10/15/2006
Going under the Golden Gate Bridge late at night was a gorgeous site. It took forever to get through the channel, because the current was against us. We tied up in front of the San Francisco Bay Yacht Club in Tiburon. Moorage has doubled from Crescent City to here. I hear it is even more expensive in San Diego. We are about 50 hours from San Diego – about 2 days of sailing. Our pattern so far has been to be “out there” for about a day and a half, then find some harbour to duck into to get some actual sleep. Thankfully, the weather has allowed us to be flexible. We’ve not had much wind, so have had to motor more than we like. Some days and nights, the waves have been huge. The boat bucks and leaps, twists and jives through the waves. When you are lying in your bunk, it feels like you are in the back of a race car gone out of control. The motor is roaring, and the car is swerving and weaving like there is a mad drunk at the wheel. It’s a lot less extreme when you are out on deck. The motor isn’t so loud, and you can see how the boat is negotiating its way through the seas.
The nights on the ocean are achingly beautiful. The sunsets are unobstructed by buildings, and the stars are out in abundance. The other night, they were so close, I was sure the big dipper was going to tip and pour chocolate sauce into the bowl of ice cream I wish I had in my hand…
Molly and Jessie have been begging to start school. Now that I am no longer leaning over the side of the boat every couple of hours, school sounds like a good idea. Jessie, of course, has read the entire teacher’s manual and knows exactly what we should be doing at all times. That girl loves schedules…
Yesterday we went to a lookout point above the Golden Gate Bridge and saw the entire area – what a beautiful site! We went to Sausalito and wandered around the shops a little bit, then had a great dinner. It was nice to be a tourist for a little while, but there were a lot of people. It was nice to come home to our quiet little boat, rocking gently in its slip…
We are leaving today, determined to get to San Diego. We aren’t quite sure how to prepare – I guess we just untie and go. We’ve got food, clothes and our sea legs – what more would we need?
We are learning a lot about the limitations of our communication systems. It has been very difficult to receive e-mails and update our website. I think we are getting some of the bugs worked out, but be patient with us. We love to hear from you, and will respond as soon as we are able. I think we will be able to post some pictures, so check out the gallery section of the website. Thanks for your thoughts, prayers and e-mails. We think about all of you A LOT! Jeanna