Sombra de Luna

I think I'll keep this blog for those times when I do sail with others - what fun that is!  So I have created another blog for my new boat.  The current name is officially Moonshadow but I plan to rename her next spring to Sombra de Luna.  Even though I am only changing the language, Sombra de Luna is Spanish for Moonshadow, I'll probably still do the naming ceremony. No sense getting on the wrong side of any wind or sea gods is there?  Since there are 3 other Moonshadows in Olympia, I just wanted something more unique.  So here is the link to another site that I will start posting some information on soon.

http://www.sailblogs.com/member/sombradeluna/

Cheers!

Still sailing on others boats

Okay, so I am not boatless anymore but I still like to sail on other people's boats.  This summer I did several of the South Sound Sailing Society's Wednesday night races on Maranatha, a Ranger 33.  But the highlight of the summer racing was on Mako, a Star 22 with Susan Willis.  It was a beautiful day in July and we actually had wind.  We had a blast and nothing broke on the boat.  THANKS Susan.

Here are just a few of the photos:  (the photographers were taking a lot of photos)

SOLD - Dinghy for sale - Walker Bay RIB

I went from boatless to two boats; Moonshadow came with a large dinghy.  However, one of them, the dinghy is just too big for me and one other person to handle and it takes up the whole foredeck if stored up there.  So I am going to sell the dinghy and get one more manageable.  I really wish it were smaller; it looks like a great dinghy.  And I didn't even know Walker Bay made inflatables........

Here's some info.
10 foot 2 inch Walker Bay Genesis RIB - Genesis Lite
2007 in good shape; weighs about 126 lbs; rated to have a 10-15 HP outboard
Comes with 2 wood oars and a 5 gallon gas tank.

Asking $1500 OBO; they are over $3000 new.

If you are interested, give me a call.  (I assume you'll be someone I already know if you are looking at this page so I am not posting my phone number here.)

CHEERS!

Barbara

Boatless Barbara isn't boatless anymore

Joel and I brought the boat down from Bellingham last weekend.  That was my first trip through the Swinomish Channel and when we saw -0.1 on the depth sounder we were sure glad that we didn't touch bottom.....  We had great weather (okay, so another 30 degrees warmer would have been even better), partly cloudy, partly sunny, very little rain.  We only did a little bit of sailing due to either lack of wind or it was from the wrong direction and since the goal for the weekend was to get to Olympia, we just kept motoring.

We arrived at the Swantown Marina around 2:30 pm on Monday, and Mary C. came to greet us at the pump out station.  Then we motored over to the new slip, where Dave K, Erik N. and Eric F. met us.

A great weekend of boating and now the fun begins ----- boat projects!

Okay, so I know I need to change this website sometime, but I am still trying to decide if I want to change the boat name, and may wait until I pick a new name and create a blog for that.

Boatless Barbara - only for another 10 days

So you may have been wondering (or maybe not....) what I have been up to lately.  Well, I haven't been sailing, but I have been looking at sailboats to buy, and............. I found a Morgan 384 in Bellingham that I had surveyed last Friday.  Her name is Moonshadow. (I know I can't get Cat Stevens out of my head.) She is a good solid boat and I am excited about bringing her down to Olympia later this month.  I also have lots of plans for boat projects.  Here are a few of the 'before' photos.

Hope Island SSSS 'cruise' weekend

Oh, the weather outside was frightful........ so we decided not to go to Hope Island on Saturday.  There were gale force winds predicted on the VHF weather channel and the gathering spot on the NW side of the island didn't sound like a good place to be.  We were rocking quite a bit just at the marina.  So we hung out there and pretended we were cruising.... waiting for a better weather window before leaving and making the best of it by inviting good friends over for dinner and drink.  We also had lots of laughs, Mary, Mike, Joel, and I; so glad I got to visit with Mary before she heads back to Mexico and warm weather sailing (I am envious).

The weather was much better on Sunday and so we headed north, not too far behind Terri and Val.  We sailed for a couple hours and it was very enjoyable, although cool.  We rafted up with them and Dave and Micky pn a mooring buoy and made plans for a 6pm dinner.  We were also joined by some new SSSS members, John and Kathleen.  Again, good food, great company, and lots of laughs.  We had a quiet night on the mooring buoy.

Today, Monday, we borrowed Dave and Micky's dinghy and rowed to shore to take a hike around the island.  It was drizzly most of the day and we left Hope Island around 2 pm.  There was next to no wind so we motored back to Percival Landing to put the boat away for now.

Toliva Shoals Race - February 11, 2012

Better than expected.....  We had a great day on south Puget Sound even if we didn't race the entire course.  The race committee shortened it to around 30 nm (at Johnson Point) instead of the full 37.4 race course. The winds were getting light and they probably wanted everyone to have a chance to finish the race.  I was crewing on Maranatha (Ranger 33) with Skipper Joel, and Sandy, Matt, Webb, and John as fellow crew mates.  There was pretty consistent winds the entire time (8-10?+- kn), and I have the usual bruises to prove it............  It was cloudy and overcast all day, but relatively warm, around 50.  It only started to rain on us right after we finished.  We managed to get the sails put away before they got wet.

We placed 3rd out of 15 for our class so that was an additional reward for a great day on the water.  It wasn't sunshine and fast like 2011, but we certainly didn't spend any time just drifting around either.  I think there were 77 boats in all that were out there racing, and I hope they all had a great time.

Maranatha is the small boat in the middle - not as close as it looked...... thank goodness.

The boat show, the boat show, the big Seattle boat show

I found a new boat or two at the boat show, but they are a little out of my price range.........  It was definitely a gorgeous day to wander at south Lake Union and look at sailboats.  I was a bit surprised to see a familiar boat there though.  Chauk Chauk, a Valiant 42 owned by Bob.  I met Bob & Jeri in 2007 on Catalina Island and later saw Bob off and on during my cruising of the Mexican gold coast through spring 2008.  I guess it was just time for him to sell Chauk Chauk after having cruised her for several years and then he had her shipped back to the northwest last year.  She is a beauty and I wish I could afford her.

Well, the shopping continues.........

Island Home Cruise - January 27-29, 2012

Almost forgot to post information about the cruise last weekend........  Went to the joint 'cruise' of Olympia Yacht Club and South Sound Sailing Society at Island Home, OYC's private getaway with Joel, Sandy, and Jonathan, and Locky.  We had a great trip up with sunshine, but no wind so we motored.  Saturday was another great weather day and we walked the nature trail, and visited with other cruisers off and all day.  The potluck was as usual a big feast and if anyone went away hungry it was their own darn fault.  The trip back on Sunday was chilly and a bit rainy.  And of course the wind right on our nose, so we motored back to the marina.  All in all a great weekend and great company!!

No Sailing in the Snow

The snow is mostly melted off the boats.  Here's a before and after photo of Maranatha, Joel's boat.  The SSSS race for Saturday this weekend was cancelled..........

Debra's boat, Liberte, at Swantown Marina

Snow and fresh water on top of the salt water does freeze!

Mary's boat, Sonrisa, at Martin Marina - she's all clear now

First Sail Race for 2012

Yesterday was the first Sail Race of the South Sound Sailing Society's Inlet Series.  It was a relatively short course of 11.1 miles to Flapjack Point in Eld Inlet and back.  Despite the forecast for snow, there were lots of boats out ready to race.  And boy did we sail...... the winds were fluky but pretty constant (10-15? with gusts of more? - I wish I was better at judging the wind speeds) for the entire race (except of course at the turning mark where they got extremely light).  I was crewing for Joel on Maranatha, a Ranger 33.  I was the newbie crew on this boat and was sailing along with Sandy, John, and Webb.  I wanted to take a photo of the skipper and crew, but my phone was not cooperating, so maybe next time.  It rained most of the first half of the race, but just a steady light rain.  Then it started clearing up a bit to the north.  However, as we were putting the boat away it started raining again and harder, then snowing, then the skies cleared and the sun appeared.

Thanks Joel and the Maranatha crew for a great day on the water!

First Sail for 2012

My first sail for 2012 was with Capt. Mary, Wendy, Michelle, and Cyndie on Claire McDougal, Mary's Newport 30 sailboat.  We left the Olympia Yacht Club about 11:30 am on Sunday, January 8th, with sunshine, and light winds.  Mount Rainier was out and so were the Olympics.  We had a wonderful sail and of course the obligatory good snacks and lots of laughs. What a great way to start the new sailing year!
THANKS Mary.

Wendy, Mary F., Barbara, Michelle

Mary 

Wendy, Cyndie, Mary

Michelle, Mary, Wendy

Mary Campbell's adventures

So isn't there a saying about if you can't do something to live vicariously through someone else.  Well since I can't be out cruising now, but Mary is, I am following her stories closely.  She is having some great adventures in Mexico and if you get a chance read her latest blog posting where they save two whales near San Blas, Mexico.
http://sonrisachronicles.blogspot.com/
Update - January 9th, 2012
There is a video posted of their whale rescue here:  http://vimeo.com/34811494

And I saved a photo of Mary from that video.