Passages to La Paz - Power Boat and Driving

Rob, brother Dave, friend Dan and parents Bert and Alice arrived in La Paz after a two week departure from San Diego on Elegante, the parent's newly acquired power boat.We will have fun getting them reacquainted to their new cruising lifestyle, as they visit favorite spots in the Sea of Cortez this season.

Nancy and La Paz based friend Jeanne, doggy Beau and a few stuffed animal mascots arrived in La Paz a day later in the parent's white SUV, affectionately called TB, Tankito Blanco. It was Nancy's first driving trip down, and was very relaxing road trip, with fairly good roads and nice scenery.

Here are some photos of both trips south.  Can't tell who was having more fun!!

Jeanne, Lefty and Nancy ready for the trip

Have car, will pack full of things!

Beau, age 16, was the perfect road trip companion

Only a few water logged arroyos in the road

Interesting salt outlined rock formations on mountains

The dreaded semi trucks - passing slow trucks on the single lane highway took some fortitude

Three days later, arrival in La Paz at Marina Palmira
Mascots, and Gals are still smiling

Dias de los Muertos display at Hotel BajaCactus

Intrepid crew of Elegante prior to San Diego Departure 

Brother Dave was the master fisherman for the trip South.  Here is  a nice tuna we caught.  (The Tuna is on the right).

Sunrise over Baja

Leaving Cabo in our wake, on the way to La Paz

Nice Marlin caught in the Cerralvo Channel

Dolphins enjoying Elegante's wake.

Finally some float time at Bahia de los Muertos

Are two props better than one?  Amazing clear water is Playa Bonanza on Espiritu Santu

Dan posing with his Stone IPA

Elegante safely tucked away in new home at Marina Palmira

Summer Vacation

Picture perfect view of the Golden Gate Bridge
*Photographer Bryan

Our summer was at a pace that even Nancy could not keep up with.  This is the 2nd summer without our home to go back to.  With the support of land based friends who offered up their homes, garage door entries, cars, temporary storage facilities for the growing luggage, and encouragement, (gracias, machas gracias!!)  we zig-zagged up and down the West Coast, with a 3000 mile detour to explore Acadia National Park near Bangor, Maine and the family farm in Vermont.  As Bryan is working full time in Silicon Valley on his internship, each stop naturally included another short visit into the San Francisco area.

For those that are interested in another description of Hurricane Odile's devastation on the Baja California Sur last month, check out a summary of what happened, recently posted on our friends' blog from Eagle's: Big Left Turn.
We are thankful for the support and continued communications from the Mexico based community of friends during the aftermath of the hurricane.  And we are very eager to return to our favorite cruising hometown of La Paz as soon as possible.

Here are some photos to catch us up to October.  It takes a lot of work to have this much fun!   

See you on the water soon.

Family Photo: Celebrating Tom and Jenny's San Francisco Wedding

Nancy racing the Allis Chalmers tractor around the farm in Vermont.

A Cruiser reunion in Los Altos with Sylvia
Tom was on the Pacific Cup sailing to Hawai'i

The Steinway has a new home and cover;  Kitty Cosmos stretches out on his new perch.
Nancy enjoyed playing her several times this summer.

Another Cruiser Reunion in Sonoma County w/ 1st year buddies
Sue and John (missing from camera lens) from Wizard; Michael from Patanjali (currently moored in South Pacific) 

Jenny and Tom and the  Gang
A Beautiful Wedding and Reception in Chinatown, San Francisco

The 1919 Model T Depot Hack debuts at Mom's retirement home in Placerville
JD and Rob 

Linda and Harry, Fabulous hosts aboard Rendez Vous on the Canadian Waterways

Spotted Prawns in Desolation Sound

Cracked Crab and Red Wine on the back deck

A night of Revelry with Glenda and Laird in West Vancouver, BC
We house and dog sat with Quinn, their Portuegese waterdog.

Many hikes with Jerry, daughter Andrea and the mighty pug dog Olive
British Columbia

Our buddy Quinn: Reading a bedtime story in West Vancouver

Quinn and Rob: Watching the Hurricane status in Mexico

A surprise visit with Kaaren and Jim and their new boat, SeaHorse
Victoria, BC

Engine room envy: Jim and Rob

Cruiser reunion with Barbara, SV Zoe, Seattle

Bryan hiking Windy Hill Preserve
A four hour hike is a great way to catch up

Oyster Magazine Article Published

This post breaks our "Blog is on Summer Vacation rule", but only slightly.

The attached article was just published in Oyster's Summer 2014 magazine.  It is a condensed version of our first 6 weeks of cruising south from San Francisco to Cabo San Lucas almost 2 years ago.
You may recognize some of the content from our earlier posts.   Hope you enjoy it....   We've been asked to submit another article for the next magazine published...sure glad we have the blogs to refresh our memory.

Rob and I are enjoying our summer travels across North America.  We're in West Vancouver, BC now. Shindig is safe and secure in the Marina Palmira in La Paz.  We are eager to return to our sailing adventures.  Send us a comment below, email or FB message.

The article starts on Page 85.

PDF here:

http://www.oystermarine.com/documents/oyster_news/ON76.pdf

Summer Vacation for Shindigsailing

We've been back in the States for over two weeks now, and have switched into our other life as we plan our summer calendar.  While our friends, Tom & Jeanne from La Paz Cruisers Supply are keeping a watchful eye over Shindig during the hurricane threats down in Mexico, our thoughts are now more towards how to see friends and family, without our house, car, or oddly, enough time.  Even with lots of hospitable friends and family, we are sorry (Lo Siento) that we may  not be able to connect with everyone during the short time we are in the States and Canada.

Nancy's birthday celebration is well underway in Southern CA.  It started with the return to Rob's family in Canyon Lake (Southern CA) and a week long visit from Bryan on his way back from college. After two weeks of family dinners, card playing, boat rides, shopping sprees at Target and sunshine, we are now slowly heading north (well, at least Nancy is), and will both be landing in the East Coast in a week.

And to continue the tradition, the Shindigsailing blog will be on Summer Vacation for a while.
We will try to keep up with the Facebook and emails.  We are thinking about you all, and hope that you have a very happy and safe summer.

Hasta Luego!  - Nancy, Rob and SV Shindig.

The Novak parents and boys

Bryan, Nancy and Rob

Our car for a week 

Rob showing off some skills

Cousins - Nicky, Bryan and Ali

Birthday paddle
Nancy and Marie (SV Mi Casa) get ready for their early morning paddle in San Diego

Birthday Lunch with the cruiser gals (former SUP relay race members)
Rob, Nancy, Katie, SV Pangaea and Wendy, SV Willow
George's at the Cove in La Jolla

Rob on Carlsbad Beach wave
Not exactly Punta Mita...

Del Mar dinner with Nancy's brother David and wife Kathy