Party time in Santa Cruz

New Years, 2008

We started the festivities with a dinner party at the home of old friend Madeline.
Then it was off to the home of Faye, the social center for New Years in Santa Cruz. Faye is right next to Andi. We claim no responsibility for the bottle of "2-buck Chuck".
Here I am with Charles Sutton, Santa Cruz's other flamenco singer. Charles and his wife have a house in Spain where they participate with the local flamenco enthusiasts.
Here is Andi in her new silk party dress along with her good friend Julie and her boyfriend, Jon.
Finally, after all that party, we drove down to the Mojave Desert to visit Andi's brother Tom and his wife, Wendy. Here are Andi and Tom on the front porch of the cabin. They have the most awesome collection of antiques dating back to before the Civil War.

Christmas 2007

Christmas, 2007 found us in the San Fransisco area for a round of parties and family events.

Here is Andrea and daughter Elinore in a low-light photo at a party hosted by famed flamenco dancer, Juan del Valle.
Then we went sailing on SF bay with Elinore's boyfriend Robin's family... who didn't make it into this picture.
Just checking to see if you were paying attention before when I told you who these folks are.

After Christmas celebrations, we were off to Santa Cruz to get ready for the New Year.

California Dreaming again...

End of December, 2007
We flew into California just in time to start a round of family visits - we had a terrific time with all and regretted not getting to visit all our old friends. We got in as many as possible, time and geography permitting. And as December 21 rolled around, it was time to celebrate our anniversary. And where better than in Napa, trying to find the perfect budget Pinot Noir. (It turns out that there is no such thing - Pinots worth mention seem to start at $25/bottle - we didn't buy many of those!) We had a great time tasting, something that both of us seem to enjoy so much that we may have to enroll in AA as a team. We were surprised at the very high quality Merlots available at $15/bottle. We came home with a mixed case for special occasions in the coming year.

A pastoral scene in Napa's Carneros wine region.
There is money up here. Having little, I at least got to pose with an Aston Martin.
If you buy the big bottle, you get a discount.

Home for Christmas

December 9, 2007 Sunday
Home is a relative concept - is California our home or is the boat our home. At the feeling level, both are. Anyway, we're probably not going to be blogging too much since we are leaving for a month in California, couch surfing with family and friends. We had a grand sendoff here in Oriental although it wasn't just for us. They had the big Christmas parade yesterday and it was great. The whole town turned out for a chili cook off, free gumbo, and lots of other free food that we never even found out about. Then there was a parade, a fire dancer and then a bunch of parties. Whew! The parade was very cool. It had the usual politicians, fire department, marching bands, etc. But then there were a bunch of comedy entries from wacky locals. And they lined the streets with paper bags with candles inside. Now that's not totally original, but they did a mile of the main drag and a bunch of side streets. More than 3000 lights deployed and they burned for hours. Very cool.

Here is the local volunteer fire truck in the big Parade.
And here is Jeff with celebrated firedog Hoosier in his first-ever parade.
Here are the 11 pipers piping. They did (mostly) syncronized marching and turns to the delight and ridicule of the crowd.

Another reason to like this town is the weather. We are having a warm spell right now. For the next week, temps are going to be in the low 70's. Santa Cruz and SF are going to be in the 50's and LA in the 60's. The Gulf Stream is only 30 miles away and that helps. But we hear that it gets into the 30's in the dead of winter here, but then there are some warm days in between the cold spells. We are on the same latitude as Santa Maria, CA.

We'll have email as we travel and cellphones, so don't hesitate to be in touch.

Getting domestic in NC

November 30, 2007
Can you believe it? We have been getting complaints that we are getting lax in our blogging responsibilities. Nothing has been heard since the great Oyster Feast. Well, we're sorry and will try to do a better job in the future.

We bought a car. Winter without a car looked kinda bleak so we went out and bought one that we can turn over to Tony and Annette upon our departure. They need something with a back seat for the future baby and this is the perfect ride.
So we went off to have Turkey Day with Tony & Annette in Asheville, NC. Asheville is in the western part of the state, in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. Being higher and further from the coast, it is quite a bit cooler. In summer, that is very nice. Here we all are having a pre-thanksgiving Mexican dinner.
Annette is providing a warm, wet home for a future bambino. Only 2 months to go.....
Here's the lucky couple in downtown Asheville.
Here is one of the bands that Tony plays with. We saw two of their shows while we were there. These guys are good! They made us get up and do a little flamenco - the audience was nice about it although I doubt many had ever heard flamenco before.

After a week in Asheville, we came back to Oriental and are now doing the promo work for our big show here on February 1. We need to get everything out now so that we can visit California without having to worry about it. While in Asheville, we noted that Santa Cruz has been out-hippied by Asheville. Asheville has more yoga and massage instructors, more organic food stores, more music, and younger hippies. And there are a lot more of them! Santa Cruz hippies are showing their age - the young ones are punkier or gothier or something. I am now so old that I have no clue what the young folks are up to - and don't even feel bad about it. Now that we are here for a while, we can get snail mail, so you could actually write to us (those of you who eschew the keyboard).

All the oysters you can eat.....

Wednesday, November 14, 2007
We have settled in to life back in Oriental, NC. We bought a car and are enjoying the mobility. Here in the marina, the social life is very rich. Almost every night lately, we have been having outdoor potlucks around the fire pit. As soon as a fire is lit, folks just start showing up with food and drink.
Yesterday, we used the new car to take Don, Heesook, and son Christopher shopping. They have been at the marina for a few days now on their way to the Bahamas. Don wanted to get some fresh shrimp, so we went to the local shrimp packing plant where "just off the boat" shrimp are frequently available at great prices. Alas, it was late in the day and so their stock was all gone. So we just went to the supermarket. As we came out, we saw a truck that said "Fresh Crabs and Oysters" on the side making a delivery. Don, being somewhat irrepressible, went over and offered to buy some oysters directly from the driver. To our surprise, they made a deal. We pitched in and the two families bought a bushel of fresh oysters (harvested yesterday) for $40. That is a bag that I doubt the women could lift.
So we took them back to the marina and I began to discover why a plate of oysters on the half-shell costs $1 per oyster and up. First we had to break clumps of oysters into individuals. They we had to hose the mud off them. They were in the same condition as when they were pulled out of the ocean. Then we sorted them into oysters that would be easy to shuck for eating raw and oysters that would need some kind of cooking to get them open. Finally, the oysters to be shucked at once needed to be brushed along their hinges so that leftover muck didn't get inside when they were shucked. When you consider that we are dealing with well over 200 oysters, the task becomes significant. By the time all this was done, it was dark.
But finally the oysters arrived at the table and we commenced the all-you-can-eat oyster feed. We tried every possible combination of sauces in addition to just as they come from the shell. Shucking them took a bit more work, but we had more help so we gorged. Then the BBQ oysters started coming off the grill. You toast them until they open. They get steamed in their own juices and then get a smokey flavor on top of that. Since this was a potluck, there was chicken, pork, salads and pasta to be had. Finally, we couldn't eat anything more.
So we went to bed with our refrigerator full to capacity with the fresh oysters that didn't get used. Tomorrow, there is to be an oyster chowder, according to the reigning cook. I think I can handle this.
Late flash: there was an oyster chowder, "just like Mom used to make", and then for dinner, Oysters Rockafeller, lot of them and the best I've ever had. We washed those down with a Chardonney from New Zealand's Marlborough region. This is my favorite source of great value wines - virtually any wine from this region will be a treat, especially if it has a screw cap. The Marlborough vintners are the first group to really defy the notion that cork is the only way to seal a quality wine. Actually, it is the worst, and screw tops are the best. Anyway, we aren't living too badly our here. We really do wish you were here.

Back home in Oriental

Sunday, Nov. 11, 2007
We have been back at Whittaker Creek Yacht Harbor for a week now and have been settling in. Last night there was a potluck on the docks with steamed oysters and a really good gumbo - plus all the other usual yummies. Fun!
We bought a car so that we would be able to do road trips this winter and visit family and friends. It's been a long time since we drove, but it comes right back.
We have been amazed at how many people we have been running into on the streets and in the market who saw us perform in the 2 little appearances that we did last summer. There are already students lining up for Andi's dance classes. It is nice to be recognized even though the town doesn't really have any aficionados. It seems as if there are quite a few willing to be aficionados. We'll see what we can do to encourage that.
We have a great internet connection and spotty cellphone connections, so email is the best way to reach us. The phones do work, though.

Saeta gets her picture taken

October 30, 2007
Since we were travelling in company with Kloosh, we took the opportunity to photograph each under under way.


Here we were motoring through the river below the last lock of the canal.
And here we were still in the canal, following Kloosh.
Once we left Elizabeth City, we were able to sail across the Albemarle Sound
I wonder who's steering that thing.

We brave the Dismal Swamp

Monday, October 29, 2007
We met John and Cheryl just before the first lock of the canal and rafted with them until the lock opened. We were really worried about the canal being too shallow for us, but there had been rain for 4 days that raised the water level enough for us to risk it.
After we got through the first lock, we tied up to a dock and went out for a really bad Mexican dinner, but got to know John and Cheryl and shared lots of stories about our Sceptres.


The next morning when we awakened, there was this fog on the water that was mysterious and spooky.
Then we all started off. We let some other boats go ahead because we figured that we were the most likely to go aground. We touched bottom many times, but never were stopped.
There was some kind of duckweed on the surface of the water.
As we got to the final lock, the duckweed was really thick. We were on TV as the last group of boats to transit the canal before it closed for the season. Most boats use the regular canal that is deeper and used by commercial shipping.
John took this picture of us in our cockpit awaiting the final lock opening.

The Dismal Swamp Canal does a big job of promoting itself because it only serves recreational boaters and is always under the threat of being closed. It was planned before the revolution, but wasn't funded until the 1790's.
There was a hotel along the way where Edgar Allen Poe wrote "The Raven", undoubtedly inspired by all the dismalness.
Once we cleared the last lock, it got much deeper and by sunset we were in Elizabeth City where there were flags that said "Welcome" and people to take our docklines as we tied up to a free dock right on the city front. It is nice to be welcomed without a big price tag. We'd have liked to have spent a few days there, but had to leave at dawn to make miles before tropical storm Noel threatened the area.

End of the Chesapeake

Here is one of the lighthouses on the way down the Chesapeake to Hampton Roads. You can kinda see how rough the water was although the camera always makes the waves look smaller.
When we anchored at Hampton, we were rewarded with a flaming sunset.
Here are John and Cheryl, owners of Kloosh, another Sceptre 41 with whom we travelled for a while. They are in the first lock of the Dismal Swamp Canal with us right behind them.
Here is Kloosh under sail - looks a lot like us, but Kloosh is much newer.

Sunday, October 28,2007
We anchored this afternoon in Hampton, VA which is right at the mouth of the confluence of the James and Elizabeth Rivers. All very close are Norfolk, Newport News, Portsmouth, and Hampton. We had a wild sail down here with wind up to 33 knots in the gusts. Fortunately, it was behind us so we were pretty level although the motion wasn't the best with the wind against the tide all day. We are glad to be here. Tomorrow we are going to meet another Sceptre 41, Kloosh, and go with them down the Dismal Swamp Canal. This canal was dug under the supervision of one G. Washington (yup, him again) who seems to show up everywhere around here. It is very primitive, but shallow.
We have spent a lot of time in rivers with Indian names - like Mill Creek was a tributary to the Great Wicomoco River and Jackson Creek, Deltaville was a tributary to the Pianktank River. I'm glad the indians got to leave something of themselves. It must have been a paradise for them with the oysters, crabs, and geese ready for the pot. Only the mosquitos were a plague. Fortunately, coming in fall, we missed those. We really could have spent a year exploring the Chesapeake. We saw some of the high points, but there are thousands of miles of shoreline and only about half of is is covered with rich people houses. If I had known there were going to be so many rich people, I might have tried harder to be one of them. I always thought that being middle-class was pleasantly comfortable. I am beginning to figure out that it means being poor with dignity.

The end of Indian Summer...

October 26, 2007 Friday
Well, we've had some lousy weather for the last few days with more scheduled. It has been raining, at times very hard with lots of wind. We sailed from Solomons, MD to Mill Creek, just below the Potomac and above the Rappahanock (on the west shore). We had lots of wind, so we went pretty fast. The Chesapeake being shallow, there were steep waves caused by the wind blowing in the opposite direction from the tidal flow. The motion was a little uncomfortable, but we were going so fast that it was tolerable. We got into Mill Creek and then put up with the wind howling all night long. We don't sleep that well when we are worried about the anchor holding. If it drags, we could end up on a beach or just aground on a mudbank, neither a pleasant alternative.
We woke up this morning to a dreary rain and too much wind, but by 10AM it had moderated a little, so off we went for Deltaville. After all, the wind was blowing in the right direction. And it was blowing hard, so we were hauling! The sailing was pretty nice, but the rain... And when it was time to enter Jackson Creek at Deltaville, the skies opened and we could barely see. Fortunately, my electronic navigation saved the day. With Andi on deck watching for the buoys and me following the channel (on screen) we got into this tricky harbor with its very narrow winding channel while the rain came down in buckets.
Now we are snuggly anchored and having eaten a quantity of gambas al ajillo (shrimp in a paprika and garlic sauce), we're going to get some sleep. We have pretty much given up on trying to see more of the Chesapeake. With this lousy weather, we're just going to make one more run down to Norfolk and then start down to Oriental, NC where we will try to find a car to use for the winter. I guess we will miss Halloween celebrations. Darn.
Write...phone, why not?

Even more Solomons, MD

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

This cute lady duck made a habit of coming by the boat every day to see if there were any tortilla chips. She didn't run with the usual pack of ducks - she was a loner, but too cute to say "no" to.
Here are Andi's swans - the white ones are the parents and the beige ones the children. They were getting begging lessons.
And this time of year, geese are constantly going overhead. Our Canadian friends consider them pests, but we are fascinated.
Here is Don and his son, Christopher. You can't see his wife Heesook (Korean) because she wasn't in the dinghy. They are Canadians travelling South and we have been with them in quite a few harbors now. We've done some dinners together and they invited us to a big Canadian raftup where 4 boats anchored all in one group and we partied for hours. They made us do flamenco and other musical things. Fun! They spoke English instead of French in our honor. There are lots of Canadians travelling South - more than us natives, actually. I don't know why there are so many - maybe because the US is so inexpensive for them.

Solomons, MD

Tuesday, Ocotober 23, 2007
We have been in Solomons for a few days now. It is getting late in the fall and the weather is starting to show the winter pattern of cold fronts every few days. That means more wind than we want, so we are hanging out here. It is a pleasant harbor with lots of marinas and anchoring space. The geese and ducks tend to be in the less travelled areas, but Andrea was tickled to get to meet some begging swans. They like tortilla chips. The cool air means that I've been wearing long pants for days now and even a heavy shirt from time to time.
We have good internet and phone connections, so have been getting some business things out of the way. I moved everything out of the stock market for a while. We will find out later if that was correct.
We had a great sail coming down here, hitting 8.5 knots at times. There hasn't been enough of that. We only have a few more stops before we will be back in Norfolk and heading back down the ICW to Oriental, NC for the winter. We'd like to see Jamestown, Yorktown, and Williamsburg - history is all over the place around here. If we had more time, going up the Potomac to Washington would be terrific, but it's getting late.
When we were anchored in Trippe Creek above Oxford, it was glassy smooth at sunset. And then a powerboat made some waves. It looked cool.
We went down to La Trappe Creek off the Choptank River (setting for Michner's "Chesapeake") and anchored behind this sandbar in a sheltered cove.
Here is the bottom of that cove. There were thousands of geese hiding back behind that island. We spent a few days here waiting out bad weather.
Here is a lighthouse we passed while sailing down to Solomons.
Just before we got to Solomons we were catching a fleet of sailboats. We mostly are alone, so the company was nice.

More pix from Oxford and the Tred Avon

After Oxford, we sailed up the Tred Avon to Trippe Ck. We took the dinghy to see some geese at the end of the creek. We scared them.
But, we got some pix as they flew by. I must admit, a lot of geese had their domestic affairs disturbed to bring you these pix.
There are lots of rich people homes along the shore - this is an older classic one.
And this is a newer, more expensive one. There is more money per capita here than anywhere else in the US. At least we are getting to use the internet by capturing the signals from their home networks. These pix are thanks to them.
Here is Saeta anchored in front of a big estate.

Pix from the Eastern Shore

Here I am in St. Micheals. We were on our way to the grocery.
Here is a traditional skipjack - the kind of boat used for years to dredge oysters ("drudge arsters")
We then sailed around to Oxford, MD. This was a boatyard specializing in rebuilding classic wooden boats.
A flock of geese came over in formation, just before sunset.
And, of course, the sunset.