Blogs from Bodega Bay, California, United States, North America - page 2

I arrived in Bodega Bay in a cool drizzle. Thankfully the next morning the clouds had cleared and the sky was blue again. The little town of Bodega is tiny; its claim to fame is that it was the location for Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds.” Bodega (pronounced “Bodayga”) Bay is about 5 miles from Bodega. The inhabitants of the Bay are quick to let you know where they are from; some of them even have a car sticker with BB on it as if it’s a country of its own! Needless to say there is a lot of fishing, crabbing, as well as all kind of water sport activities ongoing. I spent a good hour watching some guys windsurfing and kite skiing (I think that’s what it’s called.) I left my beautiful sea view spot for ... read more

Sept. 4, Thursday: Cliff Cottage, Bodega Bay, CA. My aunt and uncle, Patsy and Ed McKeown, treated us to a wonderful overnight in SF (well, Piedmont, across the bay and in the middle of Oakland). Patsy is my mother’s remaining sister and therefore particularly dear to me. But both of these folks in their 80’s are sharp as tacks, Ed is particularly great with maps and made sure we had the right ones with us. Better yet, they will probably join us one of these days for a “day in the country”, or on the coast, as the case may be. I’m a lucky kid to have such a large and wonderful family, McK’s among them. So we’re here at last in our seaside aerie, and what a beautiful place to spend a couple of weeks. ... read more

So we didn’t take off today. We’ve popped into the Sandpiper Restaurant for lunch and I just powered up the computer to write this entry; our plan was to continue walking to the Tides after lunch, another half-hour or so from here, to get online. And holy cow! There’s free wi-fi RIGHT HERE! We’re crapping our pants over this because we could have been using it all this time to check the weather, and it’s so much closer to the marina than the Tides. This morning we listened carefully to the weather reports (while I creaked away on the stair stepper) and decided that while the conditions aren’t ideal, we don’t gain anything by waiting another day or two. Winds are predicted to be in the 15-25-knot range at the high point (late afternoon), and ... read more

Today the wind gauge reads a big fat 0.0. We couldn't believe it when we woke up and we could hear the buoy out in the harbor, for the first time. Up until now, the roar of the wind has drowned out its honk. The fishermen here at the dock are nonchalant about the calm winds, even as Harry and I start running through our minds all the things we need to do before we throw off the lines. "Oh, it'll kick back up this afternoon," they say. The forecast isn't looking good, either, with this gale expected for a few more days. Here's the bitter end: just beyond Bodega Bay, a short days' sail north, the winds are and have been utterly calm. 5-10 knots have been predicted along the Oregon coast for days. ... read more

Called the Coast Guard again. It was Saturday evening and the gale was still blowing. We were tied up snug to our dock, riding it out, waiting for a weather window to open up so we could continue north. The masthead was reading gusts in the upper thirties with sustained winds in the high twenties. I was working my way through the NY Times crossword puzzle when I heard shouting. Lots of shouting. Mainly cursing and swearing and threats. Taking a break from 21 Across “ Rousseau Work” I went to the cockpit to see what the fuss was about. It didn’t take long to figure it out. A gentleman in a particularly inebriated state was attempting to row his dinghy to his derelict sailboat anchored in the bay. But he only had one oar. ... read more