Sunny San Diego

We are now in beautiful (and I DO mean beautiful) San Diego. We spent two wonderful nights on Catalina Island and left at 4am Wednesday, under a full moon. We motored for 10 hours (no wind and glassy seas) and arrived in Mariner's Cove (Mission Bay) where we anchored for 2 nights. It's a lovely anchorage where you can stay for free for up to 3 days...very quiet and well protected and I loved the sand on the beach which is as soft as baby powder. While we were there, two of the boats we've consistently run into in different ports arrived as well. Dick & Carol ("Plumas" - you can see them behind us in the photo) invited us all, as well as a couple off another boat they'd met in Newport Beach, over for cocktails and it was great fun just hangin' out with the cruisers and swapping sea stories. We left the next morning (Fri) at 7am and arrived at the Police Dock by 11. We weren't sure we'd be able to get a slip as they only have 30 and they are in pretty high demand this time of year for a number of reasons but as we came in George & Sue ("Julia Max" from Portland) motioned us to take the vacant side of their double slip and came over to grab dock lines so here we are. I am sooo happy to be in one place for 10 whole days! We have shower facilities, the scenery is gorgeous and there are lots of Ha Ha boats here. While we are here I am getting an opportunity to see friends I haven't seen in a long time and that is very nice. Michael & Finn were flying home Sunday so we spent the day at Sea World on Saturday and it was lots of fun. We are working on more boat “projects” now. “We” (think Chris) are installing a new VHF radio and new inverter. Had a rigger replace the lower shrouds and install lazy jacks. I can hardly believe the service! He removed the shrouds on Monday, installed the new ones on Tuesday and did the lazy jacks today!!! And the price was amazingly low!! I’ve been making forays to West Marine and Downwind Marine and it is so exciting! These are REAL chandleries! The West Marine in San Diego is HUGE and it has tons of boat parts and a very small clothing section! The people at Downwind are just so much fun to talk to I like to go over there just for a good time. AND they have coffee & donuts for the customers in the morning. Everyone (vendors) just make themselves totally available for all the Ha Ha participants. The rigger told me he always sets aside at least a week during this time because there are always boats that need something done. How cool is that? Also, we had a wooden support for the table that split on the trip down and needed replacing. We delivered it to a marine carpenter yesterday and picked up the new one today along with many good wishes for a safe and fun trip. Everyone around here just bends over backwards to help you along on the adventure - and they all wish they were going as well. It's so hard to believe that after all these years of dreaming about going cruising in warm places that it is actually happening. Today Patty & I had a “girl day” for haircuts, manicures & pedicures and after we’d come home Chris & I were in the cockpit having a beer when a very nice guy came up and ooh’d and ahh’d over the boat and visited for probably 30 minutes. He loves Morgans and has been looking for one to go cruising on. I so remember the feeling – the dock walking – the envy – the drooling over boats and possibilities and other people’s adventures. And, especially, wondering if I would ever truly be able to go or if I’d always be one of those people who is an armchair sailor and at the end wishes they’d at least tried. It doesn't look like that is going to be the case but it is still a constant surprise to me that I am truly "doing it".