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If you found this blog via a link from a cruising site ~ we did cruise Mexico on our Ocean 49 cat for a season. See the first text box on the right for links to our preparations, trip down Baja, life in Mexico, cruising and trip back up to SoCal. Unfortunately we are back to the grind in the USA...

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Newport Beach Visit

Anytime we have to go someplace we consider far, far, away (which in our case, means outside of Ventura Harbor), we try to fit in more than one activity or visit.
Such as our whirlwind trip to see nieces in Anaheim when we fit in visits to the Science Center and the Museum of Natural History.

This time?
Jim had a Raymarine Technician Seminar in Newport Beach.
Starting at 7:30 in the morning...
Which would have meant him leaving here around 2:30 in the am to make sure he got there in time!
UGH!
Not going to happen especially him not being a morning person and all...
My suggestion?
Drive down the night before and stay in a hotel.
His suggestion?
I go with.


So I did.
And what a cool hotel!
Embassy Suites!
Where Meghan works (but in South Lake Tahoe...)
Happy hour, breakfast, king suite, two tv's, couch, refridgerator, blah, blah, blah and the coolest atrium!

Next day:
Jim in a conference room with a bunch of marine guys.
Me helping rig "Toshalito", Alan and Susan's new F27 trimaran!
Alan single-handed it up from Dana Point to Newport and Susan and I went and had an awesome lunch at Crystal Cove.

Jim met us in Newport and we went for an afternoon motor around the bay.
Perfect weather.
Sunshine.
Warm.
Awesome boat.
Best of friends.Saw a mini "Meerkat" sort of...
A stretched Manta cat.Saw our ex-ex-boat without the name on the back!
Oh, but I am not going to dwell on that!
Yes, I will...


Saw an impressive little girl sailor who could stand on the rail on her sabot.The guys dropped Susan and I off on "Toshal", their 46' sailboat, while they went and moored the tri.Then had to row back to us...Tacos, beers, vino, water, talking, catching up, sleep.

Next day, giant breakfast with friends.
Picked up Cruiser the dog.
Received a lovely gift from their 4 year old granddaughter, Breckyn.
A portrait of me!
No, that is not a beard on me!




And an awesome sail on "Toshalito"!Ok, this is a way fun boat to drive.
I loved it.
Easy.
Sails like a dream.
Kind of hard to use the head in that teeny tiny little space.
Responds great!
Loved it.
So now I get this F-boat fascination.
Yep, want one now...

Second night, took the ferry to Balboa Island, walked the length of the island and had Chinese food.



Not a bad way of squishing in that second thing to do when we had to go far, far, away.

5 comments:

judith said...

What a life! Love Embasy Suites, they always have free happy hour and then free breakfast, if you can crawl down and get it.

Anonymous said...

Cool!

Where does Toshalito live?

Eric

Doug and Carla Scott said...

Love Newport Beach - glad to hear you had such a wonderful time!

Suzie said...

OK, first off, that looks just like our Embassy suites - so come here next time. But on second thought...stay at our house when you come.

Ok - here is the important part. For years I walked Balboa Island everyday and it is 2 and one half miles if you do both the big and the little island. Did you do both? I need to know...

Jim and Heather on Meerkat said...

No, just walked from the ferry to the Chinese place. Susan & I walked it, both islas another day though.
Eric - on a trailer, but you know that cause we have been emailing! Bummer you didn't have your mooring available last year when we had out boat there.