By now, maybe you’ve realized that I am a little behind on my blog posting. For the last 3 years, I have scheduled blog posts to come out every Monday, doing my best to front load the work and automate it while I travel. Sadly, I have fallen behind and the reality is: writing, editing …
I spent my first day back on KV Kismet catching up on some sleep and getting moved back in. Kevin was traumatized by the rough passage from Indonesia to the Philippines and wanted to get motoring up north as quickly as possible. But first, we needed to do some provisioning, I needed a phone card, …
I spent most of 2023 in Southeast Asia before returning home to California for the holidays. Being home honestly felt amazing. The more time I spent away, the more time I relished being back. It was lovely spending time with friends and family who have known me my whole life. Something about it gives me …
I had spent about 10 months in Southeast Asia, rotating between Malaysia and Indonesia with occasional stops in Singapore. By now I was looking forward to some cooler weather and being home for the holidays but first, I needed to make a stop in Fiji on my way home. It had been one year since …
After the 4-week coral restoration course wrapped up, I was equipped with all the knowledge to keep planting coral at the three different GaiaOne nurseries. The first nursery is at the house reef, just off the coast of Tevana. There is a second nursery across the sea, at a neighboring island called Liukang, and the …
Do you ever feel like things line up so perfectly, that you couldn’t have planned it better yourself? That’s exactly how I felt about my time at Tevena House Reef. If you remember a few blogs ago, everything about this place felt like a manifestation becoming more and more true. When I first met the …
I spent my first week in Bira, Indonesia, participating in the 1-week freediving retreat and enjoyed a mixture of diving, yoga, and breathwork. After the week was over, most of my new friends I made during the course headed back to their homes and I remained at Tevana House Reef with a few others who …
After staying overnight in the city of Makassar, Indonesia, I headed back to the airport to pick up a group from the freediving retreat that was arriving in the morning. As mentioned in previous posts, I had been carrying around my freediving fins all year without using them very often. I didn’t know much about …
After getting my wallet stolen in Kuala Lumpur, I was ready to get out of Malaysia. After realizing that I likely wouldn’t return before the end of the year, I began to get increasingly nostalgic about my time there. Before ever coming to Malaysia, people would tell me not to visit, saying it was a …
I had about a week to kill in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to reset my Indonesian visa. I messaged my friend Kai to let her know that I would be coming to town and we made plans to meet up the next day to see the Barbie movie. After my lonely week in Nusa Lembongan, I …
I knew my time on SV Kismet was coming to an end but I wasn’t sure where to go next. So, naturally, I made a new manifestation list. I wanted to do more conservation-based diving somewhere in Southeast Asia, be there for 1-2 months, spend less than $2,000 per month, have a chance to help …
After an unexpected month away from KV Kismet, I finally met Kevin at the dock in Lombok. It was such a relief to be back onboard and reunited with all my stuff again. Kevin’s brother, Sean, was also back, visiting for a couple of weeks and the guys had some more land-based adventures planned. Also, …
It had been almost a month since leaving Indonesia on my 3-day visa run but I was finally returning, with a shiny new passport in hand. In the weeks that I was away, Kevin sailed from Komodo to Lombok, diving along the way. I arrived in Lombok to meet him but he had other plans …
My 3-day visa run from Indonesia was now turning into 3 weeks as I returned back to Kuala Lumpur to pick up my new passport. Unfortunately, the US Embassy only allows you to pick up your passport on Mondays or Wednesdays from 2-4 pm and I arrived back in the city on a Friday so …
With my passport renewal application safely submitted to the US Embassy in Malaysia, I could finally relax. The processing time was expected to be about 2 weeks and I had an apartment in Kuala Lumpur booked for the first few days. Luckily, I had some friends coming to town so the timing worked out well. …
After my 60 days of cruising on SV Kismet in Indonesia, I flew to Singapore for a 3-day visa run and to stock up on things to bring back for the boat. On the day of my return flight, I came back to the airport with my backpack and cardboard box of goods to check. …
After a few days in Wakatobi National Park, we departed and made our way toward our final destination: Labuan Bajo, the port city of Komodo National Park. The conditions were relatively calm and we finally got to use the spinnaker which had been taking up a lot of space in the salon. Instead of going …
We were halfway through our time in Wakatobi National Park and we moved SV Kismet down to the more southern island called Tomia (sometimes spelled Tomea). We had a lazy morning before departure and it took us two hours to get there, but when we arrived, we realized our mistake. The plan was to traverse …
After two days of passage, we arrived in Wakatobi National Park which is a collection of islands off the southeastern coast of Sulawesi. If you search where’s the best diving in Indonesia, you’ll often find Wakatobi in the top three destinations, next to Raja Ampat and Komodo. Needless to say, I was excited to do …
Kevin, Joni, and I arrived in Ambon, the largest city in the Indonesian province of Maluku, just in time to celebrate Joni’s 32nd birthday. Before arriving, I coordinated with a local dive shop to use their mooring ball in exchange for booking some dives. Ambon is world famous for its muck diving and what the …
After six weeks of unbelievable beauty, sailing and diving in Raja Ampat, it was time for SV Kismet to start heading south. We planned to get to Komodo over two weeks, with one or two overnight passages between stops. Once in Komodo, Joni and I would depart before our 60-day visas expired. Joni planned to …
With Joni joining Kevin and me onboard SV Kismet, we were ready to depart Sorong and continue to explore Raja Ampat once more. Since my and Kevin’s first time in Wayag was a little rainy, we decided to do the same trip that we had done with Kevin’s brother, Sean, but make a few different …
After our first day in the Sorong marina, I received a message from Joni whom I met in Langkawi on SV Millennium. I had last seen her on Tioman Island for our girl’s reunion and it seemed she and her boyfriend had since split up, leaving her in Indonesia with no plans. I asked Kevin …
It had already been one week of cruising on SV Kismet and I was quickly growing back into the cruising lifestyle. We would be arriving in Pulau Wayag but first, we had another big milestone to check off: cross the equator south to north! It had been over a year since we all crossed the …
I spent my first day on SV Kismet catching up on some much-needed rest from traveling and also catching up with Kevin and Sean. The last time I saw them both was in Fiji last year and since then, Kevin had sailed to Australia and then up to Indonesia, with Sean joining for the longer …
During my time volunteering at TRACC, I received a message from an old cruising friend, Kevin on SV Kismet. I first met Kevin during the Nada Haha sailing rally from San Diego to Fiji during my first two weeks of cruising in 2020. Since then, Eitan and I sailed off and on with Kevin around …
This week it will have been three years since quitting my career and making a leap of faith into the unknown. Before writing this, I went back and reread my Year 2 in Review blog from last year. I was in Fiji, wrapping up the year on SV Sierra Wind in the South Pacific and …
After one week in the big city of Kuala Lumpur, Megan and I packed up our heavy bags and made our way to the bus station. After hearing me talk about the Path of Least Resistance trip and how much I loved Tioman Island, Megan agreed to join me for a week before we went …
After spending four weeks volunteering at the Tropical Research and Conservation Center (TRACC), Megan and I hopped on a flight to represent TRACC at the Malaysia International Dive Expo in Kuala Lumpur. It took a full day of traveling to the big city before we arrived at our hotel then woke up early again to …
When I wrote my initial manifestation list while I was looking for a volunteer opportunity, one of the components was an opportunity to better my underwater photography and videography skills and find a mentor in this area. So, when I found out about Megan (an underwater photographer) and TRACC, it felt truly kismet that everything …
After arriving in Borneo and learning about dynamite fishing and sea turtle nest poaching, I was inspired to begin my month of volunteering at the Tropical Research and Conservation Center. Our daily schedule Tuesday through Saturday would include a morning work dive, followed by lunch, then an afternoon work dive and data entry, then dinner …
After the eye-opening experience of arriving in Semporna, I arrived on Pom Pom Island with my new friend, Megan, and Robin, a director of the Tropical Research and Conservation Center (TRACC). We were briefly shown around the facilities which included a large, covered common area called Number 4 (I still don’t understand why) and a …
After saying goodbye to the crew of SV Millennium, I set off to my next adventure on the other side of Malaysia, in Borneo. I would be volunteering for the Tropical Research and Conservation Center (TRACC) with my new friend Megan whom I met through Instagram and a mutual connection. My flights took me from …
After two weeks on the Path of Least Resistance, I was on my way back to Langkawi with a new take on life and decided it was time to end my chapter on SV Millennium. It had already been almost three months since coming to Malaysia and knew that working in a shipyard felt like …
Candice and I found ourselves with just a few days left on Tioman Island before we were scheduled to be back on SV Millenium. Although one of our rules for the Path of Least Resistance was to not plan anything in advance and let the magic unfold, I booked a freediving course at the end …
After spending a week in Juara on Tioman Island, Candice and I canceled our plans to volunteer at the dive resort and decided to see another part of the island. Where would we go next? I was in awe at the rock spires we saw at the southern part of the island as we arrived …
After two days in Penang, my and Candice’s Path of Least Resistance trip was off to a great start. Our next destination would be Tioman Island where we would be volunteering at a dive resort for two weeks in exchange for free diving. To get there, we had to fly from Penang to Johor Baru …
After my first two months onboard SV Millennium, Nate gave us two weeks off but I had no idea where to go or what to do. Candice and I decided to travel together but planning anything so last minute and on a budget proved difficult and frustrating. Instead, we decided to do a little experiment …
Once I had found a new home for Milli, our boat kitty, I suddenly felt like I didn’t have much of a purpose for staying in the shipyard. My job onboard had somehow become the master organizer and I spent most of my days tidying up the mess that occurred daily because if people can’t …
Shortly after I arrived on SV Millennium, I discovered the boat had been adopted by a little stray kitten. We named the kitten Milli (short for Millennium) and she quickly made her way into all of our hearts. She was a mixture of black and orange with a knobby, cropped tail typical of inbred island …
With a complete crew of 10 people, we were determined to keep the ball rolling and get SV Millennium in the water. I had already been onboard for two weeks and knew that the estimated two weeks in the shipyard was a bit of a miscalculation. There was still plenty to do as we finished …
My first week aboard SV Millennium was spent constantly questioning my decision to come to Malaysia to work in a shipyard for 40 hours per week for free. Although I enjoyed meeting everyone onboard, it’s always a bit awkward being the last person to join. Nate was busy as the captain, Amy spent her days …
After arriving in Langkawi and getting settled into my new home on SV Millennium, the days began blending together as I fell into the daily routine. The mornings normally consisted of breakfast, coffee, and a workout or walk followed by a group meeting at 9:30 am. Nate would go over the schedule for the day …
After a relaxing three months at home to enjoy the holidays, friends, and family, I boarded my flight to Southeast Asia to join a new boat called SV Millennium with the crew of Expedition Drenched. Before arriving, Nate, the captain, shared with me a brief history of the project and boat. Expedition Drenched was started …
Upon returning home to California from Fiji in early November, I experienced both culture shock and climate shock. Stepping out of the airport and feeling 60-degree air on my face felt like being in the Arctic and I found myself shivering for the first several days. It felt strange to have my body covered and …
With SV Sierra Wind on the stands in the boat yard and Eitan back in the US, I found myself alone onboard for the first time in 250 days. My flight home wasn’t scheduled for another two weeks so I began to settle into my new home at Vuda Marina. The boat was positioned at …
After one month of cruising the Fijian islands, it was time to head to the main island and get the boat ready to be stored for the cyclone season, which extends from November through April/May. We sailed to Fiji’s largest island of Viti Levu and dropped anchor for the night near Denarau Marina. We perused …
After a social week in the Blue Lagoon, Eitan and I were looking forward to having some time alone and headed for a couple of islands off the tourist track: Vanua Levu and Nevadra. These islands are considered to be the birthplace of Fijian culture and are called The Sacred Islands These islands are completely …
After spending a few days catching up with our friends on SV Sauce-Sea, we headed a little farther north in the Yasawa Islands to meet up with even more friends at a place called the Blue Lagoon, named after the movie. As we approached the bay, I was surprised to see around 40 boats already …
After a few days in Savusavu, we were provisioned and ready to explore Fiji for the next month before hauling out and getting the boat stored for cyclone season. With only a few weeks left, we needed to decide between seeing Fiji’s famously colorful corals at a dive site called Rainbow Reef near Taveuni to …
After a week in Wallis and Futuna, we set off on our final overnight passage to our last destination for the year: Fiji! The first 24 hours of the trip were pretty standard, experiencing 15-20 knots, and the swell wasn’t too uncomfortable. Eitan relieved me from my watch at 6 am and I fell into …
After an excellent week enjoying the hospitality and super cheap prices in Western Samoa, Eitan and I set off on the two-day passage to Wallis and Futuna. Wallis and Futuna is a small, French territory comprised three islands: Wallis, Futuna, and Alofi. Alofi is primarily uninhabited and not included in the country’s name. It was …
With our lovely week in American Samoa behind us, Eitan and I left Pago Pago and I was relieved to find the conditions outside the harbor were much calmer than when we arrived. After completing the 6-day passage to American Samoa, the remaining legs to get to Fiji were limited to only one or two …
After a “sporty” entrance into American Samoa, we woke up to another windy day in Pago Pago (pronounced Pungo Pungo). Because of COVID, American Samoa is still relatively closed to travel and any international travel needs to be made through the adjacent nation of Western Samoa. To get James back to New Zealand, he needed …
After a rollie week in Rarotonga, we picked up our new crew member, James, and set sail on our 6-day passage to American Samoa. Since the passage to Rarotonga was so horribly uncomfortable, I had a lot of anxiety about embarking on another passage that would be twice as long. I was relieved to find …
After a very uncomfortable and wet 400-mile passage, we were finally tied to the dock at the harbor in Rarotonga and ready to get some rest. After having such a rollie passage, the movement from the ever-present surge was almost undetectable and we fell fast asleep, waking the next day in a beautiful new country. …
After two weeks of pure bliss in Maupihaa, we finally had a small weather window with lighter winds for the sail to Rarotonga, in the Cook Islands. Eitan had been checking the weather every day, hoping for a break but it looked like the wind would only lighten up for a bit, then pick back …
Our first week in Maupihaa felt like a true vacation from it all. Since all of our boat projects were done and there was absolutely no cell service, my days became filled with all of my favorite things. I took long walks on the beach, snorkeled or paddle boarded, set up a hammock between two …
Our first day in Maupihaa was a cruiser’s dream, filled with baby shark paddle boarding, an incredible snorkel through the atoll pass, and ending with a beach bonfire and roasted marshmallows. I couldn’t have asked for a better day and was excited to see the rest of the island. Like the Tuamotus, Maupihaa is an …
After a week of being stuck in Maupiti while waiting out a severe swell event that had come up from the south, we were finally ready to head to our final island in French Polynesia, Maupihaa. We prepared to depart by securing everything inside and tightening down the hatches. It was going to be a …
After spending two weeks in Bora Bora, Eitan officially checked us out of the country and we were ready to keep heading west. Since Bora Bora is the last island on our sailing adventure through French Polynesia with a customs and immigration office, we were able to plan stops at the leeward islands of Maupiti …
We spent two weeks in Bora Bora with our new crew member Evan onboard, waiting for Eitan’s friends to arrive on their honeymoon and bring us more goodies from the US. In the meantime, we meandered from mooring field to mooring field to explore both above and below the water. We spent a few nights …
With just a couple of days left on our visas, Eitan and I headed to Bora Bora to begin the checkout process for French Polynesia and pick up our new crew member, Evan. I met Evan and his wife Stephanie through Instagram a couple of years ago. Like me, they’re both civil engineers from northern …
Four hours after departing Huahine, we arrived in Raiatea, another day, another beautiful green island! Raiatea is a little different from most of the other Society Islands because it serves as the base for the yacht charter companies that operate in this island group and has more boat services available. For the first time since …
After three nights on Moorea, Eitan took his friend Roslin to shore to continue her vacation on land and we set sail for the next island: Huahine. The trip lasted all day and into the night with Eitan and me taking turns standing watch. It had been months since we left Mexico and this was …
After a week of creature comforts in Tahiti, we had only two weeks left to see the rest of the Society Islands before our visas ran out. In anticipation of leaving the marina, I stocked up on fresh provisions and was busy organizing the pantry when I accidentally knocked over a jar of pasta sauce. …
After arriving in Tahiti and saying goodbye to Martin and Simone, Eitan and I walked to the marina office to finish the check-in process. We knew we would be in Tahiti for at least 5 nights before Eitan’s friend was scheduled to arrive for a short visit. Knowing how easy it is to get lured …
After 6 weeks in the Tuamotus, we only had 3 weeks left on our visas in French Polynesia and still had one more archipelago to explore, the Society Islands, which includes the more recognized islands of Tahiti and Bora Bora. We pulled the lines off of the mooring ball, raised the sails and headed west …
We departed Fakarava and headed to our final atoll in the Tuamotus: Toau. It was a rollie trip, but not too far at less than 20 miles. When we arrived I was thankful to find a free mooring ball, hoping my days of diving to free the anchor were over. After seeing a trimaran washed …
After a few days on the mooring ball near the southern pass of Fakarava and diving the Wall of Sharks, we headed easterly along the southern rim of the atoll to an anchorage called Harifa Bay. It was an easy sail and we got there a few hours later but were saddened to find about …
After settling into our new home in Fakarava, I took Martin and Simone to shore to make some arrangements for SCUBA diving. Before they joined us on SV Sierra Wind they had gotten their dive master certifications and Fakarava was a bucket list dive for them. Since we only have gear onboard for two people …
We woke up at first light at our anchorage in the Tahanea Atoll, pulled the anchor, and were on our way. I was on bow navigation looking out for bommies as we crossed the atoll to the pass, but they are much harder to see when the sun is low in the sky in the …
We departed Katiu during the afternoon slack tide and took 4-hour, 2-person shifts throughout the day and into the night, arriving at Tahanea around midnight. Normally, it is best to enter an atoll during the day but since Tahanea was well charted, Eitan felt comfortable arriving at night. Upon arrival, we dropped anchor and fell …
After picking up groceries and fuel in the main town on Katiu, we headed out to a less populated part of the island. Since few, if any, cruisers go to this atoll, there weren’t any recommendations on anchorages or places to go. Eitan used some satellite imagery to pick out a couple of potential locations …
Our last morning in Makemo was an early one as we prepared to depart. I jumped in the water to help retrieve the anchors and prevent them from wrapping on any rocks or coral as they were pulled in. Ideally, we would exit the Makemo pass at the slack tide, but since our window to …
After a great couple of days at our first atoll, Raroia, we were excited and ready to see more of the Tuamotu islands. It is critically important plan the pass entry and exit with the tide and resulting current. All departures and arrivals need to be carefully planned. There are only four slack tides (periods …
After our first couple of days in paradise at Raroia, I began feeling overwhelmed with how to capture my time here. This place was so beautiful. How could I do it any justice? I became increasingly frustrated when I compared my pictures to those our crew member, Simone, would post from the same locations. We …
After our four-day passage from the Marquesas to the Tuamotus, we arrived at the Raroia Atoll just after sunrise and dropped the anchor. We heard from other cruisers that it was vital to learn the art of “floating” the anchor chain. If we wanted to make it through the Tuamotus safely, without our anchor rode …
As I write this, I am sitting at a marina in Fiji and October 2022 is almost over. SV Sierra Wind is on the hard and anchored down for the South Pacific tropical cyclone season, which usually extends into April. Eitan returned to California a few days ago to go back to work and I’ll …
After 5 weeks in the Marquesas, we were finally heading to the next island ground in French Polynesia, a group of atolls that comprise the Tuamotu Archipelago. At just over 400 miles, the trip was estimated to take about 4 days, which seemed like chump change compared to the 25-day trip across the Pacific. Normally …
A few hours after leaving Tahuata, we arrived in Atuona, the main town of Hiva Oa. The bay is southeast facing and the anchorage is protected behind a breakwater, but a bit separated from town. The anchorage was quite crowded and a handful of other boats formed a wagon wheel around a large, central buoy …
We awoke at 4AM to make the voyage from Ua Pou to Tahuata, pulling all three anchors, hoisting the dinghy, and were underway by 5am. Just a few moments out of the breakwater it was clear this was going to be a wet and bumpy ride. Since we would be motoring for at least 16 …
It was a bumpy and wet upwind ride east to the next bay, but once again, we needed Wi-Fi to check weather and figure out when and where to go next. Despite being the main town on Ua Pou, the anchorage at Hakahau Bay was tiny and hardly able to accommodate the half dozen boats …
After almost two weeks in Nuku Hiva we had finally made it to our second island in the Marquesas, Ua Pou. The first two bays we visited were on the western leeward side of the island, protected from the swell brought by the trade winds. Despite being comfortable flat anchorages, both bays had steep, rocky …
After a wet and salty ride from Daniels Bay, we arrived back in the main anchorage at Taiohae. We dropped the anchor and headed into town for Wi-Fi access to source a new outboard propellor and check the weather for the coming days. We had already been on Nuku Hiva for over a week and …
Once we left Taiohae and arrived in Daniels Bay, it felt like we were officially back into cruising mode. In true cruiser fashion, Eitan put out a call on the radio to invite anyone interested in meeting up for some sundowner drinks to be at the beach at sunset. We were joined by a few …
After making landfall, cleaning the boat, provisioning, and catching up with friends on SV Kismet, SV Bula, and SV Sky Pond, it was time to do a little exploring. We had heard from our buddy boats that renting a car was a worthwhile experience to see the island and various types of landscapes the changes …
After our first full night of sleeping while at anchor, it was time to get to work. I started deep cleaning the interior while Martin and Simone scrubbed the hull, removing the marine growth from below the water line and stains and scum from above. Eitan headed to shore to drop off laundry, grab SIM …
After 25 days at sea, we finally arrived in Nuku Hiva. The anchorage was pretty congested with about 50 boats already at anchor throughout the bay. The surrounding landscape was nothing like I had imagined. Since Nuku Hiva is the largest island in the Marquesas, I imagined the town of the main anchorage to be …
By Day 24 we had less than 300 miles left to go and it felt like we were approaching the finish line. Making 100 miles a day seemed doable given the forecast, so we expected to make landfall within a few days. Since we ran out of fuel in the main tank back in the …
Now having been three weeks at sea, and after running out of fuel in the main tank, followed by 16 hours of bobbing around in the doldrums, we finally got the wind we were praying for. On Day 22 we found ourselves with a sustained 20 knots of wind and a building swell on the …
After weeks of watching the latitude dropping towards 0-degrees, it was strange to see the numbers going back up again, but in the southern direction. We were officially across the equator and heading into the southern hemisphere, one degree at a time. Despite being right on the equator, the temperatures constantly surprised me. I expected …
After two weeks of uncomfortable conditions, we had finally entered the doldrums and were motoring our way through the notorious windless dead patch that borders the equator. With less wind came calmer conditions which were very much welcome. Not the totally flat seas I was hoping for, but a great improvement from the conditions we …
With a week of the crossing behind us, the days past with each moment feeling like an eternity of sailing purgatory through the uncomfortable conditions. With a 5-mile visual radius, the scenery didn’t change much from day to day, just an endless waterline on the 360° horizon. Even though we were in the middle of …
By Day 4 of the crossing, we transitioned to our 3-hour on, 9-hour off schedule and began settling into a life of constant movement. As Eitan had predicted, traveling west with the wind coming from the north put us sideways to the well and caused us to roll back and forth. I sent a satellite …
After a nearly sleepless, anxiety filled night, I awoke on the morning of our planned departure for the Pacific Ocean crossing to the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia. Of any circumnavigation, this is the longest passage between land at approximately 3,000 miles. We stayed up until 1 AM the night before, organizing and storing all …
After the week in the Bahamas and a day long layover in Houston, Eitan and I returned back to SV Sierra Wind in Puerto Vallarta to prepare for the longest ocean crossing in the world without intermediate landfall options. While we were in the Bahamas, our new crew stayed onboard, getting used to boat life. …
After my trip to Belize, I had a few weeks at home to celebrate my 33rd birthday, see friends and family, and catch up on my blog. Unfortunately, I caught COVID on my way back to California and spent almost my first two weeks at home, including my birthday, either recovering or in quarantine until …
Despite my COVID scare in San Ignacio, I had no other reason to believe I may have contracted it. I was feeling fine and healthy but made a mental promise to be safe, sanitize, and wear a mask. I said goodbye to all the new friends I had made and headed down to the bus …
As I was approaching the end of my travels in Belize, I decided to slow down and spend 4 nights in San Ignacio. Initially, I wanted to try and fit in a trip to the Tikal Mayan ruins in Guatemala, but the land border crossings in Belize were a bit of a pain. They require …
After a strange couple of days on the boat, I woke up in Hopkins, ready to explore the Belize mainland for the next week. I got up to make some tea and was greeted by a few of my friends that I had previously met on Caye Caulker: SP, Colin, and Luiana. Luiana mentioned they …
After a bumpy end to 2021, I slept surprisingly well with the help of an Ambien and woke up in my tent on Rendezvous Caye to a beautiful morning. We had breakfast on the island and got to packing up our tents. After losing an entire day of snorkeling the day before, the crew promised …
Sorry in advance for this ridiculously long story, but let’s dive into my horrible end to 2021 which was on par with, if not worse than, contracting norovirus last New Year’s Eve in La Cruz. After arriving back from the full-day snorkel trip with Raggamuffin, I stopped by the tour office to get briefed on …
After an incredible 4 nights at Itza Resort and 8 amazing dives, it was time to continue and explore the rest of Belize. After a two-hour, windy boat ride from the island, I arrived back in Belize City and caught a ferry to Caye Caulker. Most people, when they visit Belize, either stay on Caye …
My first full day at Itza Resort on the Lighthouse Reef Atoll in Belize was incredible and I still had two more days of diving to go. I had a hard time sleeping and was a bit nervous the night before diving The Great Blue Hole, mostly because of how deep we would descend. Being …
After two weeks of exploring the Yucatan Peninsula with Eitan and his family, I was headed next door to Belize. Eitan dropped me off at the bus station in Playa del Carmen and I took the bus to the Cancun airport. I would be flying the Belizean airline Tropic Air which flies out of the …
After my diving experience in Tulum during the week before Eitan’s arrival with his parents, Eitan was cautiously looking forward to doing a couple of cenote dives with me, and I was incredibly excited to show him this new world. As I’m sure that anyone who has been reading this blog over the past year …
After a couple of days in Valladolid and a week in the Yucatan Peninsula, it was finally time to meet up with Eitan and his parents in Playa del Carmen. After a two-hour bus ride, I arrived at the station then took a taxi to the Airbnb. I had already met Eitan’s parents after they …
After recovering from the stomach flu in Bacalar, I was ready to move on to a new city, so I hopped on the bus to Valladolid, located in the middle of the Yucatan Peninsula. It took a couple of hours to get there and make my way to the hostel. After checking in, I decided …
On my last morning in Tulum, I woke up feeling quite hungover. Although I wasn’t planning on going out the night before, I was coaxed into it by some of my new hostel friends and was now regretting the free tequila shots at the bar. I ate breakfast then went back to sleep for a …
After a chaotic and fun night out in Tulum, I woke up feeling surprisingly well and headed down to grab some free breakfast. The hostel’s name is Mama’s House because there is a woman that comes every morning and evening to cook a home-style breakfast and dinner for everyone. So, staying here and eating a …
With SV Sierra Wind safely tucked away in a slip at the marina, Eitan and I packed our bags, preparing to be off the boat for two to three months. Eitan’s parents booked an Airbnb in Playa del Carmen for the holidays and I had a little over a week before I would need to …
Despite having just splashed S/V Sierra Wind in September, it seems she was going to be back on the hard again very soon. While we were away for the summer, Eitan had contracted Marina Puerto Escondido to redo the boat’s bottom paint. Once back in the water and after a couple of routine bottom cleanings, …
Eitan’s friends were due to arrive in a few days, so we pulled anchor and started heading south from Bahia Concepcion. We made a couple of nice stops along the way. The first was at an anchorage called San Juanico, which is a beautiful bay hosting a few other cruisers and a handful of car …
After crossing the Sea of Cortez for the fourth time, we were back in Baja, at the northern mouth of Bahia Concepcion. We planned to spend a week or so in the bay exploring the area since it had been way too hot for us when we were here in September. Just as we were …
Since we left San Diego and started cruising in Mexico a year ago, Eitan and I decided our favorite places had been along the eastern shore of the Baja peninsula, from Bahia Conception to La Paz. We decided we wanted to spend November and December enjoying more time in these areas before the new year …
66. Another Uncomfortable Sea of Cortez Crossing Read More »
While in San Carlos we had a special guest come to visit, S/V Sierra Wind’s previous owner, Jim. One afternoon, we heard a small plane buzzing overhead and didn’t think much of it until I realized there are no airports nearby. Jim had flown his private plane down from Los Angeles and agreed to deliver …
I arrived back from Mexico City and Eitan from California after our week apart and were ready to get back onboard. Eitan worked to install the first solar panel with the new welding modifications to the davit while I unpacked and began taking inventory of galley supplies and preparing a list for reprovisioning. Our second …
Being in Mexico City for Dia de los Muertos and Halloween also meant it was my one-year anniversary since hopping aboard S/V Sierra Wind in San Diego on October 31, 2020. It’s been interesting for me to read back through some of my earlier blog posts, reflecting on my early expectations of this adventure and …
After touring the Teotihuacan pyramids, we arrived back in Mexico City by the afternoon. Some of the group decided to go try a local drink called pulque, which is a slimy, slightly alcoholic drink made of fermented agave. It comes in a variety of flavors, so I tried a couple different types and settled on …
One of Eitan’s close friends was getting married at the end of October and there would be a week of downtime on the boat with him gone. It didn’t seem like enough time to fly home and Guaymas didn’t offer much in the way of tourism activities, so I decided to fly to Mexico City …
We were only in San Carlos for a couple of days before having to heading to Guaymas to put the boat in a marina and catch some flights. The distance between the two towns is only about 15 miles, but Eitan wanted to split it up and stop for the night at a bay between …
We were finally back to mainland Mexico and heading south toward San Carlos. Although Eitan had planned a couple weeks for us to get from Bahia de los Angeles to San Carlos/Guaymas, there seemed to be a lack of decent anchorages with protection from northerly and westerly swells along the route. The land on this …
After our mildly stressful departure from Isla Salsepuedes, we headed east across the Sea of Cortez to a much larger island off the mainland called Isla Tiburon. I was thankful that it turned out to be a relatively calm day and we motored for most of the trip, only sailing for the last couple of …
After swimming with the whale shark in Bahia de los Angeles, it seemed our only bucket list item for here had been checked off. And, believe it or not, it was actually starting to get cold. We couldn’t believe it, considering that just a couple of weeks ago we were debating putting the boat back …
After bailing on the plans to find whale sharks in La Gringa, we turned to head back south to an anchorage called Pescador. Despite having 25 knots of wind on the nose while heading to La Gringa, the winds quickly calmed down to 6 knots the farther south we got. In Bahia de Los Angeles, …
After a late night move to anchor in the much calmer Don Juan cove, we woke up to serene conditions once again. While we were excited to see the anchor lights of a couple boats in the anchorage when we arrived in the middle of the night, we were disappointed to wake up to an …
After our sleepless night of the Chubasco, Eitan was exhausted. But, after seeing our first whale shark, I was keen on getting to Bahia de Los Angeles ASAP and agreed to spend most of the day at the helm as we headed north, so Eitan could get some much-needed rest. It seemed the wind from …
After a week or so exploring the area north of Loreto, Eitan and I were back in civilization at Marina Santa Rosalia. We needed to do a little provisioning, but most importantly, Eitan needed to find the right parts and fittings to be able to install the new water maker. As we pulled in, we …
Eitan and I continued to travel north from Loreto toward Bahia de Los Angeles in an attempt to escape the incessant heat. We decided to pull into Bahia Concepcion for a couple of nights, since some of the reviews of the anchorages mentioned whale shark sightings, which I was keen to experience myself. With some …
After our week-long charter with Eitan’s parents, it was time to turn our attention back to S/V Sierra Wind and get her back in the water. Eitan scheduled the splash for the next day and luckily the charter company let us stay on the catamaran with air conditioning for another night. Although the boat was …
After leaving New England, Eitan and I headed back to California for a couple weeks to recoup before going back to Mexico. Eitan stayed in San Diego to work, while I headed back to northern California to see family and friends and get caught up on my routine doctor and dental appointments. The time flew …
After 3 months on the east coast, Eitan and I were finally cruising New England! As ignorant as it sounds, I was surprised to learn that New England wasn’t actually a state but a region comprising multiple states including Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine. Eitan and I were waiting out the …
After a week of day sailing, we departed Westport to meet the charter family in Newport in a couple days. We departed the marina in the morning and made our way along the Long Island Sound with plans of anchoring overnight at Block Island, Rhode Island. Having heard so many good things about Block Island, …
As Eitan and I pulled into the marina at Westport, Connecticut, the delivery from Annapolis was officially complete and the charter had begun. The first order of business was to finish the shoddy cleaning job performed in Annapolis and prepare the boat for the charter guests. Eitan and I were busy trying to complete the …
Waking up to an overcast sky, I sipped my morning tea as I gazed at a cloud covered view of Manhattan. Since we needed to plan our departure around the tides, we weren’t planning to get underway until the afternoon, so Eitan took advantage of the downtime to sleep in. I enjoyed the lazy start …
Having spent the night in the New Jersey Intercoastal Waterway, we woke the next morning and continued motoring north, since what little wind we had was coming from the direction we were headed. I took pictures as we passed Seaside Heights, the infamous filming location for the show “The Jersey Shore”, while Eitan looked at …
After the weekend in Philly, Eitan and I returned to the motor yacht to grab our belongings and officially move off of the boat. But where to next? Once we decided we would leave the yacht after our three-month trial period, Eitan serendipitously received a call from a former charter client with a timely proposal. …
With three weeks on the dock in Annapolis, I began looking at a map to see which nearby cities we could easily transit to for a weekend getaway. Washington DC was just 30 miles away and I’d heard there was a cheap bus that runs there. So, I booked us an inexpensive hotel close to …
Upon arriving in Annapolis on the 4th of July, it seemed that this would be our final destination on the motor yacht. After a couple days at anchor next to the US Naval Academy, we made our way into the Chesapeake Harbor Marina, which is located a little outside of the main city area. Although …
After two months working on the motor yacht, Eitan and I began talking about our plans for the future. Our contracts did not technically have an end date but they included a three-month trial period, which meant we needed to decide if we were leaving in a few weeks or staying on for the long …
Once we passed above the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, we were officially out of the Atlantic Ocean. Although the owners had previously decided to spend the 4th of July in Washington DC, doing so would add a week to the trip by taking several days to go up the Potomac River to Washington DC (given …
Cape Lookout is a hook-shaped bay bordered by an endless stretch of beach whose skyline is only interrupted by a black and white painted lighthouse. Upon anchoring, we were greeted by water clear enough to jump in, which was a huge relief given the heat and humidity of the afternoon. Eitan and I launched the …
After a few stormy days in Charleston, South Carolina, we finally got some nice weather and blue skies to do some sightseeing around the city. Walking to the French Quarter took about 30 minutes from the marina, so Eitan and I followed a path suggested by some self-guided walking tours to see some famous sites …
After our two nights anchored at Cumberland Island, it was time to keep heading north towards New England. We did one short hop up to Jekyll Island, where we spent one night and were, once again, hit with another thunderstorm, luckily a smaller one this time. The next day was an early morning start up …
With the anchor down and boat washed off, we were officially ready to explore Cumberland Island! Just kidding… I should say that the owners were ready to explore Cumberland Island and Eitan and I marched on with our duties as crew. I had a ping of envy while I watched Eitan drop the owners off …
After 6 weeks on the dock in Jupiter, M/Y Puffin Quest was finally ready for her maiden voyage. The day before, Eitan and I did one last wash down of the boat while the owners did a final Costco run before selling their car. Luckily, the high tide the next morning was at 9 am, …
Over the six or so weeks that Eitan and I spent working on Puffin Quest while docked in Jupiter, Florida, we did manage to get away for a couple weekends. Eitan got his private pilot license last year, before leaving for Mexico, and was eager to get some more hours under his belt while we …
The first few weeks onboard M/Y Puffin Quest flew by as we got into a daily routine while at the dock in Jupiter. Eitan was busy learning the boat’s mechanical equipment and systems and organizing the engine room and lazarette while I spent most of my time cleaning the interior and exterior of the boat. …
With SV Sierra Wind safely on the hard in Puerto Escondido, we departed for Florida. After flying from Loreto to Phoenix, a long layover, then a redeye flight from Phoenix to Miami, we finally touched down in the Sunshine State. We arrived at 6 am and had to lug our heavy bags a substantial distance …
With only a couple of jerrycans of water left from Agua Verde, we needed to fill up our water tank and fuel tank in order to enjoy our last week at sea before hauling the boat out. We pulled into Marina Puerto Escondido for about an hour to fill up with water and fuel, give …
After searching for the drone in the freezing water for another 30 minutes the following day, we left Punta San Telmo, drone-less. We had about a 3-hour sail to the next town, Agua Verde. Although we were hugging the coast, the wind turned out to be extremely variable, ranging from 2 to 20 knots in …
We departed Santa Barista and headed north to an anchorage known as Bahia El Gato or El Toro, depending on which bay you ended up in. Once we dropped anchor we looked up to take in the beautiful landscape. And just like one of the reviews had described, it was just like Zion National Park. …
After two nights at anchor in Isla Partida, we continued north to Isla San Jose. The island was stunning with more turquoise waters, mangrove estuaries, sandy shoals, and a thick cactus forest with dramatic hills for a backdrop. After checking the date, I realized it had officially been 6 months since my last day at …
We arrived in Mazatlán in the early evening after three perfect days of sailing. As we pulled into the old harbor area, we were greeted by a familiar aroma that I hadn’t smelled since working in Los Angeles: the unmistakable fragrance of a wastewater treatment plant. The anchorage is located right next to the treatment …
After an amazing week relaxing and socializing in Paradise Village Marina, we once again had places to be and flights to catch. The owner of the new boat that we’re moving onto had booked our flights to leave from Loreto in about 4 weeks, meaning we needed to cover about 1,000 nautical miles and cross …
Marleen was on her way to join up with SV Volare and Eitan and I were on our way back into Banderas Bay. Eitan decided we needed a couple more small modifications to the steering system and a few more parts fabricated before leaving the Puerto Vallarta area, so having spent a week in the …
After almost a week in Tenacatita, and nearly recovered from the tequila tasting, it was time to keep heading north since there was to be a break in the northerly winds. Our first stop was in Playa Rosa, a small bay in front of a luxury resort. Having been kicked out of several beach clubs …
With anchorage in La Manzanilla being unprotected from the northerly swell, we decided to cut across the bay to Tenacatita. We had visited the anchorage once before with the German couple and found it to be much less crowded than before, with only about 10 boats at anchor. Being such a popular spot for cruisers, …
While we were still in Manzanillo, I received a Facebook message from a girl named Marleen. She was several weeks late in replying to my Facebook advertisement looking for crew to cross the Pacific. She decided to send me a message anyway, since she was already in Mexico, on the off chance that we hadn’t …
After our late-night arrival in Manzanillo, Eitan and I got some much-needed sleep. After waking, we went to shore to dropped off our laundry and then started on a new and different kind of boat project: creating a YouTube channel called “Safety 4 Cruisers”. With Eitan being so safety obsessed and bringing a unique perspective …
With Philipp and Jessica (the German couple) having departed, it was back to just Eitan and me on SV Sierra Wind. We spent the day motoring up the coast to Caleta de Campos, which reminded me of the coast of Northern California, with houses on steep cliffs and rocks rising out of the sea. Apart …
Finally hearing back from American Samoa, they confirmed Eitan’s suspicions that they were closed to inbound pleasure vessels, meaning we had nowhere to go after French Polynesia. This was a huge disappointment and officially ended our plans of crossing the Pacific Ocean this year. While this news was a real bummer for the entire crew, …
Once we were settled in at the marina in Ixtapa, Eitan and I flew back to California for a week to visit our families one last time before leaving to cross the pacific. Unfortunately, my time at home was primarily spent resting on the couch as I fell ill almost immediately after arriving. After some …
Leaving Banderas Bay, we began heading south along the western coast of Mexico towards Zihuantanejo. With the new couple onboard, we were ready to cross the Pacific Ocean once the right weather window presented itself. Because French Polynesia closed to tourism, Eitan had to file special paperwork for a provisional exemption to allow for the …
Eitan and I headed back to our favorite croc-filled marina to pick up our two new crew members! Phillip (35) and Jessica (33) are a couple from Germany who had been sailing on a friend’s boat in La Paz. Since their previous boat changed plans and were no longer crossing the Pacific, they were still …
With Connor and Abbey leaving the boat, it was down to just Eitan and me, and we were stuck at the Puerto Vallarta marina until we finished the hydraulic steering conversion. Unfortunately, filling the hoses with hydraulic oil was not as easy and straight forward as Eitan had expected. Since SV Sierra Wind has a …
Slowly recovering from our bouts of Norovirus, we (and by we, I mean Eitan) decided the boat work must go on! We needed to modify the existing binnacle, where the wheel attaches to the helm, to accommodate the future hydraulic steering system. Since La Cruz is on the outskirts of the Puerto Vallarta area, the …
We arrived at Marina Riviera Nayarit in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, or La Cruz for short, on December 22, 2020, and Eitan was scheduled to fly back to California the next day. Given the cost of the trip thus far, Eitan decided to fly back to San Diego for Christmas and New Year to pick …
The next morning we pulled anchor and headed on our way to San Blas. We arrived about an hour before sunset and pulled into the shallow channel with caution since it was shallow enough to run aground in certain areas and it was not well marked or mapped. We anchored and headed into town, but …
After our 60-hour passage from La Paz, we arrived in Isla Isabella just as the sun was rising. Isla Isabella is a national park and refuge for sea birds. The birds circle the island and give it the strong organic aroma of guano. The landscape is a lush green compared to the desert of Baja …
With our much-awaited package in hand, we prepared to depart that night for the 60-hour passage across the Sea of Cortez. Given the current weather window, Eitan wanted to leave right away because we would only have wind for about the first half of the trip. We departed La Paz around 8 pm that night. …
We arrived back in La Paz on December 10, 2020. Just as we entered the long approach to the marina, the autopilot bolt sheared off again while I was at the helm, just as before. Luckily, hand steering with minimal wind, swell, and current made for a much less stressful situation this time around. Arriving …
We provisioned fresh goods and took off from La Paz and back to Espiritu Santo. After a few hours of motor sailing, we arrived in time to see the moon rise in a new bay with boat buddies SV Atalaya and SV Solamar. The following morning, we woke up to SV Atalaya calling us on …
We arrived in La Paz and began the normal marina routine of collecting trash, cleaning the boat inside-out and topping off the water tank. Luckily, at Marina de La Paz, we can rent a dock slip for a few hours to clean the boat and avoid paying the full daily fee. Once the boat was …
Los Friles was historically a fishing town turned marine reserve where there has been a lot of work to restore the reef in an attempt to attract tourism. Their efforts seem to be working as we experienced a variety of fish and sea life while snorkeling. Eitan and I teamed up with SV Kismet, also …
We spent a few nights anchored in Cabo amongst the other sailboats and superyachts. To be honest, I’m not really sure how many nights and realize it’s easy to lose track of time with this lifestyle. I find it almost impossible to remember the days of the week and find it such a contrast to …
The next day in Bahia Santa Maria, we got ready to pull the anchor for the short sail into Bahia Magdalena, just next door. Eitan called us to standby as he discovered one of the steering cables connecting the steering wheel to the rudder was frayed and the rudder position was no longer registering with …
After our two nights in Bahia Tortugas, it was time to set sail south for another 48-hour passage to Bahia Magdalena. Although I had a few days of sailing under my belt, I could not shake the stress of the constant sailing and new environment. While I was working, I invested a lot of time …
On October 31st we moved onto the boat and at 5:00 am the next morning we cast off the dock lines and set sail for Ensenada, Mexico. Unfortunately, instead of setting sail we just motored for 8 hours but it gave us the opportunity to start the safety briefings and discuss the ground rules and …
So, I quit my job… now what? I had about two weeks between my last day at work and my first day at sea. This time was spent on my long to-do list and saying goodbyes to friends and family. Needless to say, the two weeks went by fast and on October 31 my dad …
