3/5th's of The Clan in Ventura!

Yep, three of the five boats that did "the bash motorsail North with a southerly component" are here in Ventura!
We had heard "Bristol Blue" was hauled out in the other boatyard.
And thanks to spacebook myface facebook we heard "Vela" was on their way up from Ensenada!
So more celebrating that we made it.
Or any excuse to get together.

I arranged for Chris and Aaron to park right next to us.
Thanks Andy!
And the stories fun began.






You can always tell a cruising boat by the crap jungle jim on the back.
Hey Chris ~ where did your two bikes go?
His crap is even minus some crap...





So off to meet up with Ned and Kristen.
Via dinghy.
Always via dinghy if the driver wants to not be a designated driver at all possible.


Where we stumbled across our first reminder of why we like Mexico so much.
CaliforNO.
The land of NO.
No. NO. NO!The whole reason Chris bailed from San Diego and went back to Ensenada...

On a sidenote, apparently Ventura has less NO signs than San Diego, because by the next morning he had decided he liked Ventura and arranged for a permanent slip.

I did tell him his new motto should be "Indecision may or may not be my problem", (borrowed from Jimmy Buffett)...

Ok back to Friday night!
"Bristol Blue" looked so much different all level and not rocking and rolling and planting her bow into waves.And Ned and Kristen looked so much more relaxed!Well, hell we all did.


Off to Milano's!

A toast to our completion of the bash friendship!




And a nice dinner out with stories, remember whens, what day was it when, who passed who where, what anchorage was it, the weather was crappy here, blah, blah, blah...Typical cruisers.
Typical boaters.

Best View in The Harbor!

Well when I told 1/2 of my landlord (and boss, don't forget I work for the whole!) about how I spent a wonderful first weekend enjoying the marina's facilities, including time in the work out room, a lovely half hour in the sauna, laps in the pool and a dip in the hot tub she reminded me of the view.
Don't forget the best view in the harbor!
We can see the entrance, islands and beautiful sunsets.


I think she was trying to distract me.

Because they have none of the above.

Except the lovely view.

Which truly is the best view in the harbor!

Adios Don & Judy!

Well another G-Docker is headed South.
I guess someone has to take our place since we came North.
Don & Judy on "Wind Ryder" stepped up to the plate cruise.
So in true G-Dock tradition, a party was held.

Food was eaten.
Drinks were enjoyed.
Smiles.
Jokes.
Laughter.
Surprises, because some people didn't know we were back.
Rumors were corrected.
Rumors were spread.

Kids.
Cats.

Dogs.
Hugs.
Fun.

And jalapeno chips were delivered to Marvin.All the way from La Paz, BCS!

Moving Day Officially Over

That was easy.
Especially since I didn't even participate!

The view from our old slip looking at our new slip.


And I have to say, it looks so much better with our boat there!

The Big Move!

Yesterday we moved!
Yep, packed all of our bags, boxed everything up, labeled the boxes, wrapped the glasswear in newspaper, un-tied the docklines, drove the boat from one harbor to the one about 5 miles up the coast and re-tied the docklines.

Actually I did nothing.
Christopher and Jon Greene helped Jim.
I drove from one side of the harbor to work.
Drove home to the other harbor.Ahh!
Friends and neighbors again!
Stanwich came for a visit.
Lourdes & John Francis came for happy hour.
Randy and Nena looked from their dock over at us.
John and Jennifer got excited... even though they were in Palm Springs.
Lots of "Welcome Homes" and one "There goes the neighborhood" on spacebook facebook!

And on Monday morning when I work in Anchors Way Boatyard in Ventura?
I can leave 2.5 minutes before I am supposed to be at work!
And still be early!

Observations From The Weak Week

Work gets in the way of living.
In fact it gets in the way of traveling, reading, blogging, cooking, baking, visiting family and the ever important socializing.
We still manage to squeeze in some reading, cooking and socalizing, being boaters and all.
Last Monday I heard a "Heather!!! Heather!!" being yelled from a power boat motoring by.
Ohhhkayyy... who is this person who knows my name?
"Heather, it's Passage!!"
(Yes we call each other by our boat names...)
Cruising friends from back in 1998-2000!
I think we have seen them once since 2000 and we had no idea where they were!
Kandy had seen our new boat name in Latitude 38 last year and had been looking for us ever since!
Turns out they sold "Passage" and now have a house in the back bay with a power boat docked in front of it.
So happy hour had to be planned!
Friday night happy hours.
And hours.
Because we went at 4:30 or so and stayed until 11:00.
And got pulled over by the harborales on the way home for not having proper lighting on the dinghy.
Oops.
No pics, but we do have a picture of their old boat from "that trip" or that time we were crossing the sea and it turned to shit.
Whole other story.

Next socializing we can thank spacebook my face facebook for.
A Sunday afternoon with Jon, Gina, Christopher, Sara Bella, Scott and Cindy!
So it had only been a year and a half since we had seen them...

Drinks, lunch, drinks, boat, drinks, pictures, drinks, Gina and Chris arranging to help Jim move the boat to Ventura on Friday.
Yay!

What was my post title again?
Oh yeah, Observations From The Week.
Work gets in the way of living.
It's like no time has passed when we see good friends from the past (except their kids got bigger).
Socalizing is more important that getting enough sleep.
You need to have an all around white light or red, green and white light if you are in a dinghy and are not rowing or sailing.
Sometimes they play too much squeaky Chinese sounding music on Radio Paradise.
Mushy bananas make good banana bread.
Banana bread is even better with chocolate chips in it.
Always take your car to the car dealership before attempting to smog it if the car has been in Mexico for a year and a half.
Be prepared to pay $2000 dollars to get your poor neglected car up to %$#@#%*&% California standards if you have had your car in Mexico for a year and a half.
Realize you have to work a lot of hours to pay for getting your poor neglected car up to %$#@#%*&% California standards if you have had your car in Mexico for a year and a half.
It's cold here.
Hurricanes suck oh wait, that is an old last summer observation.
We don't fit in because we don't have a blueberry raspberry but we can make that sound blackberry.
Sara 12 year old Bella Greene has nicer sunglasses than me.
It's always windy in Ventura and Oxnard.
It's cool when your friend's kids turn into your friends.
Hmmmm... what else did I observe?
Work gets in the way of living.
Oh wait, I already said that.
Nevermind.

Hurricane JIMena v. Santa Rosalia

Wow.
One of our favorite Baja towns has been devastated by Hurricane JIMena.
Click here or on my post title above for photos by Alex and Sue on "Maitairoa".
I find it amazing the US news says nothing about the hurricanes that hit Mexico unless they damage tourist areas, such as Cabo San Pucas or Cancun.
No, I take that back, I don't find it amazing, I find it heartbreaking.

Plan B

Too much wind.
Too much slop.
Lots of boats coming back into the harbor.
One with a torn mainsail.
Plan B.
Stay in harbor.
Organize a year and a half's paperwork.
Change mailing address with a gazillion companies.
Prove to County Tax Assessor's Office that boat was in Mexico on January 1, 2009.
Print some pictures to decorate my white walls in the boatyard.
Surprise visit from Don & Judy.
Talk with Timay on phone.
Drink Two Buck Chuck.
BBQ burgers.
Eat corn.
Internet.
Sleep.
Coffee.
Sunshine.
Warmth.
Do it all again.
Yay we have all of today and tomorrow to go!

Labor Day Since We Are Now Both Working Trip To The Islas!

And on top of it meeting up with Greg & Deb of "Lion's Paw" and Jeff & Dori of "Journey" out there somewhere!
Yay!
So this week we had a little pre-island get together on "Lion's Paw" when they came in to the marina for a few nights.
Only fitting, as the last time the six of us had seen each other was back in May in San Juanico in the Sea of Cortez.
We all pretty much look the same but have way more clothes on now.
And real shoes.
And socks.

First we watched Greg burn things on the bbq.

Then we watched their seagull scarer scare the seagulls.
Yeah, right, it that get up?

Then we ate.
Drank.
Ate.
Drank.
Ate cake.
And tried to cram all of us into one picture.
Failed at that, so took two pictures.