Traveler Postcard: On Passage To Catalina
July 1, 2010
Traveler Family and Friends,
On our last night in San Diego, we went out with our friends Kurt and Susan Roll, and Kurt’s brother Mike, on their Catalina 32 to watch a couple of hundred boats hoist their spinnakers as they rounded the weather mark in the Wednesday night Beercan Race. We then went out to dinner at the Bali Hai–what a spectacular view of San Diego Harbor! We had a great time. But I got a little emotional when I realized this was the last time on this voyage that we would be going out to a restaurant for dinner (our last two nights in Catalina will be a barbecue on the beach.)
The End Is Near!
Over the past month or so, as the end of this incredible circumnavigation was drawing near, I would do certain tasks and realize, Wow, this is the last time I’ll do that on this voyage. For example, the last time:
* I raised a foreign country’s courtesy flag (between Guatemala and Huatulco, Mexico)
* I changed the engine oil (Mazatlan)
* I got a haircut in a foreign country (La Paz, Mexico, $4)
* We did the laundry (or had it done for us, in La Paz, $4/load)
* I varnished the teak (La Paz)
* I caught a fish (mahi mahi, on passage between Mag Bay and Turtle Bay)
* I took the crew (Barbara and Brian) out to dinner in a foreign country (Ensenada)
* Cleared Customs and Immigration (San Diego)
Just a few hours ago, we cast of the dock lines at our guest slip at the Southwestern Yacht Club in San Diego–for the last time (we will be at anchor in Catalina for the last two nights.)
We are now on a night passage, and I am taking the graveyard watch from 0300 to 0600–for the last time.
Brian went off watch an hour ago and I read in the Log Book: “LAST LOG ENTRY BY B-LAW! BEST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE! THANKS DAD!”
Well, this may be my last Traveler Postcard to you. I have very much enjoyed writing the Postcards, and I hope you have enjoyed reading them.
I just picked up Catalina on radar (it goes out 24 miles.)
Barbara and Brian are off watch, asleep. I am so pleased and thankful that Barbara was able to rejoin me for the final leg up from Cabo San Lucas, and to have Brian with me since last August.
Brian said it well in his toast at our dinner in Ensenada: “Finish strong!” And we are, finishing strong together.
We are motoring in calm seas, doing 8.0 knots, and the engine is running well.
In fact, all is well on board Traveler.
And The End Is Near, Indeed.
Living The Dream,
Michael
P.S. You’re invited–and it’s okay to bring friends and tell others, too–to the Traveler Homecoming and Crew Reunion at the Balboa Yacht Club on Saturday, July 3. I expect to be pulling up to the dock at 2 pm sharp, so you might want to get there a little early, say about 1:45. And if you have a boat and want to join us on the water as we cross the “finish line,” we will be at the Bell Bouy at the harbor entrance at 1:40 pm. (Monitor VHF Ch 69.)