Category Archives: Cruisers

Our Global Connection for Satellite Phone is on it’s way!!!

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We decided to go with the iridiumGo! through PredictWind. I think this is one of our largest purchases, yikes! After reading many blogs and reviews, this seems to be the best fit for us. Hope we’re right!

  • We’ll be able to get updates on the wind, rain, swell etc through the satellite phone and on to our computer.  We are familiar with other ways to stay safe with weather predictions, just in case technology fails, but having this aboard SV Shawnigan is super exciting.
  • We will have unlimited SMS (texts) in and outbound!  Yes, you can text us or we can text you while we are in the middle of the Indian Ocean! Or anywhere, for that matter.  We can also update our position on the map. See us on the map somewhere? You happen to be going there for vacation??? You can send us a message to meet up!
  • We will also be able to keep our blog (mostly) up to date!  With a few pictures here and there and some text to go with it, we will be able to post to the blog in the middle of a passage.

Part of our purpose in sailing around the world is to “disconnect”. So having this technology will add a element of practicing will power. Will power to not post or stay too connected too often, that is. Not that we don’t love you all, but we really want to experience the world as mush as possible and do it safely.

If you are totally stoked on staying updated and/or would like to know you can text/email with us almost anytime, and would like to help support the monthly Sat Phone $$$ please click here to donate! 🙂

Easter weekend in the Eastern Sierra.

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A little vacay to the Kiddoo (Josie ‘s) family in Bishop, Ca for Easter. We brought the boat from the hook to a transient slip over the weekend, so that we could have peace of mind while we were away.  While to boat was safely docked at Berkeley Marina, we drove (in the car our sister, Tara, loaned us) to Bishop, for a little vacation in the mountains. On the way over, we made a quick stop for a freezing dip in the South Fork American River,  and then later, a warm dip in Mammoth Hot Creek.  Friday night, we had dinner at Mountain Rambler Brewery and enjoyed a documentary by JB Benna called “The Long Haul” on treks of the John Muir Trail made in record time.  I just have to say,  “ultra running is truly amazing”. I need to thank JB for inspiring me to do some filming during our sail around the world!

My cousin’s brewery in Bishop, Ca “Mountain Rambler Brewery”

JB’s film by http://www.journeyfilm.com

Saturday and Sunday consisted of Easter egg hunts, and family celebrating Taj’s 2nd birthday and walks in the desert.

Paleo Maple Cupcakes with Chocolate “buttercream” frosting and Maple Bacon frosting. Taj’s first cupcake and he LOVED it!

Yummy!!!

Monday, we made our drive home as a “field trip day” for boat schooling this week.  The Eastern Sierra is full of geologic wonders. We stopped at the Mammoth Hot Springs again for a quick dip in the tubs, then we went to Obsidian Dome for a hike and lesson on volcanic activity and rock formation.

Morning hot springs dip.

    

Ellamae suddenly turned into a Bighorn Sheep.

Nina and Ellamae standing beneath a spire of Obsidian and other igneous rock including Rhyolite and Pumice.

Obsidian Dome is one of many Mono-Inyo Craters

On the hook update and first commute to work from anchor.

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S/V Shawnigan on Richardson Bay



Our first night on the hook on Richardson Bay was seamless. The next day we woke up, did some boatschooling, then rowed to shore to go to the post office and get some groceries. We had duck tacos for dinner using our new 10 quart pressure cooker. Yummy. After dinner we cruised on over to Treasure Island to drop the hook next to two boat friends of ours. We’ll probably stay here for a few days.



raft up friends : Bob and Geoff



Today I woke up at 5:25 AM to climb off the boat into the dinghy with my bike. I rowed to shore, rode to the bus stop on my bike, rode the bus over the Bay Bridge to the city, then rode my bike to work. I think it was the easiest bike commute I’ve had in the last four years and definitely an adventure.