9/21/12  Deb’s abdominal pain is too bad to ignore any longer so we plan a bus ride from Moss landing to the hospital at Monterey.  A sympathetic stranger gives us a lift direct to the hospital in her car, a skilled physician diagnoses an ovarian cyst, and an OB/GYN doctor recommends removing the cyst sooner, not later.  Reality check time for the Burtons.

9/20/12  We‘ve a few days to kill before Gregg’s followup to a root canal so we go sailing.  Deb is under the weather and Gregg does the heavy lifting.  The noble Kalliope moves smartly with a double reefed main sail and a small scrap of jib exposed to the strong wind.  Arriving in Moss Landing Deb does her share by piloting Kalliope through the surf into the narrow channel.  We enjoy this harbor given more to commercial fishing than weekend sailors.  Additionally, sea lions are crowded on many of the floats at the marina making for good photos and an interesting walk from boat to shore.  Can you imagine having your sleep interrupted by the barking of nearby sea lions competing for float space?

 

 

9/19/12  Some passer-by invites Gregg to dinner at the Monterrey Yacht Club, saying it’s the best deal in town.  True!  We enjoy a delicious meal and good company.  We get some great tips about boat maintenance and favorite ports of call.

9/18/12  Deb and Gregg stroll along the coastal trail of Monterrey. This is a wide sidewalk with access to the shoreline and good views of the harbor.  We see seals balanced on rocks in the shallow water and pelicans, cormorants and egrets sunning themselves.  Gregg’s municipal bureaucrat experience leads to a conclusion that this community provides good infrastructure promoting tourism and quality of life.

 

 

 

9/16/12  This is a warm sunny day ashore in the college town of Santa Cruz.  We wander through the beachfront amusement park, the downtown commercial district and we find a Greek festival. From a café table in a parking lot, we enjoy a bouzouki band with a great Greek vocalist followed by teenage Greek dancers in traditional costume. Next we stroll through a maritime educational facility, wrap up the day with a good Mexican meal and paddle the dinghy back to where Kalliope is anchored.

 

9/15/12  Gregg hauls anchor in Half Moon Bay while Deb sleeps.  We sail all day in view of the coastline showing cliffs carved out by the pounding surf.  Just north of Santa Cruz we pass and photograph a beautiful lighthouse with a traditional white tower streaked by rust and silhouetted against the arid hills beyond.  Our preference is to show you the picture but we can’t figure out how to shrink it down to a suitable size.

 

9/8/12  During a visit with family in Palo Alto, we take time for a day sail on San Francisco Bay.  Victoria probably enjoys it best, but we hope everyone at least takes a story home to tell friends.  Gregg and Victoria in disguise below:

 

David retreats from the bow to the relative warmth of the cockpit, and Cathy does her share of the chores with lines and winch handles.