|
|
October 26 2010 - San Diego CA We are setting out for our 3rd Haha down to Mexico. Do to the advancements in technology since I set this site up 14 years ago, we will be recordings our travels on sailblog. You can read our latest updates at: http://www.sailblogs.com/member/dragonstoy/.
22 January 2009 - Puerto Escondido, Baja California Sur, MX I returned to the boat in La Paz on the 5th. After some cleaning and provisioning, I set sail north, gunk-holing my way at about 30 miles per day. I arrived in Puerto Escondido a couple of days ago and have been catching up with the outside world. This area of the Sea of Cortez is extremely beautiful with 2000 ft rugged mountains right at the edge of the sea. Tomorrow I will head to Mazatlan by way of La Paz to see some friends that are down for a vacation.
8 November 2008 - Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, MX Despite a setback or two, no wind on the first leg and a burned out alternator in Bahia Tortugas, we cheated death again and arrived in Cabo on 6 November. We are currently anchored out in the bay. It is a bit rolly here, but then after 12 days either sailing or on the hook, no one seems to even notice the roll. Tomorrow we head for La Paz with an over night stay in Bahia Los Muertos (Bay of the Dead, more on that in a later posting). When I get to La Paz, I should have more time to get together a real write-up o four adventures. I will be back in the States probably sometime the week of the 16th for the holidays.
23 October 2008 - Cabrillo Isle Marina, San Diego Well, a lot has happened since the last update. After a mammoth effort over the summer, I managed to get Dragon's Toy in sailing condition. We departed Richmond on Monday the 13th and did a leisurely, though mostly night sails, down the coast. We stopped in Monterey, Moro Bay, Ventura, Avalon on Catalina island for 3 days, before pulling into San Diego on the 21st. I am changing crew in San Diego and then it is off to Cabo San Lucas with the Baja Ha Ha. This will be the start of winter cruising in Mexico before the bash back up the coast to Alaska next summer.
1 January 2008 - Gulf Stream between Florida and the Bahamas No, I did not get Dragon's Toy ready to sail and then sneak her off to the Atlantic coast. My friend and crew mate Jeff, purchased a Morgan 46, Wayward Wind, we are doing the shakedown cruise over to the Bahamas and back. To keep it short, we shook out a lot more bugs than we anticipated and are now heading back to port in Florida. We did not break anything major, but with a lot of systems not working correctly, we felt it would not be wise to be poking around in shallow water in a land where sailboat parts are far and few.
As for Dragon's Toy, she is still in Clarksburg. The deck reinforcing and the platform for the new windlass are completed, I am just trying to match the gelcoat. Once that is done I can bolt everything back together and head down to Richmond to work on the chain plates and water tanks (are we having fun yet?).
17 November 2006 - Clarksburg, California, USA Dragon's Toy is still sitting patiently tied up to the dock waiting for me to get the foredeck reinforced sufficiently to mount the Lighthouse 1500 windlass I purchased late last year. Trying to do fiberglass work from the underside is a royal pain. But it is getting there slowly. On the other hand, I just returned from cruising down the west coast as part of Baja HaHa XIII. A friend just purchased a Catalina 42 in Oregon and wanted to go cruising in Mexico. He recruited a professional skipper to to help him from Portland to SF. I provided guidance and experience the rest of the way to Cabo. Great fun. I hope to be able to do the Ha Ha again in a few years.
26 June 2005 - Clarksburg, California, USA The boat is back from yet another month long excursion down to the bay. This time we managed to get in a go 10 days of sailing on the weekends between memorial day and the end of June. The boat behaved beautifully, we met some other IPY owners in the marina and spent some time cruising around with Frank and Mary in the Caliper 38 Sierra Star. Unfortunately other priorities and a failed windlass said it was time to return upstream and work on the boat some more. 12 October 2003 - Clarksburg, California, USA Just returned from 2 months of weekend sailing in the bay. Enjoyed a great rendezvous with the Northern California Island Packet owners. Ran the boat back and forth up and down the bay. Fun sailing, but a bit frustrating as you don't get to go any where. I will never understand how the bay sailors can do this for years and be happy. After all, how many times can you drive around the parking lot before you want to head out for the highway. Looking forward to the day when we can head out the gate hang a left and keep going. 15 September 2001 - Clarksburg, California, USA After taking Dragon's Toy north from Portland (actually west then north) up to Juneau and Glacier Bay via the inside passage and then a raucous ride down the coast of California, she is safely tied up in a marina in Clarksburg. Clarksburg is a sleepy delta town about 30 miles south of Sacramento. Dragons' Toy will get a well deserved rest there while I save up the money to fix and polish her like she deserves. I hope to be out on the Bay by summer of 2003 with a clean and polished IP37. Next long range cruising plans look to be a bit far off at the moment, probably sometime in 2007 when Weng Khin has graduated from school and I am eligible for retirement. 24 October 2000 - Vancouver, Washington, USA Dragon's Toy arrived in the states today on the deck of the Rossel Current. For spending 6 weeks in the deck of a freighter, she was in extremely good shape. The only wear and tear was the sun baked varnish and 4 dead batteries. I suspect that my solar panel charger/regulator did not treat the batteries correctly during the past year and they either cooked or sat under charged. Dragon's Toy was gently dropped off the deck straight into the water by the ships crane. Many thinks to BHP and the guys at Marine Terminals for their patience and assistance with off-loading and help in getting the engine started, and to the crew of the Rossel Current for taking such good care of my baby for the last two months. Once in the water it was under the railroad bridge (easy with the mast down) and across the river to Schooner Creek Boat Works in Portland, WA for some minor repairs, paint touch up and stepping the mast. Should have her completely back together in 2 weeks or so. 8 August 2000 - Mooloolaba, Queensland, Australia Back in Australia to pack up Dragon's Toy for the trip to the States. Never thought she would be making the upwind run on the back of a freighter, but then priorities change. Makes more sense to pay the man to haul her than to take the time off and slog it out myself. Really would prefer to sail, but then money talks. Just don't feel that I can afford to take the 9 months off that sailing back would require. 1 August 1999 - Sacramento, California, USA Moved into my new house, Siew Pheng has come over to join me in the US. Both of us are now working for Intel in Folsom, CA. Don't know how long this will last. Only time will tell. 20 May 1999 - Folsom, California, USA Well, I found the job in Intel and managed to preserve my stock options. Now if only I can get myself adjusted to life in a cubicle before my boss catches on that I am not the same person that left a year ago and fires me. Although that would not be completely without benefit as it would force me to return to Australia and resume my travels (hmmmm...). Siew Pheng will be joining me here in about 8 weeks so that should make life on land a bit more bearable. All I can do is try to keep a positive attitude and see how things go. This also will give me a chance to dig up the pictures of the Hong Kong to Singapore leg and get that portion of the web site put together.
6 May 1999 - Mooloolaba, Queensland, Australia Today I am leaving Dragon's Toy tied up to the dock at Lawrie's Marina while I head back to the States to look for a job. I need to be rehired at Intel before the 17th or I lose 5 years worth of stock options. Dragon's Toy has been stripped of her sails and running rigging, everything has been stuffed below for safe keeping and the lines doubled up. It is always so sad when leaving the boat behind. Hopefully I will be back soon to either resume my journeys or to ship her back to the states for sailing on the San Francisco Bay. |
|
Send email to
tkohrs@dragonstoy.com with
questions or comments about this web site.
|