Makai

11/2/09 to 11/17/09

We spent the first 2 weeks on the hard preparing ‘Makai’ for our 4th cruising season. It was hot, humid & buggy! Even the locals were complaining.

On November 17th we cast-off our dock lines & headed south to Klein Curacao with Liz & Craig (S/V Salida.) It’s great to be afloat!

Dinner with Friends (Fred, Anne, Liz, Craig & Steve)

It’s Not All Fun (changing the starboard engine shaft seal)

‘Tis the Season (one of two cruise ships in port)

A ‘Secure’ Anchorage at Klein Bonaire (a Dutch Coast Guard Cutter & Salida)

9/15/09 to 11/1/09

Backtracking through Colorado gave us the opportunity to stop & visit with Alden & Bernadette again. On one of their days off, we enjoyed a ride around town. Thanks Alden & Bern for two fun-filled visits!

After saying our farewells, we departed Evergreen & headed back to Pagosa Springs to visit with Kathy’s sister once more. Colorado is spectacular in the fall – the leaves are turning, the days are warm & the nights are cool & crisp. Definitely a different climate than what we’ll be returning to in the Caribbean.

With 8 days to spare, we headed south to Queen Creek, AZ to visit with the Rohrer’s (Mike, Randi, Doug & Kaitlyn.) We arrived just in time to attend an ASU football game & a pre-game tailgater party (sponsored by Mike’s employer, the Haydon Building Corporation.)

The tailgater party at the Sun Devil Stadium!

Go ASU!!

Doug (quite the musician) entertained us in his downstairs ’studio’

Kaitlyn & Fawny in the Gilbert Parade (taken after our departure)

While in AZ, we received a call from Carla & Dan, friends & fellow cruisers (S/V Alegria), who we last saw in Grenada in 2008. They too were touring the U.S. this summer & wanted to meet us in Sedona the following day. It was great to see them & catch up on events & trips to date. Once back aboard Alegria (currently berthed in Aruba), they’ll be heading west to Cartegena, Columbia & the San Blas Islands.

Carla, Dan, Tristan & Tessa relaxing inside ‘Awesome’ (their 31′ rental camper)

Group photo in Sedona

Back in Queen Creek, we continued our visit with the Rohrer’s offering assistance with chores around the ‘ranch’ (feeding & watering 4 horses, 10+ cats, chickens & their dog, Igloo (Lou) who finally decided to tolerate our presence.) We had such a good time & a wonderful visit!!

Kathy gets her ‘horse fix’!

Unfortunately time was running out, so we said our reluctant goodbyes & set out on the road once again. Our final stop was Hemet, CA to visit with our parents a second time.

We spent the month of October visiting with family, friends & the dermatologist (not so much fun.) On 11/2, with our luggage barely making the maximum weight & size requirements, we departed LAX & headed back to Willemstad, Curacao.

Miscellaneous Pic’s of Friends & Family

Dinner at Taco Surf with Liz & Craig (S/V Salida)

Fred with Maria & Jim (S/V MagnifiCat) in Oakland, CA

Doug Cline’s Big Birthday Celebration

A bouquet of basil from Eileen

Our niece Michelle with a new hair cut

‘Gotcha’ (our niece Katelyn doing some homework)

Celebrating Uncle Jim’s birthday

Fred & I with Fred’s sister, Kathy

9/1/09 to 9/15/09

This was our first visit to Glacier National Park, one of the largest national parks in the continental U.S. Located in northwestern Montana near the Canadian border, it runs along the spine of the Rocky Mountains. The park is known for spectacular mountains, glaciers, lakes, and a diverse variety of wildlife.

The park’s main road ‘Going to the Sun’ was closed intermittently due to construction, an inconvenience we didn’t mind since it allowed great photo opportunities.

A view down into the valley from Going to the Sun Road.

One of the many hidden lakes

Hiking the Highline Trail in reverse from ‘The Loop’ to Logan Pass (12 Miles – 3000′ elevation gain)

We easily could have stayed another week or two hiking throughout the park. It was absolutely gorgeous!

As we departed Montana, we came across 2 curiosities we just have to share with you:

‘Don King’ of the avian world

The ‘Mountain Cat’ (someone was thinking outside the ‘box’)

Heading south, our next stop was Yellowstone National Park. Camping sounded like a good idea, that was until the nighttime temperature dropped to 20 F. As to not abandon our visit, we found a nice, WARM hotel in Gardiner located just outside the northern entrance to the park.

Kathy enjoying camp before the big ‘chill’

We spent four days in the park, but it was not enough time. According to statistics, two-thirds of the world’s geysers (300 in all) are concentrated in Yellowstone. With almost 10,000 geothermal features & an amazing diversity of wildlife one can understand why it’s listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Center.

Our brief visit provided us a glimpse of what this park has to offer. It’s phenomenal!

The reason for most traffic jams

Some geothermal features

Upper Yellowstone Falls & Yellowstone River

We didn’t have the time to visit Grand Teton National Park located just south of Yellowstone. The normally pristine view of these majestic peaks was obscured by smoke from a controlled fire the day we drove through the area. Known for it’s beauty & great hiking trails, the park remains high on our ‘to-do’ list.

The Grand Tetons

After an overnight in Jackson & Cheyenne, Wyoming we were headed back to Evergreen for a second visit with Alden & Bernadette.

7/26/09 to 8/31/09

In lieu of spending the summer sweating ‘buckets’ in the Caribbean, we decided to fly back to the States to visit friends & family. After sorting a pile of mail, we spent the next several weeks taking care of business (DMV registration, renewal of professional licenses, house, car & motorcycle insurance, property management issues, etc.)

What do we do with two hours in between appointments? Watch boat races at Marine Stadium, Long Beach.

Once matters were fairly under control, we loaded up Fred’s motorcycle & took to the road.

First stop, the beautiful town of Sedona, AZ.

After a day of riding through town & taking in the view, we packed up & headed on to Colorado to visit Kathy’s sister & husband who live in Pagosa Springs, CO.

Flocks of Hummingbirds at dawn (amazingly noisy!)

Kathy & Tillie in the backyard

TransmissionTest #1: Crossing Wolfcreek Pass /Continental Divide (Yeah! We made it!!)

Next, we drove north to visit with friends in Evergreen, CO. After a day at their house, we drove out to their cabin near Fairplay, CO to ‘play’.

Cruising the roads around Evergreen

Skeet shooting & dirt bike riding at the cabin (Fred was in heaven!)

With a deadline to meet friends Idaho, we said a temporary farewell & continued north towards Wyoming & Montana.

A brief stop a Hell’s Half Acre, WY (We were hoping to get a Double Devil Burger & Fries with this view)
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After a night in Bozeman, Montana we arrived in Sandpoint, Idaho just in time to meet Bob & Lynne (S/V Leap of Faith) at one our their favorite haunts for happy hour. Over the next several days, we enjoyed a guided tour of the town, lake & local ski resort (Schweitzer Mountain.)

A day on Lake Pend Oreille

Picking Huckleberries on Schweitzer Mountain

Sunset over Lake Pend Oreille

Our many thanks to Bob & Lynne for their welcoming nature & wonderful hospitality. Sandpoint is unique mountain town, offering the best of summer & winter recreation, restaurants & beautiful scenery. We’ll definitely be back.

Our next stop was to be Vancouver, WA to visit with Mike & Linda (S/V Casa del Mar), but our schedules didn’t mesh. After a night in Spokane, WA we decided to head back to the east & visit Glacier National Park.

Downtown Spokane (Fred remembered the sites from his family’s vacation to the 1974 Worlds Fair)

07/17/09 to 07/25/09

We were in Curacao only a week prior to flying back to the States. After one failed attempt to find the correct bus to Willemstad, we met Gloria Sanchez, a local resident who generously offered to drive us into town. In addition to the free ride in air-conditioned comfort, she provided a mini-island tour! Muchas gracias, Gloria!!

Clearing in with Customs, Immigration & the Port Authority provided us an opportunity to take a brief tour of downtown Willemstad. The Sint Annabaai Channel divides the city into two historic districts: Punda (the ‘Point’) and the Otraband (‘Other side’.) The two sides are connected via the Queen Emma pontoon bridge (circa 19th century), which opens on demand for transiting vessels via VHF Channel 12. This area has a distinct ‘Dutch’ ambiance – colorfully painted buildings, small shops, restaurants & outside cafes.

Sunset at anchor in Spanish Water

Punda’s colorful waterfront

Kathy enjoying one of the outside cafes

The Queen Emma pontoon bridge closing

We spent the remainder of the week preparing the boat for long-term storage. Finally, Friday was upon us & we watched as Makai lifted out of the water. Although this was the 6th time we’ve hauled the boat, it’s the first time she’s been lifted using an under the bridge deck method.

‘No worries mon….’ thanks to the competent staff at Curacao Marine!

Unbelievably, this is the end of our 3rd cruising season. We’ve met some wonderful people & it’s those people who have made the experience a memorable one!

To all our cruising friends, we look forward to meeting you in some distant port. Until then, we wish you fair winds & following seas!

6/30/09 to 7/17/09

We have finally arrived in Bonaire, fulfilling a dream of Kathy’s since 1979. What now? Scuba dive, of course!

The waters surrounding Bonaire are a marine reserve and anchoring is not permitted. Running parallel to the town’s boardwalk is a sloping reef full of corals, sponges & algaes, hosting an amazing variety of fish, invertebrate & turtle species. Moorings installed by the Marine Park not only protect this fragile ecosystem, but provide visiting yachts safe holding & access to the town of Kralendijk.

Mooring field off Kralendijk’

Some of the Local ‘Residents’

During our two-week stay, we made several dives off Kralenkijk & Klein Bonaire, an uninhabited island located just off the mainland. The water visibility, which usually exceeded 125 feet, combined with the warm temperatures & amazing diversity of sealife can only be described as spectacular!

Underwater Bonaire & Klein Bonaire

By our second week, we decided an island tour was in order. Together with Linda & Mike we rented a truck & set off to explore this unique island. Island Tour – Day 1: Bonaire’s Past – Driving south we passed by vast salt pans, color-coded obelisks & slave huts, which are historic reminders of Bonaire’s prosperous salt production industry during the mid-1600’s through the mid-1800’s.

Piles of salt

Orange oblelisk & slave huts

Lac Bay – This almost enclosed body of water is a windsurfer’s paradise. Located on Bonaire’s southeastern (windward) coast, steady winds and smooth, shallow waters entice locals & tourists alike, from novices to professional sailors.

Butterfly Park – On our return to Kralendijk, we stopped at this small facility that houses several species of tropical butterflies. In addition to the butterfly enclosure, the center has a self-guided interpretative center & gift store.

Island Tour – Day 2: Washington-Slagbaai National Park – The 13,500-acre natural park covers almost one-fifth of the island and offers views of Bonaire’s rugged interior, eastern coast & historical ruins. The park is also home to a variety of wildlife including wild donkeys, goats, iguanas, parrots & pink flamingoes. There are several self-guided driving tours & hiking trails, as well as several beaches with access for snorkeling & diving.

Rugged Eastern Coast

Unique Reef Formations

Wild Flamingos

You know what they say….‘Time flies when you’re having fun!’ It was already the middle of July & we were scheduled to haul Makai in Curacao on July 22nd. Okay, okay, okay…. one more dive, then we’re off!

On July 17th, we said farewell to Linda & Mike & headed west towards the small island of Klein Curacao where we would anchor for the night prior to making our way into Spanish Water, Curacao.

6/28/09 to 6/29/09

Despite the forecast for building winds & seas, we sailed west to the Aves. Islas de Aves is actually two separate island archipelagos located about 10 miles apart.

Building Seas

Our first stop was Aves de Barlovento. The anchorage on Isla Sur faces a mangrove-lined coast that is home to a large population of boobies & other seabirds. We were fascinated as hundreds of boobies soared overhead, as if escorting us into the anchorage. Their aerobatic antics were an endless source of entertainment.

Anchorage at Isla Sur

Those Amazing Boobies

After spending the morning snorkeling, we dinghied ashore to bird watch & came upon a cruisers memorial.

We spent the following night anchored in Mangrove Bay at the south end of Aves de Sotovento, which unlike Isla Barlovento has no sea bird population. Obviously Barlovento is ‘the’ happening spot for the avian population.

6/17/09 to 6/30/09

Sunset Departing Blanquilla

After the 125-mile passage from Blanquilla, we navigated our way slowly through the reef entrance of Boca de Sebastopol and anchored off the small mangrove island of Buchiyaco.

Buchiyaco

The islands of Los Roques are separated by deep-water channels, shoals & sand spits that create an amazing tapestry of blues, greens & whites. Our photos do not do justice to the absolute beauty we encountered.

Azure Blues

One of the Several Wrecks on the Outer Reef

The next morning, we sailed north to the largest island, El Gran Roque. After anchoring just off the town, we gathered our clearance papers, passports & Spanish-English dictionary and headed ashore to check in with the Coast Guards. We got off to a rocky start when our initial request for 14 days was politely denied. After further discussion, a two-night stay was approved once we had clearance from the National Guard, Park Service & the Los Roques Authority. This check-in process led us through the town, which to our surprise was more developed than expected. There were several small hotels, restaurants, shops, markets, a bakery, water-sports rental & an airport with connecting flights to both Isla Margarita & the mainland.

Linda & Kathy with Commander Julio

In & Around El Gran Roques

The following day we sailed northeast to the small, mangrove-lined island of Nordisqui. The outlying reefs separate the small island from the Caribbean Sea & create interesting shoals & deep pools.

The Anchorage at Nordisqui

Exploring the Pool

Next we hopped over to Noronsquis, a group of 3 small islands enclosing a blue lagoon. The snorkeling along the outside north-facing reef was exceptional, but cut short when five curious reef sharks decided to join us. During our snorkel our underwater cameras failed (one terminal, the other just low batteries), so all were left with are wonderful memories.

Our visit to Noronsqui del Medio (the middle island) was not well received by a flock of terns who let us know we were ‘invading’ their turf.

Watch out Mike & Fred! (The tall ones are easier targets)

Continuing west, our next stop was the small island of Sarqui. We snorkeled the inner & outer reef (neither of them as nice as Noronsquis) & explored the beaches, shallows banks & mangrove-lined shores of Sarqui & Espenqui.

Dinghy Trip Around the Island

Casa at Anchor in Sarqui

In search of better snorkeling, we moved over to the small anchorage off the eastern end of Isla Careneros.

Dinghy Excursion Along Careneros’ West Coast

Underwater at Los Careneros’ southern reef

Our next stop were the small islands of Dos Mosquises, home to both a research center & an Amerindian cultural center. Run by Fundacion Cientifica Los Roques, the research station and turtle sanctuary that focus on conservation of the islands sea turtle population. In addition to housing hatchlings until one-year of age, the sanctuary treats turtles for skin diseases & other maladies.

The nearby Interpretive Center documents in photographs the archeological discovery of Valencoid (pre-Columbian Amerindian) figurines & fragments. Almost 25% of all known Valenciod artifacts have been discovered at Dos Mosquises.

Our last stop in Los Roques was the small island of Cayo de Agua. After navigating around coral heads & shallow banks, we dropped anchor in 9 feet of water, just off a beautiful white sand beach. Although building trade winds made the outlying reefs untenable, the inner reefs housed an amazing diversity of sea life.

Cayo de Agua – Above

Cayo de Agua – Below

After a full day of exploration & snorkeling, we were treated to another gorgeous sunset.

Casa at Cayo de Agua

6/13/09 to 6/17/09
The 95-mile crossing from Los Testigos to Blanquilla was relatively uneventful until we were 20 miles east of the Los Hermanos Islands and noted 4 men in a high-speed pirogue approaching us on a closing course. As the boat neared, we noticed the men were waving frantically & pointing to the west. At the same time, Fred saw a fishing float with a flag bobbing in the water directly ahead of us & determined the men were warning us away from their fishing net. He quickly spun the wheel to port & followed the pirogue until they came to another small float marking an apparent ‘transit point’ (low spot) in the net. Once safely across, we dropped two gallons of water, some fishing line, fishhooks & a length of older spare line, overboard on a float, as a gesture of thanks & goodwill. They motored over & shouted and waved their appreciation for the items.

Upon reaching Blanquilla, we anchored off the western shore at Playa Yaque. The following day we launched the dinghy & ventured north along the coast to Americano Bay. This idyllic small bay has a beautiful beach, caves & multiple rock arches. The clear water & diversity of fish, corals & sponges made for a phenomenal afternoon of snorkeling. So taken by the overall tranquility & setting, we decided to move the boats there the following day. We spent the next three days snorkeling, exploring the rocky coastline & combing the beaches to the north. This is by far the most spectacular anchorage we have visited to date.

Anchorage at Playa Yaque

Dinghy Trip to Americano Bay with Linda & Mike

A Very Full Post-Happy-Hour Water Taxi (Linda & Mike – ‘Casa Del Mar’, Nancy & John – ‘Dixsea’, Lynne & Dennis – ‘Sweet Dreams’)

Anchoring in Americano Bay

Dinghy Exploration to Secluded Beaches along the Western Coast

Turtle tracks on the beach in Americano Bay

6/9/09 to 6/12/09

At sunset, we departed Prickly Bay & started a new facet of our journey that would lead us west through the outer islands of Venezuela, then on to Bonaire & Curacao. For company, as well as for safety considerations, we were traveling with Linda & Mike (S/V Casa del Mar) whom we had recently met via the Grenada ‘Cruisers Net’.

Our first stop is a small group of islands, Los Testigos (‘The Witnesses’), which lie 93 miles southwest of Grenada & 41 miles north of mainland Venezuela. After a beautiful moonlit crossing, we arrived at Testigo Pequeno & anchored off the beach at Playa Real.

The following day, we made the wet 2-mile jaunt across the channel to Isla Iguana Grande, in our dinghies, to check in with the Guardia Costa (Coast Guards.) The officials were very friendly & tolerated our limited Spanish with a smile.

Isla Iguana Grande

Once formalities were completed we were free to explore the island. First on our list was to climb the sand dunes bordering Balandra Bay.

The Sand Dunes

Discovering Turtle Tracks

The Anchorage at Playa Real

Happy Hour on the Beach

Los Testigos Underwater (What are you looking at? L to R: Flamingo Tongue Snail on Purple Seafan, Spotted Moray Eel, Scorpion Fish, Reef Ecosystem 1, Schooling Fish, Reef Ecosystem 2)