tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22051918085064962042012-03-02T09:02:20.222-06:00The cruising adventures of the sailing vessel <i>Bella Star</i> and her crew.Aaron and Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09639227224118514686noreply@blogger.comBlogger1711100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205191808506496204.post-47134459284231313392012-03-02T08:10:00.001-06:002012-03-02T08:10:52.081-06:00

By Nicole When you’re anchored just outside a lovely Mexican resort—one that, for a modest fee, grants you access to its grounds—is it wrong to spend a few days lounging poolside?  Nah. The Las Hadas Resort and Marina in Manzanillo is a striking sight, with its bright white, Mediterranean-style buildings climbing the hillside and overlooking the bay.  The anchorage near the Las Hadas Resort

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By Aaron We arrived in Barra after a short passage from Tenacatita and very cautiously navigated our way into the anchorage located up the estuary.  This is definitely the shallowest area we’ve tried to anchor in, and there are no markers or buoys indicating depth in the anchorage.  The charts were certainly no help but the guidebook had accurate waypoints.  So we managed to get the hook set

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By Nicole I checked the log book.  For the first time since August 1, 2011, it rained on us while we were at anchor.  Sure we had plenty of fog going down the coast, and we got drenched on our overnight passage from Cabo to Playa Bonanza.  But up to that point, our time at anchor in Mexico had been amazingly dry. And you know what? It made me a bit nostalgic for the months we spent cruising

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By  Nicole Our overnight stop at Isla Cocinas in Bahia Chamela was one of my favorites so far.  The anchorage was surrounded by rocky, cactus studded islands; a secluded, sandy beach; the vast Pacific Ocean and the tropical Mexican mainland.  Dozens of pelicans, boobies and Frigatebirds flocked overhead, and the water was a respectable 77 degrees.  It was a gorgeous spot, and we all jumped at

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By Nicole With our last overnight passage behind us for awhile, the crew decided it was time to have some fun.  And what better way to spend a day than playing on the miles-long golden sand beach at Bahia Chamela. It was a perfect day of: boogie boarding body surfing bocce playing kite flying book reading sun lounging dilapidated resort exploring and beach hiking

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By Nicole As we hauled the anchor and got underway for Yelapa, I actually felt a little sick inside watching the La Cruz de Huanacaxtle anchorage grow smaller and smaller in our wake.  Why were we leaving this laidback paradise and saying goodbye to our friends?  Couldn’t we just stay one more week?  We spent more than six weeks living here, and it really started to feel like home.  But

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By Aaron Okay, we’re leaving.  We mean it this time!  The anchor is coming up at 0700 sharp tomorrow.  There’s just been too much fun stuff going on to get out of here! Huanacaxtle Café had a going away party.  Then it was another party for Erlin’s birthday.  And of course some more karaoke. Ben and Molly showed up for karaoke with their two kids, Mickey and JP.  To their kids’ horror I’m sure

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By Aaron Hard to believe we’ve been here over a month.  And what a month it’s been!  Happy hour at Huanacaxtle Cafe.  Relaxing on the boat.  Relaxing on the beach with a book.  Day trips to Bucerias, Sayulita, Punta de Mita…  Lazy hot afternoons, sleeping in… I’ve said before that cruising isn’t like being on vacation but it sure has felt like vacation during our stay here.  We’ve been hanging

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By Nicole What’s better than spending the day lounging on the beach, bodyboarding in the waves and shopping in a quaint beachside town with your friends?  Well, not much. We took the bus out to the cool surf town of Sayulita today, and had a great time being beach bums with Erlin and Jenn of Ventured (whom I’m sure you know by now).  Although it’s a tourist town at heart, Sayulita had a

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By Aaron There is a very nice ex-pat named April who has lived here in La Cruz since 1985.  We heard her on the morning cruiser’s net offering to take people on various guided hikes for very reasonable rates, so we gave her a call and set one up along with the crews of Hello World, Panache, and Ventured.  Our hike would take us over 4 miles through the jungle and beaches along the coast, from

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By Aaron It’s been really nice to stay in one spot for awhile.  Several other boats are doing the same thing, and there has been no end to the various fun activities that fill up our days.  And the weather has been absolutely fantastic!  It’s in the upper 70s every day and frequently over 80.  Last week we had one day set a new Bella Star high temperature record... At least there was a nice

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By Aaron We’re in La Cruz, Marina Riviera Nayarit,  for an extended stay of over a month.  (At least I am.)  We splurged on a marina for the whole time since they were giving us a good monthly rate which was further discounted as El Salvador Rally participants.  Dock 4, home for the next month Nicole is heading back to Seattle for a couple weeks in the middle of January in order to visit

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By Nicole Before we left Seattle, a number of my friends expressed concern over how we’d do laundry while cruising.  I figured I’d find Laundromats along the way or, if all else failed, I’d resort to my old-school hand-operated washing machine (really just a glorified plunger) and a bucket. But since arriving in La Paz, I haven’t had to do my own laundry at all!  For about $3-4US per load, I

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By Nicole From Banderas Bay, Mexico, we wish our family and friends – both far and near – a very merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah and fabulous 2012. Last winter – latitude 47°40’N Snow at Shilshole Bay Marina in Seattle This winter – latitude 20°44’N: Sunshine at Marina Riviera Nayarit in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Mexico   Of course I had to bring the tree!  Notice the guy-wires at

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By Aaron We made the overnight passage from Mazatlan to Chacala without incident.  Chacala is a small resort town with some palapas, restaurants, and a few little shops all shaded by palm trees.  It caters to Mexican tourists and is a super relaxing and fun place to stay.  If  you want to go somewhere with a lot of character that’s off the beaten path, this is it.  We’ve always had trouble

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By Aaron We departed Ensenada de los Muertos at 0330 to cross the Sea of Cortez bound for Mazatlan.  We were hoping to arrive before nightfall the following day.  Fortunately the wind was a steady 17-22 knots on the beam with waves on the port quarter allowing us to occasionally do a bit of surfing.  Seeing our speed hit 7.4 knots is a rare event for us when there’s no current helping out.  A

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By Nicole Friends of ours on Hello World and Bint al Khamseen cruised the Sea of Cortez a couple of years ago and told us stories about “the black hole of La Paz.”  They explained just how hard it was for people to leave this favorite cruiser hang out in Baja.  We figured we’d like La Paz but that we wouldn’t have any trouble escaping its gravitational pull.  We were wrong! As I opened up our

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By Nicole The cruising life definitely has its high points, from swimming in warm, crystal blue water to watching the surreal, phosphorescent lightshow put on by dolphins at night to walking barefoot on beaches with sand as soft as powdered sugar. Topping the list of high points, though, has to be making new friends.  Cruising relationships run the gamut—some people you meet only once, some

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By Aaron In order to break up the trip back to La Paz we stopped for a couple nights on Isla Espiritu Santo again.  This time we stayed in the El Mezteno anchorage. Bella Star at anchor The guidebook mentioned a trail that went up the arroyo up to the ridge.  After some searching we found that the “trail” involves climbing huge boulders, following piles of rocks. We added to some of the piles

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By Aaron With the forecast calling for strong northerly winds in the next few days we decided to head for Isla San Francisco which would offer some decent protection from the wind and swell. A leisurely 4 hour reach to Isla San Francisco Our course brought us closer to the mountains on the Baja side with all their layers and colors Hard to believe it was Thanksgiving Day with temperatures

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By Aaron We went from Ensenada de Raza on Isla Espiritu Santo to Ensenada Grande, an anchorage just a couple miles up on Isla Partida.  We keep the boom off to the side at anchor so the solar panels can get full sun Temperature testing the water from the boat Temperature testing the water from the dinghy Going to shore was like driving the dinghy in a big swimming pool There was live coral

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By Aaron We left the mega social cruiser scene at La Paz for a little R&R in the islands just to the north.  First stop was Ensenada de Raza on Isla Espiritu Santo. Approaching the anchorage Bella Star at anchor I counted 9 clouds in the sky this afternoon, so it was only a moderately nice day We tried to go ashore, but the water was quite shallow some distance from the beach.  I tried to

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From the warm waters of the Sea of Cortez, Mexico, we wish all our family and friends back home a very happy Thanksgiving! We sure wish we could sit down to a delicious dinner with the family today, but we're thankful to be out here on this incredible journey together.Oh, and we're thankful to be wearing shorts and flip flops in November.Happy Thanksgiving!----------radio email processed by

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By Aaron We’re in La Paz and haven’t been able to resist eating out.  A lot.  The prices are good and the food has been excellent.  It’s hot out here, gotta stay hydrated! Today we had dinner at the Super Burro.  And lunch was at The Shack with new friends from SV Ventured.  The perfect atmosphere for an awesome cheeseburger 1/2 lb burgers cooked up over a mesquite fire… you can’t catch a

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By Aaron The Latitude Reduction Program has been briefly suspended while we work our way north into the Sea of Cortez.  We left Cabo bound for Caleta Lobos, an overnight sail to the north from Cabo.  We had fantastic sailing out of Cabo for about 50 miles until the wind died.  The seas went glass flat and we motored on into the night.  For most of my watch it absolutely poured rain.  I

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By Nicole Cabo is crazy!  But in a good way.  You can’t help but feel like you’re on vacation here.  The anchorage is nuts, with jet skis, water taxis, parasail boats, ski boats towing wake boarders, stand-up paddleboards, kayaks and Hobie cats all zipping in between anchored boats (including an anchored cruise ship).  It’s like rush hour, except everyone is traveling 55mph and no one is obeying

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By Nicole “Aaron! We just hit something!” But he didn’t need me to tell him – he felt it too, and dashed up the companionway steps to join me in the cockpit. We were a day into our two-day passage from Bahia Tortugas to Bahia Santa Maria off the southern coast of Baja, out of sight of land and in over 500’ of water, when we heard a loud BAM! and felt the boat shudder as it rode up and over

Aaron and Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09639227224118514686noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205191808506496204.post-80778634901286311072011-11-03T19:05:00.001-05:002011-11-03T19:05:24.867-05:00

By Aaron It’s an important question.  One that requires some considerable research.  SV Estrellita procured 12 different Mexican beers and we did a blind taste test.  In the name of science!  (Also celebrating their 500 days of cruising milestone, and our 6 month milestone.) See their post on the best Mexican beer here. The clear winner was Bohemia!

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By Nicole After a two-night passage from Ensenada, complete with breaching humpback whales during the day and a sky full of stars at night, we arrived at Isla Cedros.  And for the first time since Canada, we had an anchorage all to ourselves.  I tell you what, after spending more than a week in the noisy, dusty boatyard, being anchored off a beautiful island with only the sound of seabirds and

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From Baja California, Mexico, we wish you a frightfully delightful Halloween (even if it’s a couple days late)! Needless to say, we didn’t get any trick-or-treaters this year.

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By Nicole The paved lot of the Baja Naval boatyard has been home now for more than a week, and while we’re happy to be giving Bella Star a smooth new bottom, we’re more than ready to get back in the water.  Living on the hard is quite a challenge, considering we can’t let any water go down the drain, but we have it on good authority that we’ll be floating again by dinnertime tomorrow.  Fingers

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By Nicole Lowering the yellow quarantine flag today and raising the Mexican flag in its place made it official – we’re in Mexico!  Well, the stamped paperwork from customs, immigration and the port captain is what probably made it official, but still…   Down comes the quarantine flag (the flag you must fly before you’re officially cleared into a foreign country)… And up goes the green,

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By Aaron We made a 24-hour passage from Oxnard to San Diego and it was a beautiful day and night. Seems amazing to me to be down to a single fleece layer offshore. We’ve had dolphins visit us pretty much every time we’re offshore in the last few legs.  But last time was amazing; there must have been hundreds of them!  They were jumping in the air all around the boat as far as we could see. 

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As the saying goes, a rolling stone collects no moss.  And judging by the fringe of green seaweed growing on Bella Star’s belly, it’s time to get rolling! If all goes as planned, we’ll be in San Diego tomorrow morning.  The city’s harbors and marinas will be filling up with boats for the Baja Ha-Ha cruisers rally, and although we aren’t participating, it’ll still be exciting to see so many

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By Aaron We’ve been in Oxnard at Channel Islands Harbor Marina for about a week now.  Kind of a long stop for us but the weather has been fantastic and it’s a good location to work on boat projects.  There’s been a definite change in the flora compared to only a few months ago The project list and status looks something like this: Oil change – done (At our old marina in Seattle you just take

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By Nicole The sunny coastal town of Santa Barbara, with its gorgeous Spanish architecture and palm tree-lined streets, was one of our favorite stops.  Maybe the sun had something to do with it, or maybe we were just giddy to be celebrating our 7th wedding anniversary (wow, 7 amazing years already!). We found the city to be enchanting, not only for the beautiful buildings (the Santa Barbara

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By Nicole On passages, sightings of sea critters like whales and dolphins are fairly common.  But sometimes we’re treated to shows that are straight out of Sea World. While en route to Drakes Bay, just north of San Francisco, we heard the blow of a whale maybe 150’ off to starboard.  We both watched, transfixed, as the whale slowly surfaced and then descended out of sight, only to blast from

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By Nicole Eureka was entertaining and San Francisco was a treat, but it wasn’t until Monterey that we really felt like we’d arrived in California.  And, ahhhh… what a great feeling. We spent time wandering around town, admiring the beautiful old buildings and gardens, sampling beers at the local brewery, browsing the farmers market and gorging on a ginormous chocolate malt.  Look!  A

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By Aaron Alert: no pretty pictures for this post and likely not interesting to non sailors, but the choice between sailing straight to San Francisco or harbor hopping down the coast is a tough one, so I thought I’d share our thoughts in response to a question from SV Aria: Chuck and Jackie on Aria said... Congrats on on a major milestone. More than 1 circumnavigator has told me that the

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By Nicole After a few fun-filled days in the San Francisco Bay area, we cast off and headed about 25 miles south to Half Moon Bay.  It’s a great anchorage, well protected from ocean swell and wind.  And with the help of a friendly couple who rowed over to share the ins and outs of the area, we found a produce stand with the most delicious corn-on-the-cob we’ve ever tasted (and we’re big fans of

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By Nicole After a few boisterous, noisy nights at Pier 39 (a combination of 20+ knots of wind, crazy current and those cantankerous sea lions), we were looking forward to spending a little quiet time on Angel Island in San Francisco Bay. We had a lovely sail over to Ayala Cove and picked up two mooring buoys, as is the custom here (one off the bow and the other off the stern – this allows more

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By Nicole Bark!  Bark!  Bark! Pier 39 on the downtown San Francisco waterfront is an ideal location for exploring the city and being right in the mix of tourist activity….  and right in the mix of sea lion activity.  In the late 1980s, huge numbers of sea lions decided that Pier 39 was the place to be and began hauling out all over the docks.  To give the sea lions a little place of their own

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The blast of fog horns on the iconic Golden Gate Bridge gave us a mighty welcome to San Francisco.  The city by the bay was shrouded in fog for our arrival, but it was still a thrill sailing under the bridge (okay, motor-sailing) and seeing San Francisco, Alcatraz and the Bay unfold before us. But the return of Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks can only mean one thing… fall is near.  So we’ll

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By Nicole Humboldt County in Northern California is known for supporting certain types of, um, plant life.  Arguably the most famous (and the most legal), though, is the majestic coast redwood – the tallest tree in the world. We’d planned to travel north, back toward Crescent City, to tour the redwood forest, but a chat with a local at the Lost Coast Brewery bar had us pointing our rental

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The docks at the Newport Marina were getting a little crowded, what with everyone waiting out the strong winds and heavy seas pounding the southern Oregon/northern California coast.  The high winds finally subsided though, as they do, and the bevy of eager boaters made a break for points south. After a minor setback with our autopilot, which forced us to make a U-turn a mile outside the Yaquina

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By Aaron We’ve been having a great time in Newport.  And if you’re ever sailing down the coast (or driving for that matter) we’d really recommend a visit.  The marina is very inexpensive and well run.  Power and WiFi are included.  And they also give you free bus passes so you can get around town.  The guest dock is a tad shallow, and we were sitting in the mud on a minus tide but no big deal.

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By Aaron (ATTN PARENTS: DO NOT READ THIS) When we arrived in Newport we met Chuck, Tas, and their puppy Sadie from the SV Gypsy Soul - moored two slips down from us. They’re super nice people and accomplished sailors. They had us aboard for dinner and told us about their impending sail to Hawaii. We wished them well on their voyage and waved goodbye as they pulled out of the slip the next day.

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By Aaron The Inside Passage and the sounds & inlets of the west coast of Vancouver Island are absolutely littered with islands.  At some point we decided to keep track of all the islands we were landing on, and eventually it became a cruising goal to land on 100 during our trip around Vancouver Island.  Here are the criteria we used to qualify a landing: 1. It must be completely surrounded by

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By Nicole Yes, we’d planned to go straight to San Francisco from Neah Bay.  But one of the fabulous things about cruising is the ability to be flexible and go where the winds take you.  And with strong winds and heavy seas forecasted off the California coast, we changed our minds and decided to make the town of Newport on the central Oregon Coast our first stop. One of the milestones

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By Nicole After following us on our 3 ½-month journey around Vancouver Island, you may be wondering “What’s next for Bella Star?” Well, we’ve been doing some serious California Dreaming lately.  And by “lately,” I mean ever since summer decided to skip the Pacific Northwest this year.  It’ll feel so great to finally put on shorts and a tank top, swim in water warmer than 56.7 degrees (the

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Driftwood beach, Benson Island Mossy trail, Clarke Island Mountain views, Chalk Island Sea star, Chalk Island Beach swing, Fleming Island Sea arch, Tzartus Island Almost tropical beach, Dodd Island Foggy day, Ucluelet Inlet Wild Pacific Trail, Ucluelet Rugged coastline, Amphritrite Point   Tseshaht statue, Benson Island

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By Aaron In the process of completing our goal of landing on 100 islands during our shakedown cruise, we decided to make the long dinghy ride over to Hankin Island from Joes Bay.  We heard from Al on SV Louise that there was a nice sea cave over there.  We found it on the north side  and spotted a tiny beach in the back - it definitely looked like an inviting place to land the dinghy. View

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By Aaron After our second visit to Nettle Island we left on a calm clear morning and headed up to Lucky Creek.  Since swimming was potentially involved we wanted to make sure we went there on a warm day. Leaving our anchorage at Nettle Island Flat calm looking west down the Broken Group to the Pacific Lucky Creek was highly recommended by anyone we’ve talked to that’s been there.  It did not

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Quaint and charming Bamfield, with it’s seaside boardwalk and rustic buildings, was one of our favorite “city” stops.  We’d only planned to stay overnight to say goodbye to our friends on Three Sheets, but we liked it so much we decided to hang around another day. The town of Bamfield is divided into western and eastern sides by Bamfield Inlet, which we heard is called “main street” by the

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Looking back, one of the things Aaron and I were most excited about when starting this trip was solitude.  Cruising in Puget Sound and the San Juans, you never (or very rarely, like in the dead of winter) get a bay or cove all to yourself.  But in B.C. in the springtime, secluded anchorages are a dime a dozen.  Which isn’t to say that we don’t love coming around a bend and finding we have that

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By Aaron Want to hop in a stinky spa that smells like rotten eggs with a bunch of strangers?  It’s nicer than it sounds.  We spent 4 days at Hot Springs Cove enjoying some good weather and the company of SV Estrellita. Nicole on whale patrol during the run offshore to Clayoquot Sound One of the neat things about Hot Springs Cove is the twisting up and down 1.3 mile boardwalk that takes you

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By Nicole Unless our log book is wrong, we’re still a thousand miles north of Mexico.  So how did we find ourselves sitting on a patio sipping umbrella drinks? From behind the mountains surrounding Tahsis Inlet, the Westview Marina appeared almost like an oasis.  With Jimmy Buffett on the radio and a healthy dose of tropical/Mexican kitsch, the owners created a little piece of paradise in what’s

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By Nicole From our anchorage in Port Langford off Nuchatlitz Inlet, we had no real indication that a gale was blowing just over the hill.  Except for the fact that Environment Canada, the agency responsible for the weather reports we get over our VHF radio, was repeatedly warning of gale-force winds in the area (that’s 39-54 mph).  So of course we had to take a little dinghy ride to see all this

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By Nicole I really love s’mores.  And Aaron really loves to build campfires.  We’re a perfect match. Aaron’s mighty beach fire (with Bella Star in the background) Yep, we’re expert marshmallow toasters.  We even have our own sticks.   The first bite’s always the best.   But the second bite’s pretty good too! Beach fires and s’mores… does it get any better?

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By Nicole Sea otters are a common sight up and down the west coast of Vancouver Island.  They’re easy to spot, as they float along on their backs with their heads and feet sticking out of the water.  We never get tired of watching them munch on shellfish snacks, using their tummies as tables. A certain sea otter in Dixie Cove managed to take the “cutest critter” prize, although Aaron

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By Nicole Northwesterners like to joke that summer doesn’t start until after the 4th of July.  I don’t know what it’s doing back in Seattle, but we’re having monsoon season here on Vancouver Island.  Holy crap, has it rained a lot in the last week (and that’s coming from someone who’s lived in Washington for 30 years). Despite the extra-soggy conditions (or maybe because of it) the Bunsby

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By Aaron We had a really premium sail around Brooks Peninsula.  The sun came out, the seas flattened, and the wind was perfect.  We headed up to a reach as we rounded and Bella Star dug her shoulder in just pleased as can be.  I certainly wish we could see more of these conditions! Scootin’ along to Columbia Cove Passing Solander Island Land ho We arrived in Columbia Cove to find Graham and

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By Nicole “Why are we doing this?”  Aaron peeked/glared at me from under his dripping rain hood as we motored along in the dinghy, dodging patches of kelp in the pouring rain. Practically in answer to his question, a furry sea otter poked up out of the water to check us out.  We exchanged curious glances with the little guy, as he floated along on his back through the kelp.  He followed us

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By Nicole As we rounded Cape Scott at Vancouver Island’s northwestern tip, blue sky began to peek out from the breaking clouds.  With the mainsail hoisted and the jib unfurled, we were sailing in a fresh breeze, riding up and down in the 6-foot seas watching whales surface nearby.  While it certainly wasn’t like rounding the Cape of Good Hope or Cape Horn, it was still an exhilarating moment for

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By Aaron We left Port Hardy on an ebb tide heading to Bull Harbour.  We had considered a stop at a place called God’s  Pocket on Hurst Island and even diverted to take a look.  In the end we decided not to stay, or even land the dinghy.  Perhaps we were just a little afraid.  In John Chappell’s “Cruising Beyond Desolation Sound” published in 1979, it states on page 76,  “A trail leads to the

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By Nicole We stopped in Port Hardy for a mandatory provisioning trip, knowing that the grocery store here would be our last for awhile.  We’re only a few days away from rounding Cape Scott and turning south to explore the rugged Pacific coast of Vancouver Island.  There’s really not much else to say.  The town was a little depressing, the wi-fi at the marina was down (indefinitely) and

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By Nicole One of our guidebooks erroneously refers to Blunden Harbour as “Blunder” Harbour.  Sure it’s an obvious typo, but for us, our week here was anything but a mistake. Lagoon Blunden Harbour is a maze of twisting passages where around every corner waits another small island.  We found ourselves getting turned around as we wound through the labyrinth in our dinghy. Our destination was

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By Aaron FAIL Poor, sloppy form with little idea what I’m doing – and that’s just the way I sail.  My golf skills are worse.  As I’ve already got one expensive hobby, I’ve never been able to dedicate any time to golf, as clearly pictured above.  Nonetheless, both Nicole and I took a swing at the Sullivan Bay Marina one hole golf course.  They give you a few balls when you check in, and you get

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By Nicole Well, it happened.  We’d convinced ourselves that it just wasn’t in the cards for us, though apparently it’s commonplace up here.  Day after day went by, and we waited and looked and waited some more.  But today was the day!  Today we saw our first black bear.  I named him Franklin. I was in the cockpit when I heard the sound of rocks clunking on shore.  We were alone in the

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By Aaron From Port McNeill we crossed back over Queen Charlotte Strait and dropped the hook in Waddington Bay, all alone again.  It’s a just-the-right-size spot with plenty of islets to explore. Places like this make our goal of landing on 100 islands or islets within our first 100 days very achievable.  Exploring islets is pretty much our job now, so we got to work.  We spent the day hopping

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By Aaron We reluctantly left Kwatsi Bay bound for Echo Bay on a crisp and clear morning.  We passed some more pretty waterfalls. We pulled in to Echo Bay, thinking we might need fuel.  Good thing we did.  We’ve never had a fuel gauge, and never really needed one before while doing local cruising since we carry 80 gallons in the keel.  We did buy a fuel level sender and a gauge before we left,

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Apples or bell peppers or lettuce or tomatoes or anything fresh for that matter.  The guidebooks all said that the small mom & pop marinas up here had “well-stocked” or at least “adequately stocked” produce supplies.  But since we’re ahead of the tourist season, the best we’ve found since Squirrel Cove are two tired, limp cucumbers and an onion skin in a basket.  We polished off the last of the

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We’ve been cruisers for one month now, and to mark the occasion, we each came up with a list (independently) of our favorite things about cruising so far.  To keep it balanced, Aaron suggested we include our least favorite things too… Nicole Favorite Things:  Spending every day with Aaron, wildflowers, the smell of the forest, purple sea stars, the color of our tanbark sails against blue sky,

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by Aaron Kwatsi Bay is absolutely beautiful.  Definitely the prettiest spot we’ve been so far.  With waterfalls everywhere and dramatic cliffs all around it was just amazing.  Max (head of the table) is the proprietor of Kwatsi Bay Marina and a really good guy.  He organizes potlucks with the visiting boats and we were lucky enough to be at the first one of the season.  Good food and

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By Aaron From the Octopus Islands we transited a few sets of rapids and meandered northward to Blind Channel. Nicole driving through some whirlpools in Whirlpool Rapids. There is a resort there that we were intrigued with by the guidebook’s descriptions of a store and restaurant.  We were arriving on a Canadian holiday and fretted about being able to get a slip in the small marina. 

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By Nicole Spending the afternoon poking around the islets of the Octopus Island group under the warm sunshine was heavenly.  We picnicked on a rock outcropping overlooking the archipelago with the smell of wildflowers in the air (yellow monkey-flowers, allium, wild strawberries, field chickweed, death camas and blue-eyed Mary were all in full bloom). Picnic spot! Along the shoreline we

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By Nicole Teakerne Arm   One of our guidebooks said that if you were lucky, you could claim the spot right next to Cassel Falls in Teakerne Arm.  After doing a drive-by and feeling the mist from the falls, we figured we’d let some other boat claim the prized spot – it was almost low tide and the stern-tie rings in the cliff wall were way out of our reach (and to be honest, tying up to the

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By Nicole Kalamata olives Wheat germ Yogurt Coffee creamer  (hazelnut) Pears  Lettuce Bell peppers Finely chopped walnuts Sourdough bread Chai tea Beer (cheap and canned) A random grocery list to be sure.  But at the little Squirrel Cove General Store on Cortes Island in Desolation Sound, I was (surprisingly) able to check everything off my

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By Nicole Perhaps on that rainy, dreary June night in 1792 when Captain George Vancouver entered this magnificent place—where lush, forested mountainsides touch the sea and snow-capped peaks rise over a maze of inlets and passages—it seemed inhospitable and forlorn.  In these deep waters, he searched for a suitable anchorage for his ship, Discovery, as it drifted about as if “it were blindfolded

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By Aaron Nanaimo With few exceptions, it seems to us that sailors are pretty damn cool. Living aboard and now cruising, we’ve had the opportunity to meet lots of awesome people. Lance and Carol for example, met us through our blog as they were in the process of purchasing their Hans Christian. When we stopped in Nanaimo on our way north, they showed us some unbelievable hospitality. Taking us

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By Nicole Rich and sweet, chocolaty and coconutty, creamy and delicious.  That’s a Nanaimo Bar for you.  And when in Nanaimo, British Columbia?  Eat a Nanaimo Bar. Our taste for Nanaimo Bars developed only recently, with a confession to our good (Canadian) friend, Deborah, that we’d never tried this famous dessert.  So come November, Deborah sweetly whipped up a batch for my birthday… and we

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By Aaron We arrived on Wallace Island and did our first stern tie to shore.  It went pretty well although we’ll be making some adjustments to our procedure.   We found a truck in the middle of the island looking to be in decent shape.  I was able to hotwire it and we drove all over the island hootin’ and hollerin’.  There is an old cabin where cruisers that have come before us

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By Aaron We left Port Townsend and crossed a glassy calm Strait of Juan de Fuca.  We hit the tide flowing into Cattle Pass and wrestled the eddies and swirls boosting us north to Jones Island at 8-10 knots.  With SW winds forecasted to be in the 15-25 knot range over the next couple days and rain coming we decided to stay on Jones Island at the north cove and do some relaxing.  There was

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It felt great to be back in Port Townsend, the little Victorian seaport town on the northeastern tip of the Olympic Peninsula.  We’ve spent quite a bit of time here in the past, arriving by both car and boat, so pulling into Point Hudson Marina was comfortable and familiar – a perfect first stop on our voyage.  Wi-fi is included with moorage in Point Hudson, which is the prime reason we pulled

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The whirlwind of wrapping up projects, stowing gear, provisioning and saying farewell to family and friends has finally subsided. This morning we cut the dock lines (with a Rambo knife that Aaron’s been packing around for just this purpose) and motored out of Shilshole Bay Marina and onto the Salish Sea. We don’t know where the winds will take us on this journey, but we’re ready to set sail.

Aaron and Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09639227224118514686noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205191808506496204.post-64753753528574977492011-04-21T10:18:00.001-05:002011-04-21T10:18:26.825-05:00

It’s been a cold, wet, dark, dreary winter – one that Aaron and I are glad to be leaving in our wake.  We don’t thrive in such soggy and chilly conditions, but to the mold and mildew taking hold on our teak decks, these Northwest winters are just the ticket. I suppose it started out slowly, with a little patch of blackish green here and there.  But after a winter (or two) of neglect, our teak

Aaron and Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09639227224118514686noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205191808506496204.post-67084819314192603682011-03-23T20:59:00.001-05:002011-03-23T20:59:08.569-05:00

Like living in a Manhattan studio apartment, life aboard a sailboat is all about organization and making the best use of your space.  Kitchens and galleys are compact and efficient, bathrooms and heads are tiny yet orderly and furniture often doubles as storage.  But  being able to live on the water (or in the mix of urban city life) makes dealing with space limitations a minor inconvenience. We

Aaron and Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09639227224118514686noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205191808506496204.post-38115912914732880772011-03-13T16:43:00.001-05:002011-03-13T16:43:03.644-05:00

Aaron will say that I’m an over-packer.  But he exaggerates.  I simply like to have options and feel prepared.  Yes, that may mean that I bring two suitcases on a weekend trip, but you never know what will come up!  And I hate the feeling of knowing I have the perfect thing for [fill-in-the-blank-scenario] at home.  But when it comes to packing, Aaron and I agree on one thing: Bella Star’s first

Aaron and Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09639227224118514686noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205191808506496204.post-55450003424709017202011-03-09T20:49:00.001-06:002011-03-13T16:51:13.392-05:00

The idea of going cruising has been germinating with us for years – even before we bought Bella Star, sold our condo, moved aboard and broke the news of our adventure to our parents (hi, mom!).  Since being a cruiser is a little like being a Girl Scout, we try to live by the motto “Be Prepared.”  (Yes, I was a Brownie and a Girl Scout.  And I think Aaron must be an honorary Scout based on the

Aaron and Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09639227224118514686noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205191808506496204.post-41553960759009295052011-03-05T16:29:00.001-06:002011-03-05T16:29:59.526-06:00

Well, it’s official. As of April 1, Aaron & I will be unemployed.  Although “retired” may be a better word for it.  Bella Star is going cruising!  Woohoo! There’s a flurry of activity here, as we prepare for our voyage.  We’re busy researching and buying and installing all sorts of goodies – from a new chartplotter, radar and life raft to canned goods, guide books and sunscreen.  Our dream of

Aaron and Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09639227224118514686noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205191808506496204.post-3703082141518781462011-02-23T18:52:00.001-06:002011-02-23T18:52:57.100-06:00

When our old, tired sails came down and fresh, new sails were raised in their place, I must admit that I felt a twinge of loss.  These sails had served us well and been such a conversation piece over the years.  True, we were replacing the old tanbark sails with, well, new tanbark sails, but there was still part of me that would miss the striking reddish-orange fabric and the distinctive “HC 33”

Aaron and Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09639227224118514686noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205191808506496204.post-72796036443549673762011-01-10T21:00:00.001-06:002011-01-10T21:00:52.472-06:00

Any sailor can tell you that the price of gear goes up exponentially with size.  Anchors are generally no exception, and you can usually expect to pay more for the 45-pound anchor than the 35-pound version of the same type.  Interestingly, this appears to be completely untrue once an anchor gets above a certain weight.  In fact, there are tons of anchors literally just lying around, free for the

Aaron and Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09639227224118514686noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205191808506496204.post-55171826185108571742011-01-03T13:22:00.001-06:002011-01-03T13:25:02.918-06:00

When you live in the Pacific Northwest, you’re accustomed to rain, drizzle, sprinkles and showers.   But I read recently that it rained on all major holidays—including Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day and Halloween—in Seattle in 2010.  So what a treat it was to spend New Year’s Day 2011 under bright blue skies and sunshine! And I can’t think of a better way to usher in the new year than with

Aaron and Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09639227224118514686noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205191808506496204.post-2741447446442019492010-12-14T22:57:00.001-06:002010-12-14T22:57:52.261-06:00

Brilliant blue lights are strung from high atop Bella Star and reflected in the water below. Better late than never, we hoisted the Christmas lights yesterday and joined with a sizeable portion of our liveaboard neighbors in decorating for the holiday.  It’s hard to tell from the picture above, but the Shilshole Marina is wonderfully festive this year! From snug inside Bella Star, we wish you

Aaron and Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09639227224118514686noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205191808506496204.post-56797039136364551322010-11-30T14:45:00.001-06:002010-11-30T14:49:17.895-06:00

Bella Star is bedecked for the season with glittery snowflakes, colorful garland and, of course, a gorgeous Christmas tree. We’ve even hung our stockings by the chimney with care. Our exterior lights are still patiently waiting to be strung, but once our new mainsail is bent on this week (!), Bella Star will be in full holiday mode.  Happy holidays!

Aaron and Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09639227224118514686noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205191808506496204.post-62296593779307444202010-11-24T20:49:00.001-06:002010-11-24T21:33:05.787-06:00

The five of us sit quietly on little wooden benches in our socks and slippers.  Our eyes are trained intently on our laps, needles in hand, as we carefully pull stitch after stitch through a piece of sail cloth.  We’ve just learned the technique for hand-sewing a brass ring onto a sail, and while our rings certainly don’t look as lovely as our instructor’s do—we have a bit of that unsightly  “

Aaron and Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09639227224118514686noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205191808506496204.post-51211810592121246912010-11-22T18:23:00.001-06:002010-11-22T18:23:11.845-06:00

It’s getting pretty chilly! Definitely the kind of day that makes us want to sail off into the tropics… We took a short walk around the marina, then came back and tried to throw snowballs into the cockpit of s/v Hello World across the water from us.

Aaron and Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09639227224118514686noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205191808506496204.post-16786679136494606112010-11-04T15:38:00.001-05:002010-11-04T15:56:00.378-05:00

I’ve gotten a few requests for the Severed Finger cookie recipe from the Halloween post, and I’m happy to share!  They taste a bit like shortbread and are perfect with a cup of coffee.  Enjoy! Severed Finger Cookies 1 cup butter, softened 1 cup powdered sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon almond extract 1 teaspoon pure vanilla 2 ¾ cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder

Aaron and Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09639227224118514686noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205191808506496204.post-91179377114700116332010-11-01T23:14:00.001-05:002010-11-01T23:14:48.710-05:00

We’ve had a leak since we got the boat that we were finally able to fix with some helpful insight from another HC33 owner.  Thanks Steve!  The leak was coming from the hole in the deck where our diesel heater’s stove pipe passes through the deck. To fix it, the first thing I did was remove the charlie noble (boat chimney) to get at the hole. Next was to remove the fairing block – it was

Aaron and Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09639227224118514686noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2205191808506496204.post-32528246919182872542010-10-30T19:12:00.001-05:002010-10-30T19:13:50.490-05:00

 Trolling the Craven Farm pumpkin patch for the perfect pumpkin is an annual tradition.  As is a trip to Theno’s Dairy for their famous pumpkin ice cream tucked into a freshly baked waffle cone. Seeing how we’re fans of all things pumpkin this time of year (and all things in the ice cream/gelato family year round), we recently tried the pumpkin gelato from Ballard’s D’Ambrosio Gelato.  One night

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