Sailing: Life In (slow) Motion

Stella J’s departing Fair Winds Wave - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Back in our rock climbing days, it was not uncommon to run into familiar climbers at various crags around the country. Whenever it came time to pack up gear, knowing that there would be more climbing trips to follow, a parting, "See ya later" to other climbers seemed to fit the departure. I suspect the same applies to musicians, surfers, marathon runners and artists packing up their work at the end of a show.

When we leave an anchorage or a marina, I notice that we're never inclined to say, "See ya later." I suppose that's because, chances are, we won't. "Safe travels" and "Fair winds" seem to be much more appropriate salutations.

Now that we have had the opportunity to meet quite a few other sailors along the way, particularly during marina stops, we are discovering three broad categories: the Transients, the Short-Term Residents and the Liveaboards.

We fall in the transient category. Marinas tend to be temporary stops for us. A marina may be necessary when entering or departing a country, as the immigration and customs paperwork can often require a full day or more. Waiting to transit the Panama Canal required a marina pause. Currently, we are marina living due to necessity rather than preference, as we STILL await the delivery of a cutlass bearing. There have been other times when a marina stop has been a welcomed event. Since Traveler does not have hot water or a shower, a marina stop after 2-3 weeks of sailing can feel like a luxury. Though hot water is rare, a cold marina shower after 3 weeks of 90º days delivers reenergizing, spa-like decadence.

We've also met short-term residents. These are the sailors who may spend 3-6 months in a marina for various reasons. Sometimes it is to wait for the seasonal weather that will favor the next leg of their trip. Some may be pausing for a baby to be born. Others will explain that they just love (Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama, etc.) and are in no big hurry to leave. Many are retirees who have sold their houses, eliminated their material possessions and tossed away their calendars. Many of the younger sailors have stories of working multiple jobs for several years, selling all possessions, buying a boat and sailing away until money is exhausted or passion fades. We met an older sailor on the dock last week who said he was transiting the canal and heading back to his home in California. He said he had been sailing for quite a while and was "just tired." We asked how long he had been traveling. He replied, "Twenty years."

Then there are the marina or anchorage "liveaboards." Liveboards may or may not actually sail their boats. The non-sailing liveaboards tend to collect in the least expensive marinas that allow long term occupancy. It seemed quite common in California where living on a boat in a marina was far more affordable than a house or apartment. Some liveaboard boats offer an amazing demonstration of how many miscellaneous items the deck of a boat can support. Growing vegetables would be a good example!

The most common questions volleyed back and forth between sailors at a marina are, "Where are you coming from" and "Where are you headed?" For us, we are most interested in where others are headed. We are always hoping to find another boat that is on our trajectory and timeline. We often meet sailors who are heading in the same direction, but at a much slower pace. It would be great to find a "buddy boat" to round the loop and head back north with us.

The fact is, we were spoiled from the beginning by our buddy-boat buddies, James and Tanya on Stella J. We met James and Tanya when we first moved Traveler to Blaine, Washington. James and Tanya fall in the category of hard-working young people who saved money, sold their house, bought a boat and quit their 9-5 jobs to go sailing for "a few years."

Together with Stella J, we left Port Townsend, Washington on August 29 and sailed off-and-on together for our first 2,200 miles to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. From Cabo, James and Tanya sailed around the peninsula and north into the Sea of Cortez while we crossed over to the Mexican mainland to continue traveling south.

We certainly miss sharing time and stories with James and Tanya, and it's not likely that we will find another buddy boat like Stella J. Fortunately, they do have a YouTube channel that keeps us informed of their highlights and challenges as they continue their travel in the Sea of Cortez.

As we continue to be marina grounded, you may enjoy following SV Stella J. James is a master with a drone, Tanya has a great laugh and their chocolate lab, Ramey, often makes guest appearances. Below are links to their two most recent episodes, each of which includes Traveler Crew guest appearances. The second link features the release of 900 baby sea turtles!

Hopefully, our next post will be all about our successful repair and the beauty of the San Blas Islands