January ‘99

*Additional notes may appear in italics after my mom’s initial journal entries.
A ladybug means you should check the comments at the bottom of the page to see what Mom has chimed in on after reading these!

January 1, 1999 – Friday

Samie was through with school by 10 am. What a difference it makes when there are kids around that she wants to get together with.
We had Jeff and Kathy over for dinner.

January 2, Saturday
La Paz

Lazy day; cold, cloudy and 10k breeze.
Jeff, Kathy, John and I went up to The Penthouse to watch Az Cardinals beat the Dallas Cowboys, 20 to 7.

January 3, Sunday

John has been trying to match the paint to touch up where the ladder has rubbed down to the old brown. Getting the new seafoam to match the 2-year-old faded sea foam is proving to be a real back and forth project. At least the DuPont store is only 4 blocks straight up the road. Another day of football playoffs.

January 4, Monday

It is really rolly next to the dock and there is a good swell coming in – even the big ‘ole Scott Free is rocking and they don’t, usually. John has gotten a tour of that boat – he was impressed with the engine(s) room.
Kathy and I went to CCC. Another game at The Penthouse, while we visted with Lighten Up, Cindy and Baker. John found that Baker also grew up in Tucson. They had a lot in common.
15-18k, warm, lumpy. Danielle called to say hi.

January 5, Tuesday
La Paz

Rolly last night, blew 10-15k and up to 20-25k all day until around 4 pm when it calmed down to 10k again.
We paid for another 4 days dock-side, thank goodness. But like John says, one of those boats out there waltzing on a wind-blown hook is wishing we would get off the dock.
We have been STUCK in La Paz for almost 3 weeks now. Nothing unusual, it always happens. Time for the wind to lay down for a week so we can get down to La Cruz.

January 6,  Wednesday

It calmed down some today, but was cloudy and cool, so I baked cookies.
Goon called, she moved back to the mountain. She’s at her Granma Spear’s in Clay Springs for now. She says Caleb has decided not to go on his Mission, but hasn’t given her the ring yet because he can’t get up the nerve to tell his parents.

January 7, Thursday
La Paz

Calm, sunny morning – we should get out of here now, while we can. It stayed calm all day. I had a terrible headache all day – the bar is falling.
At sundown we had 5 frigate birds sitting on the line that runs between the main and mizzen.
The big boat, Scott Free left today for Barra – they figure 40 hours. Ha, too bad they can’t tow us behind.

January 8, Friday

Happy Birthday Danielle

We tried twice to call Danielle, she ended up getting ahold of us. She got her $9600 check for the settlement on the car wreck in ’96.
The frigate birds are making a shitty mess on the deck. Dpn’t know why all of a sudden they have invaded the marina?!
Beautiful, calm and warm! I had that headache again all night, bad enough that it made me throw up. What happy fish that made, I could hear them surround the boat.
The northers started at 1 am – 20-25k.

January 9, Saturday

It blew 15-20k all day, calmed down to 10k around sundown. Again with the headache.
We were gonna leave today.

January 10, Sunday

Calmer today, 10-15k northers are supposed to knock off for the next 5 days or so – let’s hope so.
John watched the Az Cardinals vs. Minnesota game – AZ lost.
Hunter Star and Free Run had cake for Samie leaving tomorrow. It’s really nice to hear what a near kid she is from so many others.
My head was ok today.

January 11, Monday
Los Muertos

Well, after 3 weeks, we finally got out of La Paz. Remember we only intended to stay 1 night! Oh well, the oil leak, fiberglass and 2 new batteries all got tended to. Abientot and their friend went out to the island – they don’t know if they’re gonna cross or not.
We left the dock at 8:15 am – weather looks good, light and variable for the next 5 days. The most we had today was 12k. The swells that were still in the Ceravo Channel were rolly though. We had some Just after we anchored, Craig, one of the linemen from NEC called to say he’s flying into P.V. on Saturday. We were anchored in Los Muertos at 5:15 pm.

January 12, Tuesdady
Baja to Mainland

Ok – weather is still looking light and variable for the next 5 days. 8:45 am we have the anchor up and are in flat seas, 5k of breeze on a 109° heading for the next 248 miles to Isla Isabela. It’s farther to La Cruz from Muertos than it was two years ago from Cabo to San Benedicto, Soccoro.
9:00 pm – The day was calm, flat, and 80°, but still cool in the shade and the 5k breeze. Currently – 0 wind, glassy sea and 68° and so it stayed all beautiful night. One freighter, one cruise ship and no sea life.

January 13, Wednesday
South to P.V., out in the middle

Still only 5 to 7k of breeze, mostly on the nose – glassy seas, no sea life. The radio skip has now been really long – we could hear San Carlos and Mazatlan. Once we got more or less south of Mazatlan and north of Isla Isabela, we had 10k NNE for ab while with a following sea.
Same within 2 iles of one cruise ship headed south and one headed north.

January 14, Thursday
La Cruz

At sun-up we are just about directly off of Chacala – getting close. The night skies have been so pretty with the stars so bright. The only moon is a crescent that rose around 3 am.
Once we rounded Punta Mita, the north breeze played with the sails at 10k. We came on in and anchored at 1:30 pm – 52 hours after leaving Los Muertos, Baja.
We talked to Jim and Kitty via radio – see them manaña. Saw Don and Judy, Loon, Harry and Ellen, Prelude.
Had dinner at Bob and Deann’s place, La Luna y Sol. Good Italian. Saw Blair; Rosa and Jena will be back Monday the 18th from Canada the last month.
I’m putting this braindead body to bed. – Oh, big ‘ole red tide coming in the bay.

January 15, Friday
La Cruz

It was December 14 when we left San Carlos and January 14 when we anchored here in La Cruz.  Of all that time, we were only on the hook 10 days – not to mention the 2 months in San Carlos Marina. Now, being on the hook in La Cruz feels pretty good – but I have gotten pretty used to having shore power. Microwave, hair dryer, curling iron, hot water anytime. We are also spoiled in being able to put up the cockpit canvas to keep the cool wind out. So it’s wonderful now, warm and all open. Reports from La Paz this a.m. were 40° - here it was 68°!! (84° afternoon.)
Jim and Kitty drove over today, they are in Nuevo Vallarta. They sold Summer Wind and are in the final stages of paperwork. They’ll sail her to Mazatlan, then truck her to Toronto, Canada. Woo, sad – but they plan to be back in a motorhome.
Samie stayed ashore with Tarn for a couple hours.

January 16, Saturday
La Cruz

It looked like the California coast here today – all overcast with a marine layer and calm.
We took a bus into P.V. Marina to bring Meghan, Shadowfox, back to spend the night. There is construction everywhere – roads and buildings.
John had to replace a burnt wire on the on the gen-set tonight. The first year he would panic if it quit – now he knows what to look for, no problem.
Shine called, he is now driving a truck for Pepsi making $8 an hour.

January 17, Sunday

Samie and Meghan spent the day on the boat being girls while we spent the day watching football games ashore.
Nice day, oh! I lost one of my crowns today.

January 18, Monday

Crai Blackburn from Navopache Electric is down here and called on the radio from Dos Felipes using “Wandrin’ Star – 451.” 451 is his radio # for NEC – good one. Him and his father-in-law came out for a bit.
Samie was at Tarn’s while John and I took the bus into Provanier to the dentis. She filled the tooth right next to the one that lost the crown and stuck the crown back on. Filling, $500 pesos ($50 U.S.), crown, $0.
Samie rented the movie Something About Mary – ok, I guess.
Goon called, Caleb still hasn’t told his parents he’s not going on a mission; they want to get married in August.

January 19, Tuesday

At 8 am, John brought Craig Blackburn, his wife Paula and her dad, Bill Beecroft out and we motor sailed out to the island. Paula’s mom, Jo, doesn’t like the water at all. We saw several humpback whales on the way out, so we headed in their direction. Got some pretty good video shots of one breaching and slapping their fins.
Craig and Paula were so excited – I’m glad we saw them. We anchored at Tres Marias in 10k of wind and kinda rolly. Craig, Bill and Samie all swam for a while. Samie was full of questions about Bill’s nephew, Clayton, who is 12. We never caught any fish. On the way back in, we had 10-15k and sailed for a bit – Craig even took the wheel. We anchored in the same spot at 3 pm. Later we took a bus out to Rancho Banderas (now that’s a scary ride) where they have time shares in a condo (nice) and Bill bought us dinner. By then there were no more busses running, so the condo van drove us back to La Cruz.
Enjoyable day.
Oh, found out that this month and March there will be 2 fill moons in those months. That hasn’t happened in the last 81 years. So, January 1st, 21st 1999 and March 2nd and 31st, 1999. This is known as a BLUE MOON. **This results in February having no full moon at all, and technically it’s called a double blue moon. The next time this would happen would be 2018**

January 20, Wednesday
La Cruz

Happy Bday Janelle

Lazy day – John has been jerry-jugging fuel out to top her off, may take a while after motoring 52 hours to get here. We all went ashore. Talked to Abientot, they are gonna stay on the Baja. Since we left, it hasn’t had too much wind like before. Such is life.
Danielle called, her and Ben are flying out Feb 9-14.

January 21, Thursday

Samie is studying and testing.
We went ashore for a bit. The breeze was a light 10k but out of the south all morning, so it was kinda bouncy. Mail call – took 3 weeks to get here this time. Rob and Grace, Nanamuk, are in Vancouver working – boat is still in Australia.
Arne and Janice, Renegade, are engaged after umpteen years. Samie watched the movie Armageddon at Dos Felipes, John visited – I stayed home and wrote letters.

January 22, Friday

Rosa gets back today!
Poor Craig is back at Navopache Electric today. Hopefully he tells Richard Flores to get their butts down here!
Samie is still doing tests. We went in to see Rosa, but she missed her flight and the next one didn’t get in until 7 pm, so we’ll see her tomorrow.
Beautiful day – 10k, 84°. The barometer is down 9 points today.

January 23, Saturday

Chelle called this a.m., her and Rick decided to get married on February 27th. We won’t be able to make it, but she’s gonna have Richard Flores give her away (good choice).
We finally got in to see Rosa, I’m so glad she’s back.
Blew 15-20k out of the bay. Tonight the wind is light and we are sitting sideways to the swell. It’s starting to feel like last year. There must have been some good storms in the northwest.

January 24, Sunday

Kirby and Suzie, Lena have a friend flying back to the States – so Samie and I sent several letters.
Goon called wanting to know where and when to come down.
Barb and Richard were supposed to call us with a date for them to come down – but haven’t yet.
Spent the afternoon at Cruise Quarters and finally had ribs – yum.
Calm morning – noon starts the 15-20k out of the bay – normal, calm night.
The Sea of Cortez finally calmed down again after 3 days of 30-40k at the anchorages where Blue Chablis and Abientot were.

January 25, Monday
La Cruz

We went into the dentist 1st thing to see if she, Gina, could fit Samie with a retainer and fix her underbite, but no. I didn’t really think so. It’s gonna be braces for her, too. Only her, I have no insurance on. We all went into town later. I’m so glad Rosa’s back. The swell was getting bigger today.
Calm and warm.

January 26, Tuesday

Normal day. John is still jerry-jugging fuel. Jim and Kitty, Summer Wind, are still in the marina working on their boat. I had 2 yams still from La Paz, so I fixed canied sweet potatoes, pork roast, potatoes and gravy. No special occasion except I wanted candied sweet potatoes. Yum. Calm 15k – warm 87°.

January 27, Wednesday

Another beautiful day, only it was cloudy.
Barb called today, her and Richard are flying out March 1st to 6th – cool!
Danielle also called, she’s coming Feb 9th.
We ran the engine for an hour to charge batteries. You need that every once in a while.
The Sea of Cortez around Isla Carmen had 35-45k today, it took a boat 4 hours to go 6 miles. Why anyone chooses to stay on the Baja in the winter is beyond us.

January 28, Thursday

Unusual day – 10 am, 18k from the west, died off, then 20k from the north at 10:30 until 2 pm or so. Then light and variable. Strange.
Samie rented My Giant which was good.

January 29, Friday

John finished a boat bottom that he started yesterday. It was really overgrown with barnacles. He broke 1 scraper and lost the new one he bought.
Normal weather.
Oh, Samie called up the boat Morning Star in the anchorage. These new people bought the boat from Wendy and Chelsea that we met last year.

January 30, Saturday

John and Samie went out for a day-sail to the islands on Kea Ora with Neal. They took out some tourists and were gone from 9:30 am to 4 pm. I thoroughly enjoyed the day by myself.
Jena is spending the night.

January 31, Sunday

We all went in to shore around noon, just hung out until Super Bowl. Not a very good game, Denver 34 / Atlanta Falcons 19.
Baker and Condy, Lighten Up, joined us for the evening. They came in around 8 pm last night – about on empty.
This is the 2nd full moon of the month. February will have no full moon and March will also have 2.
Oso was telling me tonight how much they all like John. He visits all the Cruise Quarters help every day and makes them laugh.