NEARLY READY TO GO

1ST APRIL - Only another couple of days to go - photos of our fuel bladder from Aussie company Turtlepac on the foredeck - 750 lt of diesel + 400 lt in boats tanks . Looks good and expect it go really well.


UPDATE: 25.3.08 - We are planning to leave on the 5th April - we will probably go down to Ensenada Mexico first - just 60nm south - to buy of all things UHT milk - cannot buy it in the USA. !!!!

We are progressing along with departure - our freight from Australia arrived finally - all in good order.

Me, Julie, is recovering from a broken bone in my hand - fell over in the boat - at the dock!!!!

The weather in San Diego has been very cold as well as some lovely warm spring days.

Our mode of transport is bicycle - two fold up bikes for the trip - we have now been lent a 30 yr old manual geared diesel Mercedes which we lurch around San Diego in to the supermarket etc. Great fun and good to have. - David loves it.

There are a few photos of the Marina - Kona Kai - lots and lots of boats.

A few of San Diego and the aircraft carrier the Midway.

OUR CREW - WELCOME

The rest below is all lies - the picture is the real reason why we asked Robert to sail with us - fishing - David and I haven't had a lot of luck fishing in the Whitsundays recently.


Robert Hennessey has agreed to join us for the long haul from San Diego to Tahiti - Robert has his own 55' Pugh in Mackay and we have had many enjoyable hours at anchor and sailing with him over the last two years in the Whitsundays. Robert arrives mid March and will be welcomed by us to do the last minute rush jobs before sailing off into the blue Pacific. We will let Robert go off sometimes so that he can see the wonders of San Diego - lovely spot.

Why did we buy a boat in the USA?

We had the idea to buy a boat in the USA but possibly a bit later - especially after we sold our current boat in Australia. We went to the Fort Lauderdale Boat show in October 2007 and saw only power boats. We did see an Oyster 55 in Miami and put in an offer - exceptionally low one I might add - and of course was not accepted.

We then went to Los Angeles where we saw a Beneteau 523 that was not for sale BUT there was one for sale in Mexico at Ensenada. This boat was 2006 build and had only 65 hrs on the engine - can you imagine that - turned out to be subject to a divorce and must sell.

We put in an offer and off we went to Mexico to see the boat.

Boats in general are cheaper in the USA than Australia and especially attractive now that the US dollar is so much lower against the Australian dollar.

So here we are getting ready to sail and have an adventure along the way.