Showing posts with label puget sound. Show all posts
Showing posts with label puget sound. Show all posts

Seattle Boat Show: Come See Us

1/07/2013
Talking at the boat show was entirely Carol's idea.

The Seattle Boat Show has a very special place in our hearts and attending the Boat Show always puts me in a reflective mood. This is because the Seattle Boat Show will always remind me of that first frantic weekend when we took possession of Estrellita in Lake Union during the frozen cold week of the 2007 Seattle Boat Show.


We flew in from Colorado with only a couple of days to buy a dinghy and outboard, get some food on the boat, and prepare for our first transit from Seattle to Sidney, BC. We had hired a captain to show us the ropes on our own vessel, my Dad came aboard with us and everything was terrifying and exciting. We had fog, we rafted to a fishing vessel, spent a night in Reid Harbor, and we even managed to sail a bit. Our captain did an excellent job of teaching to our three very different levels of experience. She divided the tasks into categories (captain, nav, engine) and each day we each took on a different role forcing us to work on all aspects instead of falling into patterns.

During those few hectic days prior to the trip up to Sidney, we carved out some time to attend a few talks at the boat show. I don't remember exactly who gave those talks but I remember we saw at least one about Vancouver Island and one that had tropical content and man, oh man, did those talks feed our dream.

Carol suggested that we talk at the boat show when we decided to come back to the PNW and as soon as he mentioned it, I realized how right he was. Talking at the boat show, which was such a part of our own story, would feel like closing the circle. We could now be the people coming back with tans and huge arse grins, a touch (but not a lot) wiser than when we left, and put up some pictures on the big screen that would touch someone else's heart--someone in the throes of preparation, or someone who enjoys vicarious cruising.

Save the Date: Carol and I will be giving three talks at the Seattle Boat Show which runs from January 25th until February 3rd. Pretty fancy, huh?
  • Monday the 28th at 3:15pm - 10 Things I Learned from the Interview with a Cruiser Project - Silver Stage - Rather than one expert, why not have 100? The founders of the Interview With A Cruiser Project, Livia & Carol, look back on more than 100 interviews with people who have been cruising outside of their home country for more than two years, highlighting 10 lessons that they learned from these experienced cruisers that helped them in their own cruising adventure.
  • Tuesday the 29th at 4:00pm - Modern Day Cruising in French Polynesia: How Today's Cruisers Do It - Gold Stage - Cell service and wifi in the Tuamotus? Electronic charts that are accurate? Mega-grocery stores? Fresh from six months of cruising their 35' sloop in French Polynesia, Livia & Carol discuss the differences between the outdated information in the guidebooks and the modern reality. A handout will be made available electronically.
  • Wednesday the 30th at 5:00pm - 5 ways Cruising in the PNW Prepares You for the South Pacific & 5 Ways it Does Not - Gold Stage - Livia and Carol spent several years of weekend cruising and one year of full time cruising in British Columbia and Washington before setting off to the tropics. After spending last season in the South Pacific, they have flown back to talk about the ways that the PNW is an excellent training area for would-be cruisers, and the lessons that they had to learn on the way.
Stop by and say hi or pass the word to someone you know who is going. We might show up for parts of the rest of the boat show, so if you can't make the talks but feel like buying us a beer on another day, get in touch ;)
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Wild West

12/26/2012
We're running around taking full advantage of our time in this cold grey place Washington.

We've visited both the Scuttlebutt and Skookum breweries (Carol's hat in the left is from Skookum - replacing his two tattered caps on the boat). The Skookum brewery reminds me a lot of Bristol Brewery in Colorado Springs which was a favorite post-climbing spot of ours.

We also went to the hunting and fishing store, Cabellas, to drool over, and drop money on, fishing gear. Of course, while we were there we had to scope out all of the wildlife milling about. Also, we looked at the stuffed animals ;)



We've been checking off items on our list. We revisited one of our top 5 coffee shops in Seattle, Victrola, ate large burritos at Chipotle, watched some films at mega theaters.

One of the best parts about being here I have to say is taking a break from all of the harder parts of cruising.  This is going to be a good thing for us, energizing us to return. Right now we are not doing dishes by hand in a tiny sink, not carrying our laundry and our groceries on our back, and not sweating all day. I don't have to curl myself up into a strange position to reach whatever I dropped on the floor. Things don't break very often and when they do the solution is easier. I am cooking big messy things that are easier with a lot of counter space, and I play on the internet whenever I want without worrying about money or amps. I can call anyone I want and language isn't making my brain hurt. I can clear out our "to buy" list in a series of clicks.

When we go back we'll be over ready to be back and the colors of the water and sky will be more brilliant for having cleansed our palette with grey.

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Logbook: Back in Bora and planning our return to N America

10/26/2012

Sunset in Bora BoraWe still love Bora after a second visit. Overwhelmed by tourists? Yes. But it is also incredibly beautiful and we keep meeting such nice and generous people each time we visit. If you stop in Bora, use the Bora Laverie for your wash and take some time to chat with the owner. We didn’t have much time to play while we were here this visit.

Our plan is to apply for a long stay visa for French Polynesia which must be done in our home country. We leave the boat on the hard in French Polynesia and fly back to Seattle in early December where we will apply for the visa in Vancouver. The visa should allow us to stay in French Polynesia as long as we want, which we currently are guessing is about 1.5 years after our return flight in April. More on that application process after it is completed.

We spent over a week in Bora Bora getting our legs back under us after our passage from the Cook Islands back to French Polynesia. We needed to refill the boat with propane, gas, diesel, water, and fresh food. We also scurried around making reservations, booking tickets and arranging all of the things we needed arranged to leave our boat on the hard and fly out. We had avoided making any of those plans because, as mentioned previously, we weren’t 100% sure we would make it back.

We’re also looking forward to seeing our families and friends and all of the things we’ve missed about N American cities like sitting at coffee shops and going to the movies. Lastly, we’ll buy all of the crap we think we need for the boat and haul it back in our luggage.

I still can’t believe we’ll be visiting in winter.

If you know of any fun events or opportunities, suitable for two cruisers who just bought plane tickets from French Polynesia to SeaTac (that means poor), send us an email (s.v.estrellita@gmail.com). We’ll be in and out of the Seattle-Vancouver area with possible side trips to Quebec and, if we can find miles tickets or similar, Colorado.

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Seattle Boat Show - Take 3

1/30/2011
Seattle Boat Show 2011This was my 3rd Seattle Boat Show and all I can think is "we've come a long way baby".

This visit, I was struck by the contrast between how I felt and approached the boat show on my first visit as a completely novice sailor and new boat owner and this year's visit, as a slightly less novice sailor/cruiser/boat systems tech.

The first Seattle Boat Show we attended was in 2007 and we had flown into Seattle to close on the boat and spent one dizzy, overwhelming afternoon and evening running around the boat show. We watched a few cruising seminars and were giddy with excitement at the plan we were forming. Carol kept asking me if we should buy things and I knew so very little about sailboats that I felt paralyzed with indecision. Despite having just purchased a fantastic boat, I had yet to raise a mainsail at that point.

Seattle Boat Show 2011Fastforward a few years and we were again at the Seattle Boat Show. This time we were making major purchases like life rafts and windvanes, researching future major purchases and attending DC system seminars. We were in preparation for our first multi-day trip out into the ocean (for practice) and we had a fair amount of weekend sailing under our belt. We learned so much that trip because we had enough background knowledge to ask the right questions and understand the responses.

What stood out for me this third time was how many booths were selling stuff we no longer needed. We have all of the gear we had been researching and purchasing. Also, instead of the seminars being filled with revelation (although there were still quite a few learning moments), mostly the seminars were filled with information I already knew. Rather than being boring, this was quite reassuring.

We've come a long way baby.
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Leaving the Puget Sound

1/14/2011
After a really lovely sail from Everett to Shilshole, a little over one week later when we left Seattle, from Shilshole again, we had a near perfect sailing day – so great we didn’t stop at Port Townsend as planned and just kept going, ending up at Mackay Harbor on the South tip of Lopez Island.

With wind at or aft of the beam, from 5-10 knots apparent in the Puget Sound, wind just at or foreward of the beam at 15-20 knots apparent in the Strait, and a current with us through Admiralty Inlet, we flew. We left at 9am after a lazy morning waiting for the current to switch to our favor and dropped anchor just before 8pm. We reached Lopez in time for freezing temperatures and snow and spent two nights at anchor with a day of hot tea and interior boat work.

Here is some video of our sunset under sail in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. I’m starting to realize how similar our sailing videos will start to look to non-boaters! The important part of this video is the fenders still on the starboard deck proving the depths of our laziness.

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The Best Coffee in Seattle

1/12/2011
Our tastes: We are both fond of the deep, dark roasts that initially put Seattle coffee on the map; these are the same roasts that those who prefer milder flavors often feel is too bitter. Remember YMMV.

What we tasted: 8 oz lattes as prepared (no special milk, no extra shots) plus Carol had a few 8 oz cappuccinos as well.

View Best Coffee in Seattle in a larger map

Where: Mostly in Capitol Hill (Bauhaus, Stumptown, Vivace, Victrola) although we also tasted one location near Westlake (Vivace again) and one in Ballard (Verite). Pictured below in the order listed - both Vivace cups tasted the same and are lumped in the ratings.

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How we rated: Carol found that his ratings were influenced by the coffee shop atmosphere in addition to taste. We both found many of the coffee shops too loud with sharp, clattering acoustics. We both enjoyed the interior of Victrola the most and found Verite the most relaxing of the loud places (the cupcakes from Cupcake Royale didn’t hurt either). Livia rated on coffee only as much as possible but had a difficult time separating her top 4, feeling that they were so tightly grouped that on a different day she might have shifted the order.

Carol’s ratings:
1. Victrola
2. Vivace
3. Stumptown
4. Verite
5. Bauhaus

Livia’s ratings:
1. Verite
2. Vivace
3. Victrola
4. Stumptown
5. Bauhaus

Overall Victrola, Vivace, Verite and Stumptown all offered fantastic cups of coffee, were tightly grouped in both of our minds, and we would recommend stopping by or making a special trip to any of the four.  Bauhaus, which had been formerly a favorite of both of ours, served a disappointing, milky latte with weak coffee flavor and was a far 5th for both of us. I wouldn’t return even if I were walking by. Vivace which had been our ultimate coffee destination in Seattle prior to this trip fared quite well taste-wise although the new location was more plastic and less interesting than the location they were forced out of. If we both made a recommendation for someone visiting with time to visit only one place, we would recommend Victrola.


Compared to our two favorite locations in Victoria (Habit and Discovery), we both feel that Habit would take first above all of the Seattle coffees that we tasted. Carol felt that Discovery would move into 3rd on his list, moving Stumptown etc down one. I felt that Discovery was too close to my top 4 to rate it without having tasted it more recently but would definitely put it somewhere in the top four.

If you missed our foodie recs for Victoria you can find them here. This several day coffee binge was funded entirely with ad revenue – thank you readers!
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Seattle

1/11/2011
We spent 6 nights in fresh water, taking the bus into different areas of downtown Seattle and walking around. We sampled a half dozen coffee shops, several breweries, ate gourmet hot dogs (or at least unusual) at Po Dog Hot Dogs, walked around Capitol Hill, the University of Washington, the Pike Place Market and visited some marine stores like Armchair Sailor where we saw a sister ship (Piko) on the cover of Latitude 38, the new mega West Marine where we picked out new sailing gloves for me for Christmas and Discovery Yachts where we peeked at another Pretorien for sale.
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While at Armchair Sailor we used the gift certificate from the Wauquiez Rendezvous to buy a guidebook to the Sea of Cortez to start dreaming. While at Discovery Yachts we took a picture with the book to contrast January 2011 with January 2012. Look for this picture to reappear next year next to a picture with the same book in warmer weather!
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At the Pike Place Market:
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Rafted up in Lake Union:
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Looking back at the bridges and locks and the Space Needle peeking at sunset:
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Locks & Bridges: A Seattle reunion

1/05/2011

Four years ago this month we sailed Estrellita out of Lake Union for parts North.

 

For those not familiar with Seattle geography, the city is bordered by both saltwater and freshwater. The Puget Sound (the big dip in the state of WA) is saltwater and tidal, but there is a cut connecting the Puget Sound to Lake Union (centered in the Waggoner 2007 map below) and beyond Lake Union to Lake Washington. To get into Lake Union you have to pass through 4 bridges, 3 of which are too short for our mast and must be opened for us to transit. You also pass through one set of locks which control the water level in the lake and separate the fresh and salt water.

 

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After one bridge, we entered the small locks (there are two) side by side, and it was full of boats. Rather than tying to the wall we had to squeeze into a spot not much wider than our boat and tie to another boat (see boat on our left in first photo). While the locks fill and empty there is a bit of turbulence and jostling and then we had to squeeze out of the locks going first without crushing ourselves into the wall or the other boat. Our stanchion and his rub rail brushed against each other with no damage (whew). I’m on the foredeck and Carol is driving.

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After the locks we passed through 2 more draw bridges and one “tall enough” bridge into Lake Union but we were heading to the fancy schmancy Seattle Yacht Club and so we continued on through another tall bridge (I-5) and another draw bridge into Portage Bay. We posted the video yesterday but this is what it looks like from the helm to aim your mast at the gap in the draw bridge.

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Leaving the SYC for a cold weather NYE viewing of the fireworks at the Space Needle:

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Ballard is way cool

1/03/2011
Shilshole is a huge marina with relatively nice facilities and about a 30 minute walk to the funky & cool Ballard. Although using reciprocals at various marinas means we are moving more frequently than we would normally like it has been fun to dock hop in the winter. We haven’t had the dinghy inflated at all this trip and with the water and air temperatures that is just fine with me.

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We walked into Ballard both days we were at Shilshole, eating and having a beer at the Lockspot Cafe, coffee & cupcakes at Verite/Cupcake Royale, seeing a movie (True Grit) at the renovated Majestic and eating a tasty dinner with my parents at La Carta de Oaxaca.
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Everett is like Edmonds, right?

1/02/2011
In our last logbook entry we tried to make way to Edmonds but returned to Port Ludlow. The next day the forecast was again for winds on the nose but they were supposed to start more moderate in strength and decrease throughout the day. Instead, they started the same strength as the day before and increased in strength. Strong wind, choppy waves, mixing tides...in a word, snotty.

So, we turned our backside to the wind and headed North to Everett where we spent two nights at the deserted guest dock (we had to get security to let us into the showers) and a very nice dinner with my brother and his family.

After two days we had NW winds forecast in the 10-20 knot range. Instead we had W or WSW winds. That was enough to make way to Shilshole marina (next).

We still need to record the tale of our unexpected haul-out in Port Townsend but I want to take time to do that right.
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Rain hurts

12/26/2010
New realization: With winds above 30 knots, rain hurts.

We left Port Ludlow to head South in forecast winds of 10-20 knots SE increasing to 20-30 South. Actual winds by 13:00 were sustained SE winds of 25-30 true with periods of sustained true winds above 35 knots with gusts close to 40. This meant we were seeing apparent winds while beating mostly of 35. They amended the forecast while we were sailing to 25-35 knots.

Translation for non-boaters: Strong wind, and in the wrong direction.

Did I mention that all of the daylight hours right now are on an ebbing current (not good for heading South)? And that with the extreme tides and storms that the Puget Sound is a mine field of telephone pole sized logs?

We returned to Port Ludlow to mull this over.
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Merry Christmas from the Salish Sea

12/25/2010
Your Christmas tongue twister: How much down does a Salish* Sea sailor don, if a Salish Sea sailor does don down?

Merry Christmas!

I can't wait to contrast this photo with next year's, and yes, those are down booties. Can you even tell which one of us this is??!

*pronounced: SAY-lish
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Sunrise on Strait of Juan de Fuca

12/22/2010
A beautiful start to the winter cruise. A crisp winter day, blue skies, full sails and a sunrise. Here we are heading to Port Angeles from Victoria in order to clear US Customs and then continue on to Port Townsend.





((Video settings were a little too low - we're still working out which settings on the new camera. It can take HD super high quality video, and thus too huge of a file size for vagabonds depending on sketchy wifi, so we are trying to decide what is a good middle ground for uploading.))
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