Well once again we are off for several months of cruising on our boat. It took about three weeks to get the boat set up for cruising and on May 7^th Chuck and his brother-in-law Lee left for Ketchikan, Alaska! The trip to the southern most city in Alaska, Ketchikan, is 750 miles. Most of this trip is through British Columbia. The last two years we have traversed these waters with great enjoyment. To go further north than where we have been required crossing about 50 miles of open ocean around a point of land called Cape Caution. This is considered a difficult crossing if the weather is bad. Then the journey into Alaska is another 90 miles much of it open ocean through an area called Dixon Entrance. The winds can howl through here. On our entire trip, 17 days, we never once had to stop for weather. This is highly unusual for this area. Just lucky! We had a successful journey so far. Traveled 750 miles, averaged 8 knots (can our land friends imagine this breakneck speed?), and burned 700 gallons of diesel.   Here are some pictures showing you this magnificent country.

Chuck and Margaret s/v Mairead Grand Banks

In 1997 we bought a 1991 IP 32 from Sun Coast Yachts in San Diego. In 1998, after adding equipment for offshore sailing (wind vane steering, SSB radio, offshore life raft, etc) we sailed from San Diego to the Marquesas, the Tuamotus and on to Tahiti. The boat performed beautifully and we felt safe and secure for the trip. After 6 months in Tahiti we sailed to Hawaii and spent several months sailing around the Hawaiian Islands. The following year, 1999, we sailed from Hawaii to Victoria, Canada. During that trip we encountered a gale with winds up to 40 kts. For three days we sailed with a triple reefed main and the staysail, making 6-7 kts. The boat was comfortable and at no time did we feel in danger. That's when you're glad you have an Island Packet.

For the past 5 years we have been sailing along the coast of BC, around Vancouver Island and up to the Queen Charlotte Islands. A few years ago while negotiating a narrow harbor entrance I cut it too close and ran up on a rock shelf. Fortunately a couple of local boats were nearby and pulled us off. The boat suffered only superficial scratches in the fiberglass on the forward part of the keel. Encountering underwater rocks is a common problem in the Vancouver Island area and many lighter fin keel boats suffer major damage in such an incident. Again, we are glad we have an Island Packet.

Cyrus and Joan Zittle IP 32-54 Zephyr

REACHING DEEP VERSUS HURRICANE MARTY

      In mid-July, 2003, we left Reaching Deep, our Island Packet 420, safely tucked away in Marina de La Paz. We were returning home to California for a family reunion, to visit friends and relatives, and of course pick up boat parts. Late in August we heard from a friend in La Paz that Hurricane Ignacio had made a direct hit on the town and done some damage to our boat, as well as to the marina. We ordered the necessary repair items and started getting ready to drive back. With all the "stuff" necessary to install our new air-compressor/genset, make repairs to the boat, and the hard to find specialty items (chunky peanut butter, red wine, & dark chocolate) our garage was filling up.

Finally everything was assembled, somehow packed into the car, and we headed south. All of the rain from Ignacio had turned the desert absolutely green and beautiful! We arrived back to La Paz on Friday, September 19th, in time to check out the boat and damages to the docks before going to bed. Saturday morning we missed the morning radio net and were putting up our sunshade when we were informed that another hurricane was on its way. Three possible routes were predicted for Hurricane Marty - turning east and inland at Mazatlan, turning slightly west and going up the Sea of Cortez, or turning farther west and heading out into the Pacific. Because the hurricane was so widespread, we would probably have rain and some wind about midday Monday with any of the possibilities. Fortunately we had not unloaded much from the car, so we began preparations that included moving to another slip where the dock was in better shape. We also stocked up on food, water and made sure the batteries were fully charged.

Sunday evening showed Hurricane Marty was heading our way after all with an expected arrival time of 8 to 10 am Monday morning. An early bedtime seemed prudent. We woke up about 12:30 am to rain and winds about 30 knots - probably just the leading edge we thought. Since there was really no place to go, and the storm was not expected for another eight hours, we decided to stay on the boat after checking everything. We continued periodic checking as the wind and rain increased, sometimes in leaps of 15 to 20 kts at a time. Also during that time all power to the city and marina failed. About 4:00 am we realized the boat a slip away from us was gone. Leaving the boat now was impossible because parts of our dock were missing, and the gaps were too great to jump. Since all of the lights had failed we could not see much farther than 10 to 15 feet due to the wind and driving rain.

Around us other docks were breaking up and boats were floating free, crashing into one another. Dockworkers were busy rescuing people from other docks that were completely disintegrating. We sat in to cockpit in rain jackets and life jackets and watched a powerboat crash into us, stern to stern. Fortunately the dingy was on the back and acted as a giant fender to protect our boat. Finally the dockworkers were able to help us off the boat, and we waited in the shelter of the marina office for the eye of the hurricane to pass over La Paz.

During the eye everyone worked together to secure as many boats as possible to pilings, hoping to prevent further damage. Unfortunately once the wind resumed (now from the south instead of the north), the docks (and boats) in the boatyard next to the marina and most our remaining docks broke up. There was nothing to do but listen to the sound of the howling winds, wooden docks being splintered, and boats crashing and crushing into one another. We would watch for a while in the shelter of the building and then just have to turn away for a while.

Reaching Deep stayed tied to two of three pilings and did not get into the really big pile-up against the seawall, but ended up in a crunch of five boats. We felt we were fortunate - we were not hurt, our boat was floating, we had insurance, and we had a home to go to. Our damage consisted of losing all of the stanchions and lifelines, both pulpits, our dingy and outboard engine, the dingy davits and solar panels, all of the toerail around the boat, severe scratching above and below the waterline, and both forward anchor rollers and anchors bent out of place. But we had not holes in the hull or real mechanical damage. Fortunately we had an Island Packet, which was built so solidly that it could take the abuse. All of our paperback books stayed on the shelves, and we had not interior damage at all. Many other boats were sunk, holed and later totaled by the insurance companies.

The next few weeks were spent in assessing the damage, waiting for our insurance adjuster, doing minor repairs, and installing the genset. With the boatyards all full, the difficulty of getting parts into Mexico, and the few skilled workers, we looked at our options for getting the boat back to the states. Since the hull was intact, but scratched, the engine was fine, and the trip north is usually a motor sail, we did some basic repairs to the deck and rigging and headed north. What an interesting month we had in La Paz.

We started the approximately 1000-mile trip north on October 21st and arrived in San Diego on October 29th with a brief stop in Turtle Bay. Finally the weather turned in our favor, with almost no winds for the entire trip. As we neared Turtle Bay we heard a forecast for Santa Ana winds in Southern California, which because of their direction and force create ugly sea conditions. We had experienced these conditions before and had no desire to do so again, especially with the boat's condition. Rather then risk trying to make it to Ensenada we dropped the anchor in Turtle Bay. While Southern California burned, we spent the weekend there with moderate winds and found our bent anchor did hold after all. We arrived in San Diego about midday on October 29th, happy to be back in the US of A, and even happier to be Island Packet owners.

Reaching Deep is almost finished with repairs, thanks to Suncoast and their wonderful staff and advice. We plan on cruising the Channel Islands again this year, and returning to Mexico in early 2005 after the holidays. We now have a deep and abiding respect for hurricanes and their unpredictability. The power of these storms cannot be adequately described.

Cynthia and David Greene
Reaching Deep
Island Packet 420 Hull #6

Welcome to Chuck and Margaret's great adventure - MARCH 2004

This is the first of what will be a monthly update of where we have been and what we have seen for our friends and family.

We are going cruising in our boat! We cannot believe it! This note is being written in Ensenada, Mexico on March 31, 2004, and tomorrow, our boat, "Mairead", gets loaded onto the Dockwise ship at about 8 a.m. Chuck brought the boat from San Diego to Ensenada on March 30th. He did it by himself and many people were worried about him and his safety, including him! Chuck left at 4.30 a.m. (ugh) and arrived safe and sound in Ensenada at about 11:30 a.m. and made about 11.3 knots. The wind and waves were pushing the boat pretty good. It ran perfect. One little snafu with the electronic compass, but not a big thing.

Today, the 31st, Margaret went to the office and took the girls to lunch. She had a good time, but felt sad leaving. I suggested we could not go and she could unretire (is that a word?) and go back to work. That idea didn't go very far. Both of us feel a little sad, it's as though we are heading off to the other side of the world. But we are just a phone call away, and a short airplane ride away. Not to worry. We take for granted how easy it has been to see our children and grandchildren and now we realize how much we will miss everyone. BUT, we have dreamed of this for a long time. Believe it or not, Margaret is not just appeasing Chuck's dream, but is really looking forward to the adventure. I told my friend Dick Barck that I am a bit scared and he said, most thoughtfully, that being a bit scared is what makes it so exciting. Good advice Dick! Dick and his wife Marty are good friends and will be visiting us for about 10 days in mid June.

Margaret and I worked so hard getting ready for this trip for the last two or three weeks that we are quite exhausted. It was worse than moving from one home to another. Lists upon lists, errands upon errands. Whew, are we glad this part is over.

Well, that about concludes the first month, March, of our great adventure. We will keep you all updated as we go along. We will miss all of you.

Chuck and Margaret