Isla Espíritu Santo was a beautiful stop. I did some snorkeling and freediving practice, delighted by a playful seal that joined me, while Karl paddleboarded around the cove with Desi. The first two days were calm and sunny, with beautiful sunsets and starry night skies. On the second night, the swell increased, and the boat got very uncomfortable, rolling on the large waves. Since there were strong west winds in the forecast, we decided to leave the island and head to the more protected anchorage at San Evaristo on the Baja mainland. It was a six-hour sail, with light winds and calm seas. We plan to stay here a couple of days before continuing north on the Baja Peninsula.

We arrived in La Paz in time for my three-day freediving course, which was an awesome experience. Our time in La Paz stretched to a month because Desi had a large lump develop on his side, which turned out to be necrotic tissue. After two surgeries and ten days of recovery, Desi is healed up and ready for adventures again! We sailed to the nearby island of Espiritu Santo, anchoring in a beautiful cove on the west side of the Island. With a couple of weeks before Karl needs to travel to the U.S. for work, we don’t have much of a plan, other than enjoying the time we have left in the Sea of Cortez before sailing to San Carlos for hurricane season.

There’s not much to report from our second visit to Mazatlán because we never left the boat. We anchored near Stone Island, Karl had to work all week, and since we were well provisioned, I wasn’t inspired to go into the city for any reason. Honestly, I’ve had my fill of urban areas for a while and am looking forward to the remote anchorages in the Sea of Cortez. We departed at dawn on Saturday and sailed 50 hours north to La Paz. The first day was rough, beating into a large swell all day, but the seas calmed down the second day and were much more pleasant. We saw sea turtles, dolphins, a shark, and Karl spotted some orcas! We plan to stay two weeks in La Paz. I have a three-day freediving course this weekend that I’m stoked about, then the following weekend we will head for the islands!

After two and a half months in Banderas Bay, we are making our way back north to San Carlos for hurricane season. Our time in La Cruz was wonderful. We had several good friends come out to visit us and join us on sailing trips across the bay to Yelapa, Los Arcos, and Boca de Tomatlán, as well as bus trips to Puerto Vallarta, Bucerías, and Sayulita. Humpback whales were frequent visitors to the La Cruz anchorage, often hanging out just yards from our boat! We took surfing lessons, toured a raicilla distillery, spent a day visiting friends at Paradise Village Resort, and enjoyed the local markets and restaurants. Although we were hesitant to backtrack, we decided San Carlos was the best place to complete some major boat projects this summer, and we’re looking forward to returning to some of our favorite spots in the Sea of Cortez, as well as some that we missed last year.

Chacala was a beautiful little town with a laid-back vibe. We had a fun evening out with new friends at one of the palapa restaurants on the beach. Desi and I caught some surf coming to shore on the paddleboard, Karl and I explored the small shops, picked up some fresh bread from the panadería, and sipped piña coladas while watching a mom and baby humpback playing in the anchorage. The anchorage got quite rolly, so we only stayed three nights before departing at dawn. Karl worked underway, and I had a blast sailing the boat in excellent winds for most of the 9.5-hour trip to La Cruz. We saw lots of whales along the way, a couple of sea turtles, and a flock of brown boobies that dove all around the boat as we entered Banderas Bay. La Cruz will be our home base for the next couple of months, and we’re looking forward to exploring the bay and sharing some sailing adventures with friends visiting from Portland!

We had a great week in Matanchén. We anchored 3/4 mile from shore to avoid the bugs, which we had been warned were terrible, but luckily, they weren’t too bad while we were there. The anchorage was calm and smelled like a campfire, from the beach restaurants that burned coconut husks to keep the bugs away. We spent an afternoon in the beautiful city of San Blas, taking in the sights and picking up produce from the market. I made several long paddleboard trips to get Desi to shore during the week, and on the weekend, Karl and I had a blast touring the mangroves and the crocodile sanctuary in nearby La Tovara. We spotted birds, turtles, iguanas, and lots of crocodiles! We left on Sunday and sailed four hours south to Chacala. We saw several humpback whales, and Karl caught two fish along the way. We plan to stay here for a day or two before continuing south to La Cruz de Huanacaxtle.

We had only planned to stop at Isla Isabel for a day or two, but ended up staying a full week. The anchorage was rolly at times, and it was tricky to find a protected spot within the small area of sand, with rocks and reefs surrounding us, but we stayed for the wildlife, which was incredible. Tens of thousands of birds nest on the island, and we hiked past blue-footed boobies on the beaches while frigatebirds swarmed overhead. Looking out to sea, we saw humpback whales throughout the day and the night, and Desi and I had an incredible close encounter with several of them while paddleboarding. Snorkeling, I saw spotted eagle rays, a variety of colorful fish, eels, and a sea turtle. We left the island before dawn on Saturday, sailing nine hours in calm seas to Bahia de Matanchén, a large bay a few miles southeast of San Blas. We’re looking forward to exploring the town after a week on an uninhabited island, and hoping to check out the jungle tours offered here.

Mazatlán was a fun place to spend the holidays. We explored the historic downtown area, bustling with holiday shoppers, spent Christmas drinking piña coladas at La Caleta beach club near the anchorage, explored the more touristy Zona Dorado, and spent a few nights anchored off Isla de Venados and Isla de Pájaros before heading into Marina Mazatlán for New Year’s. We sailed overnight to Isla Isabel, a small, secluded island inhabited by thousands of birds, primarily Frigatebirds and Boobies. We plan to spend a few days here before continuing down the mainland toward Banderas Bay.

We’re in Mazatlán! We spent most of our time in Topolobampo at anchor, next to a long, beautiful stretch of beach that was home to a couple of coyotes, a small herd of cows, and many pelicans and herons. The occasional fishing boat joined us in the bay, and we met a nice cruising couple who anchored nearby for a few nights. On the weekend, we headed to the marina in town for water, groceries, and a dinner out, then returned to our anchorage for Karl to finish out the workweek, before sailing 228 nautical miles southeast to Mazatlán. We had calm seas, inconsistent winds, sunny days, and beautiful starry nights. Karl caught a fish, and several humpback whales put on a fantastic show, quite close to us. Now we’re anchored off Stone Island, looking forward to spending the holiday week exploring this new city!

After spending three months visiting friends and family in the U.S, we returned to San Carlos and spent a month in the boatyard, prepping Otaria for the sailing season. We got Otaria back in the water just in time to celebrate my birthday with a well-earned day off before Karl traveled back to the States to spend Thanksgiving with family. After Karl returned, we stocked up on provisions before making an evening departure for Topolobampo. It was a 36-hour trip, with lighter winds and larger swells than anticipated, which made for an uncomfortable first night. However, by the second night, the winds had picked up, and the seas calmed enough that we had some pleasant sailing and decent sleep by the time we arrived and dropped anchor just inside the entrance to Topolobampo. It felt great to be sailing again! We’ll be here for a week or two, pending a weekend with good wind for our sail south to Mazatlán.

Bahia San Carlos was a perfect spot to spend at anchor while Karl traveled for work. We explored nearby Guaymas, enjoyed some of the local restaurants, and met some other cruisers at the weekly captain’s hour meetup. Karl worked in the U.S for a few weeks, and after his return, we spent a week preparing the boat to haul out. The haulout went smoothly, and Otaria spent a week in the work yard, with Karl sweating onboard all day, completing a long list of projects to prepare Otaria for months of the high winds and strong sun of Mexican summer. We rented a cheap little room behind a taco shop so that I could work off the boat during the day, and we could sleep with the relief of AC. When Otaria was finally all cleaned and wrapped up, we caught a ride across the border and headed up to Oregon for a few months visiting friends and family!

We enjoyed two nights in Santa Rosalia, walking the town, trying a few local restaurants, and chatting with other cruisers in town. I finished my work week, and we picked up groceries before departing Saturday evening to cross the Sea of Cortez. The 16-hour trip started with light wind, but it picked up later in the evening, and we had a pleasant night of sailing in very calm seas. Dolphins greeted us after sunrise, and the waves increased, giving us a slow and rolly few hours approaching San Carlos. We hooked a fish just before arriving, and Karl got it cleaned just in time to drop our sails and find a spot in the busy anchorage. We caught up on rest and enjoyed fresh poké for dinner. It’s beautiful here, and we’re looking forward to calling it home for the next several weeks while Karl travels back to the U.S for work.

Santispac was a quiet and calm anchorage with only a couple of other boats, and not many people around during the week. We explored beaches covered in beautiful shells, found a good spot to play frisbee with Des, Karl paddleboarded, and I did some snorkeling. When the conditions looked good, we headed north for Rosalia. It was a perfect sailing day, though very hot. We had good wind and flat seas almost the whole day. We made it to Rosalia by sunset and dropped anchor in the little harbor, just as several dozen pangas were heading out for an evening of fishing. We plan to be here for two or three nights before heading across the sea to San Carlos this weekend.

Requesón anchorage was a pleasant spot, but it was too shallow to tuck behind the island in protected water. So, when the wind picked up in the afternoons, the waves had us bouncing around quite a bit. We decided to head north to Santispac, a more protected anchorage. We’ll be here for a few days waiting for good wind before leaving Bahia Concepción to sail north to Rosalia.

We’ve had a change of plans, and our journey north to Puerto Peñasco is on hold for now. There was a recent accident with the boat yard travel lift. Luckily, no one was injured, but the lift is out of commission for an estimated two weeks, which means that our haul-out will be rescheduled. We have decided to sail across the sea to San Carlos, where I will stay at anchor while Karl travels for work. San Carlos is a well-protected harbor and a viable option for hurricane season, so we will decide later whether to continue north to Peñasco or leave Otaria in San Carlos for the summer. For now, we are enjoying our last week of cruising Baja. We sailed a couple of hours south to Requesón anchorage in Bahia Concepción and plan to sail north to Rosalia later this week before making the trip over to the mainland.

San Juanico was a lovely stop. There were over 20 boats in the anchorage, riding out strong northern winds. The beaches were beautiful, and we had a great time snorkeling the reefs. It was an 11-hour sail to El Coyote anchorage in Bahia Concepción, with some good wind and moderate seas. We saw whales, rays jumping, and several pods of dolphins! We settled in a beautiful spot across from Playa El Coyote. We plan to stay a few days before heading north to Santa Rosalia.

It was quite a change of pace being in Loreto after weeks in remote anchorages. Music blasted until two in the morning, and we were a bit grumpy when we were asked to move to the other side of the anchorage at 6 a.m. Once resettled, we had a nice day in town, browsing the local shops and enjoying a nice meal. The winds picked up quite a bit the second night, and after stocking up on groceries and refilling our propane, we were ready to head back out. It was a five-hour sail to San Juanico, with headwinds toward the end that made the seas rough and computer work unpleasant, but overall, it was a good sail. We saw a mega-pod of dolphins, hundreds upon hundreds in every direction as far as we could see! We found a nice quiet spot in San Juanico anchorage, where we plan to stay until the weekend, when we hope south winds will make for a pleasant sail north to Concepción.

Our stay in Punta Perico was short but lovely. Karl did some fishing and paddleboarding, and I got in a long swim and some nice snorkeling along the reef. We would’ve loved to spend more time exploring the island, but Karl has work in the U.S next month, so our schedule is getting tighter to get up to Puerto Penasco and haul out for hurricane season. It was a beautiful 7-hour sail around the island, with good wind and calm seas. We flew the drone while sailing for the first time, saw a shark jump several feet out of the water multiple times, right near the boat, and later, Karl caught a baby shark, which we released. Poor Desi got a shard of glass stuck in his paw and was a very good sport, enduring the extraction under sail. The anchorage in Loreto is unprotected, and we plan to stay the rest of the weekend to see the city and stock up on groceries before heading north to San Juanico.

Bahia Colorada was a quiet anchorage, with only one other boat around for the two days we spent there. We took advantage of the lovely, calm conditions to explore the bay on the paddleboard, with waters so clear we could see all the fish on the reef below us. It was a calm 2-hour sail to Punta Perico, where we ended up briefly grounded on a rock as we made our way into the anchorage. Luckily, we were moving slowly, and after dropping the dinghy, we were able to free ourselves fairly quickly. Karl found no damage when he dove to inspect the bottom. We’re here for a couple of nights before heading to Loreto this weekend.

We had a nice, quiet stay in Agua Verde. We anchored in a small bay away from the main anchorage, with a nice beach for Desi and a beautiful reef for snorkeling. We decided to stay for the weekend and had a nice time walking around the little town, having tacos at a small restaurant on the beach, and attending an event celebrating the 85th anniversary of the Western Flyer, a famous fishing boat from Steinbeck’s The Log from the Sea of Cortez. We got some boat projects done, took a beautiful hike, and met some nice cruisers who shared their knowledge of the area. It was a calm, five-hour sail to Isla Carmen, where we plan to spend a few days making our way around the island before heading to Loreto.

Los Gatos was a beautiful and surprisingly quiet spot. We had an amazing time hiking, snorkeling, paddleboarding, and relaxing on the beach. The color of the rocks was incredible, the beaches were covered in interesting shells, and hundreds of pelicans dove from the sky all around us. We saw dolphins, cows, and even a bobcat! We had the anchorage all to ourselves for a few days and enjoyed the solitude. Our only encounters were with the local fishermen who stopped by our boat to sell us lobsters and fish. We had a short 3.5-hour trip to Agua Verde with moderate wind and very calm seas. Karl caught two fish, but a shark got to one first, leaving him to reel in only a severed head! We plan to be here for a few days before heading north to Isla Carmen, possibly this weekend.

We had a nice time at Punta Salinas, though we went there looking for a more secluded place, but one by one, boats filled the anchorage, including the megayachts and their entourage. We enjoyed the beautiful sandy beach, hiking through the desert landscape, and exploring the abandoned salt mines. When the weekend arrived, we sailed north for 6.5 hours to Puerto Los Gatos, an anchorage known for its beautiful rock formations. The wind and waves picked up significantly on the way, and after beating into it pretty hard, we were relieved once we were settled in the protected bay. We plan to spend a few days here hiking and snorkeling the reefs.

Isla San Francisco was a beautiful stop. The colors of the rocky cliffs were stunning, and we enjoyed some beach walks and sunset hikes. We saw hundreds of crabs scampering along the rocks, sea turtles popped their heads up occasionally, and pelicans dove around the boat all day. Rather than spending the full week there, we decided to find a more secluded anchorage and made a two-hour hop over to Isla San Jose, excited to have some solitude with the anchorage all to ourselves. We plan to be here till the weekend if the weather is calm, before heading back to the mainland, possibly to Los Gatos.

Isla Partida was incredibly beautiful, and the water was amazingly clear. Karl paddle-boarded, and I swam to the beach. I could see the shapes of rays buried in the sand below me and shy pufferfish eyeing me from a distance. We spent Sunday morning snorkeling the reef, blown away by the beautiful coral and colorful sealife. In the afternoon, we sailed to Isla San Francisco, a beautiful four-hour sail to a large anchorage that was bustling with activity. We plan to spend a few days here before continuing north to San Evaristo or Bahia Los Gatos.

We loved La Paz and found the people to be friendly and welcoming. It felt very laid back compared to the more touristy cities of Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas. We spent our last week preparing to sail to more remote areas. We stocked up on food, dog food, propane, and diesel. The rest of our time was spent working, enjoying beach trips with Desi, and watching the dolphins play around the boat. We departed Saturday morning and sailed to Ensenada Grande, a beautiful, surprisingly busy anchorage on Isla Partida, five hours from La Paz. We will be here one night before heading north to Isla San Francisco.

Bahía Falsa was a great stop. Desi got time to run on the beach and we all enjoyed cocktails and great people-watching at nearby Playa El Tesoro. By sunset, the bay had filled with boats, being a very well-protected spot in Northwest winds. The next morning we snorkeled a small reef in the bay and spent time relaxing in the sun, before heading back to La Paz. It was my first weekend in months without long days at sea and it was awesome to spend it with our friend! It was a short and lively sail back into La Paz, where we plan to spend the rest of the week before heading north up the sea!

We had a wonderful visit to Isla Espiritu Santo. The water was amazingly clear and we had a great time exploring the beach, which was covered in interesting shells, rocks, and coral. We soaked up some sun and had a nice evening aboard with Sabrina. The winds picked up through the night and the next morning we departed for the short 3.5-hour sail back toward La Paz, to the more protected anchorage of Bahia Falsa.

We had a pleasant few days in La Paz. There was a nice quiet beach area near the anchorage for Desi, and dolphins swam around our boat throughout the day. We got caught up on cleaning and boat chores and spent an evening walking the Malecón and enjoying some amazing seafood. Our friend Sabrina arrived from Portland, I took an extra day off work, and we headed out to Isla Espíritu Santo, a beautiful island about four hours from La Paz. We’ll spend a night or two here before heading back to La Paz.

Los Frailes was a beautiful, quiet spot to spend a few days. There were a few other boats in the anchorage and we enjoyed meeting some of our neighbors. Mobula rays flew out of the air and flipped all around us, dolphins swam through the anchorage, and we saw whales breaching in the distance. We had a nice time walking on the beach and I got in some snorkeling for the first time in months. The 20-hour trip to La Paz was pleasant, with moderate wind and calm seas. We arrived at dawn and set the anchor among more sailboats than we’d seen in an anchorage in a long time. This will be our home base for a week or two. We’re looking forward to a visit from our friend Sabrina, and exploring some nearby islands!

Well, as excited as we were to arrive in Cabo, we were even more excited to leave. I got to shore finally after two weeks without leaving the boat, and it was great to stretch my legs and enjoy all the activity of the city. During the day, however, the cruise ships unloaded thousands of people and the jet skis blasting around us had me more nauseous than I’ve ever been at sea and Desi in a panic as their wakes slammed violently against the boat. Karl stocked up on provisions, and we had a great night out with live music, cocktails, and amazing food. But after three days of trying to work amidst the chaos, I decided working at sea couldn’t be any worse and we did a mid-week trip to Los Frailes, a beautiful and peaceful anchorage a nine-hour sail away. We’ll spend a couple of nights here before sailing for La Paz.

We spent a quiet week in Bahía Santa Maria. Karl and Desi took some trips to the beach, but I never made it off the boat because the wind and waves picked up in the evenings, and by the time I was off work, the surf made landing the dinghy too challenging. A few other boats came and anchored in the bay, and some local fishermen stopped by and traded us fresh lobster for cookies and soda for their kids. We had fairly calm seas on the way to Cabo but very light wind, which left us motor-sailing most of the 32-hour trip. It felt surreal to arrive in a city bustling with tourists after a month in remote anchorages. Packed party boats blasted dance music, jet skis blasted by yards from our boat, and Billionaire’s yachts and huge cruise ships are our neighbors. It’s beautiful here, and we’re looking forward to the convenience of a dinghy dock and large grocery stores to stock up on provisions before heading into the Sea of Cortez!

Bahía Asunción was a very pleasant stop. We spent a day in the little town, enjoying the local restaurants, hiking to la Bufadora, a blowhole near the point, and accidentally acquiring an entourage of street dogs. Desi got some beach time, and Karl fixed the watermaker with some remote help from a good friend. A local sailor, Leri, has a side business assisting cruisers, and he welcomed us to the bay and assisted us with getting fuel and water from town. We watched the weather all week since 12-foot seas and strong winds were forecasted. After some hesitation, we decided to go for it on Saturday morning. We made good time in some very lively seas, with a bright moon lighting up the night, and arrived in Bahía Santa Maria before sunset on Sunday, a 32-hour trip. We’re crossing our fingers for fair winds and calm seas this weekend to make the hop down to Cabo San Lucas!

We had a great week in Bahía Tortugas. It is a nice, friendly little town. We stocked up on groceries, Desi got lots of beach time, and we enjoyed visiting with a nice couple on a neighboring boat. Karl broke an oar in some rough surf leaving the beach with Desi, and we ran into an issue with our watermaker that will likely require parts, so we’ll be filling our tank by hauling gallons for the next few weeks, but we’ll get by. We stocked up on groceries and water before departing at dawn on Saturday for the 11-hour sail to Bahía Asunción. It was a beautiful, relaxing sail with light winds, large rolling seas, and several whale sightings. We made good speed sailing wing-on-wing with both headsails. We arrived before sunset and enjoyed a nice evening in the beautiful bay. We hope to depart next weekend on a two-night sail to Bahía Magdalena.

We had a nice few days anchored near San Quintin. We didn’t launch the dinghy since I was working, and we were anchored far from the beach, which had a tricky surf landing. It was a beautiful spot, and we loved being at anchor again. Desi was his playful self again, away from the city noises. Karl got some projects done, and as soon as I clocked out on Friday evening, we headed back out to sea. It was a 41-hour trip with good wind and large rolling seas. We didn’t see much wildlife until the second morning when dolphins escorted us into Bahía Tortugas. It felt amazing to drop anchor in calm water after two nights of rolling around and sleeping in shifts. We plan to be here for the week before heading south to Bahía Asunción on the weekend if weather permits.

We were in Ensenada for seven weeks. Karl spent a month in the U.S., traveling for work and visiting family and friends. I started a new job and worked long hours, but I found some time to explore Ensenada and connect with other cruisers in the marina. The marina had a welcoming community and was a great transition into Mexico. On cruise ship days, the town swarmed with tourists, and music, horns, and loudspeaker announcements echoed through the marina. But on cruise-ship-free days, the city had a quiet, laid-back feel, and the locals were friendly and welcoming. When Karl returned, he set to work preparing the boat while I worked, and when the weekend arrived, we cast off and sailed south to San Quintin. We had good conditions, with light wind and calm seas, fog during the day, and clear starry skies at night. Whales breached nearby and dolphins raced alongside the boat throughout the trip. We anchored in Bahia Santa Maria, near Cabo San Quintin, and plan to spend the week here before heading further south next weekend.

Two months in San Diego was longer than we planned, but we got a lot done. I had a wonderful trip to Oregon to visit friends and family, Karl installed a watermaker and replaced our inverter, and we had sweet visits from my brother and some friends. We enjoyed a quiet holiday, stocked up on supplies, got our paperwork in order, and were elated to finally depart for Mexico. We departed San Diego just before sunset and sailed through the night with a bright crescent moon and star-filled skies. Dolphins glowing with bioluminescence swam alongside the boat throughout the night, and a beautiful sunrise greeted us as we approached Ensenada. We will be here for six to eight weeks while Karl travels for work and I start a new job!

Dana Point was a well-protected harbor and a perfect spot to wait out the rough weather. There was a lot of activity around us, including a swarm of paddleboarding witches on Halloween! We explored the town, took Desi to a vet for his shots, and did some provisioning. We left at sunrise and had a beautiful 10.5-hour sail to San Diego, with lots of dolphins playing at the bow and a stressful obstacle course of lobster buoys nearing San Diego. We had our boat inspected at the police dock to secure a spot in the 30-day anchorage. I’ll be flying back to Oregon to visit family and friends while Karl works on installing a new inverter and a watermaker. Then we’ll be off to Mexico!

We spent three nights in Goat Harbor. Karl discovered a spot where leopard sharks congregated, and we had a great time watching and filming them. On our last day, I got up the nerve to snorkel with them -so magical! Goat Harbor was beautiful, and we would’ve loved to stay a few more days on the island, but strong winds and large waves were forecasted, so we headed back to the mainland. The trip to Dana Point started warm and sunny, but halfway through, we were engulfed in thick fog. Karl had a fishing line out and caught a mako shark! The low visibility made approaching the harbor a bit nerve-wracking, but we made it safely. We plan to be here for the rest of the week before heading to San Diego, our last stop before Mexico!

Avalon was a fun change of pace after weeks in remote anchorages. The harbor filled up over the weekend, and the town was bustling with a street fair and a jazz festival. We did some short hikes, went to a movie in the beautiful historic theater, browsed the shops, snorkeled in the dive park, and had a wonderful visit with Karl’s brother and sister-in-law. We made the short hop over to Goat Harbor and are enjoying having the cove to ourselves while we plan our next move. We have some high winds and steep waves headed our way this weekend, so we’ll pick a more sheltered anchorage or head back to the mainland before Sunday.

Little Harbor was a nice stop. It’s a small cove so we were happy to find space, with only two small fishing boats anchored there. It was a cloudy couple of days, so we skipped snorkeling but enjoyed hiking around the hills, paddleboarding, and playing on the beach with Desi. We were bummed to discover that we lost our anchor buoy overnight, but one of the crew on the fishing boat found it and returned it to us! It was a calm 3.5-hour sail to Avalon, where we are taking advantage of the off-season mooring deal, (seven nights for the price of two!) So, we’ll be here for a week before making our way around the rest of the island.

Cat Harbor was a beautiful and calm anchorage. Our friend Matteo visited for the weekend and we hiked to a great viewpoint, snorkeled in Little Fisherman’s Cove, and had dinner with Portland friends who were on the island on their own boat. We took the boat out without much wind and had a fun visit from some dolphins. After our friends departed, we made a quick one-hour hop over to Little Harbor, where we plan to stay a night or two before sailing to Avalon for a visit with Karl’s brother and sister-in-law this weekend!

We loved Emerald Bay. The water was amazingly clear, and we had the beach to ourselves every day. We got a lot of work done, took a beautiful hike to Parson’s Landing, and had a great time snorkeling in the kelp forest off Indian Rock. We returned to Isthmus Cove for water, fuel, garbage drop-off, and a few groceries before heading around the island to the other side of Two Harbors. We plan to be here for a week and are looking forward to a visit from our friend Matteo this weekend!

We spent one night in Isthmus Cove, moored beside our friends Roz and Sean on S/V LuSea Blue. We enjoyed an evening out with them at the little bar on shore and were sad to say goodbye for now as they were heading north the following day. We departed in the early afternoon and made a short hop over to Emerald Bay, where we dropped our anchor in water so clear we could see our chain in 40-foot depths. We’re excited to break out the snorkels and explore!

Newport Beach was an interesting stop. The anchorage was 45 min from the entrance, and the whole way was lined with nice homes with private docks and beaches, and swarming with cute little electric Duffy boats. It was a calm, spacious anchorage with a small dog-friendly beach minutes away, and many conveniently located dinghy docks. Karl had a wonderful day visiting family he hadn’t seen in years, we explored Balboa and Balboa Island, stocked up on groceries, and found a few deals at the marine consignment shop. It was a calm, eight-hour sail to Catalina Island, where we will be hopping around for the next few weeks, exploring different anchorages and enjoying visits from friends and family.

Redondo Beach has a nice protected anchorage, and we enjoyed our stay there. Unfortunately, no dog-friendly beaches or parks were nearby, so Desi had to settle for playing frisbee in a patch of grass in the parking lot. We were surprised and delighted when friends on another Island Packet arrived in the harbor on our second day, and we enjoyed their company for happy hour on the boat and a fun day in the nearby town of Hermosa. We didn’t have much wind on the way to Newport Beach, but had a pleasant 7-hour trip in calm seas. We plan to stay four or five nights before heading to Catalina Island.

Marina del Rey was quite a contrast to our quiet week on Santa Cruz Island. We celebrated Karl’s birthday with a fun day exploring Venice and Santa Monica, returning late to find a dance party in the park just yards from our boat. The following night, there was a movie screening, and the next morning, there was a drum circle. At night, big party boats circled behind us in the channel. It was an entertaining stop, but we were very happy to move on after a few days. We had a beautiful four-hour sail to Redondo Beach, and are enjoying the calm, quiet harbor for a few days before sailing for Newport Beach.

We had a nice short stay in Yellowbanks. Karl paddled to shore for a hike and I took it easy after tweaking my knee in Coches Prietos. We prepped the boat and departed early for Marina del Rey. It was a 10.5-hour trip with less wind and more motoring than we would have liked, but the weather was lovely and we saw lots of dolphins - one pod swam at our bow for 10 minutes, so delightful! We arrived in the evening and Desi was very excited to get his paws on solid ground for the first time in a week! We plan on staying three or four nights before heading to Newport Beach or Catalina Island.

We loved Coches Prietos. We were nervous about bow and stern anchoring with other boats very close in the small cove, but it worked out fine and the neighbors invited us over for happy hour. We snorkeled in kelp forests and took a nice hike. After two nights there, we had a relaxed two-hour sail to Yellowbanks. Tomorrow we will depart early for Marina del Rey, with a possible stop in Paradise Cove.

Smuggler’s Cove was beautiful. I continued working on the brightwork and Karl did some fishing. We swam, paddle-boarded, and hiked to Scorpion anchorage. We returned from our hike to find the beach and anchorage packed with a huge group that was staying the night before paddle boarding to Santa Barbara the following day! It was a nice 2-hour trip to Coches Prietos, where we will spend a couple of nights before heading back to the island's east side to prepare for our trip to Marina del Rey.

We worked hard and accomplished a lot in the boatyard in Ventura. We had a nice visit with new cruising friends, had a fun day in town at the Aloha festival, enjoyed many beautiful beach trips with Desi, and stocked up on provisions. Now we are excited to explore the Channel Islands! Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed on most of the islands, so the length of our stay will depend on how well Desi does without shore time. Hoping we can keep him entertained on the boat for at least a few days!

San Luis Obispo Bay was a nice stop. We explored the little town of Avila Beach and took the trolley to Pismo Beach for a day. We finished a few boat projects, visited Port San Luis Lighthouse, and got practice surf-landing the dinghy. The next leg of our trip involved rounding Point Conception, an area known for its rough conditions. We sailed through the night in thick fog and rounded Conception in the morning into warm, sunny weather. A highlight was being surrounded by a pod of probably over a hundred dolphins, the water looked like it was boiling with them! We’ll be here in Santa Barbara for a while planning our next move - heading to explore the Channel Islands or possibly hauling out for bottom paint and a few other maintenance items.

We had a great week in Morro Bay. The harbor was busy with boating activity and wildlife, there were lots of cute shops in town, and there was easy access to nice beaches. The trip to San Luis Obispo took about five hours. It was rolly and foggy with less wind than we hoped, but we were able to sail part of the way and the fog cleared as we entered the bay. We plan to depart in a few days to round Point Conception and head to Santa Barbara or possibly San Miguel Island.

Monterey was beautiful. We had great access to the beach, lots of wildlife around us, and we enjoyed watching the sailboat races from the anchorage. We finished some projects, stocked up on provisions, and visited nearby Pacific Grove, Pebble Beach, and Carmel-By-The-Sea. The trip to San Simeon was very calm, with some beautiful sailing in the bay, a bright clear night with incredible stars, and lots of whale and dolphin sightings. We plan to stay for a night or two before heading to Morro Bay.

Our month in Moss Landing flew by. Karl traveled to the East Coast for work and his son’s wedding, I cranked out a bunch of sewing projects, and Karl installed our new whisker pole. The beaches in Moss Landing were beautiful and nearby Elkhorn Slough was teeming with wildlife. We had a wonderful visit with friends from Portland and spent hours watching the sea otters play. Now we’re in Monterey, getting a few provisions before heading south to Morro Bay.

We spent a week and a half in Santa Cruz, anchored in front of the boardwalk. There was a lot of activity with an amusement park, busy beaches, sailing, fishing, surfing, and lots of seals and sea lions around us. The anchorage was very rolly, which quickly got old, but we enjoyed seeing the town and had a sweet visit with friends. It was a short three-hour sail to Moss Landing where we got a slip for a few weeks since Karl will be traveling for work and for his son’s wedding this month.

We spent three weeks in Half Moon Bay, a nice little town with some beautiful beaches. I spent a week with family celebrating Salimatu’s graduation, Karl finished installing two additional solar panels, and Desi got lots of beach time in! We left Half Moon Bay in misty rain and thick fog, but before long we had sunny skies and some lively sailing! Now we are anchored in Santa Cruz Harbor, surrounded by the barking sea of lions and screams from the boardwalk amusement park.

We left San Francisco Bay! The bar crossing was a bit rough heading into the wind, but once we turned south things settled down and we had a beautiful eight-hour sail to Half Moon Bay. Karl and Desi will be hanging here while I spend a week with family and celebrate Salimatu’s graduation!

We spent a busy two months in Alameda getting ready for departure. Karl traveled to Indiana for work for the Final Four. We got some projects done on the boat, did some spring cleaning, provisioning, and stowed and secured everything to head back on the ocean. We’ve waited two weeks for good weather and it’s looking promising for the 5th, so we are spending a few nights back in Clipper Cove before saying goodbye to San Francisco Bay!

We had a really nice four days on Treasure Island. There was a big flea market over the weekend, lots of activity in the anchorage, and we were starting to see the early signs of spring! Karl will be traveling for work in early April, so we are spending the next four to six weeks here in Alameda, preparing the boat to continue south in mid-April if weather permits! We have lots of projects going: building a stronger motor mount and installing a motor lift, water purification system, whisker pole, dinghy wheels, and a new VHF, and stocking up on supplies for the next leg of our trip.

We enjoyed being back in Berkeley for a month. I traveled to New York to visit family and celebrate my sister’s birthday, and Karl took a trip to Washington to celebrate Super Bowl and go snowboarding with his family. Now we’re moving back to Alameda for a bit, but since the weather is nice, we decided to stop for a few days at anchor at Treasure Island.

We spent a little over a month in Emeryville. We had a lovely holiday sailing with Salimatu and Marcel, Karl had a great work trip to Michigan for the college football championship, and I did my best to adjust to my new full-time work schedule. We’ll be in Berkeley for a month and I’ll be heading to New York to visit family.

We had a great time in Sausalito. We hiked to Horseshoe Cove where there were great views of the Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. Now we are in a marina in Emeryville to be close to Salimatu for the holidays and have a good spot for the boat while Karl does a work trip in January. We plan to be here about a month. Happy Holidays!

We had a great week in Aquatic Park Cove. We explored downtown San Francisco, made it to Salimatu’s exhibit and performance at MoaD (SO AWESOME!), and I got inspired by all the outdoor swimmers and braved the cold water to change the zincs and do a little bottom cleaning. Now we are excited to spend some time in Sausalito, before heading back to the East Bay for the holidays.

We spent a few days on Treasure Island. There wasn’t much to do on the island, but there were amazing views and the first dog-friendly beach we’ve found in the Bay Area! We moved to Aquatic Park Cove in downtown San Francisco for a few days and are looking forward to exploring the city and seeing Salimatu’s solo exhibit at The Museum of the African Diaspora!

We spent almost a month in Berkeley. We explored the area and continued our job search. We spent some fun time with Salimatu, enjoyed a visit from our friend Matteo and got some great sailing in! Now we are off to explore more of the Bay, starting with four days in Clipper Cove on Treasure Island.

We had a great time visiting with Karl’s brother the last couple days and exploring Alameda. We gave the boat a good wash, checked out the used marine supply shop, and got stocked up on groceries. Today we headed over to Berkeley. We got a good deal on a slip here and are planning to call it home for a couple weeks before heading to San Francisco.

We have been loving our time in the Bay so far! We enjoyed some sweet time with Salimatu and their partner Marcel, explored Oakland, and Karl finished the second repair on the dinghy. We had a very short trip over to Alameda, where we plan to spend a few days.

We made it to San Francisco Bay! Crossing under the Golden Gate Bridge and into the Bay was incredible. We are in a marina in Oakland where we have a good dock to work on the repair to our dinghy, which failed in Drake’s Bay. We are excited to get time with my wonderful sibling Salimatu, and are looking forward to visits from Karl’s brother John and our friend Matteo! We plan to spend at least a few weeks exploring different parts of the Bay.

After waiting for weather for two weeks in Eureka, we finally got a good window of calm seas. We had a wonderful, 36-hour trip to Drake’s Bay. We had two amazing sunrises, a beautiful sunset and a bright moonlit night. We saw whales, dolphins and seals all through the day. We arrived in Drake’s Bay just before dark on the 30th. We plan to head into San Francisco Bay on Thursday, Nov 2nd.

We spent a few days in Crescent City, provisioning, working on job applications and enjoying the beautiful beaches. We took advantage of a small window of favorable weather and had a beautiful, (mostly) smooth 14-hour trip down to Eureka. It looks like it may be a week or more before we have safe conditions to continue making our way south.

After two weeks in Newport waiting out some very stormy weather, we had a rough 21-hour trip down to Coos Bay. Sadly, our new dinghy was punctured during the trip when our chafe protection wore through. We are in a marina in Charleston, working on the repair and gearing up for the next leg. It’s looking like Friday may be a good weather window to head for California, fingers crossed!

After five weeks in Astoria getting lots of projects done and taking a trip back to Portland for a wedding, we are back on the move! We crossed the Columbia River Bar and headed south! The trip to Newport took us just under 24 hours. We will be here for a few days waiting for a good weather window for the next leg of our trip.

We had a beautiful trip down from Kalama and are planning to spend a week or two here, completing our final preparations before crossing the bar and heading south!

We are continuing work on the solar panel installation and enjoying a new view of the river. We’ll be here another day or two before heading on towards Astoria.

We are getting some help with an electrical issue, enjoying visits from friends and family, continuing work on projects and enjoying sunsets on Sand Island.