S.V. CAMBRIA

E is for Evolution of a Cruiser

Wednesday, April 06, 2016TheCambrians

During the month of April, we're participating in the Blogging From A to Z Challenge where every day (excluding Sundays) we'll be posting to the blog . . . alphabetically. The overall theme we've chosen to tie all the entries together is living aboard a boat and cruising – things we've learned along the way: our thoughts, reflections, and tips for those just starting out or who are interested in this lifestyle.

Why we made the switch from world cruisers to “regional cruisers”

When we started this adventure 15 years ago, our plan was to sail the world. To do that, we sold everything we owned and moved to

New Zealand

to find the boat that would take us there, but a funny thing happened on the way to our dream . . . it changed.

In my first post of the A to Z Challenge (A is for Anniversary), I mentioned that we did partial refits on two boats when we lived in

New Zealand

. The first one was called Sky Walker. We broke the cardinal rule when we bought her; we fell in love despite the fact that she wasn’t the right boat for us or what we wanted to accomplish. It was a mistake that would cost us greatly, both in terms of time and money.

But we had another problem. Sally, our dog who passed away recently, hated Sky Walker and would shake like a leaf whenever we left the dock. Confident that she’d revert to the boat dog we both knew and loved, we spent two years refitting it — upgrading the charging and electrical system, taking care of some cosmetic issues and, most important, getting to know her. In 2003, we made a test-run to

Tonga

but it didn’t go well. Apparently, Sally knew best and Sky Walker simply wasn’t the right boat for us. So we came back to

New Zealand

, found Cambria and started the process all over again.

Sally was happy aboard Cambria but was still nervous whenever the conditions were a little rough and, frankly, a liability when we were under sail. Coupled with the fact that we still hadn’t been able to train her to go to the bathroom on the boat (after years of trying everything), it was clear that sailing around the world wasn't an option. Not with Sally, anyway. I won’t say that we were disappointed, because we weren’t. Sally was a big part of our family and we were happy to take her needs into consideration. We would just wait a few more years.

In the meantime, we realized that we like living long-term in different countries – becoming part of a community during the winter months, meeting new people and making new friends . . . watching the seasons change. It’s a more relaxed approach to cruising, one that allows us to spend lazy days at anchor and explore every nook and cranny of an area before moving on. And while we both thought offshore sailing was an incredible experience, regional cruising fits our needs better while still presenting new challenges and opportunities to learn.

Reflections on Cruising The A to Z Challenge the Inside Passage

D is for Destination Pacific Northwest

Tuesday, April 05, 2016TheCambrians

During the month of April, we're participating in the Blogging From A to Z Challenge where every day (excluding Sundays) we'll be posting to the blog . . . alphabetically. The overall theme we've chosen to tie all the entries together is living aboard a boat and cruising – things we've learned along the way: our thoughts, reflections, and tips for those just starting out or who are interested in this lifestyle.

Why have we spent seven of the last 15 years based in the Pacific Northwest exploring the Inside Passage? It’s a fair question, one with a simple answer: Because it’s one of the most beautiful cruising grounds in the world with over 50,000 miles of coastline to explore. And once we got here, we couldn’t find a reason to leave.

So what’s so great about cruising in the Pacific Northwest?

Protected Waters

From Puget Sound to Southeast Alaska, you’re protected from the open ocean with two major exceptions, Cape Caution and Dixon Entrance. That’s not to say cruising in the PNW is without its own set of challenges: Currents, fast-moving weather systems, katabatic winds, rapids and major bodies of water like the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Georgia Strait and Queen Charlotte Strait offer plenty of excitement. And when that’s not enough, the West Coast of Vancouver Island takes you back to open-ocean cruising.

Diverse Cruising Grounds

Not only does British Columbia have more than 17,000 miles of coastline to explore, Southeast Alaska adds another 26,000 miles to the mix. And the cruising grounds are as diverse as they are expansive: From tidewater glaciers to white sand beaches; protected waters to the open-ocean; islands to fjords; anchorages filled with dozens of boats to ones that look like they’ve never seen man, the PNW has it all! On any given day we can find ourselves surrounded by mountains, swimming in waterfalls, walking barefoot in the sand or soaking in a natural hot spring (our personal favourite) miles and miles away from civilization. For us, it doesn’t get any better!

First-World Cruising

The Inside Passage runs through two first-world countries – the

and

Canada

– although it’s not a plus for everyone, there are some benefits: The charts are regularly updated and generally accurate, unlike some parts of the world where they can be off by a mile or more. The VHF weather reports put out by NOAA and Environment Canada are precise, informative, transmitted on 24-loop and updated every six hours. Because the Inside Passage is the main commercial shipping route north, marine services are usually available within 50 nautical miles, even in the remotest of areas. And yet there are still opportunities for cultural experiences through the many Native American and First Nations communities.

Safe Anchorages

In the seven season we’ve spent exploring the Inside Passage, we’ve rarely been more than a few hours away from an anchorage that offers excellent protection, even on the West Coast of Vancouver Island (with one exception – from Cape Scott to Quatsino Sound if the conditions are rough, getting into Sea Otter Cove would be very dangerous). And with the excellent weather forecasts from NOAA and Environment Canada, we’ve always had plenty of time to seek shelter.

People

Whether it’s on the water or in the towns we visit, the people living in the Pacific Northwest are the best of the best: They’re generous, friendly, welcoming and trusting. In our experience, locals are eager to help and will offer to lend you their cars, drive you around town, or invite you into their homes within five minutes of meeting.

Wildlife

If the scenery isn’t reason enough to be here, the PNW is teeming with wildlife: Humpback whales and orcas follow the herring runs. Black and brown bears forage the shorelines of secluded anchorages along with cougars and wolves. Bald and golden eagles soar above head while blue herons, loons and mergansers guard the water (among hundreds of other species of birds). Everywhere you look in the PNW, there’s something new and exciting to see.

Hiking

I love to hike and the PNW offers a lot of opportunities to stretch your legs while on the water, especially in the lower portions of the Inside Passage like the San Juan Islands, the Gulf Islands, the Sunshine Coast Desolation Sound. Most trails wind through rainforests and lead to fresh water lakes, beautiful vistas or some of the best beaches in the PNW.

Fishing

Fishing in the PNW is world-class (do you see a pattern developing here?). Most cruisers find their traps filled with Dungeness crab or prawns with only a few hours of soaking. While others pull in salmon, halibut or ling cod (to name a few). Others still get straight to the point and fill their BBQs with fresh oysters they peeled off the rocks. It’s all there for the taking, as long as you have a proper license and the area you’re in is open to fishing.

Long Days

But what good is all of this without days long enough to enjoy it? In the height of summer, we can see 20 hours of light (more in the higher latitudes) which means we have plenty of time to move from anchorage to anchorage and still explore our new surroundings.

If any of these things appeal to you, I hope you’ll follow along with our blog as we untie from the dock next month and make our way north, highlighting some of the more spectacular anchorages along the way.

Ramblings From the Dockside The A to Z Challenge

C is for Cambria

Monday, April 04, 2016TheCambrians

Cambria at anchor in front of the Stone Store in Kerikeri, New Zealand before we changed her name (please note the incredibly cute dog on the aft deck).

What’s in a name? There are two versions as to how Cambria got hers: David’s and the truth. But before I can recount either, I need to give you the back story:

When we bought Cambria, she was called No Rush. Our friends thought it was the perfect name for us because, honestly, we don’t seem to do anything in a hurry. David, especially, is fastidious and rarely makes a decision without a lot of thought and consideration . . . and that takes time. But No Rush was a name that really got David’s hackles up. For starters, it fell on the lighter side of the spectrum and didn’t reflect who we are as sailors . . . or people. More importantly, the guy we bought her from owned another Westerly Ocean 43 registered in the

under the same name.

Funnily enough, we kept it for two years.

That’s because naming a boat can be a really difficult thing to do. It becomes a part of you and how you’re known. Once you own a boat, you’re no longer David and Stephanie Gardiner. No. You’re the Cambrians or Sky Walker (our previous boat). If we were going to “wear” it, we wanted to wear it well.

We went through the whole process: we bought books, we made lists, we printed the names out in different fonts to see how they’d look. But nothing stuck. We just couldn’t seem to find a name that we both loved. And then one day I was taking Sally (our former dog) for a walk in Bayswater, a suburb of Auckland,

New Zealand

. It was one of those overcast mornings that threaten to rain at any minute. But just as I was passing a house with a stone fence, the sun broke through the clouds and shone on a brass plaque which read: CAMBRIA (people in the

name their homes, a practice that sometimes makes it to former Commonwealth countries). I’d walked past that house dozens of times and never noticed the sign before; but once I did, I knew I'd found it: Cambria was the perfect name for us and for our home. David agreed.

Why is Cambria perfect for us?

It’s short. It’s concise. It’s easy to say on the radio. But, more importantly, we have an emotional connection to the name. In 2000, we lived in Las Vegas. I was a teacher. David was a project management consultant and had just opened the Aladdin Hotel and Casino, a grueling process that kept him working 24, 30, 48 hours at a time. He needed to get out of town, so we decided to take the 101 up the coast to San Francisco before the school year started. And Cambria, California is basically where we pulled over to take a walk on the beach and first saw the ocean together, as a couple.

Here are a few other things we have in common with the name:

Cambria is the Medieval Latin name for the country, Wales. Though not Welsh, David is British and we wanted the boat name to reflect that in some way.
Saint David is the patron saint of Wales and my David (who is the furthest thing from a saint . . . but in a good way) is the captain of Cambria.
The Cambrian Period (in geological history) is the time when animals first appeared as fossils and marked a significant period of evolutionary change.
Britain’s first attempt at winning the America’s Cup was aboard the yacht Cambria in 1870. She finished 8^th out of 14 boats.

So, what’s David’s version of how Cambria got her name? He points to the previous reasons I listed but completely ignores how the name came to my attention in the first place (which is not only wrong, but totally unromantic). In the end, it doesn’t really matter. Once the name was out there, we started to research it and the more we learned, the more it seemed to fit.

Now it’s your turn. Do you own a boat or an RV that you’ve (re)named? We’d love to hear your story below in the comments section or on our Facebook page!

Living Aboard a Boat The A to Z Challenge

B is for Boat Tour

Saturday, April 02, 2016TheCambrians

We first stepped aboard Cambria in 2001 when we were out looking at boats with our broker. Mike was keeping an eye on her for the owner and brought us along for a look around while he checked to make sure everything was okay. She was (almost) everything we were looking for in a boat but was already spoken for, so we continued our search and found another one to love. Two and a half years later, we were in the market again and Mike called her owner to ask if he’d be interested in selling. He was. And the rest, as they say, is history.

So, what was it about Cambria that caught our eye and brought us back years later? That’s easy: She’s a beautifully built ocean-going boat with long-term living aboard factored into the design . . . and she sails like a complete dream.

Here's what she looks like below decks (from stem to stern):

Cambria’s v-berth is large and has plenty of space to accommodate guests. It has direct access to the forward head and can be closed off at the salon bulkhead, giving our guests (and ourselves) more privacy.

We never wanted a boat with two heads, but it does come in handy when one of them breaks down. Our forward one is pretty basic with a manual toilet and a pull-out facet handle that doubles as a shower head.

Cambria’s beam is close to 14 feet and the salon takes advantage of the width. At first glance, it seems small for a boat her size but can seat as many as eight people. It’s also very comfortable when we’re under way.

The nav station was well thought out with plenty of storage for charts, owner’s manuals, cruising guides, electronics and whatever else we can think of. It also makes a nice “office” space and provides an extra seat for the salon.

Cambria’s galley is large with plenty of counter space and storage. It has double sinks, a saltwater pump, a three-burner stove, a lift-top fridge and a microwave (which we never use).

The aft cabin is one of Cambria’s biggest selling points. The European king size bed and walk-around access make living aboard comfortable and easy. There are plenty of cubbies, wardrobes, drawers and shelf space to store all of our clothes.

The aft head has a separate shower which makes extended cruising so much nicer. We do, however, prefer to shower on the aft deck or on shore whenever possible to keep moisture and steam out of the boat.

And last, but not least, the cockpit was designed with offshore sailing in mind: It’s comfortable, safe, secure . . . and a little small (for entertaining). Fully enclosed, it adds another room to the boat when we’re at anchor and it’s not uncommon to see David sitting up there playing the guitar on a rainy day.

For more information or to see the specs, please visit our About the Boat page.

Reflections on Cruising The A to Z Challenge

A is for Anniversary

Friday, April 01, 2016TheCambrians

On May 01, 2001 David and I boarded a plane bound for Auckland, New Zealand to start a new chapter in our lives: living aboard and travelling the world by sailboat. That was fifteen years ago. It’s a big anniversary, one that should be celebrated in a big way. So, to help mark the occasion, during the month of April we’re participating in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge where every day (excluding Sundays) we’ll be posting to the blog . . . alphabetically. The overall theme we’ve chosen to tie all the entries together is living aboard and cruising – things we’ve learned along the way: our thoughts, reflections, and tips for those starting out or are interesting in this lifestyle.

A is for Anniversary

The months preceding our departure were stressful and hectic: We had two houses to sell, five cars to get rid of (four of which were not mine!), a business to close and hundreds of other trappings of land to free ourselves from. We were on track to start a new adventure – purchasing our first offshore sailboat and cruising the world. And not just anywhere. In Auckland, New Zealand – 6,700 miles away.

Why Auckland? It’s a good question, one that boils down to money. In 2001, the exchange rate was $2.50. That meant for every US dollar we converted, we received NZ$2.50 (the current rate is NZ$1.50 and it went as low as NZ$1.14). Coupled with the boat market at the time, our money was going to buy us more boat. Equally important, New Zealand received a lot of attention during the 2000 America’s Cup: ESPN televised the races live. All the sailing magazines were highlighting the country as a cruising destination. And Tourism New Zealand aired promotional segments during the coverage that showcased the country’s beautiful attractions. Simply put, we fell in love.

A little more than a year later and we were strolling the docks at West Haven Marina near downtown Auckland with a list of requirements in our hand and a boat broker leading the way. Within the span of a month, we found our boat (though it had very little in common with our list) and were moving aboard to start our new lives. It was a very exciting time.

Our overall plan was simple: We’d go down to New Zealand, find a boat, outfit it and sail off into the sunset. We naively expected to be there six months. But six months turned into six years and one (partial) boat refit became two.

Fast Forward to 2016

We’ve learned a lot since that day, a lot of it the hard way. And the 25 blogs that follow will give you some insight into who we are and what we’ve gained from cruising: We don’t claim to know everything, far from it. But we have picked up some useful information along the way.

It may get a little chaotic and messy (it’s harder to organize alphabetically than you’d think), but I’m confident we can pull it off thanks to a lot of advanced planning. Most of the posts have been written especially for this series, while others are “oldies but goodies”, but all of them are ours and unique to us and our experiences. So, sit back, hold tight and join us for the next month as we look back and celebrate the last 15 years.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

Mark Twain

Inside Passage the Gulf Islands

All Good Things (Must End)

Sunday, March 27, 2016TheCambrians

The A to Z Challenge

The A to Z Challenge | Theme Reveal

Monday, March 21, 2016TheCambrians

On May the first, 2001 David and I boarded a plane bound for Auckland,

New Zealand

to start a new chapter in our lives: living aboard and travelling the world by sailboat. That was fifteen years ago. It’s a big anniversary, one that should be celebrated in a big way. So, to help mark the occasion, during the month of April we’re participating in the Blogging from Ato Z Challenge where every day (excluding Sundays) we’ll be posting to the blog . . . alphabetically. The overall theme we’ve chosen to tie all the entries together is living aboard and cruising: our thoughts, reflections, things we’ve learned along the way, and tips for those starting out or are interesting in this lifestyle. Here’s what we have planned:

A is for Anniversary
B is for Boat Tour
C is for Cambria | What’s in a Name?
D is for Destination Pacific Northwest
E is for Evolution of a Cruiser | How We Became Regional Cruisers
F is for Fido | Cruising with a Dog
G is for Guests Aboard | Tips for Survival
H is for Happy Home | Transitioning to Living Aboard
I is for Investing in the Future | The Benefits of Solar Panels
J is for Jacklines | Offshore Equipment We Wouldn’t Be Without
K is for Kayak | Things That Make Living Aboard Easier
L is for Living Aboard Versus Cruising | What’s the Difference?
M is for Money Saving Tips
N is for Nights at Anchor
is for On the Hook | What Makes a Good Anchorage
P is for Provisioning
Q is for Questions | Answers to the Questions We’re Most Frequently Asked
R is for Route Planning
S is for Side Effects of Cruising | How Cruising Has Changed Our Lives
T is for Travellers Who Sail or Sailors Who Travel
U is for Under the Weather | The Weather Sources We Trust
V is for Vista | 15 Simple Ways to Improve Your Landscape Photos
W is for What Sailing Means to Us
X is for (e)Xceptional | The Top Ten Things We Like About Living Aboard
Y is for Yuck | The Top Ten Things We Dislike About Living Aboard
Z is for Zooming Ahead | What’s Next?

It may get a little chaotic and messy (it’s harder to organize alphabetically than you’d think), but I’m confident we can pull it off thanks to a lot of advanced planning. So, sit back, hold tight and get ready to join us next month as we look back and celebrate the last 15 years.

Alaska Alphabet Photography Project Endicott Arm

Alphabet Photography Project | X is for Xanadu

Thursday, March 03, 2016TheCambrians

the Gulf Islands

It’s Gonna Be a Bright (Bright) Sunshiny Day

Wednesday, March 02, 2016TheCambrians

Finally! We struck gold – golden rays of sunshine, that is. And are currently enjoying the longest bought of fine weather we’ve seen all season – 11 days in a row. It’s been bloody fantastic! And we’ve been making good use of it, doing all of the things that make cruising such an enjoyable lifestyle for us: exploring new anchorages, hiking, kayaking, watching the sun set and the moon rise.

It started last Friday. We’d been hiding out from the weather in Tucker Bay when we got our chance to move down to Nanaimo. Once we were there, the sun broke through the clouds and the wind started to blow from the north. But more importantly, the forecast was good so, after taking care of some business in the city, we made our way through Dodd Narrows and into the Gulf Islands. Our first stop: Wallace Island Marine Park – a favourite of ours.

After a few days, we were ready for a change so we moved down to a new spot: Walker’s Hook on the east coast of Salt Spring Island where we sat on the beach and watched the cows come home.

The wind was forecasted to reach 25 to 30 knots out of the northwest Friday evening, too strong for Walker’s Hook, so we moved down to the protection of Montague Habour. It was a dreary, foggy morning with visibility ranging from a half mile down to 50 metres, but it cleared by noon and we were back in business – the sunshine business. After a couple of nights, we were on our way again in search of new horizons.

We don’t spend a lot of time in the Gulf Islands (or the San Juans, for that matter) because we prefer quieter, more remote destinations. By the time we are here, the weather restricts us to well-protected anchorages. But this season, we arrived early enough to get off the beaten path and finally visit one of the places I’ve had my eye on for years: Cabbage Island Marine Park, which lies directly off the Strait of Georgia.

Cabbage Island is small in size but big on diversity . . . and beautiful views. The western shore faces the anchorage and is lined with sandy beaches. The eastern shore is Chuckanut (a sandstone-based conglomerate that looks exactly like its name sounds) and faces the Strait of Georgia. In the middle of the island, there are marshes with groves of arbutus, Garry oak and Douglas fir, adding to the diversity.

It’s a beautiful spot, one we hope to visit again in the future, but it’s time to move on. There’s a change in the weather coming and we need an anchorage better protection, so we have to leave the fun and the sun behind while we hide out for a few days. If the forecast holds, the fine weather will be back in no time at all . . . and so will we.

Note: This blog entry was written Tuesday, 06 October 2015.

E is for Evolution of a Cruiser

D is for Destination Pacific Northwest

C is for Cambria

B is for Boat Tour

A is for Anniversary

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

Mark Twain

All Good Things (Must End)

The A to Z Challenge | Theme Reveal

Alphabet Photography Project | X is for Xanadu

It’s Gonna Be a Bright (Bright) Sunshiny Day

Welcome Aboard

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