Tuesday 15th July 2008
I should have been on the Start Line with "Nereida" for the Single-Handed TransPac Race to Kauai, Hawaii, which started last Saturday 12th July ... so I joined the racers several days beforehand in San Francisco and was able to enjoy their company firstly at Marina Village and Encinal Y.C. in Alameda & then at the Corinthian Y.C. in Tiburon from where I saw them off literally on the Start Line ... from the 'Latitude 38' photo boat - thank you for that kind thought, LaDonna!! The photo boat went out beyond the Golden Gate Bridge and got close to each boat in turn which was great fun... and it was nice to see the racers on a 'high' in good wind just after the start - smiling and waving at us! I have to admit it was also painful for me to see them starting and not to be sailing with them on poor 'Nereida'...
A few days earlier, Barbara Euser on 'Islander' was looking for someone to bring her boat back from Kauai after the race - I jumped at the chance - so I'll be single-handing 'Islander' back on the 2 1/2 - 3 week 'Return' from Kauai to San Francisco - I'm really looking forward to that and was very happy when Barbara accepted my offer! 'Islander' is a Bristol 34, quite different from Nereida, although similar in size, so it will be an interesting trip....!
I'm now back in London, trying to sort out various things... like my insurance claim, replacing lost items, trying to retrieve computer data (photos, emails, etc) from damaged hard drives, writing up my story, catching up with friends and family & several months' post... and looking for "Nereida II".
On July 27th, I'll fly out to Kauai to see the racers finish over the following week, and get in a bit of R&R, and I expect to start the return sail to San Francisco on 'Islander' on 5th August.
Plans after that are unclear, although I'm hoping to get to B.C. in September for some more sailing... the thought of being off the water for a long time is not one I enjoy! But I have greatly appreciated the many kind offers from friends to join them both on & off the water ... and, of course, there's 'Annamarina' down in Manzanillo, waiting for the hurricane season to pass or at least diminish, before being brought up to San Francisco at some point.... "watch this space!"
P.S. Have lost all phone/address details for all my friends with loss of my laptops and papers - so please email me with that info... thanks.
Jeanne