tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11669381821632832912024-03-07T21:46:39.076-08:00Sailing to Mexico on the Bristol Channel Cutter "Odyssey"BCC Odysseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03331086263269563155noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1166938182163283291.post-3743238012403061602020-07-15T16:16:00.001-07:002020-07-15T16:16:11.427-07:00January 15, 2002: Greetings from sunny Baja, California!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDIMKUpBZnI/AAAAAAAAESY/NGqQMYbsMC8/s1600-h/Odyssey_Cabo.sized.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDIMKUpBZnI/AAAAAAAAESY/NGqQMYbsMC8/s400/Odyssey_Cabo.sized.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202233891045336690" border="0" /></a>
<span style="font-size:130%;">After 12 days, we are almost at the end of this long 900 mile peninsula. Tomorrow morning around dawn, we will sail into Cabo San Lucas. We have had a great trip down this beautiful coast with some memorable moments.</span>BCC Odysseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03331086263269563155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1166938182163283291.post-10297128657621228292017-03-19T09:37:00.000-07:002017-03-19T11:41:35.012-07:00From a Bare Hull, A 30 Year Odysseyhttps://youtu.be/XSisj3dklHsBCC Odysseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03331086263269563155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1166938182163283291.post-90359566141476109942008-05-19T16:02:00.001-07:002020-07-12T12:24:58.129-07:00Leaving Newport Beach, Ca<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDINlUpBZpI/AAAAAAAAESo/kbh6HjG32lQ/s1600-h/oceanside23Medium.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDINlUpBZpI/AAAAAAAAESo/kbh6HjG32lQ/s400/oceanside23Medium.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202235454413432466" border="0" /></a>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title"> <a href="http://bccodyssey.blogspot.com/2008/05/monday-january-14-2002.html">Monday, January 1, 2002</a>
</h3> <p><span style="font-size:130%;">We left Mike Pearson's slip at Newport Beach on January 1, 2002 and sailed 30 miles down the coast to meet up with Mike and Lisa in Oceanside. Unfortunately, we sailed five miles beyond the harbor and had to turn back adding an extra hour to the trip. Our boat approached the harbor entrance just as the sun set and one of the lowest tides of the year created 5 foot breakers across the entrance. After two aborted passes and plans being made to sail on to San Diego, the harbor patrol was called and they led us through the surf. We are still not sure how much water was under those breakers, but we made it.
</span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;">We stayed there for an extra day as winds from a small storm blew from the south. While there, we learned that one of Wayne's favorite authors, Gary Paulsen, had passed through Oceanside on a BCC also on his way to Mexico two weeks before. Naybe we will meet up in some anchorage.</span></p>BCC Odysseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03331086263269563155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1166938182163283291.post-20229191577433237722008-05-18T20:28:00.000-07:002008-06-02T14:38:18.787-07:00Wednesday, January 3, 2002<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDIM0UpBZoI/AAAAAAAAESg/nraDAyXdlx8/s1600-h/Sunset+3.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDIM0UpBZoI/AAAAAAAAESg/nraDAyXdlx8/s400/Sunset+3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202234612599842434" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The "Odyssey" crew left Ocean side early this morning heading for the Mexican border 6o miles away. We sailed for 3 days and 3 nights before stopping at Bahia de Tortugas or Turtle Bay. The first night was especially harrowing with rough seas, Wayne seasick, lots of freighters, and a small stream of water seeping mysteriously from the engine. Things settled out, but three days and nights standing 24-hour watches left everyone extremely tired.<br /><br />Bahia Tortugas was a welcome site. This stop is approximately 1/3 of the way down the Baja coast. The town is not very big and the people live quite simply. We enjoyed visiting a bakery and having lunch at one of the two restaurants in town. It was great to have a couple of days to rest and recover from too little sleep while off watch. This aspect of the trip is taking some time for Karen to adjust to. However, she admits that it is amazing to gaze up into the dark skies and see the dazzling display of stars splashed across the skies while listening to the sounds of the waves lapping around the boats bow. It is a wondrous experience.</span>BCC Odysseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03331086263269563155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1166938182163283291.post-5411838849012117882008-05-17T17:00:00.000-07:002008-06-02T14:38:42.266-07:00Bahia Santa Maria<span style="font-size:130%;">Our next short leg of the trip took us about 50 miles further south to a town called Asuncion. This was just a short stop and a chance to get a full nights rest. The atmosphere felt strange as a front of moist air moved in just as we arrived. Dolphins and seals circled the boat most of the evening making deep breathing sounds. We left the following afternoon for a 206 leg south. This involved two days and nights at sea, but it was well worth it if not a little scary. The autopilot (a device that steers the boat) broke down for part of this leg. Erik hand steered for over 3 hours through 8-10 foot seas. We made a temporary fix underway until the next stop at Bahia Santa Maria.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERZsCzgRfI/AAAAAAAAEnI/cPxe0zUVouo/s1600-h/Bahia+Santa+Maria.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERZsCzgRfI/AAAAAAAAEnI/cPxe0zUVouo/s400/Bahia+Santa+Maria.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207385682349147634" border="0" /></a>We arrived in Santa Maria around dawn on January 11th. This stop was about 2/3 of the way down the Baja peninsula. It is a huge bay that used to be a favorite of sea captains bashing on their way north.<br /><br />Wayne and Erik had an exciting time trying out our inflatable with a new 2hp engine. The bay has heavy surf around the shoreline. Taking the inflatable ashore, a breaking waved formed and launched them head first into the surf. Luckily Erik had the kill switch attached to his wrist. When they both surfaced, the inflatable and new engine were both upright on the beach.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDJaekpBZyI/AAAAAAAAETw/m8PkPMUl0-4/s1600-h/Lobsters.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDJaekpBZyI/AAAAAAAAETw/m8PkPMUl0-4/s200/Lobsters.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202320000844654370" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERe0ijQEsI/AAAAAAAAEn4/YOjM_5_ZRAo/s1600-h/Lobster+-+In+Water.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERe0ijQEsI/AAAAAAAAEn4/YOjM_5_ZRAo/s200/Lobster+-+In+Water.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207391325868004034" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERe7SEKGJI/AAAAAAAAEoA/FG6ZwoZFiIg/s1600-h/Lobster+Complete.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERe7SEKGJI/AAAAAAAAEoA/FG6ZwoZFiIg/s200/Lobster+Complete.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207391441701705874" border="0" /></a>Fisherman camps lined part of the estuary that feeds into the bay. One morning we traded a fisherman named Marcus four D-cell batteries for two live lobsters. Wayne figured out how to ask Marcus in Spanish-English how to cook them, and he and Erik cooked them up for brunch.</span>BCC Odysseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03331086263269563155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1166938182163283291.post-78909361265292347962008-05-16T17:01:00.000-07:002008-06-02T14:39:31.746-07:00January 13, 2002<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDOF5UpBZ9I/AAAAAAAAEVI/ORYUwzbtyn8/s1600-h/Metaphora+3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDOF5UpBZ9I/AAAAAAAAEVI/ORYUwzbtyn8/s200/Metaphora+3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202649214382860242" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;">We left Bahia Santa Maria around 5pm. This section of the trip has been the calmest... the wind is slight and the seas small.Our engine has been going since we left yesterday. At the moment we are 25 miles off of the coast, and we are all looking forward to arriving in Cabo San Lucas tomorrow morning, January 15th. We have just crossed the Tropic of Cancer (23.5 degrees south), and it is difficult to believe it is January. The skies are brilliant and and the sun is warm. The sea is aquamarine blue and full of interesting sea creatures. Alas, Erik has yet to catch a fish.<br /><br />One of the nicest parts of our trip has been traveling with our friends Mike and Lisa aboard their BCC "Metophora". It is comforting on dark nights to look out and see their mast light twinkling. They are great company on the radio.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Erik has been keeping up on his homework, and we will be mailing a package of completed assignments when we arrive in Cabo. Checking in their will take up most of the morning with stops at 3 or 4 offices. We will be a Cabo San Lucas for a few days before sailing the 270 miles to the Puerto Vallarta area of mainland Mexico. We will send off and receive e-mail every 2-3 weeks when we stop at major cities. We still have one more 12 hour night before we can send this off tomorrow.In the meantime, we will keep waving at all of those cruise ships that pass each night as we bounce along on our "barco pequeno" (small boat) at five knots.</span>BCC Odysseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03331086263269563155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1166938182163283291.post-32489778228325585652008-05-14T19:13:00.000-07:002008-06-02T14:42:59.004-07:00January 22-24, 2002<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDtu5o15BvI/AAAAAAAAEhI/7p8GsQI6G9k/s1600-h/flying+fish.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDtu5o15BvI/AAAAAAAAEhI/7p8GsQI6G9k/s400/flying+fish.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204875730851792626" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Hola,<br />After another 3 day passage (January 22-24, 2002), we have arrived in Barra de Navidad (380 miles southeast of the tip of Baha on the Mexican mainland). This part of the trip started off with 24 hours of eight to ten foot swells and lots of wind waves. It was a lot like living inside of a washing machine on the rinse cycle. The first dark night, Erik and Wayne saw seasickness and another problem with the autopilot. Each morning we found at least a dozen dead squid and flying fish on the deck. Then squid shot out of the sea at night and left a a dark ink spot wherever they landed. The last night one flew through the open skylight and smacked Karen in the face while she slept coming to rest on her pillow.</span>BCC Odysseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03331086263269563155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1166938182163283291.post-90979797537759338662008-05-14T10:58:00.000-07:002008-06-02T14:45:50.606-07:00Barra de Navidad<span style="font-size:130%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERZV9mwV9I/AAAAAAAAEnA/lahzkM93sKY/s1600-h/Barra+Navidad+Marina.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERZV9mwV9I/AAAAAAAAEnA/lahzkM93sKY/s400/Barra+Navidad+Marina.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207385302996375506" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDttHY15BsI/AAAAAAAAEgw/gwRFmyxMGPI/s1600-h/Erik+-+Slide+in+Pool.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDttHY15BsI/AAAAAAAAEgw/gwRFmyxMGPI/s200/Erik+-+Slide+in+Pool.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204873768051738306" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDts_Y15BrI/AAAAAAAAEgo/-BEMtb8nBRM/s1600-h/Sand+at+Sands.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDts_Y15BrI/AAAAAAAAEgo/-BEMtb8nBRM/s200/Sand+at+Sands.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204873630612784818" border="0" /></a>The seas finally calmed down, we dodged a few more ships, and arrived along the mainland on a humid, sultry morning. Right now we are in a marina for a few days next to a beautiful resort, The Grand Bay. It has a huge three level pool with water slides and waterfalls in between. We spent the whole day at the pool when we arrived and even challenged some Canadians to a water volleyball game. The people are extremely friendly and we are looking forward to exploring the town across the bay. Mike and Wayne need to check in with the Port Captain this morning. They will also need to take a bus after that to another town called Melayque to pay port fees.<br /><br />The town of Barra de Navidad is a short and exciting panga ride across the lagoon. These long skinny fiberglass boats are equipped with a powerful 60 hp engine. Erik loves this experience because instead of going our usual 5-6 knots we fly along at 50 mph. The town is very picturesque with coconut palms and cobblestone streets. There are a variety of small shops and restaurants. We had a delicious dinner at one of the bay side restaurants. Karen had the house specialty, pollo veracruz. It was a thickened chicken stew with wonderful spices served bubbling hot in a large granite mortar. She scooped it into steaming tortillas, yum,yum.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDttlI15BtI/AAAAAAAAEg4/vv0V3sDqwSI/s1600-h/Barra+taco+stand.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDttlI15BtI/AAAAAAAAEg4/vv0V3sDqwSI/s200/Barra+taco+stand.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204874279152846546" border="0" /></a><br />We have the hardest part of the trip finished now with most of the 2-3 day passages over with. Now we will spend the next two moths leisurely traveling north toward Mazatlan. There are many interesting places to explore between here and there. We all love this place and will probably be here another week before heading north 12 miles to Tenacatita. Those of you who travel to Mexico might consider this area. There are many Canadians here, but apparently it doesn't seem to be marketed to Americans. It is a nice change from the usual tourist destinations of Puerto Vallarta and Cabo. Were off to town now in search of an internet cafe. Thanks to all for your e-mails. It is nice to get news. More to follow....</span>BCC Odysseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03331086263269563155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1166938182163283291.post-76951845504863871912008-05-13T19:02:00.000-07:002008-06-02T14:45:11.149-07:00February 21, 2002<span style="font-size:130%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDy-PI15B0I/AAAAAAAAEh4/-x-dUGOCZbg/s1600-h/PV+Lighthouse+2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDy-PI15B0I/AAAAAAAAEh4/-x-dUGOCZbg/s400/PV+Lighthouse+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205244436614285122" border="0" /></a><br />Hi! Here we are at the beautiful Marina Vallarta. We spent the last two weeks working our way north up the coast from the Manzanillo area (about 120 miles). The Mexican coast is beautiful... very rugged, isolated, and as yet unspoiled by development.</span>BCC Odysseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03331086263269563155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1166938182163283291.post-88193722120714400782008-05-12T19:07:00.000-07:002008-06-02T14:44:20.325-07:00Careyes<span style="font-size:130%;">The first stop on our way north was Careyes. There was stunning scenery there as well as a closed Club Med. We spent several hours trying to successfully anchor, which was a good thing. A spectacular storm cam up the evening of February 11th, and we had a thunder and lightening show to enjoy. We were glad to be securely anchored since there were gigantic rocks and crashing waves all around us.</span>BCC Odysseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03331086263269563155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1166938182163283291.post-35547981479289382382008-05-11T19:15:00.000-07:002008-06-02T14:43:54.077-07:00Chamela to Tehuamixtle<span style="font-size:130%;">Our next stop was Chamela. It has a medium sized bay with a pretty beach and small village. With the passing of the storm, the seas were churned up, so we waited for a weather window to continue north. We thought that we had one and left around midnight. The seas were<br />lumpy from the start. We needed to go 50 miles and hoped that things would smooth out. Unfortunately they didn't, and we had a very long night of bashing into head seas with 25-30 knotts of wind against 4 to 6 foot waves. When dawn broke we faced the choice of turning back or continuing on. We continued on and finally reached Ipala 13 1/2 hours later.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERQ-Ffu0hI/AAAAAAAAEmQ/hk2burMjY2o/s1600-h/Tehuamextle+Panga+unloading+Fish.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERQ-Ffu0hI/AAAAAAAAEmQ/hk2burMjY2o/s400/Tehuamextle+Panga+unloading+Fish.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207376096704516626" border="0" /></a><br />We spent the next day in this beautiful little harbor in a village called Tehuamixtle. It had a couple of beach palapas playing ranchero music. Mexican families come here to camp. Puerto Vallarta in a 4 1/2 hour drive over mountainous dirt roads. We liked this village. From here, we sailed around the famed Cabo Corrientes which causes grief for many sailors due to its currents and bad weather. After the previous leg, I am happy to report that it was a piece of cake. It just goes to show that one never knows <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDzFTo15B8I/AAAAAAAAEi4/druN_za_tXs/s1600-h/Tehuamextle+House.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDzFTo15B8I/AAAAAAAAEi4/druN_za_tXs/s200/Tehuamextle+House.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205252210505091010" border="0" /></a>what to expect.</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDzFMI15B7I/AAAAAAAAEiw/Q9DtYM70nMg/s1600-h/Tehuamextle+Pig.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SDzFMI15B7I/AAAAAAAAEiw/Q9DtYM70nMg/s200/Tehuamextle+Pig.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205252081656072114" border="0" /></a>BCC Odysseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03331086263269563155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1166938182163283291.post-33072466113234893042008-05-11T09:43:00.000-07:002008-06-02T14:46:20.642-07:00March 15, 2002<span style="font-size:130%;">Hi, travels with the Edneys continues. We have spent the past month working our way north, 150 miles up from the Puerto Vallarta. Puerto Vallarta was the biggest city we have been in since Cabo San Lucas back in January. It was fun to enjoy all of the things a city has to offer. But after one week in the marina, we were ready to move on.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SELU87a_h2I/AAAAAAAAEjc/Fs5VrVmIhNM/s1600-h/La+Cruz+Street.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SELU87a_h2I/AAAAAAAAEjc/Fs5VrVmIhNM/s200/La+Cruz+Street.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206958262401861474" border="0" /></a>Our first stop was La Cruz de Hunacaxtle. We were very surprised to find at least 60 other sailboats anchored in this beautiful bay. We had a great dinner at a local restaurant that featured a musical group from Spain called the Gitan Blondes or "The Blond Gypsies". They played Spanish Flamenco and gypsy music and were really good. We ended up buying there CD. We also took a few bus trips inland from La Cruz to visit some other towns along the coast: Bucerias and San Pancho.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SELcOWZMXeI/AAAAAAAAEjk/4TUfTQL8YMo/s1600-h/Chacala+Port+Captain+Office.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SELcOWZMXeI/AAAAAAAAEjk/4TUfTQL8YMo/s200/Chacala+Port+Captain+Office.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206966258281242082" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SELcovq0bzI/AAAAAAAAEjs/N5Jon7UbEk4/s1600-h/Chacala+Beach+Palapa.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SELcovq0bzI/AAAAAAAAEjs/N5Jon7UbEk4/s200/Chacala+Beach+Palapa.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206966711742656306" border="0" /></a>Next, we sailed into Chacala, the quintessential perfect anchorage and village. This place has it all: small uncrowded harbor lined with coconut palms, gorgeous views, hiking trails, a volcano to climb, sea caves, and a wonderful little village with friendly people. We ended up staying a week here and were very sorry to leave. While there, we took a two hour wild bus ride on a winding two lane raod through the mountains to Tepic. It is the capital of this state, Nayarit. We were surprised that it was such a large city... perhaps 50,000 poeple. I think we were the only English speaking people there.</span>BCC Odysseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03331086263269563155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1166938182163283291.post-19964585276868572032008-05-10T10:32:00.000-07:002008-06-02T14:46:43.226-07:00Bees!<img src="file:///C:/Users/KARENA%7E1/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-5.jpg" alt="" /><span style="font-size:130%;">On our way to our next stop, San Blas, we had an interesting experience. Wayne was resting below and Erik and Karen were sailing the boat. A large cloud of insects appeared ahead. Upon a closer look, Erik saw a swarm of bees! Thousand and thousands of bees headed right for us. We ran below and put the drop boards in place, closing the hatch. The boat continued toward shore on auto pilot as we wondered what to do next. Luckily, the queen be must have decided to abandon ship as the swarm took of again and left us.</span>BCC Odysseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03331086263269563155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1166938182163283291.post-13331741641542282652008-05-09T12:30:00.000-07:002008-06-02T15:17:32.944-07:00San Blas<span style="font-size:130%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERQDww3euI/AAAAAAAAElw/0zz5TpW6vrg/s1600-h/San+Blas+from+Presidio.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERQDww3euI/AAAAAAAAElw/0zz5TpW6vrg/s400/San+Blas+from+Presidio.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207375094706830050" border="0" /></a>As for San Blas... it's a great place. We've seen lots of Americans here. Many have chosen to retire here. The town is very old and is built on an esturary. River translates to mosquitos and no-see-ums, so we try very hard to be back on the boat 2 miles offshore by 4 pm. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERQQEQv9XI/AAAAAAAAEl4/HKNr4QF2Oxo/s1600-h/San+Blas+Church+Arches.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERQQEQv9XI/AAAAAAAAEl4/HKNr4QF2Oxo/s200/San+Blas+Church+Arches.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207375306099258738" border="0" /></a><br /><br />One of San Blas' claims to fame is that Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote his last poem "The Bells of San Blas" here. We visited the ruins of that church yesterday.<br /><br /><br />We also hired a panga (open boat) to travel far up the river to its strat at Tovara Springs. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERxZoEUmyI/AAAAAAAAEqM/zB_iYNOIMmg/s1600-h/La+Travara+Springs+Steps.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERxZoEUmyI/AAAAAAAAEqM/zB_iYNOIMmg/s200/La+Travara+Springs+Steps.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207411754213350178" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;">At the end was an artesian spring and pool of water where we swam. As we were leaving the pool, we heard and then saw a huge crocodile maybe 15 feet from the spot we had been swimming! Needless to say nobody had been aware of his presence minutes before. What a shock!</span>BCC Odysseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03331086263269563155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1166938182163283291.post-59673336503271344562008-05-08T13:08:00.000-07:002008-06-02T14:48:15.667-07:00Isla Isabela<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERXO9Q2hPI/AAAAAAAAEm4/J1v9GeUacgk/s1600-h/High+View+of+Isabela+Anchorage.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERXO9Q2hPI/AAAAAAAAEm4/J1v9GeUacgk/s400/High+View+of+Isabela+Anchorage.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207382983622165746" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;">Leaving the mosquitoes, no-see-ums, killer bees, and crocodiles in San Blas, we have headed north. The next stop was the remote island of Isla Isabela. This volcanic island is only a few miles across, but is the nesting grounds for hundreds of thousands of frigate birds, blue-footed bobbies, and tropic birds. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERWqIwiH7I/AAAAAAAAEmo/MpEvo0gp-Ms/s1600-h/Frigate+Babies.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERWqIwiH7I/AAAAAAAAEmo/MpEvo0gp-Ms/s200/Frigate+Babies.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207382351052677042" border="0" /></a>The birds and iguanas are unafraid of people. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERWbg-0ThI/AAAAAAAAEmg/S4A1y-Do9M4/s1600-h/Isabela+Bird+Boy.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERWbg-0ThI/AAAAAAAAEmg/S4A1y-Do9M4/s200/Isabela+Bird+Boy.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207382099857002002" border="0" /></a>It is possible to walk within two or three feet of them as they nest on the ground or in short trees. The diversity and strangeness of the plants, animals, and terrain made this one of our favorite spots.<br /><br />We had planned on staying there for seven days. However, on the sixth day an eight to ten foot southern swell moved into the anchorage. The rolled up and down all night. In the morning, we watched as the swell boomed into the curved side of the exposed volcanic crater. The decision to leave early for Mazatlan was made as we watched the vibration cause a huger portion of the crater to crumble into the ocean!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERWK2TKvWI/AAAAAAAAEmY/Exp_rGayHEM/s1600-h/Isabela+Caldera.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERWK2TKvWI/AAAAAAAAEmY/Exp_rGayHEM/s400/Isabela+Caldera.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207381813521726818" border="0" /></a></span>BCC Odysseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03331086263269563155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1166938182163283291.post-32886885754937023992008-05-07T13:37:00.000-07:002008-06-02T14:49:19.641-07:00Mazatlan<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERc-j6ALZI/AAAAAAAAEno/51V4Hw6hUMQ/s1600-h/El+Cid+Pool.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERc-j6ALZI/AAAAAAAAEno/51V4Hw6hUMQ/s400/El+Cid+Pool.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207389299007303058" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;">The trip to Mazatlan took a day and a night. We arrived just as the sun came up and spent two weeks there. Karen's sister, Sandy, and her family joined us the second week. Mazatlan was a fascinating mix of the old and new Mexico. The old section of town surrounded a beautiful cathedral, plaza, and colonial buildings. The newer turista area was filled with kids on spring break.<br /><br />We were pleased to see a lot of Mexican families on spring break as well. We spent one morning climbing the steep hill to the El Faro Lighthouse. It is the second highest lighthouse in the world and provided a spectacular view of the city. When we left Mazatlan, Sandy's daughter Erika stayed with us on the boat and will be with us for the next seven weeks in the Sea of Cortez.</span>BCC Odysseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03331086263269563155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1166938182163283291.post-70058341781588332192008-05-04T14:06:00.000-07:002008-06-02T14:36:46.061-07:00April 12, 2002<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERhhRNx-MI/AAAAAAAAEoM/3H1ekr9_G_g/s1600-h/La+Paz+Malacon.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERhhRNx-MI/AAAAAAAAEoM/3H1ekr9_G_g/s400/La+Paz+Malacon.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207394293331916994" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;">We had a 46-hour passage from <st1:city><st1:place>Mazatlan</st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-size:130%;"> to <st1:city><st1:place>La Paz</st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-size:130%;">. After two nights at sea, we managed to find the 4-mile slot between an island and a reef at 3:00 a.m. that led us into <st1:city><st1:place>La Paz</st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-size:130%;">. We have been here for five days now and think that this is the best city we have seen in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Mexico</st1:place></st1:country-region></span><span style="font-size:130%;">. There are no time-shares like <st1:city><st1:place>Puerto Vallarta</st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-size:130%;">, it is not as Americanized as <st1:city><st1:place>Mazatlan</st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-size:130%;">, the water is aqua colored and clear and there is a GREAT ice cream store! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERhxZO05bI/AAAAAAAAEoU/ILFbFSShVXY/s1600-h/Poka+Dot+Ice+Cream.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERhxZO05bI/AAAAAAAAEoU/ILFbFSShVXY/s200/Poka+Dot+Ice+Cream.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207394570361693618" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:130%;">We will be leaving on Monday to visit hundreds of possible anchorages north of here. Most of this area is uninhabited, so we will need to re-provision for about 40 days. It is doubtful that we will find e-mail services until we reach <st1:city><st1:place>San Carlos</st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-size:12;"><span style="font-size:130%;"> on the mainland the third week in May. </span><o:p></o:p></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size:12;"></span><span style="font-size:12;"><br /><o:p></o:p></span></p>BCC Odysseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03331086263269563155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1166938182163283291.post-60625005428890392992008-05-01T14:12:00.000-07:002008-06-02T14:57:56.238-07:00May 27, 2002<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERjNSGRIoI/AAAAAAAAEoc/BuSqn-GsQas/s1600-h/Wainting.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERjNSGRIoI/AAAAAAAAEoc/BuSqn-GsQas/s400/Wainting.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207396148994712194" border="0" /></a><br /><h2><st1:date year="2002" day="27" month="5"></st1:date><st1:place></st1:place><span style="font-size:130%;">Greeting from the Odyssey Crew,</span></h2><h2><span style="font-size:130%;"> in <st1:city><st1:place>San Carlos, Mexico</st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-size:130%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></h2> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size:130%;">We are sitting high and dry in the desert in a place called Marina Seca waiting for the boat to begin its land journey home at <st1:time minute="0" hour="3">3am</st1:time></span><span style="font-size:130%;"> on Wednesday. Our visit to the <st1:place><st1:placetype>Sea</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>Cortez</st1:placename></st1:place></span><span style="font-size:130%;"> and Baja has taken us here over the last seven weeks. We left <st1:city><st1:place>Mazatlan</st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-size:130%;"> for a two day two night sail to <st1:city><st1:place>La Paz</st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-size:130%;">. A lot of boats and boaters never leave <st1:city><st1:place>La Paz</st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-size:130%;"> because it is such a pleasant place. Great ice cream and fish tacos, and lots of exercise walking. From here we anchored in over a dozen places as we traveled north. Some of the highlights included meeting friends from other boats, night snorkeling, hiking, clam digging, collecting shells and agates, and finally catching fish that were good to eat.. Some of the sails between anchorages were calm and a few were rough. We found the water swimming pool blue and much saltier than the <st1:place>Pacific Ocean</st1:place></span><span style="font-size:130%;">. Salt crystals formed everywhere after a rough passage. There are few towns in this barren desert landscape. We visited Loreto and Mulege. Near Mulege someone actually found a part of the Russian Space Lab that broke up a couple of years ago. It was displayed next to an 18th century canoe. Some contrast!</span></p><span style="font-size:130%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERlDQftiJI/AAAAAAAAEpU/Q-Y32UhXR2A/s1600-h/San+Juanico+Spires.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERlDQftiJI/AAAAAAAAEpU/Q-Y32UhXR2A/s400/San+Juanico+Spires.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207398175789123730" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERkLpWN-DI/AAAAAAAAEo0/m4bsgW6qnzU/s1600-h/Honeymoon+Cove.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERkLpWN-DI/AAAAAAAAEo0/m4bsgW6qnzU/s400/Honeymoon+Cove.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207397220387518514" border="0" /></a></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERkzN9CdTI/AAAAAAAAEpM/HT4OAsx6_L4/s1600-h/Spotted+Bay+Sand+Bass.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERkzN9CdTI/AAAAAAAAEpM/HT4OAsx6_L4/s400/Spotted+Bay+Sand+Bass.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207397900228916530" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERknTbyBfI/AAAAAAAAEpE/o8hsXIVvrOY/s1600-h/Sierra+Teeth2JPG.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERknTbyBfI/AAAAAAAAEpE/o8hsXIVvrOY/s400/Sierra+Teeth2JPG.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207397695541609970" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERkbNZp3nI/AAAAAAAAEo8/rQ1kZqAEtuE/s1600-h/Potluck+People.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERkbNZp3nI/AAAAAAAAEo8/rQ1kZqAEtuE/s400/Potluck+People.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207397487763644018" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERkAKZTiJI/AAAAAAAAEos/pP9O_4HCNZA/s1600-h/Erik+and+Antonio.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERkAKZTiJI/AAAAAAAAEos/pP9O_4HCNZA/s400/Erik+and+Antonio.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207397023100405906" border="0" /></a>BCC Odysseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03331086263269563155noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1166938182163283291.post-18565053588706482272008-04-01T14:32:00.000-07:002008-06-02T15:12:34.839-07:00Conclusion of a 151 Day Journey<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERr2wcvJQI/AAAAAAAAEp8/eadruXTQ_OM/s1600-h/Marina+Seca.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERr2wcvJQI/AAAAAAAAEp8/eadruXTQ_OM/s400/Marina+Seca.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207405657609676034" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;">Many people come to <st1:city><st1:place>San Carlos</st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-size:130%;"> to pull their boats out of the water. Some store them here for next year, while others like us will put them on a truck heading north. We have been on the boat for 151 days and "Odyssey" has traveled 2600 miles since leaving <st1:city><st1:place>San Francisco</st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-size:130%;">. We traveled from latitude 38 as far south as latitude 19. We will be looking forward to seeing old friends next week. Its been a wonderful trip and feel fortunate at having been able to share this experience with our son, Erik, and our niece, Erika, who joined us in <st1:city><st1:place>Mazatlan</st1:place></st1:city></span><span style="font-size:130%;">. <o:p></o:p></span> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:130%;">Adios, <o:p></o:p></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERsbcJgqYI/AAAAAAAAEqE/l7l2eipw9Zs/s1600-h/Odyssey+Shell+on+Erik.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_A3R42vl8O6s/SERsbcJgqYI/AAAAAAAAEqE/l7l2eipw9Zs/s400/Odyssey+Shell+on+Erik.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207406287815485826" border="0" /></a>BCC Odysseyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03331086263269563155noreply@blogger.com0