America's Cup Harbor

The Shakedown Crew is once again visiting brother Vern at his house in Poway, so with great internet connection again, an opportunity for another update.  Actually, the only real news is that we've left the A9 Cruisers anchorage and are sub-letting a mooring ball in San Diego's America's Cup Harbor.  It's between Shelter Island and Harbor Island, and very well protected. 

America's Cup Harbor (we are almost in the middle)

The mooring actually has two attachment points, forward and aft.  It almost feels like we are tied to a dock.  We have access to two dinghy docks which are about 1/8 of a mile away in opposite directions.  Very convenient and reasonably priced.  We finally got over our sick days (Bronchitis for the both of us) and are enjoying the sunshine and mild weather.  We did finally get a winter "storm" which dumped a couple of inches of rain last weekend.  Back to normal winter weather with average temps of around 60-65.  

Returning from dinghy dock

Resting comfortably with stern facing the occasional rollers

Our neighbors in the next row out front of us

Opportunity to walk and get some exercise on Shelter Island

Nancy's Bakery churning out fresh bread and rolls!  Yummmm!

We are working on various projects that have been put on hold, and now we will probably remain in San Diego until the fall, and then head south.  Still got to get serious about learning some Spanish....until next time....  

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Have to apologize for not having kept up with the blog on a more timely basis, but stuff just sometimes gets in the way...so here we go again....

Week 1: First thing on the new year's agenda:  We got pumped out by "Pepe Le Poo"!
Visited Insurance Co. (Mariners Insurance) and a surveyor (Christen & Co.) to determine if we should keep insurance on Shakedown, other than the mandatory Mexican Liability Insurance (which we have to buy separately).  Mariners took our info, Kells Christen wasn't available but we left info.  Will call him next week.  Hoisted the 49er flag because of their upcoming battle with the Packers.  Did two loads of laundry. Watched Chargers vs. Bengals and followed up with the 9ers vs Packers. Celebrated one month in San Diego!  Had a nice visit with Wade and Carla on Pelican Moon.

Week 2: Called the Harbor Police to renew our anchorage permit for our second 30-day period.  Have one 30-day period left after that, then, if we need to stay longer for any reason, we'll have to find other arrangements (like an expensive slip).  Got new house battery bank installed!  Planned on about 2 hours, since new batteries were same brand & size as those to be replaced.  Well, forgot the standard formula (i.e., project time = multiply planned hours x 3, and cost = estimated x 3).  Anyway, six hours later, including replacement of the now defunct Linksys 1000 with a Freedom Basic Remote.  A positive side effect of all this effort was bulking up Hal's muscles during the weight training regime of pulling 6 x 64lb. weights out of their under-sole homes, hauling them up the companion way steps, out the cockpit.  Ten minute rest period, then grunting the new batteries from the cockpit (where they were stored after hauling them from dinghy dock to boat, up and around to cockpit previously), down the companion way steps, and into their new resting place.  Of course they had to be cabled together and pushed under sole to give room for the next battery.  Only “zapped” once (touching one battery post while accidentally doing same with other...with same wrench).  But it got done, charged and we're happy.  Later on, Charlie (Pepe Le Poo) pumped us out.  Hauled used batteries from cockpit, around aft end of boat, and down into the RIB for transport to dinghy dock.

Spent the weekend at brother Vern's house to watch Seahawks vs. Saints, Colts vs. Patriots
Still at Vern's to watch 49ers vs. Panthers, & Chargers vs. Broncos!  Spent the early morning running to a number of stores to load up on supplies before heading back to the Anchorage. Got back to Shakedown about 0830 and had to make two trips to the boat with dinghy to offload everything.  Called surveyor, was not in...on his way to the Philippines.

Week 3: Got a lot of housekeeping/maintenance done today.  Cleaned oven, sump, hull, and removed “beard” from waterline, polished windows, started main engine to switch fuel tanks and circulate oil/water.  We've been using gensets often but haven't logged hours until today.  
Started working on Watermaker.  Did a load of laundry.  Signed up for a sub-lease possibility with The Moorings Company ($112.50) just in case we may need to be here past March 7th. Brother Vern picked us up to spend weekend at his place.  Watched the AFC/NFC Championship games.  Patriots and 49ers both lost their respective games.  Sehawks and Broncos will battle in out in the Superbowl.

At Vern's house.  Worked on his master bath, replacing plumbing valve to shower, papering studs and installing first piece of cement board.  Left early the next morning and got back to the dinghy dock by 0735.  Piled everything into the RIB.  Engine would not start.  Pulled several times and got no spark.  Did some basic troubleshooting, no luck.  Paddled back to Shakedown.  On the boat at 0830.  Lucky for us it was dead calm, so was long, but easy row. About half an hour later, just for giggles, I dropped into the RIB, gave the engine cord a 
couple of yanks...fired right up!  Go figger.  Met with Kells Christian at noon today and we discussed survey, cost, pluses and minuses of having cruising insurance, cost of haul-out, and so on.  No decision reached.

Week 4: Went up on deck this morning to start our little gas generator, and somehow managed to pull the cord (instead of plug) on the short transition cord (15A to 30A) which plugs into the shore power inlet to the boat.   I brought the cord and plug below to fix it.  No-go.  Had to jump in the other dinghy (Walker Bay w/2hp outboard) and drive it over to Shelter Island to purchase a replacement plug.  I hadn't had a chance to look at the Tohatsu that wouldn't start yesterday, so I opted for the other engine to take me there.  A lot slower, but I wasn't thrilled with the possibility of rowing some four miles back to the boat.  Got the part I needed ($37.00 with “good looks” (I guess) discount).  Dropped by Ralphs and bought some groceries and returned to Shakedown. Fixed transition plug.  Everything back to “normal”....Pumped out (Pepe Le Poo)
Saturday thru Tues...sick, sick, sick...coughing, fever, robitussin & cold-n-flu medicine....yuk.

Week 5: Wednesday: NJ's Birthday - still sick
Thursday: Hal's Birthday - still sick
Fri Went to Vern's, still not great, but since he had bought tickets for our birthday to a Foreigner concert, so we went despite ourselves.  We enjoyed it.

February:
Week 1:  We stayed the weekend at Vern's to watch Super Bowl and headed back to Shakedown Sunday evening as Hal was apparently relapsing, measuring 102.5 on the mercury just after loading our stuff back onboard.  Stayed sick through the 13th.  Did call the Harbor Police to renew our anchorage permit for our last  30-day period here at the free Cruisers Anchorage.  We need to be out of here on March 10th.  Also called and got appointment to see a Doctor at 1330 & 1345 on Rosecrans St. (Shelter Island).   NJ diagnosed with Actue Bronchitis, Hal diagnosed with Bronchitis/high fever that had expanded into the lungs.  NJ gets 
special cough syrup.  Hal gets antibiotic horse pills.  On the 14th, we were both feeling much better.  Coughing stopped, fever stopped.  One of the side benefits, if you can call it that, was 
that Hal was able to read nine books (Jack Reacher novels by Lee Child), all the cuts and scrapes healed, muscles and joints stopped hurting. 

Good thing too, as our good friends Paul Flyr and Lyn Smith pulled in early this morning aboard a Holland America cruise ship that left Fort Lauderdale on 1/30 and went through Panama Canal, terminating their cruise in San Diego.  We drove the dinghy over and met them at their hotel (Wyndham) just across the street from the bow end of Star of India.   We all piled into dink and motored back to Shakedown so they could unload the couple of bags they hadn't checked with a baggage storage service.  We jumped back into dink, back to same dinghy dock, and headed into the city via Little Italy.  Stopped and had a pizza in one of the restaurants there. Then it was further uptown to stop at the US Post Office.  Then we made our way back to Shakedown, had some down time sitting on the foredeck and sipping beverages.  

2/15:  Vern picked us up at the dinghy dock and we spent the better part of the day in Old Town and having a great lunch there.  We also drove over to Mission Bay to take a look at the anchorage there, in case we would be interested sometime in the future.  The time got away from us and we ended up heading back to Shakedown, but stopped at a drinking establishment by the name of Shakedown.  Couldn't believe it, there is a Shakedown yacht, a Shakedown Band, a song called Shakedown, and now a known Shakedown bar! Got back to Shakedown (the yacht) in time to watch the sunset. 

Arriving in Old Town San Diego (Vern & Nancy)

Paul & Lyn  enjoying Old Town outdoor restaurant

SHAKEDOWN Bar, Mission Beach

Shakedown Crew at Shakedown Bar

2/16:  Jumped in dink and headed to the hotel to see if a room was available for Paul and Lyn, but there wasn't, so they checked their bags in with the hotel's bag storage.  We then headed towards the USS Midway museum, stopping for “breakfast” at 1130 along the way.  Spent the 
better part of the afternoon touring the Midway, then headed back to the hotel and had a couple of drinks at the Elephant & Castle (attached to hotel).  We had to part ways because Paul & Lyn were catching an early train to Washington, and we needed to get back to Shakedown before dark.

The Boss' Chair on the Bridge of USS Midway

The Steering Station of USS Midway

2/19: We pulled anchor at the Cruisers Anchorage at 1020 this morning.  We got a sub-lease on a mooring ball in America's Cup Harbor (East end of Shelter Island).  But before we headed there, decided to do a “pass and review” in front of the USS Midway (CV-41) museum, and of 
course, take more pictures.  Timing was important because we wanted to arrive at the mooring ball at slack high tide.  We did arrive and just as we pulled into the AC Harbor the wind went from zero to 14 knots.  Needless to say, we had just a bit of difficulty getting tied up at both ends.  Luckily the mooring ball maintenance barge was right there and they helped us get settled in.  So we have a forward tie and an aft tie.  Any and all wave action (minimal) will hit us directly in the stern.  We feel like we're in a lake now as opposed to getting smacked broadside throughout the day by fairly large rollers at the Anchorage.  Hope to be here about three months.

Our last look from the Anchorage as we head for America's Cup Harbor

PASS IN REVIEW!!!  USS Midway (CV-41)

VE Day Kiss

USS Midway parting shot

2/20: Spent the morning cleaning the anchor chain, which, of the course of the past two months at anchor, had become a haven of marine plant life.  Had pulled the chain out of the chain locker right after we hooked up to the mooring balls and let the 25' section soak in a pail of salt water overnight.  With a used toothbrush in hand, attacked each link individually and finally had enough cleaned off to hoist chain up with main halyard to let it completely dry prior to returning it to the chain locker.  Finished scrubbing last of the bottom of the Walker Bay dinghy so to apply a coat of bottom paint. Meanwhile, NJ cleaned stainless railing and dodger/bimini windows. The wind picked up to about 15 knots late in the morning which precluded any painting.  Rearranged the bow compartment, turning in back from a berthing-for-two area to “the garage” once again.  By 1630, the wind had died down to under 5 knots, so spent the next hour bottom-painting the Walker Bay.  Ready for rest and relaxation for the remainder of the evening.

2/21: Spent morning dropping Walker Bay into water, rigging oars, dropping garbage into it along with four 7-gal water jugs.  Rowed to east dinghy dock and dumped trash.  Then rowed across Americas Cup Harbor to the fuel dock where water jugs were filled, and then rowed back to Shakedown and hoisted the water jugs onto the deck.  Spent rest of the morning washing down and cleaning the deck.  It was filthy.  After lunch, pulled jib off fore-stay and spent the next 2 hours folding it up on the foredeck, then wrapping it in canvas and placing it on the 
pulpit.  Shakedown looking lots better now.  Got ourselves ready to meet up with Vern this afternoon.  Took off to Vern's place about 1700.

2/22: At Vern's house.  Hit COSTCO and Home Depot in the morning.  Worked on Vern's master bath restoration.  Had a great dinner.

2/23: At Vern's.  Were pleasantly surprised to see two Krispy Kreme doughnuts boxes stacked atop one another on the kitchen counter .  Made coffee and ate one or two...or more...  sun is out and blog is more or less up to date.  Son Steven is having his 27th birthday today, so we have to call him and sing "the song"....

To the end of the year 2013

12/10:  Shakedown got inspected by Harbor Police, we passed and were issued a 30-day Permit to anchor at the A9 Cruisers Anchorage. This permit is renewable for two more 30-day periods for maximum of 90 days.

12/11:  Took delivery of our new RO Systems SeaMaker 20 watermaker today!  It will take a bit of planning and installation, but we believe this will be one of the best investments we've made ($4K).  

12/12:  This morning we left the Police Transient Docks, maneuvered over to the pump-out station and relieved the holding tank of its contents.  Motored over to the Harbor Island Fuel Dock and topped off the port tank (33 gal) and filled all four jerry cans (20 gal).  We then headed over to the A9 “Cruisers” Anchorage, found a good spot and dropped anchor.  We met a sailor by the name of Jerid who was preparing his sailboat so his family could move 
aboard and then head off to New Zealand.  Dropped the Walker Bay dinghy in the water, attached Honda 2hp motor and oars and went for a ride to see if we could locate the dinghy dock.  We did, and it was just a bit crowded.  Upon return to Shakedown, we sat on the foredeck in our 49ers chairs and watched the sun go down.  Just before sunset, who should drive up in their dinghy but none other than Amanda & Keegan Hardesty-Dwyer from Marina Bay Hacht Harbor up in Richmond, CA!  We chatted for a little bit and they headed over to their sailboat, s/v Malabar. 

At the transient dock on Shelter Island (total 6 days)

Closing in on the A9 Cruiser's Anchorage

m/v Hornblower greeting our arrival...

Our view of San Diego from the new anchorage.

s/v Malabar crewed by Keegan & Amanda

12/13:  Ordered 6 new UB-GC2 6V house batteries to replace current battery bank.  Amanda, Keegan and Brenda dropped by this evening to visit.

12/14:  Brother Vern's house in Poway for the weekend to look at, and possibly fix, his driveway longterm parked truck.

12/16:  Son Steven arrived today from Maryland.  We met him at Lindburgh Field (SDiego Int'l Airport), after walking there from the dinghy dock.  Decided better to take Taxi back to the dock.  And as we were sitting in our chairs on the foredeck preparing for sunset, who should show up at the anchorage, but none other than Wade and Carla Bamer, our friends from Port Angeles, WA in their s/v Pelican Moon! 

s/v Pelican Moon rests quietly at anchor after their arrival.

12/18:  We all went to the Maritime Museum today.  It is conveniently close to us and provided many hours of entertainment.  Having served in three U.S. Submarines way back when, Hal was keenly interested in touring the Russian submarine.  Pretty shocked by how badly, relative to our subs, that the crews existed.  Very few amenities for the crew, even the skipper.  We also toured the USS DOLPHIN, a now retired research submarine...kind of small...the Star of India was a huge tall ship and was fun to see.  After we returned to Shakedown, we got our first pump out from Pepe Le Poo pumpout service.

Sunrise over downtown San Diego

The Dinghy Dock - opposite side is just as crowded

At the Maritime Museum

Inside USS DOLPHIN

USS DOLPHIN Control Room 

HMS Surprise (of Captain & Commander fame) but it was closed for maintenance

The Soviet (Russian) Submarine 

Entering the Soviet Sub

Torpedo Room

Passageway just forward of Captain's stateroom (right)

The basic "Head".  At least the seat is varnished...much better.

"Down Periscope!"

One of 4 (or was it 5) doorways between compartments.  This is the ultimate "bendover"

Crew's sleeping quarters

Star of India

Main Deck on Star of India

One of the blocks on Star of India....huge!

 12/19:  Pulled the Honda EU2000 portable gas generator out of the Lazerette to provide electrical power to boat while I looked into a problem with our on-board diesel genset.  It was making a horrible noise and the techreps at Norpro (where I purchased genset) told me to pull rear cover off generator and tighten the center nut.  As with most boat related items, easier said than done.  Because I didn't have enough room to reach around back and get even a stubby screwdriver in there, had to “dismantle” the entire unit in order to pull it forward about 4 inches to get access.  Some hours later, discovered the nut did not need tightening at all.  Reassembled (or is it “remantled”?) the entire unit.  Started the genset to make sure it was put back together right, and having confirmed no leaks, etc., let it run.  Oddly enough, the noise subsided and disappeared the same way it had arrived!   Time for a beer.

12/20: Son Steven was picked up by a friend, Justine, who had driven down from the Camarillo area (about 2 hours north).  S/v Malabar (Keegan & Amanda) departed the A9 anchorage headed for Mexico.

12/21:  Hal gets haircut aboard Shakedown.  Nancy is indoctrinated into Barberdom.  Hal is officially bravest man on the planet!

12/22:  Steven and Hal take tour of USS Midway (CV-41) Museum (real close to the Maritime Museum).  Found and hung our Hammock for the first time since purchasing it about six years ago!  Got tested a few time at different weight classes.  Passed tests...we keep it.

Steve introduces us to USS Midway (CV 41) museum from flight deck

Up in the bridge/air traffic control tower some 80+ feet above sea level

View from the bridge across to Coronado Naval Air Station

Testing new hammock

Providing some color to the test...always need more pink!

Hammock making ultimate sacrifice and surviving....

12/23:  Went to Vern's house to watch Monday Night Football and stayed overnight.

12/24:  Came back to boat around noon.  Got things put together, Steven packed, got a good night's sleep.  NJ gets pearl earrings for Christmas, Steven gets $$$'s.  

12/25:  Christmas Day.  Vern picked us up at the dinghy dock.  Steven went with his suitcase as we plan to be there overnight and drive him to the airport for an early flight (0830 with 0730 check in).  Christmas dinner fabulous!  Prime Rib.

At Vern's home (back yard) in Poway on Christmas Day

Can Christmas Day be any nicer?  We can't complain....

12/28:  We found out from our friends/anchorage neighbors, Duane and Sandy about a farmer's market in downtown San Diego (every Saturday) and we decided to check it out.  Also found Little Italy part of town, and had lunch at The Waterfront together.  Made reservations to return tomorrow to watch football (Seahawks, Chargers and 49ers were all playing at same time).  

12/29:  Headed to "The Waterfront".  Duane & Sandy (Seattle fans), Vern & Christina (SDiego fans), Hal & NJ (49er fans) endured a loud crowd (also had Packers and Bears fans) but it was generally fun and food was good....and all our teams won!  Place was PACKED...real glad reservations were made.

12/30:  Did a little post-football day recovery today.  Took a walk to Ralphs and picked up needed groceries.  Kicked back and relaxed.

12/31:  New Years Eve aboard Shakedown.  Watched ball drop in New York on the TV.  NJ went to bed, having set alarm for 2330.  Hal stayed up in anticipation of a huge, fantastic, stupendous up-close-and-personal San Diego Bay fireworks extravaganza.  Fog bank rolled in about 2200, clearing up around quarter to midnight.  Clock struck 12 and deafening silence! The fireworks never happened...mumbled a few expletives, went to bed knowing the new year will bring...you know, stuff like new opportunities, warmer weather, etc., etc., and so on....  

Sunset viewed from Shakedown over Harbor Island