America’s Cup
We just returned from a 5-day trip up to San Francisco to see the America's Cup boats. Right now is the Louis Vuitton Cup, the races that decide who goes to the America's Cup which starts in September. Long gone is the big helm to stand behind - these boats are steered with the push of a botton and are so fast the sailors have to [...]
Catalina Island
We've been settling back into life in the United States. Slowly. We bought a car, have been visiting with friends and family and are getting our affairs back in order. Life in the US is a bit different than living in Mexico. Most notably: it is expensive!! But we can't neglect our boat so when Mike's parents came to visit we headed out to Catalina [...]
Baja Bash Wrap-Up
We have completed the dreaded Baja Bash! I have been agonizing over this trip for weeks and it turns out that by going at the right time of year and with good weather windows, it doesn't really have to be much of a bash at all. We actually had a rather good time except for the fact that it was quite chilly at night (anything [...]
Night-Watch Lentil Soup
Now that we are back in cooler weather we like to have some hot soup to keep us occupied during our long watches at night. Before we leave I make this fast and easy Lentil Soup that doesn't require any perishable ingredients. 1/2 large onion 1 14oz can mixed vegetables 4 cups water or broth 1 cup dry lentils 2-3 Tbsp bouillon powder (less/none [...]
More Than Half Way!
Baja Bash :: Days Three to Six We made it to Turtle Bay this morning! It felt great to turn off the engine after three days of constant noise. We left Mag Bay late in the evening to have an early morning transit of Cape San Lazaro in calm seas - it was so calm we didn't even notice we were rounding a cape. So [...]
Radar Love
Baja Bash :: Days One to Three We are currently anchored in Magdalena Bay. About one quarter of the way to Ensenada (about 800 miles in total). We are here to get some diesel (being delivered right now*) and to wait for another weather window. We departed Cabo at 5am to catch the morning calm to round Cabo Falso. As the sun came up we [...]
What’s next?
We just arrived in Cabo San Lucas. What a crazy place after the peaceful anchorages we've had mostly to ourselves over the past few weeks. So, why are we here? We're on our way north! After a year and a half of living and cruising around Mexico we've decided it's time to head back to the good ole US of A for a while and maybe [...]
The Hard Life in Mexico Isn’t All Bad
We are back in the water after four days in the boatyard. It feels good to be floating again. Every night when the Coromuels blew, the boat would shudder, and I had visions of us falling over. Living in the boatyard wasn't so bad, thanks to our freshwater-flush head and huge holding tank. Some people actually climb down the ladder in the middle of [...]
Renting a Car in Mexico
Once in awhile we rent a car for a day to go grocery shopping and run errands. If there is a lot of running around to do it is just so much more convenient than riding the bus and taking a taxi back with loads of groceries. We start by reserving the car online via Priceline. There is no need to pre-pay or give them a credit card. All [...]
I bet you’ve never seen that before!
La Paz, Mexico We're back from spending the last two weeks in the national park islands near La Paz - where there is no internet... We snorkeled, swam, kayaked, watched wildlife and paddle-boarded. While sitting on the beach on Isla San Francisco we saw a fish that looked like he was poking his head into the water with his tail sticking up. When we went to [...]
How Does One Week Turn Into Three?
La Paz, Mexico We had planned on being in Mazatlan for one week. It took us three to get out of there, and we finally made it to La Paz a couple of days ago. So what took so long? When we arrived in Mazatlan, our Yanmar had logged just over 1,000 hours, and since there is a Yanmar service center in Mazatlan, we [...]
How to make "Ice Cream" on Board
Who doesn't love ice cream? We sure do, but our freezer will not keep it frozen in this heat so I had to figure out a better way to get our fix. Sorbet is a super-easy and fun treat to make on a boat. Pretty much any fruit can be used. Raspberry-Banana is always a winner, as is Banana with some chunks of dark chocolate. Here I [...]
How to Store and Use Glass on Board
Many boats come complete with a set of plastic dishes - as did ours. It seems that the general consensus is that because an item is on a boat it has a tendency to break and therefore should be plastic. Not so! Mike and I really don't like to eat or drink from plastic as it seems to take on a taste after some time. We also [...]
Fiesta Mexicana for Travel Secrets TV Show
Last night, along with my parents, we were invited to film a Mexican Fiesta for the next (fifth) episode of the Travel Secrets Mexico TV Series. We enjoyed delicious food from several states, such as Jalisco, Guerrero, and Sinaloa, as well as dances from different regions around Mexico. The highlight of the evening was the fire-dance, where the dancers/warriors show off how much heat [...]
Old Town Mazatlan
This is our third time in Mazatlan and each time we come here we want to stay longer. There aren't many gringo tourists here as some bad press from the US has converted this vibrant city primarily into a tourist destination for Mexican nationals. The ease with which we can get around Mazatlan without a car must be the towns biggest perk. Simply wait at [...]
More Tangled Wildlife
After nearly eight months in Banderas Bay, we are finally on the move again. Hurricane season and then some personal issues kept us in a marina much longer than we had anticipated. We just arrived in Mazatlan after a nice two-night passage. Considering we could have driven here in a few hours (it's only 170 miles as the boat travels), we made pretty good [...]
How to Stay Safe
It seems to me that many people over-think this whole cruising thing before they set out and buy things they would never use in their land-lives. For example, if you didn't own a gun before, why is it necessary to own a gun when you move onto your boat? Much like I would not make my home in the slums of (insert some city here) I would [...]
Why do we Cruise?
This article was also published in Cruising Outpost Magazine. See it here. There is a stereotype that says that most cruising couples are out cruising because the male instigated the lifestyle. On our boat, this is not the case. I am the instigator of our current cruising life, but in actuality, it was the male in my family who started this whole thing. Back [...]
How to Make the Perfect Margarita
Happy National Margarita Day! We sure are glad to be in Mexico for this special day. Here is the recipe for our favorite Grapefruity Margaritas. Cheers! 1 fresh squeezed grapefruit 2-3 fresh squeezed oranges 1-2 fresh squeezed limes 2/3 cup Grand Marnier 1 cup of good Tequila I try to do about a 1:1 ratio of juice to liquor, so add more liquor if [...]
Relationships on Board
Without 9-5 jobs, cars and a big house Mike and I spend a lot of time together. People who don't live on boats are often amazed at how we are able to cope. They think their mate would drive them nuts. While we do sometimes drive each other nuts I don't think much more so than when we lived "normal" lives. In the past we worked for [...]
