2018 - Last Trips of the Year

Amsterdam 

In late November, we made a quick trip to Amsterdam, hoping not to encounter the approaching winter weather. As it turned out, we had relatively good weather for the two weeks we were there.

For the most part, we hung out with Meredith and Elliot, and helped out with Isla and Freya. Even though it hadn't been long since we last saw them, lots of growth and changes were evident, particularly with Freya.

Freya is six months old. She's quick to smile and very inquisitive.

Isla loves to help out in the kitchen. She cuts up vegetables and above is helping mom with a cake.

Isla loves to draw and is learning to write. You can speak to her in Dutch or English - she speaks both.

Mexico

After being in Amsterdam for a little over two weeks, we flew back to Los Angeles, stayed overnight near LAX, and the following day flew to Cancun. From the cool weather of Amsterdam to 80 degree weather was a welcome change.

We come to the Yucatan nearly every year. The first week we stay at the Omni and manage to do very little, while the other week we use to explore this beautiful and wild peninsula.

View from our balcony.

The sunrise brings early morning spectators to the beachfront. 

After our week at the Omni, we were ready to make a move. We had heard from other folks about an interesting island with lots of nature with a laid-back lifestyle. We needed to investigate. 

We took the city bus from the Omni into Cancun's bus depot, known as the ADO. From there, we bought tickets on a long range bus and headed to Chiquila, a drive of about three hours. From Chiquila it was a twenty minute ferry ride to reach Isla Holbox.  

The small town in Holbox looks very Caribbean. 

Brightly painted storefronts and no paved streets. Only delivery cars, golf carts and bikes are allowed on the streets. 

The water was warm and shallow. 

Evening sunsets brought the crowds from nearby hotels.

One of the two main thoroughfares in town.

We had hoped for some really special tacos at this small stand but we were disappointed. Very mediocre.

The town has a number of whimsical and colorful murals done by various artists.

Although there are a number of restaurants and bars, you don't come here for the nightlife.

A children's Christmas program at the town's amphitheater was cute and entertaining.

After our stay at Isla Holbox, we took the ferry back to Chiquila. This time, instead of taking the bus, we found a shuttle service that turned out to be quicker and cheaper. 

Once in Cancun, we headed to our jungle hideaway hotel (in the middle of Cancun) where we've stayed a number of times. It's relaxing and close to the bus station where we needed to be in the morning to go to the airport. It was time to say "Adios" to Cancun.

Wild Animal Sanctuary in Salinas (Monterey Zoo)

Vision Quest Ranch - a.k.a. Monterey Zoo

Our friends, Mike and Venessa, wanted an African experience without having to fly all the way to Africa, so we proposed an overnight stay at Vision Quest Ranch in Salinas, now known more as the Monterey Zoo.

We met at their house in Morro Bay since Mike had volunteered to drive. Once on the road, it was a straight drive north on 101 for about two hours. Along the way, we stopped at Hahn Winery, one of the Santa Lucia Range wineries. Their tasting room has panoramic mountain views of the Gabilan Range on the east side of 101. We enjoyed their wines, particularly the Cabernet Savignon, of which we purchased a couple of bottles.

We got to the ranch by 3pm and were able to check right in. We had tent/cabins that overlooked the sandy area where the elephants, water buffalos and a solitary zebra hung out during the day. We found out later, that the zebra befriended the alpha elephant "Butch". They hung out together during the day. 

Our cabins were rustic looking on the outside, but lacked little once inside. King sized beds, hot showers, refrigerators, robes and coffee makers made the Salinas "jungle" very manageable. Breakfasts were brought to our cabins at 9a.m.

View of Mike and Venessa's cabin from our cabin.

Mike and Venessa's cabin had a superb view of the spot where the elephants like to hang. Perhaps it had something to do with food? 

The zebra and his buddy, Butch, enjoying mid-afternoon snacks.

The cabins were quite comfortable. In the evening, the four of us got together for dinner.

Diane and George with Butch looming large behind us. The elephant handlers have you feed them carrots and slices of apples. Butch waits until you put enough carrots and apple slices in his trunk - he's thinking efficiency.

Mike and Venessa posing with Butch.

Butch was all to happy to show off his mouth full of teeth in trade for a few nuts. 

This mountain lion really wanted to make "friends" with a little girl on our tour. I'm sure the girl would have been dinner or perhaps a mid-afternoon snack had she been on her way to grandma's house when she encountered this mountain lion.

I recall that our guide told us these two tigers were good friends. They were fun to watch. 

There was a very thick piece of glass separating this female lion from us. Although the lion looks very serene and tame, as soon as a little girl in our tour approached, it became visibly ready to pounce on her. As she got closer, the lion went ballistic, clawing ferociously at the glass, hoping to get tender morsels for lunch. In the background, her brother is visible on his perch.

After our tour of the wild animals, it was time to go home. 

We were home by early evening, in time to to experience yet another lovely sunset in Shell Beach.

Camping at Pfeiffer Big Sur

Camping with Mike & Venessa at Pfeiffer Big Sur.

In mid-October, we met our friends, Mike and Venessa in Moro Bay and caravanned up to Big Sur. The weather was ideal for camping. There wasn’t even any fog. 

Mike and Venessa had their newly purchased camper/trailer - we had our old tent. 

We each were in charge of cooking one dinner and one breakfast. Lunch was on our own. Above, Mike struts his keen abilities to fry up some potatoes.







Mike and I took a hike up to Buzzard’s Roost, about a four mile round trip that provided beautiful views and a good cardio workout. It was peculiar too - a number of people asked us about the distance of the hike.  

The wine made its appearance as soon as the sun disappeared behind the mountains. In the evenings, we had a warm campfire. We actually were surprised that we could even have one!

Our camp site was adjacent to this serene creek.

After breaking camp and saying our good-byes, we did encounter some headwinds - our car wouldn’t start! But with the help of the folks at the lodge, who googled how to jumpstart a hybrid car, and a helpful fellow that just happened to have jumper cables and a battery pack, we were soon on our way home.

We made one stop for coffee - Ragged Point. We walked around their ocean front gardens and enjoyed the ocean panoramas. It was a proper ending to another Big Sur camping adventure.

2018 - Chesapeake Bay Cruise

After last year's abbreviated cruise to Bermuda due to dismasting offshore, my friend Wes put quite a bit of time and effort locating replacement masts, stepping the masts, outfitting the boat with new standing and running rigging and rebuilding the bowsprit. Sails had to be replaced, as well as some electrical components that were on the old masts (that were left afloat in the Atlantic).

That's not to say that the boat was flawless - it is, after all, a fifty year old boat. After heading out of Havre de Grace, MD, we had a comfortable motor sail to Annapolis.

Approaching the Bay Bridge - Annapolis is just beyond it.

Snacks, lunch and a beer.

It was a clear day and as we approached Annapolis harbor, Wes noticed some smoke coming from the engine compartment. Initially, we were alarmed that it could be a fire, but upon further inspection, it turned out to be a broken muffler fitting.

Things didn't look too good from the cockpit.

Several boats approached us and asked if we were okay. We assured them we were and gave them a thumbs up. We probably left them wondering. We managed to hobble in to Annapolis running the engine on low RPM's.

Fortunately, we encountered the problem in Annapolis, where there were all kinds of repair facilities. The next day, we set about addressing the issue and determining a remedy. (I use the "we" lightly, since it was Wes who mostly had his body contorted into the engine compartment wrestling the broken muffler piece off the exhaust manifold.

It took trips to Home Depot, a plumbing shop and a welding shop to get things repaired.

In the end, we still had to jury rig the job because one of the pipes was too corroded to be removed properly. But the fix seem to hold at low RPM's.

Annapolis with sunset approaching.

Annapolis after sunset, looking towards the capitol building.

After several days in Annapolis, we headed back in the bay. There wasn't much wind so we decided to stay on the west side of the bay and head for Galesville.

The anchorage in Galesville.

A beer on the waterfront of Galesville. 

We spent a couple of days in Galesville before heading out again. Then the winds changed and rounded to the NW, perfect for a sail across the bay to Oxford. After a slow morning start, we had a superb sail all the way to near the entrance of Oxford. The next day called for rain.

Oxford has a quaint waterfront with beautiful homes.

This was the old Oxford Customs House - looks more like a "tiny" house.

The Oxford Museum is meticulously looked after.

What to do on a rainy day!

With weather predictions of southerly winds for the next two days, we decided to leave Oxford and head north. For one night we anchored near Worton Creek. The following day, we continued to take advantage of the southern winds and returned to Havre de Grace.

Dinner at Wes' home.

After a night in Port Deposit at Wes' home, we drove to Linda's home in northern Baltimore. With more activities planned around the Baltimore area, we enjoyed lap swimming at their swim club, a hike to Cunningham Falls in Catoctin Mountain Park, Catoctin Breeze Winery and a visit to the inner harbor district in Baltimore.

After a few days of those activities, it was time to fly home, leaving Wes with a few additional items to his list of "boat to-do's".

A hike in Catoctin Mountain Park to Cunningham Falls.

Wine tasting at Catoctin Breeze Winery.

On our walk in Baltimore, we met up with Wes' daughter, Janette.

The USS Constellation docked in the inner harbor.