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The Wedding & San Diego
Whew.
 Well, the kids are married and returned from their
honeymoon, and we're gradually getting back into the cruising thing again.
Paul & Michelle's wedding at our home in Tacoma was
nothing short of spectacular, if we do say so ourselves. Signe slaved
for a couple of months to get the garden in shape, bringing back from the
nursery and planting at least nine SUV-loads. Her flowers and the ones
from the florist were glorious. We had a half-dozen tents in case of rain
(this is the Pacific Northwest, you know) and it started looking grim the
night before the Big Day. Rain started just after the rehearsal dinner and
continued heavily through the night, making us all nervous. I looked at
enough Doppler radar pictures on the internet -- trying to will them do
the right thing -- to last a lifetime.
 But the skies cleared in plenty of time and all was
sunny for Paul & Michelle's celebration. The ceremony was beautiful and
moving, the food was good --reportedly, anyway, as we never had a chance
to eat! -- and the music was, too. Signe and I were pretty teary-eyed, as
the photo shows, but friends told us that even though we're cruisers we
still clean up pretty good!
We've included a couple of photos on
this page (click on them to see bigger versions) and for the true
aficionados click here for another page of
wedding photos!
Signe and I will commute between Tacoma and San Diego until the end
of October, throwing in a trip to San Miguel de Allende, in Mexico's
central highlands, to learn a little more Spanish from a recommended
teacher. We felt a bit lame last winter, only being able to converse in
pidgin Espaņol at the 'dos mas margaritas, Ernesto, por favor' level. We
hope to work up to the 'tres mas margaritas' level this time.
Baja Ha-Ha 2001
Yes, the rumor is true. We had such a good time last
year (click here for the log and photos on Baja Ha-Ha 2000) that Raven's crew is indeed planning to do the Baja Ha-Ha rally again
this year. In fact, the organizers are using us as a lure for
participants! Check this link for photos of Raven and the attractive
couple who sail her . . .
This time Paul & Michelle can't join us, so we'll
have two or three friends as guest crew for the ten-day rally from San
Diego to Cabo San Lucas. Our good friend Mark Lindeman from Gig Harbor,
who has been so helpful in preparing Raven for all our trips, will
definitely be part of our crew. More news later on who else will be with
us.
Cruising Plans for 2001-2
As always our plans are tentative, as befits proper
cruisers (Remember the cruisers' Rule One: 'We have no plans and we're
sticking to them.'), but it looks like we'll spend another tough winter
cruising the west coast of Mexico, from Cabo to Mazatlan to Puerto
Vallarta to Zihuatanejo and back to Puerto Vallarta by the beginning of
March 2002. We hope to race again in the Regata Internacional Bahia de
Banderas, and then at the end of March depart for the Marquesas and the
rest of the French Polynesian islands. If all goes well, we'll reach New
Zealand by November 2002. But more about that later.
Cruising Preparations
 You'd think that, after all our work before we left
home, and all last winter in Mexico, that Raven would be fully prepared
for any bluewater cruise we might possibility conceive of. Well, not
quite, especially since we hope to cross the Pacific next year. While
she's in San Diego we have quite a few things to take care of: new rear
crankshaft seal on the engine, complete new engine for the generator
(ruined by a faulty salt water cooling installation), removal and rehab of
our MaxProp, sailmaker adding reefing blocks to the mainsail, reworking
the upper swivels on both jib and staysail furlers, removal and cleaning
of all the running rigging, complete rig inspection, replacement of all
the scratched deck hatch windows, replumbing the watermaker for easier
operation, new plumbing to the fresh water tanks, new ham radio
installation, new electronic data network, etc., etc., etc. The list is
practically endless, but some of the major items are already done and
we'll get through the rest by the end of October.
Watch for another update in October, before the Ha-Ha
departs on October 30th.
Warm regards . . . Jan
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updated on
04/13/04. |
