Enjoying Seattle

Coming into Seattle Bell Harbor.  Yahoo! we are here.

Coming into Seattle Bell Harbor. Yahoo! we are here.

My time in Seattle was a really great time minus the Immersion/Trench foot problem.  Upon arrival, I was met by good friends Ruby (best friend from Portland)and Nancy (longtime friend through her sisters, Linda Jo and Bette, and as one of my campers in my swimming class at Camp LaJita).  Having someone meet you upon arrival is really awesome and those two being there plus coming home to America was really incredible.  One never knows how much it means until it happens.

We have now arrived!

We have now arrived!

Let me off the boat!! But first gotta go to immigration/customs.

Let me off the boat!! But first gotta go through  immigration/customs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neil’s daughter came through with some sausage wraps for us when we returned from customs and Seattle provided us some goodies also in the form of gourmet popcorn, clam chowder, drinks and more!  Then to show the boat to Rub y and Nancy.

Not sure what Nancy thinks of the boat.

Not sure what Nancy thinks of the boat.

Ruby is camera shy so she is taking the picture of us sitting on the mainsail all rolled up.

Ruby is camera shy so she is taking the picture of us sitting on the mainsail all rolled up.

Then off to find some more food and to get my feet back into circulation I thought.  Wrong, the pain of the last two days was still in full force when I loaded into Nancy’s car to go to her house.  How lucky I was as she became a full fledged nurse the next morning when she had to take me to Immediate care clinic, then Pharmacy, then home to soak feet, warm compresses and elevate.  Really great care as laundry was done, even foul weather stuff was getting cleaned and hung out to dry.

Picking up gear and bags from the boat

Picking up gear and bags from the boat

All the wet foul weather gear everywhere in their back yard

All the wet foul weather gear everywhere in their back yard

I did take Amtrak down to Portland to celebrate Ruby’s 60th birthday.  That was a fun ride for me.

Back in Seattle I got to go to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation ?Museum? where they provided information about their funding along with interactive places that allowed us to make comments.  Lots of great quotes everywhere.

This was my favorite quote

This was my favorite quote.  “As” you and I is the last line.

At the foundation

The wall showing lots of the people they have worked with over the years.

Then a great meal at Ray’s with a great view.

From Ray's restaurant. View of the Canadian mountains

From Ray’s restaurant. View of the Canadian part of the Olympic mountains

One of the best events there was being able to visit with several ex students.  Fun time Daryl Fiske, David Gibson from DS, Fisher from AYC Sailing camp, and Elaine and Kevin Bailey from Judson.  Wish I had pictures of all and if you have been watching Facebook you have seen most.

Kevin, Elaine and their daughters Reese and Paige.

Kevin, Elaine and their daughters Reese and Paige.

Missed Justin Freeman as he took ill, but will see him another time.  Loved seeing everyone!  Really proud of each of them.

Tom, our Telemed man and me

Tom, our Telemed man and me

Then Renee and Lynna came up from Austin to see me or to check out the boats.  Their time to sail though happened with no wind.  We did get to go to Chihuly Glass Museum together and it was amazing works of art.

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Even outside art

Even outside art and Ruby accidentally got caught by camera

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Even saw a man playing an ancient instrument while we were there.

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Then a quick trip to  Snoqualmie Falls where we ran into the wife of an LMax round the worlder, Nigel who took our picture!

Nancy, Ruby and me at the Falls

Nancy, Ruby and me at the Falls

Snoqualmie Falls

Snoqualmie Falls

Nancy played ocarina for a benefit for the lady who makes Ocarinas in the theatre in Pike market.

Had to visit a friend in the market while I was there.

Had to visit a friend in the market while I was waiting for the concert.

Amazing musician Nancy!  Really enjoyed hearing her play.  I have most of her recordings of Tingstadt and Rumbel so I know what a fine musician she is.  Plus she also does recordings for individual records and she showed me how she did that at home.  she plays her part and then sends it in and it is added into the mix.  How cool in that?

Nancy at her music making station!

Nancy at her music making station!

I even got to go to the GIANT REI store!

Great quote at the REI store

Great quote at the REI store

Is this my next adventure?

Looks more comfortable than the Clipper bunk.

Looks more comfortable than the Clipper bunk.

All in all Seattle was great.  My niece July came up from LA and it was great catching up on the family with her and also seeing her pregnant with the first child to come in July.  Looking forward to going out to visit and see the young one (I call him Jules though they don’t have a name for him yet) when I get home.

Enjoyed visiting with ExPow descendant Nancy Kragh and her daughter Kristen and her family.  Kristen and family are currently living on a sailboat and getting ready to take off on a year or more sailing adventure.

What I learned from this stop is that “friends are friends forever” and “Home sweet Home” and family are important in one’s life.  Another reason I am glad that I am on this adventure….discovering things about myself.

Sunset at Bell Harbor

Sunset at Bell Harbor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Saga of the Dry Suit

Thought I would provide you with some entertainment while I get pictures updated and on WordPress.  We have made it through the Panama Canal!

Clipper Telemed is the boat on the right of the three rafted up going through one of the locks.

Clipper Telemed is the boat on the right of the three rafted up going through one of the locks.

We went through the canal with UNICEF and Derry Londerry yesterday. Very interesting how it all works and it did rain on us most of the way with lightening and thunder! This picture was prior to us putting up our awning. Continue reading

Hello Panama!

After 20 days and 4,208 miles from the Le Mans start off Seattle, the Clipper fleet has finished the Race 10 Seattle-Panama leg of their round-the-world sail and are now headed to the Panama canal after a quick stop in Cost Rica to refuel.

After making it through the canal, the fleet embarks on Race 11 to New York on 30 May.

Here’s a note from Linda just after the finish, a few hundred miles west of Costa Rica: Continue reading

Whales and The Elusive Flying Squid

It’s Day 16 on the leg from Seattle to Panama as Linda’s Team ClipperTelemed+ and LMAX lead the fleet through the Doldrums as they continue south off the west coast of Mexico.

Only 1100 miles and 10-12 days to Panama, with ETA May 25-27. 

Here’s an update from Linda: Continue reading

The Snozza Lives!

Linda’s ClipperTelemed+ team is leading the pack as they head south down the west coast of Mexico, past Acapulco, with Unicef in eyesight only a mile behind.

Only 1,677 miles to Panama! The days are calmer now, compared to northern Pacific last month, with more light-air downwind days and less “living on the angle.”

This week, ClipperTelemed+ got their first Scoring Gate points, a remarkable feat given they lost a few hours after the race began to repair the mast track and had to piece together their shredded spinnaker (renamed “The Snozza” after Jane Snoswell’s magician-like sewing skills).

Here’s a text I received from Linda on Monday via satellite phone: Continue reading

Thanks! (and double rainbows for all!)

Linda says Thanks! to everyone who donated to TEAMability on Tuesday during The Big Give S.A. 

Somewhere in the Pacific

After eight days, Team ClipperTelemed+ and the Clipper Race fleet are now 400 miles off Baja California, nearly halfway on their southerly sail from Seattle to Panama. Only 2,589 miles to go!

How was your day on Friday? I bet it was nothing like Linda’s… Continue reading

Donate today! The Big Give S.A.

Linda and friend Sarah at TEAMabilityLinda is a hundred miles off the coast of California, headed south to Panama, but her thoughts today are with TEAMability, one of her favorite non-profits. Today, TEAMability is participating in The Big Give S.A., 24-hours of online giving.

Please take 10 minutes to donate today (May 3) to TEAMability and help them reach their goal of $5,000! Continue reading

Qingdao to Seattle

Hello all,

A quick note about the Pacific crossing then a special request.

The Pacific crossing contained everything Mother Nature could throw at us, from some sun, some hot (at the China side of the adventure), lots of COLD including rainy cold, sleeting cold, hailing cold and some snowing cold.  She also provided lots of wind to a few cases of the doldrums (no wind).  Three plus weeks of the journey were wet and cold.  It was like living in a COLD rain forest.  Many times, the condensation from inside the boat would drip down on us.  I did learn to sleep with my head under the covers during that journey. Continue reading

A Bit More from Qingdao

At the Chihuly Glass Museum

At the Chihuly Glass Museum

OK, this is not Qingdao, but an afternoon with friends Renee, Lynna, Nancy and Ruby at the Chihuly Glass Museum in Seattle.  That’s me in the picture, but behind me is how my hair normally looked on the boat and is how I ended up with my head shaved when we crossed the Equator.  This was a great way for me to share the look with you.  And now to finish with Qingdao!!
Continue reading

Qingdao Part 2

Having fun!

Having fun in Qingdao!

Yes, I am in here in Seattle and have been here over a week.  Yes I am slow.  Been dealing with a little issue called Immersion feet/trench foot and been seeing some great old friends, ex-students and life has been crazy.  For those not familiar with trench foot, it became popular in WWI in the army with soldiers always in wet boots, wet socks and cold weather.  So yes I have been in wet boots, wet socks and definitely cold weather the past several weeks.  It is very painful and I was REALLY glad we finished the race and got to Seattle when we did as I was in the Painful stage and not able to sleep at all due to pain.  However, once good friend Nancy Rumbel got me to her house and then to medical clinic I got the proper instructions and medication to get better.  Life is much better but several days of barely being able to walk and at one point crawling to bathroom was not fun.  All is good now! So here we go. Continue reading