September 17, 2014   La Cruz

Is there anyone out there?

Over the last year I asked myself that question many times as I worked on our blog drafts, as Jim and I picked the best pictures and as I posted our end results.  This summer has confirmed that – YES – there is indeed someone out there!  Many someone’s in fact.  When we returned to Victoria we reconnected with many old friends and acquaintances and have received a surprising amount of positive feedback about our blog “Horizon Fever”.  Thank you!

Year one of our journey is over and we will soon start cruising in Mexico for another season. Today I’m giving you a quick synopsis of our lives since mooring Falcon VII in La Cruz de Huanacaxtle last May at a safe and secure marina.

#1 – participating in the 3rd Annual Umbrella Sailing Competition on Summer Solstice, June 21.  A competitive pack of five intrepid individuals paddled to the start line to begin a grueling course around the marina.  With a gentle wind behind me I came in second, thanks to a little help from my friends who towed me towards the finish line when my paddleboard wanted to aim for the breakwater.

#2 – Visiting a spay and neutering clinic put on by volunteers.  The cruising community try to give back to La Cruz 2 - 3 times a year by raising funds and organizing spay and neutering clinics.  I only had time to stop by to see how it was going in late June.  Locals were invited to make a free appointment for their pet.  Over 130 dogs and cats were spayed and neutered over four long days.  Two vets did the actual operations while their trained assistant worked with dozens of volunteers to ensure the ‘patients’ recovered comfortably.  This clinic ensured that hundreds of uncared for dogs and cats were not born.

Nurse Dawn (S/V Destiny) in "Recovery Ward"

 #3- Jim’s Birthday.   We celebrated Jim’s birthday on July 7 with 18 friends at Oso’s Oyster Bar and Grill dining on a great selection of Mexican dishes, consuming sumptuous glasses wine and tasty margaritas but the fun didn’t end there. We also spent two nights over his birthday at a local retreat named “Simply Baku” where we enjoyed the finer things in life.

This was the shower!  All hand done!!

With the lights on...

With the lights off!  Now what is it!!!

#4 – Reconnecting with friends and family in Victoria.   On July 8 we flew home to Victoria where a multitude of locals made sure we weren’t homeless or carless!  Our sincere thanks to all those who helped us out.  Some lent cars, others gave us a comfy bed and cool summer meals.  We so enjoyed the homes we housesat and stayed in, getting to know new neighbourhoods and seeing Victoria and Vancouver Island with fresh eyes.  Jim and a few of my girlfriends threw me an early 60th birthday party too, which was a special to me and one I will long remember.

Our old house at Gonzales Bay in Victoria

The view from our old house overlooking Juan de Fuca Strait

Jim and John Bowles, one of our many hosts and one of my oldest friends.

Connie and Peter's home in the country where we house sat for 12 days.

Queen of the Night - it only blooms once for 24 hours....

We missed the evening bloom but saw it in the morning!

Victoria - taken from Kathy and Tony Silver's balcony

Sidney looking towards Mount Baker in Washington State

A small vineyard in Central Saanich near Connie and Peter's house

View from our suite at Debbie and Rudy Vermanings

Celebrating an early 60th birthday with my girlfriends
L to R: Deb V, Karin, Deb T, Deb B, Pam, Linda and Auralie

 #5 – Spending time with my Mom.  A main part of our trip back to Victoria was so I could spend lots of time with Mom.  I saw her loads each week and talked with her most days.  Her positive attitude and sense of humour have not diminished and nor has her spunk!  She turned 89 on August 27 and five of us took her out for a celebratory lunch complete with moist, rich chocolate cake!

The girls taking Mom (Olive) out for her 89th birthday lunch

#6 – Hanging out in Ladysmith.  We were at Jim’s brother Peter and Kathleen’s home in Ladysmith for 12 glorious days.  Ladysmith is about 1.5 hours north of Victoria and their house overlooked a small cove across a narrow inlet from town.  When I wasn’t commuting to see Mom we spent hours lounging on the south facing deck and watching hummingbirds dip their beaks into the feeders to sip the sugar water.

View of Ladysmith taken from Peter and Kathleen's home

Jim getting into some sketching while hanging out in Ladysmith

Musical jam session at Peter and Kathleen's home

#7 – Visiting Pender Harbour on the Sunshine Coast. We met up with Rob and Debra (S/V Avant) in Vancouver just after Labour Day, ferried to Gibsons and drove through small coastal communities and enormous forests to reach the picturesque protected waters of Pender Harbour.  Six of us rendezvoused with Doug and Martha Towle (S/V Thea) at their beautiful home.  Their gracious hospitality had us feeling like royalty!  We ate enormous meals lovingly prepared by Martha then burned off calories hiking to Skookumchuk Rapids where skilled kayakers and even a paddle boarder rode the enormous rapids, some with success and others giving it a darn good try.

Doug and Martha, Jim and Tricia, Debra and Rob in Pender Harbor

Doug and Martha's home - big enough for the whole family to visit!

View from Doug and Martha's home, Pender Harbour

Skookumchuck Narrows where there is a standing wave when current flows

River and ocean kayaks tried their luck as well as a paddle boarder.

#8 – Spending time with our son, Brendan and his wife, Char.  Though short, it was great to spend a couple of days with ‘the kids’ before returning to La Cruz on September 9th.  We had hope they’ll be able to join us in Mexico this winter for a short vacation but they’re heading for California.

Char, Mom and Brendan when they came to Victoria for a visit

#9 – Thanking the wind gods that Hurricane Odile passed by Banderas Bay on September 14.  This catastrophic hurricane missed us but turned towards the Baja Peninsula, causing major damage to resort towns such as Cabo San Lucas and smaller coastal communities on the Pacific side like Magdeline Bay and Turtle Bay.  Last winter we loved cruising in the Sea of Cortez to the east of the Baja Peninsula and have been following reports on the internet.  La Paz also received a devastating direct hit knocking out power, communications and water to thousands and doing an enormous amount of structural damage.  We can only hope that the tiny villages inside the Sea of Cortez survived with no loss of life though we feel certain their tin shacks and cinderblock structures were utterly destroyed.   Our hearts go out to those unlucky soles who were impacted by this unprecedented Category 3 hurricane.

Hurricane Odile heading for Baja Peninsula 

While Hurricane Odile headed for the Baja we only had a small surf 

Torrential rain in summer is normal in La Cruz

Thunder clouds forming above the marina

Some evening lightening storms were in dry, relatively calm conditions

Lightening strike over Puerto Vallarta

#10 – Reconnecting with our cruising friends in La Cruz.  We were welcomed back on September 9 with open arms and have been celebrating life with them when we aren't doing lots of boat work in preparation for our departure in early November.

Celebrating Destiny's 80th birthday with a live band on the deck.

Kat (Marina La Cruz), Jim and Dawn (owner of Destiny) at the party

A large Jenga game

Releasing one of the 80 lanterns to celebrate Destiny's birthday.

The weather in British Columbia was outstanding all summer.  Temperatures were moderate and it only rained two days in 9 weeks.  Soon we’ll start cruising back to the Sea of Cortez where we look forward to more mild temperatures and a dry desert like climate.  Though we’ve enjoyed La Cruz, the marina, locals and cruisers we’ve found the extremely hot and humid weather a bit much to take.

More once we get cruising in November…
Tricia and Jim Bowen
S/V Falcon VII   email: tandjbowen13@gmail.com