S.V. CAMBRIA: October 2013

Having Guests Aboard: Our Top Eight Ways to Survive

Saturday, October 26, 2013TheCambrians

When I asked David if he had any advice about having guests aboard, his recommendation was “don’t.” Which is exactly what I knew he would say. Whether on land or on the water, guests can be stressful. Part of this, of course, is simply because they don’t know your rhythms and routines . . . or what drives you crazy. But whether you have a “good” guest or a "bad" one aboard, there are some things you can do to make the experience enjoyable for everybody aboard:

David and our guest, Ian, enjoying a sail in the cockpit.

Choose Wisely: There are exceptions to every rule but, in our experience, friends and family with some boating experience make the best guests: They understand that there’s an ebb and a flow to this lifestyle. Landlubbers. Not so much.

Flexibility is Key: This is the one that seems to get into the way most often. Plans change. Things happen. Weather interferes. And boat equipment fails. We don’t sail to a schedule and can’t say with any level of certainty where we’ll be at any given time – we live in generalities, which is perfectly fine with us. But try to add a third party into the mix and it becomes complicated. So, unless we’re tied up for the winter, flexibility is key for anybody who’d like to come for a visit.

Communication: It’s your job to educate your guests on everything and anything they may need to know while aboard – from the general “boat rules” to knowing where everything is and how to use it (this goes double for the head).

We All Need Our Space: Make sure your guests have space of their own, or they’ll always be in yours. This goes for their things as well. Cambria has a great layout for guests with a private v-berth and ensuite, but lacks when it comes to common areas. The salon is “cozy” and the cockpit is built with ocean passages in mind, not entertaining. So it’s important to keep these areas clear of “stuff” to make room for people (not to mention a curious dog who likes to be part of the action).

Our friend Lee in Cambria's v-berth.

Plan, Plan and Plan Some More: And when you’re finished with that, make back-up plans. Keeping your guests busy is key. While we’re happy to spend lazy days aboard doing next to nothing, guests who just spent a lot of money to see us are not. Visit anchorages with plenty to do and rediscover some of your favourite places through the eyes of your guests. The days will pass much faster and, before you know it, your boat will be yours again.

Galleys Weren’t Built For Two: They really weren’t, so share the responsibilities. There’s nothing wrong with allowing your guests to help prepare some of the meals (three times a day adds up to A LOT of extra work) or to help out with the dishes.

Our friend and boat guest, Eleanor, steaming mussels in the galley.

Be Realistic: Don’t bite off more than you can chew. If guests aren’t your thing, so be it. Know yourself and how long you can share your space – if at all.

See the Light at the End of the Tunnel: Nothing lasts forever, even boat guests, and it’s important recognize that they will be leaving sooner or later and mentally mark the days off the calendar.

And remember, having a guest aboard is an opportunity to spend quality time with people you love, so let go of your routine, relax and enjoy!

Happy Hour with boat guest and friend, Ian, in Cambria's cozy cockpit.

Cruising with a Dog Pets Aboard Tips for Living Aboard

Advice for Freshman Cruisers . . . With Dogs

Friday, October 18, 2013TheCambrians

Sally enjoying the beaches of Calvert Island along the Central Coast of British Columbia.

The Monkey's Fist, a website that collects blogs from cruisers on a series of topics, recently posted a request for blogs about the most important things you learned in your first year cruising to share with other newbies. I’ve been wanting to write about Sally, our dog, for a while now and decided to add my own personal twist to the subject. And I think that if you change a few words here and there, you’ll find the information translates into cruising in general. So, without further ado, here are some things we've learned along the way about cruising with a dog:

Quarantine days in Auckland, New Zealand, 2001. Ahhh! The shame!

Information is key. If you’re sailing to another country, make sure you know what the regulations regarding the importation of domestic animals are and follow them to a ‘T’ – your pet’s life depends on it. When we brought Sally to New Zealand over twelve years ago, we had to prepare six months in advance, microchip her and put her through rigorous testing for rabies. And she still had to spend 30 days in quarantine (which has now been reduced to 10). The sad thing is that, even after all of our hard work preparing Sally to move south, FDA sent her to New Zealand with the wrong paperwork (she clearly wasn’t a cat, let alone two of them) and if it wasn’t for the good working relationship between the kennel owner who was charged with receiving her and MAF (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry), she would have been “destroyed”.

Sally pounting as we sail along the coast of New Zealand because she has to stay in the cockpit.

It’s all a compromise. It’s not always possible to follow the wind when you have a dog aboard. When we first embarked on this lifestyle twelve years ago, we had dreams of sailing the world . . . not necessarily a circumnavigation, but close. Sally changed that. She was fine cruising around Lake Mead (where we had our first boat) for days on end, but the open ocean turned out to be an entirely different story. While she could handle short passages, sailing for several days would be too stressful for her (after all of these years she still won’t go to the bathroom on deck – not that it’s possible in 4 metre seas). We talked about flying her to different destinations but, at the end of the day, importation regulations got in the way. We tried leaving her behind in a friend’s care while we sailed up to the islands, but that didn’t work for me – I missed her too much. So we changed the way we do things. We eventually left New Zealand for “dog-friendlier” waters and, as along as we have Sally in our lives, are happy to post-pone offshore passages. For us, the important thing is that we’re all together. The ‘where’ is secondary.

Be flexible (you won’t be sorry). Carrying on with the previous point, Sally needs have to be taken into consideration when planning a passage, choosing an anchorage or a marina: When we came up the West Coast of the US in 2008, we had to harbour-hop to accommodate her, which turned out to be a really special way to see part of the country (thanks, Sally!). When we plan our routes for the season, I choose state or provincial parks as our anchorages as often as I can, so that I don’t have to worry about trespassing when taking Sally to shore. As it turns out, they’re our favourite spots (thanks again, pup). And the absolute best marina we ever wintered in was in San Diego and all because the other marinas didn’t allow pets (you’re the best, Sal!). We may not have always ended up where we intended, but it’s been one hell of a ride thanks, in part, to Sally.

Taking Sally to shore on a nice day.

Having a dog aboard is a lot of work. Shore trips, brushing, feeding, cleaning, walking . . . it all adds up. And it’s not always fun. Ask me after going to shore in the pouring rain if I enjoy cruising with a dog and my answer will be a resounding ‘no’. But you’ll get the same response out of David after he’s just finished fixing the head for the third time in as many days.

Share the responsibilities. Sally and I were together before David entered our lives and because of that, I ended up being her primary caretaker. Not only has David missed out on seeing some amazing things on our walks and trips to shore, but he also missed out on a part of Sally’s life that he can never get back and, now that she’s 17, I'm a little disappointed for him. But frankly, when it’s pouring down rain and cold outside, I can’t help but wonder why I’m the only one who has to don their foul-weather gear and head outside. To do it all over again, we’d share the responsibilities . . . just like we do with everything else.

At it again . . . Sally finds something nice and smelly to roll around in.

Be realistic. Cruising with a dog is no different than cruising in general – it’s not all romantic walks on exotic beaches while watching the sunset (although there are plenty of those): It’s dealing with the endless bureaucracy associated with government officials. It’s sprained paws from jumping off rocks. It’s impromptu baths after your dog rolls around in whatever smelly thing they can find on the beach. It’s being woken up at 3 in the morning to make an emergency run to shore because your dog has diarrhoea. It’s having your dog throw up on your head (through an open hatch) after swallowing too much salt water. It’s the good, the bad and the ugly all rolled up into one.

Pets can be a liability. They’re lovely. They’re great friends. They help enrich our lives. But don’t kid yourself; having a pet aboard a boat (at one time or another) is a liability. When you’re out at sea and things turn ugly, the last thing you want is a nervous dog underfoot. But it happens. When Sally was younger, we carried a collapsible kennel aboard that we’d set up in the aft head for times just like that. She hated it and used to howl like a banshee; but she was safe and we could take care of the boat without worrying about her. Now that she’s a ‘mature’ dog, she’s much more relaxed and only looks up at us with her big brown eyes to ask, “what’s going on?” before tucking herself in behind the salon table.

Be prepared. Like with anything else associated with cruising, it’s important to be prepared. Before we leave port, Sally has a long list of provisions to buy which, now that she’s older, includes prescription medicines. We may go several weeks without access to a veterinarian, so a medical kit aboard for Sally is a must. And our ditch bag wouldn’t be complete without dog food, her PFD and a spare leash.

We all need our space . . . even the dog. Over the years, David and I have found ways to be alone, even if we’re in the same room. But Sally prefers walls between us and has taken over certain areas of the boat – both heads, complete with comfy dog beds. If your dog isn’t pushy like our Sally, take a look around for a small, den-like space aboard. It’ll help bring them comfort when they’re nervous, sick or just ready for a nap.

It’s all about the quality time. We don’t have much time on earth with our furry friends and cruising is one lifestyle that allows us to make the most of it. Not only do we get to spend 24/7 with Sally, which is exactly what pack animals live for, but our lives have been enriched by the company of this ridiculous little creature who, even at the age of 17, continues to amuse and amaze us every day.

Creature Comforts Living Aboard a Boat Notes From the Dockside

15 Things That Make Life On The Water Easier (For Us)

Tuesday, October 15, 2013TheCambrians

Now that our cruising season has officially ended, I’m excited to get back to blogging about things other than destinations; and what better topic than some of the products that make our lives a little bit easier and more comfortable on the water. But I can’t claim the idea: It comes from The Monkey Fist website where you can find posts from other cruisers on this subject, and hundreds other.

So, without further ado, here’s our list of 15 things that make our lives more enjoyable (in no particular order):

1. Satellite Radio: We never thought we’d actually pay for radio, but it’s turned out to be one of our favourite sources of entertainment on the boat. Sure. We have an iPod full of thousands of songs, but most of the time we prefer to leave the DJing to the professionals. It’s a great way for me to get my daily news fix (much to David’s chagrin) or just kickback in the cockpit watching the sun go down while the sound of electric blues fills the air. And because we’re currently cruising the Pacific Northwest, we have service whether we’re anchored in some of the world’s largest cities or in the remote wilderness – all without commercial interruption or channel surfing! It’s also flexible enough to meet the demands of our lifestyle: We can cancel coverage any time we like without paying a penalty and start it back up just as easily.

2. Heated Mattress Pad: I know what you’re thinking. But in this damp climate, it’s a godsend. On cold, rainy days when we have to run the generator, we plug in the mattress pad and heat it up. We may not go to bed until hours later, but when we do, it's still warm and dry.

3. Hydronic Heating System: The first thing David did when we arrived in the PNW five years ago was have a heating system installed. Even during the height of the summer, mornings can be cold up here and a little heat circulating through the boat helps keep things warm and dry. In addition to making life more comfortable aboard, it has the added bonus of extending the length of our cruising season into the spring and fall.

4. A Good Camera: Cruising in one of the world’s most beautiful areas (if not the most beautiful) requires a good camera. For us, it's the Pentax K-5 Digital SLR.

5. An Everyday Camera: There are just some places where it’s not practical to bring an expensive SLR and that’s where our everyday cameras come in. We have a small Panasonic Lumix (DMC-TZ3) that we can just throw in our pocket without fear of losing or getting wet. And a more advanced Lumix Superzoom (DMC-FZ150) that’s larger in size but still lightweight and more portable than the SLR. Neither one is water resistant (which would be an excellent feature) but were chosen for the quality of their lenses (Leica).

6. iPad with RAM Mount: From e-books to weather data to chart plotting, the iPad has turned into one of the most useful tools we have aboard. AND it makes life easier.

7. Library Card: On the water? Absolutely. Especially if your library has an electronic collection. You can be thousands of miles away and still check out the latest e-books or audio-books. Just like a regular library loan, it only stays on your iPad or Kindle for a few weeks, but it’s a great way to expand your reading list without additional costs.

8. Dustbuster: With a dog aboard who sheds A LOT, daily shore trips into rainforests, and two smokers aboard (I know, I know) our little Dustbuster manages to keep the boat clean all season.

9. Folding Dock Cart: On those long walks to the grocery store or laundromat (even not so long ones), the dock cart makes the job easier and doesn’t take up much space.

10. Sonic Toothbrush: Regular visits to the dentist aren’t always possible, especially in the US where it can take months to get an appointment for a cleaning. Our Sonic Toothbrush helps see us through those (sometimes) long periods without professional care.

11. No-Spill Dog Dishes: Sally may be beautiful, but she’s no delicate flower and makes a real mess when slopping up water from an ordinary bowl. These doggy dishes keep water off the floor and out of the bilge.

12. Inflatable Kayaks: Clear decks are important to us and inflatables allow us to have all the toys we want without cluttering them up. They’re also more stable in the water and easier to get in and out of from the transom of a boat. They’re not as efficient through the water, but we’re going nowhere fast and don’t mind a bit.

13. Microfibre Sponges: This is sort of a silly one but they really have made my life easier. Not only are they washable (and therefore reusable), they do a GREAT job of getting crumbs out around fiddles.

14. Electric Fly Swatter: When you cruise the wilderness, the bugs can be BIG and plentiful, and we often find ourselves in deer (or horse) fly territory. Even if we close up the boat, they find their way in and aren’t detracted by mere bug spray, so electric fly swatters are our only defense against these pesky creatures that bite through jeans. Besides, they provide hours of entertainment for David (who has already broke two of them in over-zealous attempts to protect his woman).

15. Indoor Hobbies: It’s been known to rain a time or two in the Pacific Northwest and being able to stave off cabin fever is vital, so we both have several portable hobbies. David’s favourite is music. He can play just about anything you put in front of him and has two guitars aboard (an acoustic and an electric) which come in handy for beach gatherings, music festivals or just passing the time. For me it’s knitting. I learned how to knit when we first arrived in the Pacific Northwest and have been addicted ever since. Not only is it compact, it’s practical and passes hours of the day in the blink of an eye.

Puget Sound the San Juan Islands

Finally! The End of the Season

Thursday, October 03, 2013TheCambrians

We left Friday Harbor nearly a week ago to seek shelter from an incoming storm, choosing Reid Harbor off Stuart Island to ride it out. In hindsight, it was a bad decision. Though the anchorage offers protection from all quadrants, the wind was from a more easterly direction and the chop easily entered the bay.

Saturday was uneventful, but Sunday was an entirely different day. A large frontal system sitting to the north of us over Haida Gwaii was forecasted to move south during the day, while an intensifying low was forecasted to deepen and move across central Vancouver Island bringing gale to storm force southeasterly winds. As bad as the forecast from NOAA was, the one from Environment Canada was even worse and called for SE winds 35 to 45 knots in the afternoon increasing to 50 to 60 knots in the evening before turning southwesterly near midnight. There was no question about it; it was going to get ugly. And it did.

The wind started to blow around 8:00 am and built throughout the day. By early evening, the barometer had dropped to 981 MB and we were seeing a steady 40+ knots inside the anchorage (with gusts up to 46 knots). The boat sailed at anchor; and for most of the day, it was too dangerous to take Sally to shore because of the chop. I was beginning to feel nervous. The conditions were already rough and the worst of the storm was forecasted to hit overnight, but it settled down around 7:30 pm and stayed that way for the rest of the night.

Squalls passed through the area on Monday, so we stayed put and waited until the conditions were more settled before moving back down to Friday Harbor on Tuesday. The best day for crossing the Strait of Juan de Fuca was forecasted to be today, so we took the time to visit friends and say our good-byes for the season while we waited. And first thing this morning, we upped anchor for what would be an uneventful 53 nautical mile passage and put the islands behind us for another six months.

The Pacific Northwest is by far and away the most beautiful place we’ve ever been. Not only is it beautiful, but it’s easy to feel a connection with nature here. Over the past five years, there have been countless days that we felt like we were the only two people left on earth and while that may not appeal to everyone, it does to us. Yet the weather can make cruising here so difficult – the summer season is short and the spring and the fall can be wet, windy and cold. Without question, this year has been more difficult than most; so it probably comes as no surprise that, for once, we were happy to see the end of it, tie up and plug in.

The calm after the storm.

Having Guests Aboard: Our Top Eight Ways to Survive

Advice for Freshman Cruisers . . . With Dogs

Sally enjoying the beaches of Calvert Island along the Central Coast of British Columbia.

15 Things That Make Life On The Water Easier (For Us)

Finally! The End of the Season

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