November Updates

November Updates:

Ok, I think I am ready to tell everyone that since my buddy Mark flaked on my website, I created a blog. I have some content and I have pics online as well (link in the upper left of the blog). For those of you who have already read this and complained because it’s a PG version, get over it. My parents, relatives and other individuals read this and they don’t need to know all the details of what goes on down here. You want the adult version…..book a flight and visit. Then perhaps you can create a blog and tell everyone about what you did down here. Doesn't sound like such a great idea anymore does it? Perhaps I'll write a book one day like my idol, Tucker Max.

During Nov, I took the boat out for a total of 2 weeks. Spent Thanksgiving on 2 really cool boats, Ocean Quest (http://www.mvoceanquest.com/) and Ursa Major. Had an amazing dinner with a moon lit wakeboard ride afterwards. I thought twice about it but my buddy Don (Julio) talked me into it. That night, we had a strong westerly and got rocked. We knew it was coming so I had plenty of ground tackle out (nearly 150 feet of chain in 15 feet of water). Although I didn’t drag, I sat in my cockpit and watched my dinghy float above the top stern rail on each swell. The bow was nearly being pulled through the swells.

At 8am, I decided to pull anchor and sail. I didn’t sleep at all and thought that I may as well take advantage of the wind. I beam reached all the way to Isla San Francisco, averaging nearly 7kts the whole way. Blew a shackle on my topping lift, also cracked a bolt on the bobstay but outside of that, the boat sailed flawlessly. Not sure if I’ll see conditions like that again but it’s good to know I put Spirit through a test.

My parents arrive on 12/10 for appx. 10 days. After they split, I’ll be prepping the boat and cleaning out my bodega (garage space I rent) and prepare for my marina departure. I leave for Mazatlan on 1/2/08, my first true cruise (nearly 40hrs). I can't wait to get out of this Marina. Great friends, great food but it's not the "cruising" plan I had dreamed. It's more of how my neighbor down here describes it...."a trailer park on water".