Such a fun two days of sailing with a group of all women!! I was the instructor for a crew of beginner sailors, we learned a ton and had a blast in the estuary and on the bay. Thank you to Island Yacht Club for a great event!

Returning to our home port! Delightful to catch up with old friends on L dock and around the marina! The downwind sail from aquatic park was classic too, really felt like old times. Was so nice to have a short, chill day. Here for a couple weeks before continuing the adventure South!

We made it!! Feels incredible to be back in our home waters, where it simultaneously feels like so much has changed, and everything is just as we left it. Had a gorgeous and super fast sail down from Drakes Bay in 20 knots of wind with the flood pushing us in. So many whale sightings! And we got to see all the Rolex big boat action up close! We’ve sailed about 2200 miles since we left in May to sail North to Canada, and in that time it feels like we’ve really become cruisers and settled into this life. So stoked to see our friends and spent some quality time here. We already got to see Sam tonight for dinner and warm cookies 🥰 And for lunch we made ceviche with the tuna we caught on passage!! Doesn’t get much better.

WOW this was an adventurous passage full of firsts for us and the boat! We eased in nicely on day 1 out of Newport with flat calm seas and our first time sailing wing on wing in the ocean. Day 2 brought a pancake breakfast and a beautiful dolphin encounter with lots of chirping and playing at the bow. Conditions started to get more spicy that afternoon and just as we started to reef the main our fishing line went zzZZZZ and Jeremy reeled in our first ever fish on Tardigrade!! It was chaos trying to slow the boat down and gaff the fish but we got it on board and had seared tuna steaks for dinner! Day 3 brought the biggest wind and waves we’ve seen on our boat, we had 30 knots behind us with 6-8 foot seas. Saw 12 knots of boat speed while surfing for the first time! We had some incredible whale encounters while approaching Point Reyes, including multiple breaches and crazy tail slapping! Jeremy got the telephoto out just in time! We’re gonna be telling our grandkids about this one, I’m so proud of us for tackling so many firsts together and managing tough conditions as a team. We’re really getting dialed in and trusting each other and the boat. Tomorrow is another bucket list item as we go under the Golden Gate! Thankfully after a full nights sleep 😴

Took the big left turn and went from Neah Bay to Newport, Oregon. Sailed pretty much the entire way in ideal downwind conditions with very manageable seas! What a change from going North on this same route! We were so delighted to have the waves and current pushing us along, bioluminescence popping up along the hull. On the first day we had a buddy boat with us in the fog, it’s amazing how comforting it is to have someone else sailing the same route as you. On the second day we poled out the jib for wing on wing for the first time and it worked great! Second night we hit some intense fog. Had zero visibility and were grateful to have our radar and AIS. Everything was dripping wet and cold. But before we started night watch we baked some warm chocolate chip cookies so that helped morale. And Jeremy was treated to a visit from some humpbacks during his morning watch!

Got some good miles in today heading out to Port Angeles from Watmough Bay! Got to sail for the last few hours, tacking upwind and getting a nice push from the current. We learned that there’s a public dock here that’s only $20 a night and in a much better location than the other harbor— score! Planning an early morning tomorrow to catch some good current out to Neah Bay. Then we head South to San Francisco and eventually Mexico!!

The start of our southbound journey! Had a final night in the San Juan Islands in the same bay that was our first anchorage here. A really nice full circle moment to reflect on how much we’ve learned in the last few months since arriving here in June! We laughed at how much more comfortable anchoring we were compared to the first time. Still feeling some nerves before our passage to SF but feeling a lot less fear overall and we trust Tardigrade way more. Did some meal prep at anchor and got a great nights sleep to hopefully set us up well for the week!

Zipped over to Bellingham to meet some friends off the train from Seattle! Got some chores done and picked SO MANY blackberries. Had a pizza night with homemade dough and took a great day sail in Bellingham Bay. Then unfortunately Jeremy got sick so we were out for the count for a few days 😢 Were grateful to have a spot on the guest dock to rest and recover and finish our final tasks before heading out to the Pacific!

Back into to the US this morning! Got to see our friend Evy’s family’s farm in Friday Harbor and pick lots of plums and blackberries 😍Then back at the anchorage we were hanging out when we heard a puff and leapt outside just in time to see ORCAS right next to the boat!! Such an incredible experience, we are so lucky!! Getting excited about the next chapter, heading offshore in a couple weeks back down to San Francisco.