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Make sure to pick up the latest edition of Wooden Boat Magazine: Blame it on WoodenBoat: In May 2000, the cover of WoodenBoat No. 154 caught [Bill] Bailey’s eye. It showed a striking image of Pacific Catalyst floating among Alaska’s ice-strewn inlets. The accompanying article … described a number of wooden vessels that were taking…

One night, early in the trip, a guest shown his flashlight into the water alongside Westward to see what animals it might attract. Almost immediately a tiny cloud of, what we assumed were copepods formed in the pool of light. We watched, entranced, as the cloud increased in density. Within a few minutes we began…

From my bunk I can hear them talking, low tones from the direction of the wheelhouse. Almost whispering so they don’t disturb the others that are also off watch, and trying to grab some sleep before it’s time for one of us to take our turn at the wheel. I can’t hear the words, just…

The sun rose as we walked the valley path, firing the surrounding desert hills crimson and gold. The sun had yet to dry the night’s dewfall and the succulent undergrowth was darkened with the moisture that was critical to its survival. Standing on the shore of our island we looked east into the risen sun,…

Our guests wanted to have time to visit Loreto before they fly out tomorrow, so we came into Puerto Escondido a day early. We are now sitting in the shade of a mango tree, enjoying an infusion of its fruit blended with the local cactus juice.

The first of many sunset images from Baja. This one from about 15 miles south of La Ventana as we near the conclusion of our 2000 mile repositioning cruise from Port Townsend to La Paz.

Approaching Cabo San Lucas at dawn, 4 1/2 days out of San Diego. La Paz tomorrow morning. Wind about 10 from the NE, seas under 2′, and the sea water temp is 83 degrees!!!!

After about 50 frenetic hours in San Diego we are back underway toward La Paz, Baja California Sur. We should arrive there sometime Saturday, in plenty of time for our first regular trip of the Baja season which sails on November 17th.

After an interesting 12 hours of being slapped about by steep, confused seas, we have lost enough time that we will be forced to hole up somewhere as the next storm moves up the coast. We are about 15 miles north of Westport, WA, and our speed has risen to 6.5 knots, which is much…

After waiting for weather to settle, Westward will be leaving Port Townsend tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon at the top ot the tide, and beginning our repositioning to La Paz, Baja California. You can follow our progress: We hope to arrive in San Diego on Wednesday, November 2nd, re-fuel, get our outbound customs clearance and head back…

We departed Port Townsend with a crew of three, at 21:45 the night of December 28th. By 10:00 the morning of the 29th we were abeam Tatoosh Island and had turned south for San Diego. Steaming through moderate seas and winds, we were twelve miles west of Fort Bragg, California at 10:00 New Year’s morning, and…

Note: We left Westward heading south down the Pacific Coast, bound for Mexico, on December 28th, 2015. I am interrupting her voyage to catch-up on recent events. We will be back aboard somewhere off Washington with the next post. It has been an interesting couple of weeks. Westward attended the Victoria Classic Boat Festival in…