s/v Mother Culture

From Rabbits to Dragons

2012-01-01T14:27:00.000-08:00

Our list of things to accomplish in 2011 was a short one:

*Get an auto-tiller
*Sail more!!

Around August, we scratched both items off our list. Unfortunately, the auto-tiller we purchased didn't work for our boat so it was returned to West Marine and the auto-tiller goes back on our list.

Some people think you should aim high so you don't shoot your foot. I think if you expect nothing, you'll never be disappointed. With so little planned for 2011, it was impossible to disappoint. Here's the list of what we actually accomplished:

*Force 10 Cozy Cabin heater installed (x2)
*Rustoleum on the propane tank
*Dive ladder installed
*Brightwork
*Grill maintenance, new lights, new hardware on the tiller, outboard engine mount
*Outdoor speakers installed
*New mattress in v-berth
*New curtains in salon

We also had quite a few opportunities to sail Mo-C:

*Maiden Voyage of 2011, Bay Sail
*Bay sail with the Steichens
*Glorietta anchorage
*La Playa anchorage
*Mission Bay anchorage
*Sailing to Dana Point
*Dana Point anchorage
*Catalina Island (Catalina Videos)
*Glorietta anchorage #2

We only made it out of California once in 2011 (eek!) but we had a blast in...
*South Florida

So without my other half here to confer with, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that 2012 will most definitely involve travels outside of California, as well as that much needed auto-tiller. Everything else is optional!

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-14T14:56:00.001-08:00

America's Cup San Diego

2011-11-25T13:05:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, we took some pictures of the America's Cup Race boats in San Diego Bay. Apparently, I forgot to publish them 'til now. The US boat(s) is the Oracle, which can be seen in the first two photos.

Liveaboard News

2011-11-25T10:12:00.001-08:00

One of Laurel Street Mooring's own residents was interviewed by our local Fox news station the other day. For the number of times the news anchors have used our neighborhood as their backdrop, it's nice to see that one of them finally realized there were real, live human beings living within that backdrop. I kind of resent being categorized as "low income" by the anchorman. To me, that is relative. Our monthly expenses are around $150 a piece, so while we don't need much income to live, we also don't have the debt that homeowners have and this, in my opinion, makes us rich. I'll accept the "unemployed" label, although I think quite a few of the people out here are retired. Soon, I'm happy to report, I'll be among the unemployed on the mooring field. Hopefully I can make it last for a while! Anyway, click the link to see the video.

Liveaboard News

Pictures of Catalina

2011-11-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

Only about 4 months late, I finally uploaded pictures of our Catalina trip to Picasa. (For those of you who use Facebook, they are essentially the same as the ones I uploaded there in August.)

Cruising to Catalina Island

Holy Sheet

2011-11-17T11:38:00.001-08:00

A window treatment overhaul has been on my list of things to do for quite some time. A few months ago, we tore a hole in one of the makeshift curtains when we tried to slide it open. That hole was incentive enough to finally cross one more item off my "To Do" list. :)

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Introducing Betty...

2011-10-28T17:18:00.000-07:00

It's been a couple months since I last blogged. I was kind of enjoying the silence. A new girl entered our lives so I figured she was the perfect reason to get back on the blog bandwagon. You know how Ben and I love our rides. I've been putting the pedal to the... well, to the pavement... bicycle-style... for over a year now and dreaming of finding a sweet little Honda CRX in good condition. Frankly, that is next to impossible these days, but as sailing has taught me, patience is a virtue and my dream finally came true on Wednesday. Thanks to Rene and Kathy of Encinitas, I adopted this hot little number named Betty into our little family. At 27 years old, she's been around the block a time or two... but she's led a charmed life here in Southern California so she's got plenty of spunk left in her. We're looking forward to all our new adventures together in the days and weeks to come. Thank you, Rene and Kathy!

The Boom-Boom Room

2011-08-18T08:32:00.000-07:00

For the past three years, the V-berth has been a thorn in our sides. When we moved into Mo-C in 2008, we knew that our bed was shaped like a V. We were willing to deal with it and we were under the impression that the previous owners had the board and cushion that would fill in the void and make our bed complete.

Apparently, there was no board or cushion so almost a year after we moved into Mo-C, Ben filled in the void himself.

Only problem: we didn't have a cushion for it. From time to time, I'd hitch a ride to the fabric store and price foam, but with our 4-inch tattered foam cushions and another 4-inches of terribly worn foam over top, it felt like one piece of new foam in the void would lay there mocking us daily (and it was really expensive). I'd had all the best intentions of gutting the whole V-berth and buying a completely new bed but without a car, it had always seemed a daunting task. And truth be told, I wasn't ready to commit to the sailing life and spend a good amount of money on a bed I might abandon sooner than later.

Maybe like A.D. and B.C.E., everything in our lives will forever be designated B.C. (Before Catalina) and A.C. (After Catalina). Maybe it was the faith we grew in the boat or in ourselves or in our relationship during our trip to Catalina. Maybe since Mo-C proved to us she was in it for the long haul, we owed her (and ourselves) a little respect. Whatever it was, I decided we weren't going to spend another solitary night in those creepy little V-shaped less-than-twin beds, reaching out for each other but instead finding a cold, wooden void in the place of a warm body. So I bought two 8-inch (with memory foam) twin mattresses and an electric carving knife and we spent most of Saturday fashioning the first one to fit inside the berth. Once we figured out all the angles, we had the second piece cut in one slice to form our new, giant V-King Bed.

Earlier in the day, Ben had sterilized the entire V-Berth with bleach and water to remove any mold or dust mites and the previous day, I had purchased all new bedding to create our shiny new Boom-Boom Room (as it's become known on the mooring field). Now, our most perplexing thought is how we managed to tolerate those old, dilapidated cushions for the past three years. And Lola seems ultra-pleased that she no longer has to worry about falling into the great abyss.

Anchorage: Glorietta Bay

2011-08-17T19:23:00.000-07:00

Mo-C with Hotel Del in the background

Last Tuesday, we set sail for Glorietta Bay with our friend Andrea. We anchored for two nights and Adam and Jasmine met up with us and anchored on the second day. We had some good times with good friends. It used to feel like bay sails to La Playa and Glorietta were so much work that sometimes we opted to stay put on the mooring ball. Ever since our Catalina trip, however, our perspective has changed. Looks like this anchorage was number 4 for the year, not counting the Mission Bay/Dana Point/Catalina trip. Not bad for a couple of newbies!

Rita and Mo-C anchored in Glorietta Bay

Catalina Island Videos

2011-08-16T14:31:00.000-07:00

The internet gods have not been smiling on me lately. I went to the Cafe yesterday to upload pics and videos but I wasn't able to get online there because they were having issues with their router. Ben was able to upload some Catalina videos from his computer, so I figured I'd start with those for now. We left Dana Point around 4:15 AM on July 25th and pretty much motored the whole way to Catalina... around 10 hours. We threw up the sails for about the last hour of the trip, when the wind finally greeted us. We were anchored in Hamilton Beach by 1:45 PM. As we arrived at Hamilton Beach, we were greeted by a playful pod of dolphins:

We spent one night in the rollers at Hamilton Beach and by morning I insisted we grab a mooring at Avalon. (This was my first experience cruising and I wanted to go home with happy thoughts about sailing and anchoring.) Perhaps the Harbor Master felt sorry for the only girl on board (Adam left his boat anchored @ Hamilton Beach and came along for the ride to Avalon) because he gave us a pretty sweet mooring, right next to the dinghy dock and close to all the action. Ben went for a quick swim under and around Mo-C and took the camera with him:

We headed back to San Diego on Thursday morning, July 28th around 8:30 AM. The usual northwest wind had switched to a southeast wind so it was a bit of a hindrance to us. The forecast predicted it would switch back to the northwest around noon but it never did. After about 20 hours of motorsailing, we arrived back on the ball at 4:20 AM on Friday the 29th. We traveled a total of 168 nautical miles in 44 hours and 26 minutes over a 10 day period. We learned a lot along the way, much of which I'll share in future posts. We also took lots of photos and as soon as I'm able to upload them, I'll post them here.

Coming Up...

2011-08-14T07:42:00.000-07:00

I have a lot to post about. I still want to write about our trip to Catalina Island. Plus we anchored in Glorietta Bay last week. And this past weekend was a very productive one around the boat. But we're near the limit on our 5GB data plan so I can't upload any pics until tomorrow or the next day. I'll write more in the coming days.

To Do

2011-07-30T17:10:00.000-07:00

I still have a lot to blog about but I'm simmering with my thoughts about the whole trip and I'm not prepared today to write about Catalina and the ride home. We learned so much along the way and for me, personally, I feel like I've somehow conquered, or at least begun to conquer, my biggest fear... the Ocean. For now, I thought I'd share a new "To Do" list. These are things we realized would make cruising easier. So here goes:

1. Line for our sea anchor
2. New line for our traveler
3. New blocks for our traveler
4. Autopilot (we purchased one before our trip to Dana Point but Ben wasn't able to customize it to our boat so we're back to square one on this. We have an old autopilot that we may be able to repair but either way, we need a working autopilot that fits our boat).
5. Windlass (for you non-boaties, this pulls up the anchor with little to no manpower)
6. A little coffee carafe. We can make coffee while underway but I came to realize it's not very safe to be handling boiling water while moving, so I'd prefer to have some already made that we can just warm up while underway. Simple things, ya know?
7. Wire the compass so it lights up at night.
8. A shock-absorbing mat to stand on or one of those golf-club-handle-looking things that people attach to their tiller in order to steer from a seated position. I learned that I need one or the other in order to be able to fulfill my duties on watch.
9. A chip for our GPS so we can see exactly where the buoys and other important things are while sailing.
10. A working jib

I think that's about it for now. But it goes to show, it is possible to sail or cruise without all the luxuries. However, it would be nice to have some things to make life a little simpler!

9.

Dana Point

2011-07-23T16:59:00.000-07:00

Mo-C on the hook in Dana Point

When we arrived in Dana Point yesterday, Adam had used up his 5 days for this month in the protected anchorage so he had to anchor outside the breakwater. We anchored out there with him and tried to catch some Zzzz's. I got up pretty early (I was feeling refreshed from the 4 hours of carbon monoxide-induced sleep I'd gotten while underway the night before) and got caught up on some work. When Ben got up, we dinghied to land and ate some giant hamburgers (sailing does funny things to you) and then returned to the boat. The ocean anchorage is like, well, let's just say it is kind of difficult to work from a laptop and a monitor while having to hold on to your seat. It's like working on a rollercoaster, I guess you could say. Since Ben and I have never been to the protected anchorage, we decided to pick up and move inside the breakwater where I could work in peace. It's amazing what a difference a breakwater makes!

Rita on the hook at Dana Point

We learned a few things along the way from Mission Bay to Dana Point. Ben found out the engine wasn't charging the batteries as it should have been, so he adjusted that today. There was absolutely no sun when we came up here, so our batteries really needed that extra boost from the engine while we were underway. Before we left, we got a Simrad TP22 Tiller Pilot to make the trip a little easier, but naturally, it needed some adjusting so we (okay, Ben) had to hand-steer the entire way. I helped out whenever he needed but I was mostly fixated on not getting ill or losing my mind, as I said before. He's currently working on adjusting the tiller pilot to fit the boat, but none of the trips we'll be making now will be as long as the one from Mission Bay to Dana Point, so if it's not working, we can suck it up and steer. There's a big learning curve out here. Not just from the ocean and the wind, but just understanding the ins and outs of being underway. Luckily we have Adam to give us tips, not only on navigating but also simpler things like what to keep in our ditch bag. It really helps to have a an experienced cruiser guiding us along the way!

We are leaving for Newport tonight or tomorrow morning. I'll post again when we arrive.

Buddy Boating

2011-07-22T09:16:00.000-07:00

Adam's boat Rita off our starboard bow

Yesterday afternoon, we left Mission Bay and headed north to Dana Point. Our first big trip in Mother Culture. We buddy-boated with our friend Adam and made it to Dana Point early this morning, around 6:00am. Overall, we went 59.6 nautical miles in 17 hours and 22 minutes, at an average of 3.4 knots. We sailed about 6 or 7 hours and motored the rest of the way. When we first started sailing three years ago, we always swore we'd never use the motor. That's what sailing is all about, right? But when you're out there moving 0.0 knots, it can be treacherous, so we motored. For me, the trip was an exercise in mind over matter. This was my first long-distance trip so I was mainly focused on not going insane. Luckily, Ben and the voices in my head kept me company along the way. ;) We're not much for planning so we'll be here in Dana for a day or two so I can catch up on some work and then we'll see where the wind takes us.

Rita under Sail

The Sound of Music

2011-07-20T14:14:00.000-07:00

While at anchor in Mission Bay, Ben installed two new waterproof speakers on the stern of the boat. Now we can listen to tunes while we sail, or while we're just hanging out in the cockpit. Everything seems to be coming together nicely of late.

On The Up and Up

2011-07-19T12:47:00.000-07:00

Before we left for Mission Bay yesterday, Ben did some quick upgrades and repairs. Here are some pics:

The inside of our grill was disintegrating...

So he replaced the innards with new shiny parts.

A few days ago, we took down the old, rusty light fixtures in the salon and over the navigation station.

Ben replaced them with these full moon-looking fixtures.

They light up white...

And red...

The red is helpful for maintaining night vision while on night watch.

The base of our tiller cracked the last time we sailed over to La Playa. Luckily, we have a backup tiller on board. Rather than spending the money on a brand-new tiller to replace the main tiller, Ben decided to dry out and epoxy the cracked tiller. It is now as strong as ever and served us perfectly on our trip to Mission Bay.

Ben also installed an outboard engine mount to the railing on the stern of the boat. Now we can bring his outboard with us when we anchor out so we don't have to row to land. This isn't necessary in San Diego, but it will be when we're ready to travel to places more obscure.

Anchorage: Mission Bay

2011-07-19T12:24:00.000-07:00

We sailed over to Mission Bay yesterday. We left around 1:45pm and arrived around 7:00pm. It was a beautiful day but the wind died about halfway there so we ended up motoring for the last leg of the trip. Adam should be sailing over today to anchor with us. At some point, we plan to dinghy across the channel to check out Markitos's new (used) boat, a Calkins 50'. It's always exciting to see friends fulfill their dreams. :)

In this picture of Mo-C at anchor, you might notice the big blue rectangle suspended from a halyard over the cockpit. Ben dug this sun shade out of our lazarette a few weeks ago and it's been getting good use ever since. To think, it's been stowed for at least two years and we never even realized we owned it 'til this summer. Better late than never!

Training Wheels

2011-07-18T16:00:00.000-07:00

We spent almost four years living in a box, eight months living in a rolling box and three years living in a floating box. Believe it or not, there is a method to our madness. Some people tell us we need to be sailing. We need to just get out there and "do it." And we intend to. When we're ready.

As far as sailing goes, Ben and I are both humble. Neither of us would call ourselves sailors. We understand that we have a lot to learn. And on the ever-changing blue highway, there are many things we will have to learn as things happen. But some things we can be prepared for. And we feel pretty good about our preparation to date.

Over the past few years, we've been practicing. Not always on the boat. Sometimes in a car, a plane, a bus, a motorhome. The skills we've acquired are no less useful because we acquired them on land.

Before moving aboard a sailboat, we spent 8 months in a motorhome getting accustomed to living in a tight space. Ben designed our solar electricity system so that I could continue working from home. We learned how to provision water and propane - both of which are even more difficult to come by on the water. We learned how to live with [what I used to think was] the world's smallest refrigerator.

In the past two summers, we've driven over 10,000 miles in a car back and forth across the USA. Some of you might wonder what a road trip could possibly have to do with sailing. For us, it's simple. Road-tripping is like sailing with training wheels. It's learning how to keep watch in a controlled environment. Four hour shifts behind the wheel of a car, (or better yet, asleep in the passenger seat completely at the mercy of the helmsman), teaches trust. Together, we've practiced navigation on land with plenty of room for error. We learned how well we work together as a team, even in bad situations (maybe even more so in bad situations!). Ben learned that he can trust my judgment and I learned that I can trust his, for real. These are not things either one of us wants to leave to chance in the middle of the ocean.

Last summer, Ben and I traveled to Costa Rica. Aside from Mexico, this was our first taste of foreign travel together. We are firm believers in "doing as the Romans do." It seems like a good way to avoid trouble. In Costa Rica, we learned that we can be Romans, or, in this case, Ticos. We learned how to navigate a foreign country with ease. These are important skills for sailors, because... let's face it... neither one of us has much desire to sail around America for the rest of our lives.

As far as sailing experience goes, as much as we *don't* sail, we seem to sail as much or more than anyone else around here. We only began learning how to sail three years ago, and since then we've had our share of bay sails, local trips to Mission Bay and the Coronados, anchorages, etc. Ben has accumulated a good number ocean hours sailing with our friend Adam to Newport and Catalina Island. I graduated from the US Sailing Keelboat Certification course. This is not to say we don't still have a lot to learn, but we each feel pretty good about what we've learned in the past three years.

And someday, we'll go. But not because someone told us we should. We'll go when we're ready to go... And we'll most likely slip out in the middle of the night when no one is watching. So don't bother planning a farewell party! ;)

Esmeralda

2011-07-17T10:13:00.000-07:00

The Chilean tall ship Esmeralda is docked in San Diego Harbor this week. She is the second-tallest and second-longest tall ship in the world. Apparently some people are appalled by her tainted past (read NPR's article here) but I prefer to live in the present. She's a beautiful, BIG ship and we got a couple shots of her the other day as the sun was setting over the bay. I only wish they had side-tied her to our new cruise ship terminal. It would have provided a more attractive backdrop for such a snazzy boat.

Brightwork

2011-07-10T09:06:00.000-07:00

One of the projects Ben accomplished this summer while I was slaving away on the computer was refinishing the woodwork in the cockpit. He sanded the door panels and trim around the cockpit. Then he stained everything with Minwax Colonial Maple Wood Finish and applied Yacht Shine Teak Preserver to protect it. Since this is our first attempt at wood finishing in a marine environment, only time will tell how it holds up, but it looks bright and beautiful. He also did some work on the tiller which cracked on our last trip to La Playa. I'll post more on that later.

Dive Bar

2011-07-07T09:28:00.000-07:00

A while back, we purchased a dive ladder at Minney's. Ben installed it recently so now he can easily climb out of the water after cleaning the boat. It also came in handy for Kristie when she fell out of her kayak on the 4th. ;)

Independence

2011-07-07T09:05:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last post. I'm officially done with school tomorrow, so hopefully I'll make time to blog more in the next couple of months.

Ben has been working on some boat projects while I've been focusing on school and work. We even took a little Bay Sail one day a week or two ago. I'll post pics in the near future but for now I'll start with the 4th of July.

We enjoyed a pretty laid-back holiday weekend on the mooring field. I finally took Bad Seed for a spin (photo, left). I'm happy to report I haven't fallen into the water... yet!

Matt and Dianne stopped by for some sangria and sunshine before heading to OB for the fireworks show.

Mark came over and gave Bad Seed a try while Kristie yakked around.

Kristie took a spill (or two) but that didn't stop her travels around the bay.

Always the eccentric, Charlie was spotted cruising around the

bay in his self-designed handicapped lawnchair dinghy.

Andrea and I went on a sunset row while Ben went for a sunset sail. On our journey, we met a new friend, Pete, who was stationed at the end of the mooring field... The three of us rowed back out to Pete's boat later for an unobstructed view of the six synchronized fireworks shows around the Bay.

On Tuesday, we were graced by a rainbow over the city. No rain, though. Only beautiful, sunny, 70+ degree weather all weekend long. This summer is definitely redemption for last year.

Even Lola got to go for a ride in Bad Seed!

34/7

2011-06-12T08:23:00.000-07:00

Spring Sailing

2011-06-08T10:21:00.000-07:00

Ben and I have both been honing our sailing skills this year. Back in March, I enrolled in a US Sailing Keelboat sailing class at Mission Bay Aquatic Center. You might be wondering why a girl with a boat would bother taking a class when she can learn through trial and error right here at home. I am the type of girl who needs to feel competent away from my man. It seems to be a running joke among the men on the mooring field that their wives or girlfriends couldn't save them if they fell overboard. Those jokes aren't funny to me, and I'm happy to report I took the written exam a couple weeks ago and passed. So I am now a US Sailing certified Keelboat sailor. I learned tons of cool stuff, like how to tie a bowline without looking in a book (finally!), how to rig a boat, how to heave-to, the Figure-8 and Quick-Stop man overboard drills, among other things. And the best part is, now I can rent a boat anywhere in the U.S.A! (I know, I know, we already have a boat. But if we fly somewhere, we can't take our boat with us!)

As you can see in the picture above, Ben has been getting his share of sailing practice, too. Recently, he's been perfecting his skills around the Bay on Joe & Julie's "Bad Seed."

Memorial Day Sail

2011-06-04T16:41:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd have more time to blog this summer but I decided to take a couple 6-week summer courses, so those have taken precedence for now. Hopefully, I'll make more time to write when I finally have a break in July and August. Although I haven't had a chance to write, I did find time to squeeze in some sailing. On Memorial Day, our neighbors Joe and Julie hijacked another neighbor's beautiful Hans Christian 38' and took Ben, Lola and I along for the ride. Joe tried to get me at the helm, but I have a strict policy of NOT captaining a boat that I can't afford to replace... so other than trying out the wheel for a few minutes (so different from our tiller steering!), I left the dirty work to the others and sat back and enjoyed the ride. The rollers were pretty big out in the ocean so we headed back towards home and bumped into some friends along the way. Here are some pics:

Sailing On Point

Not-So-Gray May

2011-05-22T16:26:00.000-07:00

This May has been unseasonably warm and sunny, perhaps redemption for last year's lack of summer. A couple weeks ago, I got my new waterproof camera and Ben, Lola and I rode our bikes (well, ok, we didn't make Lola pedal the whole way) to Ocean Beach. This is a colorful shot of the usually barren and dehydrated San Diego River.

In addition to bestowing life upon the river, the winter rains also speckled our white propane tank in shades of rust. Ben refilled the tank the other day and coated it with Rustoleum to prevent further deterioration.

Hopefully, we'll not only find the time to scratch a couple more small boat projects off our "To Do" list this summer, but we'll also get some much-needed time on the water practicing our skills.

Anchorage Two: La Playa

2011-05-11T13:27:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, we anchored for the second time this year... in La Playa. Most of the excitement happened to one of the neighboring boats anchored here. We spent a few hours relaxing in our cockpit one afternoon, with live entertainment consisting of a peregrine falcon defeathering and consuming a pigeon on the spreader of said boat.

Once that show was over, we had the excitement of watching a powerboat drag anchor downwind, right towards the same boat. Ben helped save the day by rowing over and fending off the powerboat before Vessel Assist arrived. (No one was aboard the sailboat at the time).

Dragging...

Tap...

Vessel Assist to the Rescue...

The grand finale of our trip came after a night at Shelter Island's Marina Club - the home of Semi-Live Entertainment. After a few too many Sailor Jerrys, Ben's usually graceful dinghy launch got a little tipsy and we made a grand splash... right into the water. Thus marks our first submergence in almost 3 years of living on the boat. Casualties included one camera, two cell phones, a pair of flip flops, a life preserver, a sponge and a couple towels. Overall, not a horribly tragic flip. I have recently acquired a new camera and will be ready for our next anchorage, hopefully in the very near future. And this camera is... WATERPROOF!

Anchorage One: Glorietta Bay

2011-04-16T13:00:00.000-07:00

My spring break was the first week of April and we managed to scratch "First Anchorage of 2011" off of our List of Things to Do. We spent 72 hours on the hook in Glorietta Bay. Anyone who knows me knows I like to bring friends along to take care of my half of the responsibility. This time, we brought Mike... We couldn't have asked for better weather... sunny and in the mid-70's until the morning we headed back to the ball. It was the perfect little staycation, and we even managed to squeeze in (and pass!) our Coast Guard inspection on the way back. Ben's spring break is this week, so we came over to La Playa and dropped the hook for the weekend. I'll post some pics when the party's over!

Moi

Ben & Mike

Sunset

Chillin' @ Glorietta Bay Park

Lola's Beach

Ben & his bitch, Mike ;)

Hooked

Carbon Neutral

2011-03-22T19:36:00.000-07:00

I've been feeling sorry for myself lately because I'd like to buy a used vehicle but I can't find anything worth buying. I blame the economy, I suppose. People are hard up for money and craigslist is overwrought with overpriced junk. The last two cars I purchased were a 1985 Honda CRX for $800 that lasted me 3 years and a 1991 Toyota Tercel for $1100 that lasted almost two years and carried us twice back and forth across the country on one oil change (probably not joking)! But lately, most of the cars available for less than $1500 are crap. So I continue to hoof it.

I decided in order to cheer myself up, I'd write about my carbon neutrality. It's been a topic of blogversation for me before and it's in the forefront of my mind lately because I'm taking an Oceanography class in which we're learning about global warming and ocean acidification. Every article I read creates more animosity in me because I know some uninformed people continue to insist that global warming is a myth and/or continue to believe that it's not their problem. I dislike sharing my planet with these people. But since I can't move to another planet, all I can really do is set a good example and hope someone, somewhere, learns from my example.

So here is my example:

I live on a moderately sized sailboat with my boyfriend (it takes up less space, thus leaving more room for everyone else)
I row my dinghy (zero carbon emissions)
I walk or ride my bicycle when I need to get someplace (zero carbon emissions)
I use public transportation or Ben gives me a ride on his motorcycle when I need to get to distant places (less carbon emission than driving a car solo)
I get my energy from solar power (zero carbon emissions - although I'll admit sometimes I am forced to use a gas generator when the weather is cloudy - probably less than 10 gallons of gas per year)
I cook with propane (propane has a smaller carbon footprint than other fuels)
Generally, people who live on boats don't shower as frequently as *normal* people, therefore saving water. Now you know.

I know some people think I'm being self-righteous when I talk about this stuff. But I'm seriously tired of doing grocery shopping and laundry on my bicycle. My body was not built to be a workhorse. So in a desperate attempt to make myself feel better, I am reminding myself why it is better to hoof it than to buy another car. Now, if you know anyone in the San Diego area with a used 5-speed they would like to get rid of for less than $1500, please contact me. ;)

2011-03-22T10:45:00.000-07:00

Justification for our Noisy Neighbors

Winter Storm

2011-03-21T09:50:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, I always loved amusement parks. I loved the thrill I'd get from the rollercoasters. So it's no wonder I enjoy living on a boat. Last night we went for a wild ride. (So wild that it actually surpassed my thrill threshold.) We woke this morning to the sound of pounding precipitation on deck... we knew it couldn't be rain. And sure enough, it wasn't... As the picture shows, it hailed in San Diego today.

More for the sound than the visual, I took this recording of the NOAA weather advisory on the VHF last night... Let's hope this is the last of our winter storms!

Silence Is Golden

2011-03-13T20:49:00.000-07:00

I've blogged before about the different sounds one hears while living on a boat. I actually keep a pair of earplugs near my pillow because sometimes sounds keep me up at night. Most of the sounds can be quieted by adjusting lines and fenders. Lately, I've been reminded of a couple sounds that cannot be hushed: those of the shrimp and the croakers. I can't describe the sounds to you but I can tell you that, from time to time, I've spent hours searching the boat high and low, trying to pinpoint the cause of the "pinging" or the "creaking". If only the shrimps and the croakers could see me searching... they'd surely get a chuckle.

Here are a couple of videos that will give you a better idea of what they sound like... in reality, the pistol shrimp sounds a little less like a pistol and the croaker sounds a little more like a... um, well, it just sounds different through water and fiberglass, but you'll get the idea.

Force 10 Cozy Cabin

2011-03-09T13:14:00.000-08:00

Here are some close-ups of the heater install. Ben bought it used on craigslist and it had everything included except the wooden ring beneath the vent, which Ben cut out of some scrap wood we had lying around (yes, believe it or not, we have scrap wood lying around... or more correctly, tucked into random places) on our boat.

This is a view of the vent from the topsides. The vent cap is screwed on to

prevent water leakage but loose enough to maintain the proper amount of circulation to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. He sealed everything with 5200 and/or epoxy.

Here is a view of the copper tubing running from the heater up through the deck. It has one 45 degree bend in it. The bend is optional, but it allows for more heat to transfer into the cabin rather than escaping through the vent, thereby increasing efficiency.

Here is a picture of the hole drilled through the ceiling/deck for the vent. The pipe is 1" and the hole is 2", to prevent the deck material from getting too hot. The screws need to be filed down and a little wooden ring would give it a finished look, but today we only care about function. ;)

And here we have a poorly lit side view. This is just to show that the heater is mounted about an inch away from the stainless steel sheet covering the wall.

We have the heater hooked to the same solenoid as the oven in our galley and the oven, grill and heater are all fueled by one propane tank, mounted on the aft transom. For more information on how to mount your own Force 10 Cozy Cabin heater, check out the online manual.

Hot Fun

2011-03-09T07:10:00.000-08:00

Just like everywhere else, the weather in San Diego has been atypical this year. We've had some nights in the 30's and some days in the 70's. Recently, Ben installed a Force 10 propane heater in the cabin of Mother Culture and we've been enjoying the warmth on those cold nights. Eventually, he'll build a safety rail around it... as anyone who lives on a boat knows the chances of one of us branding ourselves are pretty good!

In other news, The Little Salty Chihuahua turns 7 years old today!

Rainy Day Excursion

2011-03-03T08:28:00.000-08:00

We've been experiencing our share of rain here in San Diego over the last couple of weeks. A couple weeks ago, Ben's Mom, his sister Jenny and her three kids came down from the east coast to splash around with us. We didn't have too many opportunities to take them sailing, due to our busy schedules and the bad weather. But with the help of our friend Justin, we managed to get out there one Saturday, much to the chagrin of the seasoned salts on the field. A storm was making its way straight up the bay, so we had enough time to get out of the mooring field, raise the sails, dip the rail and soak ourselves before heading back. Naturally the sun came out just as we were arriving back at the dock. Ben and Adam took Jenny and the kids out again on Monday (I think his Mom had enough of an experience in the stormy weather!) and had a beautiful sail out to the ocean, complete with dolphins. I was only able to snap a few pics of our rainy day excursion (and not too many because my camera isn't waterproof and I was busy pulling in sails!). Here are the pics:

Walker Bay 10

2011-01-31T16:25:00.000-08:00

Ben got a new dinghy... around here, inflatables don't withstand the test of time so he's been on the look-out for a hard dinghy. One fell into his lap yesterday when Mark dropped it off. I dig the green color scheme. If it was 8 feet long, I'd trade him for it!

First Sail of 2011

2011-01-30T10:56:00.000-08:00

SoFla 2011

2011-01-20T10:03:00.000-08:00

Everyone's heard of stormchasers, but have you heard of sunchasers? Ben, Lola and I fall into the latter category. We're addicted to Vitamin D and we'll do anything to get it. The three of us took a plane ride over to south Florida after the New Year. Once again, we were in search of the D to raise our spirits after the gloom that enveloped 2010 here in San Diego. Luckily, we found just what we were looking for in SoFla. Temps in the mid- to upper 70's and everyday, sunny. On the last day of our trip the temperature dropped to 62 degrees and cloudy. So before the withdrawal set in, we headed back to 75 degrees in sunny San Diego to get our next fix.

Gail, Jessie, Sam, Ed

Our first stop in sunny SoFla was Boca Raton, to see my Aunt Gail, Uncle Ed and cousins Ian and Logan. We spent time yacking with the fam and yaking in the mangroves around the intercoastal.

Ian & Sam

Sam & Ed

Logan & Sam

Sam, Shane, Lola & Ben at the
Southermost Point in the
Continental USA, Key West

Next, we headed south, picked up Shane from the Ft. Lauderdale Airport and continued south until we hit the end of the road: Key West. We spent a few days living the good life before we headed back north... to Miami.

Sam & Ben in Miami

After all the fun we had in Key West, the fast-paced city life of Miami didn't sit well with us, so we headed up to Ft. Lauderdale where we spent one last night partying with Shane at the Elbo Room and Bahia Cabana.

Shane at the Elbo Room, Ft. Lauderdale

The weather in Florida proved to be much nicer than the weather in Shane's neighborhood of northern Virginia. His return flight the following morning was cancelled due to snow, ice and airport closures, so he spent one more night with us, back at my Aunt and Uncle's house in Boca Raton. Shane flew back to freezing cold temps and snow. We flew back to a Vitamin D-packed punch here in San Diego. Let's hope it stays this way for the rest of 2011!

If you want to see pics of the entire escapade, check out my photo album:

SoFla 2011

Second Chances

2011-01-15T13:16:00.000-08:00

We just got back from ten days in Florida. Once I get the pictures organized, I'll share them in another post. Ben's bicycle was stolen while we were gone, as always seems to be the case.

For those of you who know the saga of the cat next door, I was glad to snap a picture of her in a trap yesterday. A trapped cat may not seem worthy of a smile but this cat has been living in squalor, left for dead for at least the last six months, and living a solitary life (with occasional visits by the owner) on this boat for as long as Ben, Lola and I have been here. We (and others) have been bringing her food and water... but a lonely life trapped on a boat is no life for a cat. So the mooring company captured her and they will be bringing her to the humane society. Hopefully she will find a forever home, but no matter what happens, at least she won't be living in filthy, sinking boat for the remainder of her days. I only wish I knew the name of the boat owner so I could report him to the authorities.

2010 Greatest Hits

2010-12-31T10:00:00.000-08:00

Another year has come and gone and we're still afloat. Last year, we made a list of things we hoped to accomplish in 2010, and here it is:

*New Wind Generator
*New Lazarette Cover
*Propane System w/ New Grill
*New Anchor, Chain and Windlass
*New Foam and Covers for V-Berth
*Covers for Cockpit Cushions
*New Sails (Roller Furling and Main)
*Chartplotter, Depthfinder, Radar, Autopilot (Raymarine C70)
*Raise Boom
*Dodger/Bimini

The first four items were checked off the list in 2010 (minus the windlass). The other items either lost priority or were overtaken by opportunity. Here is the complete list of our 2010 accomplishments:

*Found & Reattached Lazarette Cover
*Propane System w/ New Grill
*Freezer
*LED Spreader Lights (Ben also installed LED navigation lights which I failed to blog about)
*Coast Guard Vessel Safety Check
*Anchor, Bow Roller & Chain (I never blogged about the chain)
*Livingston Dinghy
*Carburetor, Choke and Head Gasket for the Atomic 4
*Honeywell Gas Generator
*Wind Generator
*Wind Vane (We got a wind vane but never installed it, so I never blogged about it)

The Livingston was sold a month or so after Ben fixed it up. Earlier this week, Ben sold the Wind Generator and the Wind Vane. Sometimes less is more, and we're reminded of that lesson on a daily basis.

This year we were lucky enough to do a bit of traveling during our downtime. We only sailed three times (ouch!) but we also traveled by car and plane. Here is a recap of our travels:

*San Francisco, (SF2, SF3)
*Joshua Tree
*Sailing the Bay
*Las Vegas
*Sailing Glorietta Bay
*Costa Rica, (CR2, CR3, CR4, CR5, CR6)
*Michigan
*Sailing Mission Bay, (MB2)
*Julian, CA

Our list of things we hope to accomplish in 2011 is a short list. If we can check the first one off quickly, the second item will most likely be a breeze to accomplish:

*Get an auto-tiller
*Sail more!!

Big Bay Balloon Parade

2010-12-30T09:29:00.000-08:00

Today is the Big Bay Balloon Parade. We happened by the balloons on our way to coffee this morning. The parade starts in about a half hour so we'll no doubt bump into the balloons again on our way back to the boat. Here are a few pictures:

Go Away!!

2010-12-29T10:10:00.000-08:00

I keep wanting to write something profound but I can't find the words. Many transplants living here in San Diego chose San Diego in order to escape bad weather elsewhere. I live here for the same reason. This winter has undermined my reasoning. Let's face it... this entire year has been a disappointment as far as weather goes. Ben and I spent time in Costa Rica this summer in order to avoid June Gloom. When we got back to San Diego the sun never came out, so we took off on a road trip to Michigan with the hopes that summer would greet us on our return to San Diego. No such luck. We did enjoy a beautiful Indian Summer for a few weeks in October and November. But this winter has been anything but pleasant. Last week it rained for something like 5 days straight. Worse than the torrential rains were the howling winds. We laid awake at least one entire night grappling with our faith in the chains that bind us to our mooring. I am not a religious person, but I would liken my faith in the boat and the mooring to anyone's faith in God (with one huge difference being the actual tangible boat and mooring). I'll admit after last Wednesday night, I was second-guessing, once again, my ability to live on - or sail - a boat. But eventually the sun always comes out (not always accompanied by warm temperatures) and the memories of sleepless nights fall by the wayside. I find myself a little bit stronger and I can laugh about the adventure. Until the next storm (read: today).

2010-12-18T07:41:00.000-08:00

Christmas Spirit

2010-12-13T08:52:00.000-08:00

The San Diego Bay Parade of Lights was last night (and next Sunday night, too). The parade was pretty low key this time around, probably due to what happened last year. We rowed out to the end of the mooring field and hooked on to an empty ball to enjoy the show. We were joined by Markitos and Christy toward the end of the parade. As always, it's difficult to get nighttime pictures from a floating dinghy. Here are a few of the better shots.

December Morning

2010-12-12T09:48:00.000-08:00

Lately, all I can muster up are a few pictures of the sunrise, or lack thereof. Starting next week, I'll be on vacation for a month, so hopefully I'll find some inspiration to write. The weather today is supposed to be in the mid- to high-70's and we're already off to a good start! The Parade of Lights is tonight and again next Sunday so we're looking forward rowing out to the end of the mooring field to watch. If we get any good pictures, I'll be sure to share them.

Waiting for the Sun

2010-12-10T09:12:00.000-08:00

Every morning, a different view...

Fog where the skyline used to be

Ben heading off to work

Anomaly

2010-12-08T10:06:00.000-08:00

Imagine my surprise when I mozied down the dock this morning and spotted a dinghy flipped upside down, hanging off the stern of another dinghy. Then imagine my "Oh shit!" moment when I realized it was Ben's dinghy that was flipped, outboard motor dangling upside down in the water. I'll admit I panicked a bit. I ran down and hopped into Eddie's dinghy and tried with all my might (well, what little might I do have), but to no avail. There was no way I could flip that thing back over by myself. I rowed home in a frenzy, called Ben at school (you know, cuz I figured I might as well panic him, too!) and told him what happened. Then as any good girlfriend would do, I grabbed my camera and headed back to the dock. Snapped a few shots. Tried fruitlessly to flip the thing over again (I swear I could have succeeded if only there wasn't a motor on the back!) and a few minutes later, like clockwork, Paul came pedaling down the dock and saved the day. What I can't figure out is how in the world did this happen?

Anyone with information on this crime is encouraged to contact s/v Mother Culture.
There are three ways to leave a tip:
1) Leave an anonymous comment on this blog
2) Give us a call or drop us an email
3) Let us know when we see you on the dock
;)

Winter Horizon

2010-12-07T07:56:00.000-08:00

As the days grow shorter and colder, I seem to catch more sunrises than sunsets. We're patiently awaiting the arrival of December 22.

Indian Summer Sunrise

2010-11-06T07:15:00.000-07:00

Neither Wind Nor Rain Nor Dark of Night

2010-10-31T15:08:00.000-07:00

It seems the windy season has blown in and once again we're taking advantage of it. Ben got a steal on this used Air-X wind generator and installed it last week. Even though last year's microburst was most likely a *once in a lifetime* event for those of us who endured it, this time around Ben is going to install a kill switch to err on the side of caution. I had planned on sharing a short 20-second video of the [yet-to-be-named] wind generator in action but as usual, my worthless 3G provider (hint: begins with the letter "V") refuses to allow me the pleasure of uploading even the shortest of videos. So this half-assed picture will have to suffice instead.

The Honeywell generator has been working out perfectly on the calm, cloudy and/or rainy days. I can actually start it on my own (Toot-toot!) and we found a place to set it where it doesn't cause a clattering reverberation throughout the entire boat. As far as electricity is concerned, it looks like we've finally got everything squared away.

Sunset Bike Ride: October 29, 2010

2010-10-31T11:58:00.001-07:00

Topless

2010-10-25T09:58:00.001-07:00

Winter Wonder

2010-10-24T08:38:00.000-07:00

This is a random post about something we've been wondering for a couple years. The past two summers we've driven across the country along I-80 and we noticed these partial fences on the plains along the freeway. We couldn't imagine what purpose they served and it has taken me this long to research it. So here is my answer to our question... They are snow fences. I borrowed this picture from another blog, High Plains Drifter, and I found this article with interesting information on the how and why behind the snow fences. So now we know. ;)

For The Record

2010-10-20T09:12:00.000-07:00

I've heard it sung that it never rains in southern California. I'm here to tell you that's not true.

In Hibernation

2010-10-16T14:28:00.000-07:00

We're still here. I think about blogging a lot but for more than one reason I haven't bothered to update. Partly because I have (theshittiestserviceonearth) Verizon 3g which ensures that I can't upload anything, Ever. Partly because I've been busy with school and work. Partly because I'm enjoying my privacy lately.

The sun doesn't shine anymore in sunny Socal, so we bought a new Honeywell 2000i generator yesterday so I can work throughout the winter. We no longer have the benefit of staying at a hotel during the winter storms because Ben is no longer working at the Quality Inn. So we'll be roughing it here with our Honeywell. It's not as quiet as the Honda eu2000i, but it's less than half the price so I think it will do.

Ben finished installing a new choke, carburetor and head gasket on Mother Culture's Atomic 4 engine. We haven't left the ball since we arrived back from Mission Bay a couple months ago. Next on his To-Do list is some maintenance on Old Grand-Dad (aka the Honda Goldwing). Hopefully we'll get to take a road trip or sailing trip over Thanksgiving break. I guess that's about all I have to share for now. Til next time...

Cruising... on a Monday Afternoon

2010-09-10T10:47:00.000-07:00

We had the day off from school on Monday, so we cruised out to Julian. One of the unfortunate things about San Diego is the fact that there aren't many back roads. But we found one and I took some videos along the way...

Another Kind of Cruising

2010-08-30T17:40:00.000-07:00

We got a new set of wheels!!

A 1984 Honda Goldwing GL 1200 Interstate.

School Daze

2010-08-20T09:46:00.000-07:00

We're gearing up to start school again on Monday and we have pretty full loads this semester so our adventures will be few and far between for the next few months. On our way home from Mission Bay last weekend, Mo-C experienced a little engine trouble, so Ben ordered a new carburetor and head gasket and once the parts arrive, he'll put on his grease monkey suit and take care of business. Since summer came late this year, we're hoping it will stick around a little longer so we can take a few more weekend sailing trips before winter creeps in.

This is a picture of Mother Culture at anchor in Mission Bay last week.

Summer Sail

2010-08-11T08:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we sailed from San Diego Bay to Mission Bay. I'm always a little nervous when sailing because I've always had a fear of the ocean. My fears have subsided a lot over the past two years but I am still very aware of the power of the ocean and I try my best to stay out of Mother Nature's way. Yesterday's sail was pretty awesome for beginners. The seas were pretty calm but we had enough wind to make it there in good time. And we even saw a pod of dolphins crossing our path! Here are a few pics and a video...

This stealthy, wealthy boat was anchored off the edge of the mooring field when we left

I'm always a fan of the seals and sea lions on the buoys

Steering

Relaxing

At anchor

I also added a panorama shot of the anchorage at the bottom of my page. Scroll all the way down to the very bottom of my blog to check it. But first, check out this quick video of the dolphins!

Summer Highlight

2010-08-10T11:48:00.001-07:00

Could it be our own Pirate Bob from the Laurel Street mooring? You bet it is!

"GROUNDED SAILOR RESISTS ASSIST

San Diego lifeguards tried to help a man whose boat was grounded Monday south of the Ocean Beach Pier. The man did not want to get off the boat, but lifeguards were able to walk him to shore, lifeguard Sgt. Troy Keach said. He was suspected of public intoxication and arrested, police Officer Dino Delimitros said."

(source: San Diego Union Tribune, Tuesday, August 10, 2010 issue, page B2)

Day Two

2010-08-02T10:30:00.000-07:00

It's day two of August and the sun has graced us with its presence once again. Here are a couple pics of the blue sky and the sunset we enjoyed yesterday.

Sunday Sun Day

2010-08-01T13:04:00.000-07:00

As typically seems to be the case, when I open my mouth I usually end up sticking my foot in it. Everyone that lives in San Diego knows about May Gray and June Gloom. We expect those months to be cool and cloudy (and we try to schedule vacations during those months for that reason). Ben and I went to Costa Rica in June and when we returned at the end of the month to a still-cloudy San Diego, we bit our tongues and tapped our fingers in anticipation of the hot, sunny weather July would produce. The first week of July came and went and still no sun. So we got out of dodge and motored over to Michigan to bask in their glorious rays. We knew by the time we got back to San Diego, the sun would be in full force. But when we returned at the end of July, still no sun. It was my fault. It's that old self-fulfilling prophecy. Last July, I distinctly remember complaining about the heat and the ever-present sun. I recall wishing the sun would disappear forever. I even complained about it in a blog post. I'm ashamed of myself, really. I took the sun for granted and this July the sun decided to teach me a lesson.

According to news reports, this July was the coolest in 77 years. The coolest July since 1933! There were only four clear days here in the Bay. FOUR! And I'm guessing they happened when we were in Michigan because I'm not sure I could have counted four clear hours.

Today is August 1st and if today is a precursor to what the rest of the month will bring, I'd say summer has finally arrived here in San Diego. But I'm not counting on it. I will, however, keep my fingers crossed.

Road Trip 2010: Lake Michigan

2010-07-30T11:19:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago, we decided to ditch this cloudy city and make a road trip to warm and sunny South Haven, Michigan. Some of Ben's family were meeting there to attend a ceremony for his late grandmother. We packed up Thin Mint and scurried along the open road through Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, a smidge of Indiana, and finally Michigan. Since we made a similar (yet much longer) road trip last summer, we didn't take as many pictures of the scenery along the way, but we did take plenty of pictures of the family living it up at Lake Michigan. This trip ended up being a special trip for us because our dearly beloved Thin Mint didn't make it home with us. Last summer, she took us an amazing 7,127 miles back and forth across the entire country. This time she made it 2,892 miles before she decided to make her final resting place a little town called Moline, Illinois. She was a good car and she kept up with my abuse as good as any other. Better, in fact. And she will be missed. Once we were certain Thin Mint was comfortable in her new spot, we rented a car, loaded the trunk with all our belongings and set off to finish our journey in the lap of luxury with air-conditioning and cruise control.

Here are pictures from our trip:

Road Trip to Michigan 2010

And The Countdown Begins

2010-07-28T10:51:00.000-07:00

In April, someone stole one of Ben's bicycle tires, deeming the bicycle completely worthless. A new wheel would cost more than the value of the bike... more than the cost of a new-used bike. Yesterday, thanks to the invention of craigslist, Ben scored this flashy new-used cruiser at a rock bottom price. And so the countdown begins...

The last time I posted about my own vintage townie, someone had gone wild on my basket. I can see in the picture on the post that my bell remained in tact at the time of that photo shoot. Since then, some angry soul stole my I ♥ MY BIKE bell. It was hard adjusting to riding without a bell, but not nearly as difficult as the transition to riding without brakes. I set off the other morning to grab a shower at the Sheraton only to find out some malicious being stole all four of my brake pads. Luckily, this story has a happy ending. I made it home in tact and purchased four new brake pads and this snazzy she-pirate bell. And the countdown begins... again...

In the Moment

2010-07-23T09:52:00.000-07:00

This has nothing to do with boating but it's one of those things I'd like to look back on one day far into the future. Maybe you have to live in California to appreciate what's going on here...

California Gurls by Katy Perry

Who Needs a Rock...

2010-07-06T17:21:00.000-07:00

...when you can be carved in stone instead?

As you may have figured by now, we on Mo-C aren't what most people might describe as a "traditional family". The parents aren't married and the child has a big ears and extremely short legs. But that doesn't mean we don't take our commitment to one another seriously.

Before moving onto Mother Culture (and even before living in Tater), we lived in the coolest place on earth, Ocean Beach. We consider it home away from home and OB will always have a place in our hearts. We still visit OB at least every other day to pick up our mail at the Post Office, to get lattes at Pirate's Cove Coffee Cart (yes, you heard me right!) or margaritas at the Blue Parrot. OB is the town in which Lola grew up (and in many ways, it's the town where Ben and I grew up, too!)

In honor of our love for OB and for our "non-traditional family", we have carved our union (and transition) in stone along Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach... to continue on long after we're gone...

Here's to OB, Mo-C, Ben, Sam & Lola!

Along the Road: Costa Rica

2010-06-30T10:12:00.000-07:00

One of the first things you notice when you get off the plane in Costa Rica (or before you arrive, if you're the planning type) is the addresses, or lack thereof. The address of the first hostel we stayed at read something like this: Avenida 11 between Calles 3 & 3 bis. But the catch is, there are no street signs in Costa Rica. Not. A. One. And while that might drive you planning types (aka "The Old Me") crazy, I believe it added to the allure of the Pura Vida.

Having left our cell phones and computers back in the USA, now the only way someone could find us was if they knew to walk 500 meters up an unnamed dirt road, across the river and through the rain forest, make a right at the fifth coconut palm, continue on for 100 meters and make a left next to the howler monkey hanging from the mango tree, make another right at the waterfall and well, you get the picture.

So we relied on public transportation to get us to each point on the map. Public transportation... and the oh-so-helpful Lonely Planet guide to Costa Rica. The map above shows the route we took, starting from San Jose. We spent one night at Hostel Pangea in San Jose ($30/night, w/hot water, shared showers) and the next afternoon we caught a bus southeast to San Isidro (about a 2-hour ride), where we had lunch and caught the next bus southwest to Dominical (about 1-hour ride). We found it amusing that every Tico (aka Costa Rican local) seemed to know exactly where we were headed without even asking. We figured we'd fit right in down in Dominical, and we did.

We spent two nights at Hostel Antorchas ($14/night with private bath w/cold water showers) before catching another bus north to Quepos (2-hour ride), where got a room for two nights at the Wide Mouth Frog Hostel ($30/night with shared, cold water showers). While staying in Quepos, we took a short bus ride to Manual Antonio National Park and spent a few hours frolicking on the white sand beaches and hiking through the rain forest.

From Quepos, we hopped on a bus headed north to Puntarenas (about 3 hours) and took the ferry across the Gulf of Nicoya to the town of Paquera, on the Nicoya Peninsula. The ferry ride was just over an hour long and once we arrived in Paquera, we took a bus about an hour south to Montezuma.

Montezuma proved to be the place where we lost track of time. Actually, we lost track of time somewhere between San Jose and Quepos. Montezuma was the place where we learned what day it really was...which gave us an extra day of travel! And since Montezuma was definitely the best stop on our trip, we decided to spend our extra day there, giving us three nights total at Hotel Lucy ($22/night w/shared, cold water showers).

From the first night in Dominical all the way to Montezuma, we were traveling one day behind a couple from Germany, Kai and Kristen. They, too, had been following the Lonely Planet guide to Costa Rica and since we'd been bumping into each other all over the country, we decided to travel together from Montezuma to Alajuela. They were due to fly out the morning before us. So we got back on the bus and traveled one hour north to Paquera, took the hour-long ferry ride back to Puntarenas and then another two or three hour bus ride to Alajuela, where we stayed in the dorms ($13/person, shared showers w/hot water) at Maleku Hostel. The next morning, the four of us took a bus from Alajuela to Volcan Poas and spent a few hours hiking around and watching the smoke billow out of its crater.

Riding the buses was a great experience because we got to see a lot of the countryside without having to navigate our own way down unfamiliar streets with no names. We were able to see how the Ticos live and travel and interact. None of the buses cost more than $3 one way and they all ran on time to the point that we never missed a bus and we were never waiting too long, either. We had our doubts about how much of Costa Rica we'd actually get to see in ten days... and in the end we actually got to see quite a lot.

In my next few posts, I'll try to pick out a few pictures and give a little synopsis of each place we visited...

The Last of the Costa Rica Vids

2010-06-28T14:56:00.000-07:00

Here are the last of the videos from Costa Rica, taken along the road to Volcan Poas and at the crater on the volcano:

On the Road to Volcan Poas
The Crater at Volcan Poas

The Waterfall Vids, Costa Rica

2010-06-27T10:39:00.000-07:00

Here are videos of the waterfall in Montezuma, Costa Rica. Ben hiked to the waterfall with Jason, a fellow American we met at Hotel Lucy.

Ben's First Jump
Jason Jumps
Ben Jumps Again
After the Jump 1
After the Jump 2

Costa Rica Wildlife Videos

2010-06-26T08:40:00.000-07:00

I still plan on writing a proper post about Costa Rica but I've been busy catching up on work since we got back, so for now you'll have to settle for pictures and videos.

Ants Go Marching in Dominical, C.R.
Coati in Manual Antonio National Park, C.R.
Lizard in Manual Antonio National Park, C.R.
Lizard in Manual Antonio, Part 2
White-Throated Magpie-Jay in Montezuma, C.R.
Squirrel in Tree in Montezuma, C.R.
Howler Monkey in Montezuma, C.R.

That's it for wildlife vids. Well, unless you count Ben and Jason jumping off the waterfall! I'll post those videos next time.

(Note: Hold down "Ctrl" and click link to open in a new tab or window. Blogger doesn't allow me the option to automatically set it up that way.)

Sunset Row: June 24, 2010

2010-06-25T10:04:00.000-07:00

Costa Rica

2010-06-21T21:37:00.000-07:00

Costa Rica pics.

Enter at your own risk.

Costa Rica

Anniversary Six

2010-06-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

I had originally drafted this blog post to commemorate the 6th anniversary of Ben & Sam's noviazgo. I made a little slideshow of "Through the Years" pictures and wrote a few words scheduled to be published on the day that we met- six years ago, yesterday. But then, in preparation for our trip to Costa Rica, we dropped Lola off at "Camp Rita" for 20 days and I got sentimental about the 6th anniversary of We 3. Because let's face it, "Ben & Sam" never really existed without "& Lola".

So today marks the sixth year that Ben, Lola & I have been hanging out. And unfortunately, this is the first year We 3 won't be celebrating together. Today, Ben and I are wandering around Costa Rica while Lola is sailing the high seas with her favorite friends, Uncle Adam and cousin Jasmine on their sailboat, Rita. But we're always together in spirit and we're counting down the days til we're reunited next week!

Here's to We3 x 6... and many more!

Waycation

2010-06-08T14:00:00.000-07:00

Instead of a staycation, we decided to go far away this year. By the time you read this post, we'll be on our way to Costa Rica. We look forward to meeting my namesake, Toucan Sam, as well as many monkeys and whatever else the Ticos can throw our way. We'll be gone for a few days, so don't wait up... and if this blog is not updated again by the end of the month, you'll know where the find us! And if you're curious about Lola's whereabouts, you'll have to ask Adam at Camp Rita. Hasta luego, amigos!

Summer Swing

2010-06-03T09:43:00.000-07:00

Blogging has been on my mind but it seems I can't come up with a coherent thought lately. I think that is due in part to the summertime swing of things. School is out, which means more time to hang out with friends. I uploaded some photos over a week ago but it's taken me this long to post them. So here goes:

Usually Ben's bicycle is the victim of foul play but it appears someone raged on my bicycled basket one night a few weeks back. Wish I could have seen this as it was happening. I'm sure it would have been a good show.

Last week, our friend Andrea came by to experience the liveaboard lifestyle. We went for a cruise around the bay on the Livingston and she got to meet some of the neighbors.

We stopped by Joe & Julie's boat. Julie was out of town and I didn't get a picture of Joe, but this picture of Andrea and Lola is priceless. Those of you who know Lola know that she doesn't take kindly to strangers. It can take her a year to get used to new people. This was the very first time she met Andrea and Lola took an immediate liking to her.

This is another priceless picture... I row myself around all the time but I rarely row other people. Although I do recall a time, perhaps the first summer we were on the boat, when I was rowing Ben to the dock and a man up on the wall yelled down to Ben, "You are my HERO!"

Currently, Ben and Lola are about an hour up north. On Tuesday, they took the ferry to Catalina Island to meet Adam & Jasmine. They originally intended to sail to Santa Barbara, but due to time constraints they had to change plans and, as far as I know, they are headed to Newport instead. I'm hoping to hear from them sometime today. I think the most difficult part of sailing is not worrying about your own safety while underway, but rather worrying about your loved ones while they are underway without you.

"May the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face."

~Irish Blessing

Another Day on the Mooring Field

2010-05-24T08:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Ben met Joe & Brad out in the bay to help bring Pharaoh back to the ball. Pharaoh and crew spent the last ten days at the cop dock, working to get her engine running. Unfortunately, the cops shooed them away before they got the parts back from the machine shop, so she needed a tow back to the ball. (Photo, right)

I spent last night at the hotel while Ben was working, so I was able to upload some of my HD videos onto YouTube. Here are links to some of the Livingston videos that I didn't get to post the other day:

Livingston 1
Livingston 2
Livingston 3
Rollers
Home Stretch

SeeFood Dinner

2010-05-22T07:52:00.000-07:00

(Here's the direct link in case your internet has trouble loading, like mine does!)

Livingston

2010-05-18T14:09:00.000-07:00

This post has been a long time coming. Back in January, Ben bought a 10-foot Livingston boat from one of our neighbors. The boat had been damaged during one of our winter storms so he had to re-fiberglass the bottom. While Ben had plans to fix it up and get it back into the water ASAP, the rain had other plans so it took a few days and a few headaches before it was floating again. Once the boat was back in the water, Ben spent the next few months tinkering with a Honda 10 hp engine that had also been swamped during a storm. Working on engines over the water can be tricky because if you drop a part, it will most likely fall into the water... and you can pretty much forget about getting it back. After a few lost parts and a few more headaches, Ben decided to get an already-working engine instead. So he got a sweet deal on a Suzuki 9.9 hp engine and put it in place. The Livingston was finally mobile! A day or two later, the starter broke and Ben was up to his limit with headaches so he dropped the starter off at the shop to be fixed on solid ground. Luckily, the engine can be started manually while the starter is at the shop.

Last week, Ben used the Livingston to tow Joe & Julie's 51 foot concrete sloop from the mooring field to the cop docks at Shelter Island. Unfortunately, I was at school (actually, that was pretty fortunate for me because I'm pretty sure I would have had a panic attack if I had to be present for that maneuver!) so I didn't get any pictures or videos.

Ben took the Livingston out to the ocean today, and I got a beautiful HD video of him taking off... I'd love to share it but unfortunately my new Verizon internet card sucks just about as bad as AT&T did (no, wait... it sucks MORE) so naturally it cut out about three quarters of the way through the upload to YouTube (and of course it took a good two hours for it to upload to that point) so I won't be able to share it today. If I'm ever near a real internet connection, maybe I can get the video loaded and share it with everyone. For now, we'll have to settle for still life.

Sunset Row: May 6, 2010

2010-05-07T11:02:00.000-07:00

Two Perspectives

Last night we went for a sunset row. This morning when I opened my email, our neighbor Ray (Duke's human) had emailed me some pictures he'd taken of us from his boat. So we bring you last night's sunset row from two perspectives. Thanks Ray!

Glorietta Bay

2010-05-02T15:45:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, we got a permit to anchor in Glorietta Bay. We decided to motor over rather than pulling out a smaller sail. The wind was howling and there was a small craft advisory in effect. Here is a view of the skyline heading toward South Bay... it's a lot different from the view we see everyday from our mooring.

Adam was already anchored in Glorietta, so he rowed his dinghy over and met us just before we entered the anchorage. This was our first time anchoring in Glorietta and since Adam lives on the hump, he knows the ins and outs of all the anchorages from here to Catalina. We took a spin around and found our spot and dropped anchor. We actually dropped two anchors- Bruce on the bow and Danforth off the stern. This is a view from our anchored boat.

Lola and Jasmine relaxing in the cockpit

There is a little beach running along one side of the Glorietta. We took the dogs over to run around and check out the area.

Mother Culture at anchor

Our own *almost-private* beach on Coronado

The girls sniffing for buried treasures

Lola running on the beach

Coronado Bridge

The view out our window

Mother Culture

Rita (Adam's boat)

Mo-C & Dinghy

We grilled some food, had some drinks, walked to downtown Coronado and had another drink at a local bar and on Friday morning we pulled up our anchors and headed back home. Friday was another windy day. On our trip back to the ball, we passed some people flying kites alongside the bay.

This one was a quick trip but we're looking forward to summer, when school's out and we have more time off to take overnight trips.

The Hump

2010-05-02T00:19:00.000-07:00

Before I post pics from our recent anchorage in Glorietta Bay, I wanted to explain the hump. Since I'm new to this sailing thing, I don't know much about it other than what I've been told. I don't know if it's a universal term among live-aboards everywhere or if it's specific to San Diego. All I know is it is supposedly possible to live aboard a boat here in San Diego without paying a fee. There are a handful of people that "live on the hump", moving around the bay from free anchorage to free anchorage. There are a bunch of rules and regulations that I can hardly get straight in my head and I'm still not even sure if it's possible to live this way without actually succumbing to The Man by occasionally paying a temporary slip fee or a fine for anchoring over 72-hours or without a permit. Regardless, the whole idea fascinates me.

Here's what I know:

Mission Bay (depicted by anchor, upper left): Pros: You can anchor for up to 72 hours, any day of the week. It is well-protected here, glassy like a lake. No permit necessary. Cons: Once your 72 hours are up (don't be late!), you can't come back again for 7 days. Since this is the only anchorage in Mission Bay, you have to make the sail all the way back to San Diego Bay (six-ish hours) when you leave here...unless you want to pay an exorbitant amount for a temporary slip at one of the marinas.
Zuniga Jetty (anchor, lower left): Pros: You can anchor as long as you like for free, without a permit. Cons: It is not very protected, making for a rocky ride. Since it is off the coast of North Island Naval Base, you can't dinghy to shore and walk to town. You are stuck on your boat for as long as you anchor here (unless you're bold like our friend Adam, who rowed from Zuniga Jetty to Shelter Island and back last weekend).
La Playa (anchor, middle left): Pros: You can anchor for up to 72 hours, weekends only. Fully protected, it is serene like a lake. You can pull your dinghy up on the beach, with easy access to Shelter Island. Cons: You need a permit and you can only anchor here on weekends.
Glorietta Bay (anchor, lower right): Pros: You can anchor here any day of the week, for up to 72 hours. Cons: You need a permit. There is no dinghy dock but if you want to go into town, you can beach your dinghy and run across the golf course when no one is looking.
Cruisers Anchorage (sailboat, upper right): Pros: You can anchor here for up to 90 days with a permit. Cons: This anchorage is designated for visitors from out-of-town, so it doesn't actually apply to the hump but it's nice to know, anyway.

You are required to obtain permits for La Playa and Glorietta at least 24-hours in advance of anchoring. You are allowed only three permits in one thirty day period. That's three permits total! for the month, not three for each of La Playa and Glorietta. So once you've exhausted your permits for the month, you have to stay at Zuniga Jetty or Mission Bay.

So those are the basics. And as long as you don't mind staying on your boat at Zuniga Jetty a lot of the time, it is possible to live on the hump for free. But for now, I'll stick with my mooring.

Up next: Pictures from Glorietta Bay.

Detailed Map

Cleveland National Forest: Mt. Laguna

2010-05-01T20:51:00.000-07:00

Views of Anza Borrego Desert from atop Mt. Laguna

The Awakening

2010-04-29T07:57:00.000-07:00

by Sonny Carroll

There comes a time in your life when you finally get it ... When in the midst of all your fears and insanity you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out "ENOUGH! Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on." And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice, you blink back your tears and through a mantle of wet lashes you begin to look at the world from a new perspective.

...This is your awakening.

You realize that it is time to stop hoping and waiting for something or someone to change, or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that there aren't always fairytale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with you. Then a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

So you begin making your way through the "reality of today" rather than holding out for the "promise of tomorrow." You realize that much of who you are and the way you navigate through life is, in great part, a result of all the social conditioning you've received over the course of a lifetime. And you begin to sift through all the nonsense you were taught about :

- how you should look and how much you should weigh,
- what you should wear and where you should shop,
- where you should live or what type of car you should drive,
- who you should sleep with and how you should behave,
- who you should marry and why you should stay,
- the importance of bearing children or what you owe your family,

Slowly you begin to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin re-assessing and re-defining who you are and what you really believe in. And you begin to discard the doctrines you have outgrown, or should never have practiced to begin with.

You accept the fact that you are not perfect ,and that not everyone will love appreciate or approve of who or what you are... and that's OK... they are entitled to their own views and opinions. And, you come to terms with the fact that you will never be a size 5 or a "perfect 10".... Or a perfect human being for that matter... and you stop trying to compete with the image inside your head or agonizing over how you compare. And, you take a long look at yourself in the mirror and you make a promise to give yourself the same unconditional love and support you give so freely to others. Then a sense of confidence is born of self-approval.

And, you stop maneuvering through life merely as a "consumer" hungry for your next fix, a new dress, another pair of shoes or looks of approval and admiration from family, friends or even strangers who pass by. Then you discover that it is truly in "giving" that we receive, and that the joy and abundance you seek grows out of the giving. And you recognize the importance of "creating" and "contributing" rather than "obtaining" and "accumulating."

And you give thanks for the simple things you've been blessed with, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about - a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, the freedom of choice and the opportunity to pursue your own dreams.

And you begin to love and to care for yourself. You stop engaging in self-destructive behaviors, including participating in dysfunctional relationships. You begin eating a balanced diet, drinking more water and exercising. And because you've learned that fatigue drains the spirit and creates doubt and fear, you give yourself permission to rest. And just as food is fuel for the body, laughter is fuel for the spirit and so you make it a point to create time for play.

Then you learn about love and relationships - how to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving, and when to walk away. And you allow only the hands of a lover who truly loves and respects you to glorify you with his touch. You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they say, intentionally or unintentionally, and that not everyone will always come through... and interestingly enough, it's not always about you. So, you stop lashing out and pointing fingers or looking to place blame for the things that were done to you or weren't done for you. And you learn to keep your Ego in check and to acknowledge and redirect the destructive emotions it spawns - anger, jealousy and resentment.

You learn how to say "I was wrong" and to forgive people for their own human frailties. You learn to build bridges instead of walls and about the healing power of love as it is expressed through a kind word, a warm smile or a friendly gesture. And, at the same time, you eliminate any relationships that are hurtful or fail to uplift and edify you. You stop working so hard at smoothing things over and setting your needs aside. You learn that feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK and that it is your right to want or expect certain things. And you learn the importance of communicating your needs with confidence and grace. You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that eventually martyrs are burned at the stake. Then you learn to distinguish between guilt, and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to Say NO. You learn that you don't know all the answers, it's not your job to save the world and that sometimes you just need to Let Go.

Moreover, you learn to look at people as they really are and not as you would want them to be, and you are careful not to project your neediness or insecurities onto a relationship. You learn that you will not be more beautiful, more intelligent, more lovable or important because of the man on your arm or the child that bears your name. You learn that just as people grow and change, so it is with love and relationships, and that that not everyone can always love you the way you would want them to. So you stop appraising your worth by the measure of love you are given. And suddenly you realize that it's wrong to demand that someone live their life or sacrifice their dreams just to serve your needs, ease your insecurities, or meet "your" standards and expectations. You learn that the only love worth giving and receiving is the love that is given freely without conditions or limitations. And you learn what it means to love. So you stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn that "alone" does not mean "lonely" and you begin to discover the joy of spending time "with yourself" and "on yourself." Then you discover the greatest and most fulfilling love you will ever know - Self Love. And so it comes to pass that, through understanding, your heart heals; and now all new things are possible.

Moving along, you begin to avoid toxic people and conversations. And you stop wasting time and energy rehashing your situation with family and friends. You learn that talk doesn't change things and that unrequited wishes can only serve to keep you trapped in the past. So you stop lamenting over what could or should have been and you make a decision to leave the past behind. Then you begin to invest your time and energy to affect positive change. You take a personal inventory of all your strengths and weaknesses and the areas you need to improve in order to move ahead, you set your goals and map out a plan of action to see things through.

You learn that life isn't always fair and you don't always get what you think you deserve, and you stop personalizing every loss or disappointment. You learn to accept that sometimes bad things happen to good people and that these things are not an act of God... but merely a random act of fate.

And you stop looking for guarantees, because you've learned that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected and that whatever happens, you'll learn to deal with it. And you learn that the only thing you must truly fear is the great robber baron of all time - FEAR itself. So you learn to step right into and through your fears, because to give into fear is to give away the right to live life on your terms. You learn that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophesy and you learn to go after what you want and not to squander your life living under a cloud of indecision or feelings of impending doom.

Then, you learn about money... the personal power and independence it brings and the options it creates. And you recognize the necessity to create your own personal wealth. Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never ever settle for less than your heart's desire. And a sense of power is born of self-reliance. And you live with honor and integrity because you know that these principles are not the outdated ideals of a by-gone era but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build your life. And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting and to stay open to every wonderful opportunity and exciting possibility. Then you hang a wind chime outside your window to remind yourself what beauty there is in Simplicity.

Finally, with courage in your heart and with God by your side you take a stand, you FAKE a deep breath and you begin to design the life you want to live as best as you can.

A word about the Power of Prayer: In some of my darkest, most painful and frightening hours, I have prayed, not for the answers to my prayers or for material things, but for my "God" to help me find the strength, confidence and courage to persevere; to face each day and to do what I must do.

Remember this:- You are an expression of the almighty. The spirit of God resides within you and moves through you. Open your heart, speak to that spirit and it will heal and empower you.

My "God" has never failed me.

(Photo borrowed from here)

Sunset Stroll: April 25, 2010

2010-04-25T22:46:00.000-07:00

Today we went for a walk instead of a row...

Danny, Bruce, Chris & Mo

2010-04-24T11:55:00.000-07:00

Lately, it seems life has taken on the same pace as sailing. For those of you who’ve never sailed, that means long stretches of relaxation, followed by short bursts of intense action, followed by more relaxation, and so on and so forth. This last week fell into the "intense action" phase. Ben finished installing our new bow roller and anchor last weekend, and I helped him replace all the nuts and bolts forward of the mast. Here’s what our old setup looked like:

Mo-C came equipped with a 22-ish lb. Danforth anchor attached to the bow pulpit (and a couple extra ones stowed in the lazarette).

Danny Boy's been working like a charm for us, but we decided to upgrade and add a little variety with a 33 lb. Bruce anchor. Danforths work well in mud and sand, but not so well in grassy bottoms. Bruces are good for mud, sand and rocks. So far, I'm pretty sure we've only anchored in mud and sand, but I try not to go in the water too often, so I'm not positive about that.

Unfortunately, Bruce can't hang from the pulpit like Danny did, so Ben installed a bow roller to house him.

Now Bruce lays nice and snug at the bow, ready to dive in whenever we nudge him.

Amidst the upgrading and maintaining, Ben's cousin, Chris, stopped by on Tuesday to hang out and check out Mo-C for the first time. We had a running deal that we'd come check out his new house after he came and checked out ours. Looks like it's our turn to hold up our end of the bargain!

While Chris was visiting, Anna stopped by, followed soon after by Justin. We all enjoyed some cocktails and conversation in the cockpit under the beautiful sunny sky.

I think it was later on that evening when Mo appeared. (Not Mo-C... this is Mo-N... one of Ben's oldest friends from Virginia.) He surprised us with a visit and stayed for a couple days with us on the boat.

This has been a good year for visitors. And we're still waiting for the rest of you to come on down and play pirate for a day... ;)

Another Whale Tale

2010-04-20T14:03:00.000-07:00

Just over a year ago, a baby gray whale (nicknamed Diego) made his way into San Diego Bay and spent a month swimming around and entertaining tourists and residents alike. Yesterday, another gray whale was spotted swimming around our Bay near Shelter Island. Hopefully, we'll get a chance to get some pics before he finds his way back out to the ocean and heads north. Here's an article from the Union Tribune: Gray Whale

Sunset Row: April 17, 2010

2010-04-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

4 in 1

2010-04-17T09:04:00.000-07:00

Just under a year ago, I posted a photo exhibiting our great use of space (parking space, that is). More recently, our conservation skills have improved. We've been keeping an eye on Adam's Honda Shadow while he's off sailing around Catalina and other harbors north of here, so the three of us had been sharing a spot up until the other night...when Ben was at school and the guy with the white KLR snagged Ben's spot in front of Thin Mint. So Ben did a little shifting and shuffling and this is what he came up with. Now, how is this for conservation?

Sunset Row: April 10, 2010

2010-04-12T09:37:00.000-07:00

Last night we went on a sunset row... We left a little early so we didn't actually catch the sunset. I took the first leg... ALMOST made it to the end of the mooring field before I gave up. The current was a little too strong for me!

Then Ben took over...

This is Duke, the neighborhood Boxer pup

2 Legit

2010-04-10T21:28:00.000-07:00

We got off the ball today for the first time in a month. The deadline for our Coast Guard Vessel Safety Check was looming so we headed over to the dock and circled around for too long while we waited our turn with all the other procrastinators. (We tried to get the inspection the last time we went sailing, but were unable to recognize our new registration card which was disguised as an insurance card.) We passed the inspection without a hitch so we're good to go for another year. Between this and finishing my taxes, I'm feeling like this has been a rather productive weekend!

Sunset Row: April 6, 2010

2010-04-07T08:43:00.000-07:00

Every now and again, the three of us take a row out past the mooring field to watch the sunset. I figured it might be fun to post a picture or two (or three...) from our sunset rows. After all, sunsets are like snowflakes... no two are alike.

Spring Break Continued...

2010-04-06T13:26:00.000-07:00

When we returned from Vegas on Thursday, Ben finished switching out our energy-sucking halogen spreader lights with these new energy-efficient blue LED lights.

Then Ben's cousin Ken arrived from Colorado to spend a couple days with us on the boat... Our very first overnight guest aboard Mother Culture!

Bicycle Bandit Strikes Yet Again

2010-04-04T12:30:00.000-07:00

This time (s)he broke Ben's U-lock and stole his back tire. Maybe it's time to invest in a pogo stick. ;)

Vegas, Baby!

2010-04-01T09:52:00.000-07:00

This week is spring break for us and we were hoping to sail out to the Coronados for a few days. Unfortunately, the weather forecast didn't cooperate. So we hopped in the car and drove to Vegas instead. We stayed three nights at the Mirage, did a lot of walking, enough drinking, and even a little gambling. I also got to see my first Cirque du Soleil show, Mystere, at Treasure Island (and unfortunately no cameras are allowed at shows)! This trip was special because it was Lola's first time in Vegas. It turns out we spotted four other dogs during our trip. Not a very dog-friendly city, but we had fun anyway. Check out our pics here: Las Vegas

Hear No Evil

2010-03-27T09:43:00.000-07:00

Living and working on a boat for the past year and eight months has gifted me with a keen sense of hearing. At first everything sounded foreign to me. Over time I've learned what causes each sound, what sounds can be stifled, and what sounds I'll have to live with. The sound of a dinghy banging against a fiberglass boat can be stopped by rearranging fenders or adjusting the painter. The sound of a line slapping against a mast can be muted by tightening the slack in the line. The vibrating hum that travels down the mast into the cabin can be lulled by adjusting the boom. The whiny cry of the baby seagull can be quieted by throwing pennies at him. (Never throw food or you'll attract an even noisier crowd of gulls!) I've spent countless hours listening and adjusting and readjusting... even getting up out of bed in the middle of the night in order to create some peace. It's been quite a learning curve, really. But I'm to the point now where I can tell pretty quickly what is normal and what is not.

This morning, as I sat here working, I heard a new sound... that of a bird I didn't recognize. I listened for a few minutes before my curiosity got the best of me and I had to get up to see just who this mystery bird was. Once I got outside, it took me a few more minutes to find his hiding spot atop our neighbor's mast, and then it occurred to me that this is actually the second time I've heard this sound; the last time was at the boatyard when we did the haul out.

Maiden Voyage of 2010

2010-03-22T18:35:00.000-07:00

I guess I was feeling a little guilty about not posting over the past few weeks, but in retrospect, I didn't really have much to say. This blog is supposed to be about sailing and living aboard a boat and, truth be told, we hadn't sailed since our trip home from the boatyard in November. We also haven't done any "home improvements" since we hooked up the new icebox. So it wasn't that I wasn't thinking about all of you... it was that I had nothing particularly relevant to share. Until now...

On Saturday, after three full months (plus) of being stationary, we finally got off the ball. Our intention was to get our Coast Guard inspection, which is semi-mandatory in order to keep a boat moored here in the Bay. I say "semi-mandatory" because while it is a requirement, it doesn't seem to be very strictly enforced. Anyway, like the law-abiding little live-aboards that we are, we moseyed over to the dock for our inspection early Saturday morning, waited 45 minutes while the Coast Guard Auxiliary dilly-dallied around, and then we realized that the registration we had on board was an expired copy and we couldn't get the boat inspected without the current copy in hand. So we did what any sailor without a current copy of his registration on board would do...

We went sailing!!

We brought Justin and Anna along and took advantage of the gorgeous weather by sailing out to the ocean and then back to the ball before the fog rolled in just before sunset. It was a beautiful day. And of course we have pictures to share:

Tall Ship off our starboard bow

Justin, Anna & Ben

San Diego Skyline, complete with cruise ships

Gaff-rigged ketch off Point Loma

Point Loma, heading back into the Bay

What beautiful sails you have ;)

The fog rolling in over Point Loma

looked like a tidal wave crashing behind us

Anna & Justin

Lola making faces at the camera

Luckily, the fact that we never got our Coast Guard inspection means there will probably be more sailing adventures in the near future. Stay tuned...

Misty Morning

2010-03-21T07:59:00.000-07:00

We went for our first sail of 2010 yesterday. I'll be posting pictures soon. I know I've been slacking on posting lately but I think I found my inspiration again... out on the sea...

Mission Trails

2010-03-19T15:03:00.000-07:00

Somewhere Over the Mooring Field

2010-03-05T22:28:00.000-08:00

Joshua Tree

2010-02-22T17:07:00.000-08:00

We decided to take advantage of the warm weather and President's Day holiday last week by hopping into Thin Mint and venturing out to the desert. Our first instinct was to camp at the Salton Sea, just west of Anza-Borrego Desert, but upon arriving, we realized how lame the sea could be and headed north to Joshua Tree. We entered the park from the southern edge...

First stop: Cottonwood Spring.

Then we continued on through the park,

stopping here and there to take in the scenery...

We set up camp at Jumbo Rocks...

And went for a short hike before sunset...

Then we cooked up some grub:

Panang Curry with Mock Duck

We spent the night watching shooting stars

and headed north again in the morning.

We detoured south for a bit to check out

Keys View (Elev: 5185 ft.)

Then we headed home again...