A new travel on Quijote

 After several years of absence, I'm once again embarking on Quijote under her owner/captain Rod.  My first trip aboard her was a month-long excursion along the west side of Vancouver Island back in 2017.  We had connected through a crew board and I had driven down to spend the day with him and get a feel for him and his boat.

Rod is a soft-spoken man behind which is a huge amount of competence, and Quijote is maintained to impeccable standards.  Based on that one day, I signed on for part of a Vancouver Circumnavigation, expressly the western (ocean side).  That was a month-long enjoyable trip and began years of association.

My next trip with Quijote was helping to transport her from Seattle to San Diego in preparation for the Baja Ha ha, though there was a 5-day workup cruise on her a month before that.  During that trip we made port stops in San Francisco, Monterey, and Catalina Island, before setting her to bed in San Diego until it was time for the Baja.

Returning to her, 4 of us participated in the Baja Ha Ha and ended up taking first in our division.  That was the first part of a planned Pacific circumnavigation which got cancelled due to the Covid catastrophe.  Eventually Rod brought her back to Seattle via Hawaii with a paid skipper and crew.

Then there was the trip up to Prince Rupert.  I didn't crew on Quijote, but we buddy-boated up, sailing and motoring independently, but meeting up each evening, often rafting together.  At Prince Rupert, we went our separate ways.

And now here we are once again.  This time it will be only three of us for part of the trip and then two of us.  Rod and I get along.  We're neither of us loud brash people, neither of us party people, neither of us drinkers.  We prefer the quiet of our own thoughts.  Companionable silence, in essence.

I drove down today so that I can be aboard and ready to go bright and early, even though we actually aren't departing until 9am.  It makes for a calm departure rather than trying to rush and get there in time to help prep the boat.

Can't wait.

Oh, and this time, unlike before, I get the Vee berth!