Review. We attend with other CFSA Members on SV "Sea Quin IV". Attending were 19 warships from 6 nations. The Snow Birds give a great air show.

I find work at All Bay Marine Ltd, a chandlery in Sidney, BC. Not much money, but a great place to work and a discount on things for our boat. Sandra hopes to see a bit of the net pay in $$$ (not goods), but no promises.

We host some visiting Rotarian's from Australia and play tourist in our own town for 3 days, including a visit to the world famous Butchart Gardens. A highlight for me was to visit the just completed Merry Go Round. Our son Mike (a carpenter) helped build the building it is housed in.

I also, toured the Legislative Assembly. Our current Lt. Governor, a first nations Canadian, helped carve the canoe in the rotunda. Note the difference in the crests. The first design had the sun setting over the flag. This was changed as the "Sun never set on the British Empire". The glass window had to be ordered prior to the approval due to time constraints and was already made when the change was required.

We take a break at Terry & Joann's cabin to celebrate our nephew and God Son Stuart's 16th birthday. I enjoy sailing on the lake. Sandra is true to her borrowed "Wine Diva" hat. Neighbour Craig battles a crossword. The birthday boy enjoys his spoils. We participate in the first annual

Bonaparte Lake Great Race. Of the 4 teams Sandra and I placed 2nd. The two young guys beat us on time, but should have been disqualified as they did not wear the required life jackets in the canoe. But the judges turned a blind eye. Bribed or simply another gift for the birthday boy???

May 6th to 11th, 2010 - NEW YORK CITY

2010-08-07T11:25:00.000-07:00

We arrive in NYC for our third visit on this adventure. It was much cheaper to fly from Guatemala to Vancouver via NYC then to fly direct. What's that all about? Not that we complained as it is a great city and the home of our son James.

We visit the UN Complex for the first time. I take time to chat with the Secretary General before entering the Assembly Chamber. The picture of the Chamber was taken just seconds before a security sweep and our group being "requested" to leave.

The New York Library a (the first???) Private Public Partnership that worked. WOW!

The Cloisters houses the Medieval Art collection. Built to resemble a monastery it really takes you back to the period. Well done NYC, with special mention to the Rockefeller's who not only purchased and donated the land, they bought the land across the river so development would not take place and urbanize the view.

View of the East River from son Jame's apartment. Sandra at dinner with James, his partner Maria and roommate Jeff. Another great NYC experience was make even better because we met Maria's parents, visiting from Argentina. Thx for the hospitality! We look forward to our visit on our return trip in the fall.

April 25th to May 5th, 2010 - Belize and Guatemala

2010-05-12T10:01:00.000-07:00

We anchor at Placencia, for our last few days in Belize. Lesley and Fern leave us for the showers and air conditioning at the Paradise Resort next to the anchorage. We sneak in to have showers and a farewell drink. In the anchorage is SV "Callisto" from Victoria, with Richard, Selma, Nadia and Aaron aboard. We met them at Lighthouse Reef. They are one of Fern's customers back in Victoria. They are also Bluewater Cruising Association members. It is a wonder we have not met before. We really enjoy their company and hope to see more of them.

To check out of Belize we take the "Hokey Pokey" Water Taxi to the commercial port. Waiting with Sandra are Aaron off SV "Callisto" and Brian & Cathy off SV "Tundra". They are from Ontario, but it turns out Cathy and I (Barrie) went to the same high school. Also, her uncle worked with my father. Scary small world!

We arrive at Livingston, Guatemala, after crossing the infamous Reo Dulce river bar. We managed to get in at high tide without hitting bottom, although our depth sounder indicated no depth below the keel. A Scandinavian boat, on it's way out, was not so lucky. It had to be towed off. SV "Callisto", also from Victoria, anchors next to us. After a quick check into the country we head up the river through beautiful jungle canyons, passing resorts on the way.

After putting the boat "to bed" for the hurricane season we leave from the village of Frontera for Guatemala City, via bus. A six hour (not soon to be forgotten) trip on crowded winding mountain roads, where a double yellow line is considered an invitation to pass. Friends warned us not to sit at the front of the bus and we are glad we took the advise.

April 2010 - BELIZE, INCLUDING VISIT FROM LESLEY & FERN

2010-04-25T08:58:00.000-07:00

After a fast and uneventful passage from Isla Mujeres, MX we arrive at San Pedro, Belize. The Village is behind a barrier reef, with a very narrow and shallow enterance. The harbour itself is very shallow and the bottom hard packed sand, that does not allow your anchor to set. The ferries and pleasure boats create constant wake and make swimming dangerous. In spite of these challenges it is a very pleasant village and a great place to check into the country.

A Sting Ray checks out our anchor rode. The keel has less then 2 ft of clearance from the bottom. Only one and one half of the anchor's flukes have a tenuous grip in the hard sand. We add a 20 pound kellet to the rode to improve our holding.

Para "skiers" are part of the harbour traffic. San Pedro even has a 7/11. We join Dan and Susan off SV "Gypsy" for a Myan Dinner. The sharks also dine.

Next we sailed to English Cay, the enterance to Belize City Harbour. A busy place, with the pilot boat servicing freighters and cruise ships. Friendly, third generation lighthouse keeper and good snorkeling kept us busy for 3 days.

We arrive at Cucumber Beach Marina in Belize City to pick up friends Lesley and Fern. The city is only 18 inches above sea level. Hurricane surges have been as high as 12 feet. Thus many buildings are on stilts (not shown). We soak up the shade and "adult beverages" at the marina.

We take a day trip to Lamanai. Part of the trip is by boat through a bird sanctuary. The female hopping lily pads mates with several males, leaving each to care for the children. Can you see the baby croc? The mother has maternal instincts for only 3 months, then will eat her young if they do not leave the area. The stork rests on a snag after a delivery.

We arrive at Lamanai, a Myan city reclaimed by the jungle. Once a city of over 100,000 it was abandoned. The most likely reason is the collapse of the agricultural base supporting the population.

We travel to the Lighthouse Cays. We survive two squalls, with fantastic lightning shows and scary winds and seas. No pictures as we were too busy securing electronic equipment and checking the status of our anchor and the boats around us. Half Moon Cay is a world nature site. We visit the Blue Hole and see Red Footed Boobies, lizards and snails.

Belize has world class snorkeling and diving. These are a few shots of our snorkeling adventures with Lesley and Fern, including pictures of the reef at the Blue Hole.

March 14, 2010 - ISLA MUJERES, CHOTE CASNA & CHICHEN-ITZA DAY TRIP

2010-03-18T06:03:00.000-07:00

The El Milagro Marina, Isla Mujeres, MX. The wind came up and we had to put out an anchor as the piling was swaying back and forth by about 2 feet. Other then a couple of days of wind and one of rain the weather has been perfect.

The Isla Mujeres water front from the passenger ferry dock. Ferries leave for Cancun every 1/2 hour during the day.

We take a day trip that includes the ferry ride to Cancun. Very modern, very fast service.

We drive through a small Myan Village. The concrete homes are often deserted as the Myans prefer to live in the traditional homes right behind. The guide explained that the concrete homes were "status symbols", often with unused TV dishes on top, but the people found the traditional homes more comfortable.

We try out our Myan "look". Woman prepares tortillas over an open fire. The flowers on the woman's dress show her status, "red" for mother, "pink" for grandmother, "purple" for widow, etc. At lunch we enjoyed traditional dancing. This woman was able to dance with a bottle balanced on her head.

Limestone caves, with large natural swimming pool. Waters were supposed to have minerals, including iodine, that promote healing.

Chichen-Ilza, one of the 7 "modern" wonders of the world. Built in about 600 AD by the Telecs (sp?), a relation of the Aztecs, who came and intermarried with the local Myan royalty. They worshiped a snake god. (The Spanish thought this meant they worshiped the devil and destroyed all the written records.) We had an excellent guide, who is also a teacher in one of the local schools. The society was very advanced in mathematics and astronomy. The acoustics of the pyramids and the sports arena are exceptional. An opera singer was able to be clearly heard, without amplifiers, 21 Km as she sang from the top of the main pyramid. Elton John is coming later this year. The players in the arena bounced a 10 lb rubber ball off their hips to put it through the stone hoops. The captain of the winning team was sacrificed and became a god in the next world. Not my idea of a motivator.

We meet 4 of our guides students and they sing a song in the Myan language for us.

Pre Aztec Myan Observatory, Temple and Palace. Note no snakes. The guide pointed out many similarities between the images on the palace with images in India. Whats with that?

February 13th to March 09th, 2010 - BAHIA HONDA KEY, KEY WEST STORM & DRY TORTUGAS KEYS, FL, USA

2010-03-11T02:04:00.000-08:00

We had a great stopover in Titusville, FL again, with super visit from SIL Cathy and BIL Barry. Did major engine servicing, including new raw water pump and had the sails reconditioned. Another highlight was the Shuttle launch. The marina is just across the river from Cape Canaveral. It took off at 4:15 am. I woke up thinking we had run aground the boat was shaking so hard. No pictures of this stop as we covered it in our May 2009 posting.

Bahia Honda Key, one of our favorite anchorages in the Keys. The railway was wiped out by a hurricane in the 1930s and never rebuilt. The bridges were used by the highway that followed. We had our first 80 F degree day and enjoyed it on the beach. Sunset on the old bridge.

Key West, calm before the storm, there she blows, late arrival trying to get into his boat from his dingy. He finally made it.

Full moon rising over Key West, FL.

Fort Jefferson at the Dry Tortugas Keys. What can do with 16,000,000 bricks in the middle of nowhere? Build a fort on a 10 acre island. It is the largest brick structure in North America. Obsoleted by technological advances in warfare, before it could be completed, it was used primarily as a prison. Now a very cool National Park.

The most famous prisoner was Dr. Mudd. He was tried for treating the killer of Abraham Lincoln. Later pardoned for his work with the soldiers and prisoners during a yellow fever epidemic.

Boat used by 15 Cubans to escape from Cuba, 90 miles away across the Straights of Florida. They are now all US citizens.

Portuguese Man of War (jelly fish, with poisonous tentacles) "sails" up the Hawk Channel. We saw hundreds of them. Fan Coral on the beach. Bird on the beach.

"Art shot" of Portuguese Man of War in the sunlight.

January 01st to February 12th, 2010 - SEATTLE, WA TO DELTAVILLE, VA TO ST MARY'S, GA

2010-02-13T09:23:00.000-08:00

We prepare to fly out of Seattle, WA, back to the boat in Deltaville, VA. Friends Dave and Linda (SV Starshine), now landlubbers, meet us for a short visit. It was great to see them again!

Back at the marina in Deltaville we are greeted by very cold weather. We had snow that lasted one day and the boats are reflected in the ice, yes ICE, in the marina.

I am on my back drilling holes to attach our new "Cape Horn" steering gear. Ice was flowing past my head as I worked.

We make an unscheduled stop in Norfolk, VA to wait for a lift bridge to be repaired. We take in the National Geographic presentation on the pirate ship "Whydah". It was very well done and we even got to touch some of the treasure recovered. It was returning home after raiding some 50 ships, when it sank off Cape Cod. It held a fortune in treasure, but remained undiscovered until the 1980s.

At the end of the exhibit was the life boat from the "Alabama". This was the boat where the US Navy snipers killed the pirates and freed Captain Richard Philips, in a failed piracy attempt in April, 2009.

We also walked around the Battleship "Wisconsin", now a part of the Nautica Museum. Unfortunately we did not have time for me to take the tour.

Anchorage Sunsets on our way down the IntraCoastal Waterway (ICW).

We saw lots of dredging and bridge building, much of it funded by the federal government's economic stimulus grants. The bridge is called Sunset Beach Bridge and we arrived at... you guessed it.

Houses and Condos all seem to have docks to accommodate their owners boats.

Boats on the beach. Sad to see. It looks like the owner of "Double D" lost his bet.

The passing scene on the sunny days. We had two kinds of weather. Sunny and cold (30 to 40 F) and rainy and "warm" (50 to 65 F).

A fashion show of what the boater with no cockpit enclosure and a heater that decided to go on strike wears.

St Mary's is a quaint, boat friendly, town at the south end of Georgia. The downside we found is that nothing opens until 11 am at this time of year. We had to catch a 11 am tide so we missed much of what the town has to offer, including the Submarine museum. We share the free municipal dock with a Coast Guard Cutter.

December 31, 2009 - NEW YEARS EVE

2010-01-02T20:43:00.001-08:00

All dressed up to bring in the New Year/Decade. Sandra, her mom and sister start the evening with a favorite adult beverage. SIL Joann and her friend Donna warm up the dance floor. Pictionary helps speed the night away. Joann and Terry break out the reading glasses. The printing is getting smaller on those Pictionary cards or the year/ decade is not the only thing getting older. Sandra has to draw the Titanic. Her "Titanic" looked very much like a sail boat. An Oman? I hope not.

December, 2009 - FAMILY XMAS

2010-01-02T18:36:00.001-08:00

Family Xmas Italian style (or how to gain 10 lbs in 7 days).

Xmas morning with sons Steve and James and MIL Loretta. Big breakfast not shown.

Xmas day afternoon we join sons Rob and Mike at SIL Joann's, with her hubby Terry, son Stu and daughter Kara. Huge dinner not shown.

Caught in the act!!! Sons Rob and James helping with the washing up. A rare photo op.

Son Mike and Grandpuppy Brock dozing after Xmas dinner.

Son James on Skype with his girlfriend Maria who is in Argentina with her family.

Boxing day dawns sunny and cold, with the North Shore mountains providing an excellent backdrop. We are joined by son Mikes partner Cori. More food not shown.

MIL Loretta's brother Larry, his wife Norma, son Brent his wife Diana, their daughter Marnie, and some of their grandchildren come to dinner.

December, 2009 - VICTORIA XMAS TRADITIONS

2010-01-02T18:13:00.000-08:00

Xmas trees at the Empress Hotel, with friends Carol and Alex.

Annual Xmas truck parade.

Harbor lights, including the Empress Hotel the Legislative Buildings and parade of boats (the abstract pictures).

September 16th to December 17th, 2009 - VICTORIA VISITS AND BIRTHDAYS

2010-01-02T14:04:00.000-08:00

After a short visit in Vancouver we set sail, via BC Ferries, to Vancouver Island and our home port of Victoria.

Helped friend Alex with some boat projects. Does this count as fixing a boat in an exotic location? Just days before two boats and boathouses burned down to the waterline and this boathouse was badly damaged. I got a moment of fame as I was the only one on the dock the day they came to film a followup story.

Starbucks coffee with niece Kara and her boy friend Jared.

We house & pet sat for our friends Mike and Cathy. The dog Fee Bee is so sweet we almost "dog napped" her.

We visited son Mike, his partner Cori and Grandpuppy Brock. Sandra prepared a vegan birthday cake for Cori's birthday that got rave reviews.

Party for MIL Loretta and son Rob, who share the same birthday. Guests included son Mike's visiting Korean student Sing Gin and Grandpuppies Brock and Bob.

Dinner with Bob and Shelley. Great martinis, wine, scotch (pictured) food and pictures of their travels to Ecuador, Peru and the Galapagos Islands.

Visits to Grandma.

Sandra's birthday dinner with Mike and Cathy.

2009 - August 16th to September 16th - FREDERICTON, NB TO THE CHESAPEAKE, USA

2009-12-19T14:29:00.000-08:00

We leave the dock at the Fredericton Yacht Club and return to Saint John. We haul the boat at the Saint John Power Boat Club. We discover "On Off", the only cleaner that can tackle the "Mustache" stain caused by the coloration of the east coast USA waters. You literally brush it on and hose it off, saving hours upon hours of labor. However, it is best not to read the ingredients.

After a delay to let hurricane "Bill" pass we head south.

We check into the USA at historic Eastport, Maine.

We pass lighthouses and fish traps on the way down the coast of Maine. We duck into "Mud Hole" to wait out a storm. It was downgraded to less then a gale force by the time it arrived, but it was still nice to be in a safe harbor.

The coast of Maine again presented challenges due to the outrageous number of lobster trap markers. Often two are connected by a line that is less than the 6.5 ft we draw. We snagged three in one afternoon. We were able to back off of two, but had to cut one off. I refuse to eat Maine lobster in protest.

We spend a few days in Sheepshead Bay, Coney Island, NYC. Son James and his girlfriend Maria join us for a day at Coney Island. The beaches are huge. The beer is cheep (by US and CDN standards). We tried a Hot Dog at Nathans, the originator of this sandwich. The taste is so so by my standards. We did not try any of the rides as they looked sadly run down.

We leave NYC on the dawn tide and go straight through to Chesapeake City. We had wind and current with us the whole way!!! We averaged over 7 knts.

August, 2009 BAY OF FUNDY, MAGNETIC HILL & PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

2009-10-20T16:54:00.000-07:00

The Bay of Fundy has over 30 ft daily tides and over 40 ft spring tides. We arrived at low tide and enjoyed a long walk over the beach that would be under 30 feet of water in six hours.

The Magnetic Hill attraction may qualify as the fastest way to spend $5 in Canada. You get to drive "down" the hill and coast back "up". It takes all of one minute, if that.

It is free to get onto Prince Edward Island (PEI), but the toll to get off is over $40. We went over to drive a portion of the the scenic coast, make a short stop in Summerside and take in a lobster dinner. PEI was the only province I had not been in, so it was totally worth the toll. One more thing off the "bucket list".

August 2009, WORLDS LONGEST COVERED BRIDGE AND BIGGEST AXE

2009-10-20T16:09:00.000-07:00

New Brunswick is the home of the worlds longest covered bridge. I thought they were covered to shed the snow. This may be one of the reasons, but it turns out the prime reason is to protect the structural wood beams from rotting.

Just up the road from the bridge is the Covered Bridge Potato Chip Company. New Brunswick is a major producer of potatoes and this company is a third generation operation producing chips using the old fashioned kettle method.

We could not pass up a photo op with the worlds largest axe. We are the ant sized creatures under the head.

|August, 2009 FREDERICTON, NB

2009-10-20T15:02:00.000-07:00

We travelled up the foggy St John River for two days to arrive at Fredericton, stopping for cable ferries along the way.

The legislature building was undergoing repairs, so we were not able to see the inside.

The art gallery is home to the famous Beaverbrook Collection (no pictures allowed). The collection's ownership has been in dispute for several years. Lord Beaverbrook's heirs claim that he lent (not donated) much of the collection. It is in the courts and the lawyers will be the big winners.

The cathedral is truly amazing. Built when the city had a population of less then 10,000, it rivals cathedral's in cities 10 times bigger.

Fresh produce is just a short drive in the country or you can wait for the Saturday market, when the farmers come to the city center. We tried both.

We enjoyed a day sail with Carl & Ruth, good friends and neighbours of my brother and SIL.

My brother Earl and SIL Cindy treat us to sunset drinks at the hotel terrace bar, overlooking the St John River. A perfect end to the day. Thanks again bro and Cindy!

Earl and Cindy's home and one of the two part time house cats. They "pet sit" for friends that travel a lot.

Aug, 2009 - SAINT JOHN, NB

2009-08-24T12:21:00.000-07:00

The trip from Bar Harbor, ME to Saint John, NB was truly horrible. Fog so thick you could not see the mast head from the deck. Lightning storms creating weird lighting effects through the fog. Rain squalls following one after the other. Cold, COLD, COLD! Our Radar had never operated properly so we were really sweating. On my off watch I re-read the manual and decided to run it through its initial set up (something we had not done as it was on the boat when we bought it). WOW, it worked, we had great reception after that. We even were able to watch the rain squalls coming up behind us. We got so good we could countdown their arrival 10, 9, 8,...

Beast on the boat! Late at night, as we passed Grand Manan Island I felt a brush against my cheek as I sat at the radar. I commented that it felt like a bat's wing. Well that is just what it was. We were unable to get him/her off the boat until we reached Saint John.

The "Reversing Falls" on the Saint John River. We were waiting for the scheduled slack at the Centennial Dock in the port when we learned that slack was 20 minutes early, due to the high river water level. Off we went and JUST made it through with minutes to spare. Near the end we were doing less then 1 knt over the ground against the increasing current.

Fog in the anchorage at RKYC. Welcome to Atlantic Canada.

We knew we were back in Canada when...

Our first Canadian Sunset on the boat since September 2007.

August, 2009 - BAR HARBOR, ME

2009-08-24T12:06:00.000-07:00

The "sail" (motor) to Bar Harbor was mainly notable for it's fog. Hence no pictures.

We stop in Bar Harbor for a one night rest stop. We went ashore for lunch and a photo op with a lobster. A very quaint and friendly town, even though it is crowded and touristy. After the fog cleared I took this picture of the lobster markers in the approaches to the mooring. Again they are set in pairs, with a line just below the water between them. Only god knows how we got in without snagging one (or more).

July, 2009 - BOSTON, MA

2009-08-24T11:03:00.000-07:00

If Charleston is defined by it's role in the Civil War, Boston is defined by it's role in the Revolutionary War (and it's pubs).

We attach to a mooring ball in the river for $35 per night as to tie up to the dock would be about $200 per night.

Paul Revere's house is a small wooden structure that housed his family including up to 9 of his (I think) total of 16 children at any one time. Very cosy.

One light by land, two by sea. This is the church tower that Paul Revere put the light in before starting his famous ride. He was one of three riders that set out to warn two communities. Only one rider made it through to both and it was not Paul Revere. Can you remember the one who made it through? No one does. Paul gets the credit as his was the only name that would fit the rhyming sequence in the famous poem by Longfellow.

The Old State House and former Colonial Office. Site of the Boston "massacre". An angry mob surrounded some very frightened young British soldiers. A bell rung out (a fire signal of the day). Someone yelled "FIRE" and the soldiers fired into the mob, killing a few. Paul Revere did a famous drawing showing the soldiers standing as a "firing squad" shooting at a cowering and frightened crowd, calling it the "Boston Massacre". This drawing was widely distributed and helped flame anti British sentiments. An early example of successful propaganda.

The New State Building overlooks the Boston Common.

Boston's most famous bar "Cheers" and its oldest pub the "Bell in Hand". Alex and I talked to Norm and Frazier, but they did not have anything to say worth repeating.

July, 2009 - PLYMOUTH, MA

2009-08-24T10:44:00.000-07:00

Entering Plymouth Harbor is a major challenge: Not due to the strong currents, although they are there; not due to the narrow channels, although they are narrow; BUT due to the countless (yes countless) lobster floats in the marked channel. In addition many are in pairs, joined by a line just below the surface. This obstacle course is the result of a jurisdictional dispute between government agencies that leave the fishermen free to create this hazard. We later heard that the Coast Guard does clear them out with a chain between two boats a couple of times a year, but it is not enough to stop the practice.

"The Rock" or what is left of it. It is a fraction of it's original size as souvenir hunters in the 1800s chipped away most of it. It is now protected by iron fencing within a Greek style monument. The SV "Mayflower II". A replica of the original that was built in England and sailed to Plymouth. We went through her and were amazed that everyone fit in. The town has a nice small town feel and is not too "touristy" once you are off the waterfront. The old graveyard was particularly interesting.

July, 2009 NYC TO CAPE COD CANAL (INCLUDING MYSTIC SEAPORT)

2009-08-24T09:37:00.000-07:00

For this leg of our trip we are joined by our friend Alex. His help was greatly appreciated.

We leave the East River and enter into Long Island Sound. We left the anchorage in the Hudson River at 03:30 to reach Hells Gate in the East River at slack water. Before sunrise the weather closed in with heavy rain and cold temperatures. We had to break out the long underwear and rain gear (sigh).

Mystic Seaport a living museum. We had great fun exploring the life of an 18th century seaport and touring period ships. I am at the helm of the last wooden whaling ship in existence, the SV "Morgan", undergoing a full refit. Alex "weighs anchor". Sandra takes a swim with a whale. The expensive moorage includes admission to the museum. When we went to pay we were pleasantly surprised to learn that owner operated foreign flagged vessels get the first night FREE! So the cost to us was VERY reasonable.

Crew at work and rest.

The Cape Cod Canal, with picture of real "Cape Cod" Cottages.

July, 2009 - WASHINGTON, DC (CITY OF MONUMENTS)

2009-08-24T07:53:00.000-07:00

We took a three day side trip to Washington, DC. We took the Big Bus NYC to DC for under $30 each way. It was about 4 hours city center to city center.

With only 2 full days to see the highlights we opted for a hop on hop off tour on the British Double Decker. The only downside was it was not air conditioned. A serious oversight as it was hot and humid.

Buildings of power; White House and Edger Hoover Building. There is a months long waiting list for the White House tour and we did not have time to do the FBI tour. Something for next time.

Union Station, the most visited building in Washington, likely due to the fact that all the tours start here.

Columbus Circle, with monument to the explorer and a copy of the liberty bell.

War memorials for the Civil War, WWI, WWII and Korean wars. We did not get to see the Vietnam War memorial this time out.

Presidential monuments for Washington, Grant, Lincoln and Jefferson. I liked the Jefferson one the best, although the Lincoln monument is the most visited.

Capital Hill. Sandra and her mom (Loretta) did the tour. I went to the Spy Museum. Both are great. The Spy Museum is really well done, with a "Spy School", artifacts dating back to BC and great stories from WWII and the Cold War. One of my favorite exhibits was the James Bond Car from "Goldfinger". Unfortunately no pictures were allowed (and I did not have a spy camera with me).

The Smithsonian Aeronautics and Space Museum. I spent four hours and only was able to do the first floor. Definitely worth a return trip(s).

The Washington Museum of Natural History. Smaller then the one in NYC, but very well done. The gem collection includes the "Hope Diamond". I found a Canadian deep sea explorer "hanging around" the ocean exhibit.

July, 2009 - NYC (CENTRAL PARK / STRAWBERRY FIELDS)

2009-08-23T14:39:00.000-07:00

Central Park from the "Top of the Rock" and from the ground. Statues of Columbus, Shakespeare & Burns. Memorials to the Union and WWI dead.

Dakota Building, where John Lenin was killed. His memorial "Strawberry Fields" is two blocks away in Central Park. Fans leave flowers and buskers play / sing his music.

July, 2009 - NYC (STATURE OF LIBERTY, GROUND "0", ART, CULTURE, ETC.)

2009-08-23T09:03:00.000-07:00

The Stature of Liberty.

Ground "0" is still a hole in the ground, with the re-construction hidden behind a solid fence.

Street Art in NYC.

The Museum of Natural History. They actually have a "Night in the Museum" tour now. The exhibits are phenomenal. The last picture is a Polynesian star chart.

Radio City Hall. The best example of Art Deco architecture I have seen. The "Rockettes" aren't bad either. The only upside of loosing the 1gb of pictures (see previous posting) is that I had to do this tour again. Was it for the building, art or Rockette photo op?

Rockefeller Center art. We did the NBC tour, but it was so so. The most interesting thing was I got to be a weather man for a few minutes. It is a LOT harder then it looks on TV.

Grand Central Station. An architectural treasure.

MOMA (Museum Of Modern Art). Not my cup of tea. But the outdoor sculpture was useful and the Frank Loyd Wright model made the visit for me.

July, 2009 - NYC (FAMILY & FRIENDS)

2009-08-23T08:42:00.000-07:00

James treats us to a Mexican Dinner, NYC style. We enjoy meeting his girlfriend Maria for the first time. James has hand surgery and basks in the glory of three generations of nurses, Grandma, Mom & Maria. Not unlike his Dad, he was able to tough it out.

Carol & Alex come from Victoria for a visit. We do the tourist thing for a few days then Alex joins us for the next leg to Saint John, NB, Canada.

July, 2009 - NYC (VIEW FROM THE TOP)

2009-08-23T08:18:00.000-07:00

Views of Central Park and the Empire State Building, from the "Top of the Rock" (Rockefeller Center). Note the cool fender (aka beer belly). Thx to Lorretta for these pictures. Someone, who will go un-named, but whose initials are SPL (nee A), errased 1 gb of pictures from HER camera, including the ones we took here.

The second to last picture is of "Rockefeller University", on the East River, where son James is a PhD student. Is Sandra hugging him as an expression of her love or because she is terrified of heights? The jury is still out.

July, 2009 - NYC (TIMES SQUARE & BROADWAY )

2009-08-23T07:55:00.000-07:00

Times Square day and night. Sandra as part of the "Muffets" cast. We enjoyed three Broadway plays; "Hair", "The 39 Steps" & "Blith Spirit". The latter was my favarite and starred Angela Landsbury. Sandra and her Mom lined up for the free "Shakespere in the Park" tickets at 7 am, but soon reallized that they arrived too late to get them. Maybe next visit.

July, 2009 - NYC (SOUTH ST. SEAPORT MUSEAM)

2009-08-14T06:58:00.000-07:00

We were in NYC for over 3 weeks and took hundreds of pictures. To make it manageable I have decided to make separate postings for many of the places we enjoyed. The South Street Seaport Museum was one of my favorites, in part as it is the home to the "Peking", the sister ship to the "Passat", our boat's namesake.

We toured the retired Lighthouse Ship "Ambrose". These ships were anchored out were it was impossible to build or maintain lighthouses. the crews faced many dangers, not the least of which was being accidentally rammed by the ships they were trying to keep safe. A sister ship to this was lost with all hands due to a ramming. Note the "high tech" radio gear.

The "Peking" is the sister ship to the "Passat", our boat's namesake. these were the last of the commercial sailing ships. The carried bulk cargo (grain, bauxite, etc.) from Australia and Chile to Europe. The "Peking" is featured in a film taken in a storm rounding the Horn in the 1920's.

Picture of the "Passat" included in the "Peking" exhibit.

June 27th to July 5th, 2009 - GREAT KILLS HARBOR, STANTON ISLD, NYC

2009-08-14T05:10:00.000-07:00

We arrive in Great Kills (Dutch for River) Harbour, Staten Island, NYC after two days at sea and take a mooring buoy at the Richmond County Yacht Club. The $225 per week fee includes use of the facilities and the launch service that runs from 8 am to 10 pm (11 pm Fri & Sat).

The entrance Light House at Sandy Hook, welcomes us to NYC. The next day we go by train and Staten Island Ferry to NYC. Our first pictures of the New Jersey and NYC skylines, including the Statue of Liberty.

Father and son re-union. Picture taken at start of July 4th boat trip described below. Many thanks to Joe and Kristen who provided this and the following pictures of the adventure.

The co-captains and guests for the July 4th "3 hour tour" of the South Bay. The guests are; Joe & Kristen, Jeff, Tarin & Frey, Maria & James. We had a great sail from Great Kills Harbor to Sandy Hook, then decided to enter Horseshoe Bay for bite to eat. Just as we were about to drop the anchor we hit an uncharted sand bar and became very stuck. We tried to back off. NO luck. We tried to sail off and only managed to get higher up onto the bar. The boat started to list 15 to 20 degrees to starboard and "bounce" along the bar. NOT good. Called TowBoat US. They arrived inside of 20 minutes. Got towed off. Again the towing insurance paid off. We motored back to Great Kills for a sunset meal and much needed "adult" beverage(s).

Frey through the salt covered dodger, cloud art, Jeff toasting the sunset with his beer. Sunset on Great Kills Harbor.

June 24th to 26th, 2009 - PORTSMOUTH / NORFOLK, VA

2009-08-13T12:33:00.000-07:00

Portsmouth / Norfolk is a major shipping and navy center for the USA East Coast. We spent most of our time here doing boat repair and maintenance. The main item was to get the depth sounder operational again. It proved an all day exercise to find and get to and from one of the two West Marine stores in the area. Both are located miles and miles from the harbor (what is that all about?). We got one on the phone and they offered to pay $10.00 of our cab fare and have one of their staff drive us back to the marina. The cab fare was $30.00, but the option was an impossible bus system, so away we went. Turns out it was better to get a whole new fish finder.

We had one of the best movie experiences ever in Portsmouth. They have an old Art Deco theatre downtown (Now a National and State Historic Site). It was fully restored in the 1980s, with the conversion of the main level to a dinner setting. You order from the table, via phone, too cool. The owner at the time of the restoration was a sound engineer who was connected in some way to "Industrial Light and Magic". They built the sound system, so it was outstanding. We saw " The Proposal", but would have liked to see something that would have utilized the sound system (i.e. Mama Mia).

Portsmouth / Norfolk harbor is very industrial / commercial, but has at least three recreational marinas and a small boat anchorage, BUT no marine supply store for miles and miles. The paddle wheel boats are part of the transit system and cross the harbor regularly. The fare is a very modest $1.50 each way. Major dyke construction on the way north.

June 14th to June 23th, 2009 - PRICE CK, BUTLER ISLD, CASABAH CK, WRIGHTVILLE BEACH, SWANSBORO, S. RIVER, PUNGO CK, TUCAHOE INLET & NORTH RVR.

2009-08-13T07:39:00.000-07:00

We "speed" up the Inter Coastal Waterway (ICW) on our way to NYC. The only place we got off the boat in this segment was at Swansboro, a small but quaint town. We treated ourselves to dinner out. We lost our depth sounder transponder in this section and had to do the last leg not knowing the depth. A VERY nerve racking job in this narrow section of the ICW. I was straining to see every marker and Sandra was glued to the navigation computer. Thankfully both the marking system and charts are excellent here and we made it, without having to use TowBoat US.

We saw many, many eagle nests in this section. Almost every navigation marker had one, often complete with one or two chicks.

Barges always get the ROW, under the "double tonnage" rule, if nothing else.

Very interesting "Pink Flamingo" home on the ICW.

The last of the "Pontoon" type of opening bridge on the ICW. The footings of the new fixed bridge that will replace it are under construction.

We encounter our first fog in many, many months at Casabah Creek.

Beast on the boat. A dragon fly hitches a ride.

The only lock we encountered in the ICW. Very tame after the Panama Canal.

June 10th to 13th, 2009 - Charleston NC

2009-07-19T14:08:00.000-07:00

Charleston, NC is a great city to visit for Civil War history, architecture and WWII Naval history buffs. Unfortunately we had a incident with one of our memory cards and lost (or misfiled) the pictures of the WWII naval ships in the floating museum.

Fort Sumter is on an island just inside the harbor. This is where the first shot of the USA Civil War was fired. We sailed by, but did not go to the fort. We did attend the museum on the mainland and it was very good.

Copy of the first submarine to sink a ship. It did not survive the encounter.

Four historical buildings share the same corner. A church, Federal Building, Municipal Hall and Courts. The Courts building was the original colonial office.

We toured several beautiful mansions. This was my favorite.

June 01st to 9th, 2009 - Datona Beach, St Augustine, Ft George, Cumberland Island, Jekyll Island, Brunswick Landing.

2009-07-19T12:42:00.000-07:00

The title line lists the anchorages we used. The only two stops of note in this section of our travels were Cumberland and Jekyll Islands. Both are now parks, but were once owned as the winter destinations for the rich and famous. Jekyll Island was the birthplace of the US Federal Reserve, the location of the first "condo" and the eastern terminus of the first trans continental phone call. Very interesting history and amazing scenery, flora and fauna. for more details see http://www.jekyllisland.com/ and http://www.nps.gov/cuis/.

The club house, now a luxury hotel. The 6plex "condo", has no dining kitchens or dining facilities as all meals were to be eaten in the club house. The largest "cottage" (now part of the hotel) was built by the plumbing mogul "Crane" featured the most bathrooms and, in defiance of custom, a kitchen. The first trans continental phone call.

The remains of the Carnegie mansion on Cumberland Island.

Where have all the people gone? Miles of beach, once the playground of the "rich and famous".

Beasts on the beach.

Buoy on the beach.

Marsh and sand dunes.

SV "Passat II" and Barrie at Cumberland Island.

Fauna and flora on Cumberland Island. Our first armadillo and closest encounter with an alligator.