Charming Fog?

Funny how cool, foggy weather grows tiresome when living in the Pacific northwest, but somehow adds to the charm of Carmel.  I was here 15 years ago and forgot how quaint (and wealthy) this little sea-side town is. Had a great time studying local watercolor artists, meandering in and out of cafes and coffee shops and walking along the white sand beaches the consistency of flour.  Pebble Beach is in the background.

Banjo Spotting in Santa Cruz

How excited was I to hear the twang of a banjo in downtown Santa Cruz?!!  Here's a bluegrass family--bare feet represent authenticity.

We took in sandy beaches, complete with lighthouses, boardwalks and volleyball--you can play while taking in the views of boats sailing in Monterey Bay.

 I rented a baby blue cruiser and toured Santa Cruz in style! Wonderfully fun to explore side streets, neighborhoods, and art studios.  Definitely an artful, sensory rich city.

We later anchored off of Capitola, a small village along the bay, for a night and then headed to Monterey on a perfect beam reach. All is well on s/v Pearl.  

Full Moon in Half Moon Bay

After a perfect sail down the coast from San Francisco Bay into Half Moon Bay, we were rewarded with a full moon! Here is the female crew of s/v Pearl: Annie, my bunk mate, Sydney and Shari, and our canine first mate, Salty.

Half Moon Bay residents like to funk out their front yard with murals and recycled art.

And best of all, the town has a microbrewery that allows dogs to partake!

Land Ho!

Aboard Pearl, August 28, the eve before setting out--well nourished and hydrated (?!).  We left at 3:45am on August 29th to catch the ebb tide out of Strait of Juan de Fuca.

We had clear blue skies and starry nights, rotating watch every 4 hours.

Wonderful sunrises, sunsets....

 ....Dall and Pacific White-Sided porpoises off our bow.

Some days were warm, calm and allowed for perfect happy hours.

Some days were lumpy with gale force winds of 30 knots and wave heights of 10-15 feet.

On September 3rd, we arrived at Drakes bay, off Point Reyes National Seashore. We took the dinghy in and attempted to regain our land legs.

After six days and 736 nautical miles, we sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge, popped the cork and said "hello" to San Francisco.

More details at Sailing Pearl and more photos here!!

We are now sitting off of Sausalito, a ferry ride away from San Francisco. Plans are to head to Half Moon Bay in the next day or two.  All is well aboard s/v Pearl.