Tios!

Hi everyone,

Well, here we are in Marina La Cruz, preparing to depart for a southward sail toward Barra Navidad. Kimmy, Randy, and "B.K." (baby Kenyon, in the womb) have joined us and, needless to say, we are so excited to be with them!

The other great news we have to report is that we found out, on Christmas Day, that my step-brother Pete and his wife Suzy gave birth to a healthy baby boy on Christmas eve. We are soooo thrilled to officially be Tia Yessica and Tio Ryan! None of the photos in our repetoire can even come close to these, which I lifted from Blake's official website. We hope you love him as much as we do!

Cheers to Pete and Suzy, and cheers to all of you.

We love you,

Jess and Ryan

Trading presents for Presence

We have spent a few Christmases, now, away from the traditional celebrations: no gifts, no shopping, no xmas tree, no fruitcake :). While there are sad aspects to this, such as being apart from most of our family, there is a wonderful Presence that comes, in the absence of presents and apart from traditions. This year, Jim, Laura, Ryan, and I truly had no plan, as Kimmy and Randy arrive on the 27th and we agreed to wait to share our Christmas meal with them. How we spent the days of the 24th and 25th was truly spontaneous, based on the waves, the wind, and moment-to-moment decision-making.

We ended up back in Chacala, the place where Ryan and I were married, because it is one of our very favorite places in Mexico. On the day of the 24th, Ryan and I surfed small, mushy waves, which gave me an opportunity to begin rebuilding my confidence on the surfboard (this I truly consider a “gift”). For dinner, we went into town and ate at our favorite local taco stand, off plates covered in plastic. Potted poinsettias on each table gave festivity to the simple setting. This morning, I made chai instead of black tea, and we sat in the cockpit, listening to the “country Christmas” channel on Sirius radio. Remarkable: we haven’t listened to enough Christmas music this season to be sick of it! When we were sufficiently warm, Ryan and I swam into shore and had a blast body-surfing in the shore-pound--this happens to be one of Ryan’s favorite things to do--and simply swimming while pelicans dove all around us for their breakfast. By late morning we had made a loose plan for the next 24 hours that suited everyone’s fancy, pulled the anchor, and enjoyed breakfast as we sailed south from Chacala toward Punta Mita. In each moment, we simply were in the moment, present with each other and our surroundings.

It is an interesting way to spend the Christmas holiday, on a sailboat, in a tropical setting. Generally, travelling by sailboat is a great lesson in being present in the Now. As we sail, there is nothing else we have to do but take note of our surroundings—the great blue ocean, the breezes blowing across our sails, the coastline—this is how we discover all the marvels around us. The wonders just emerge out of each present moment. Our attention to the sea reveals numerous whales, dolphins, birds, and helps us avoid the occasional fishing net :). Our attention to the air teaches us when to raise or lower sails, how to trim them for optimal sailing, and how to appreciate soaring, vicariously, through the birds. Our attention to those around us reminds us of why we love each other.

I am grateful to the holiday we call Christmas because it seems to be a day when people come together and are Present with one another and their surroundings, especially after all the days of deferred excitement that generally lead up to it. I am grateful for my time aboard Brainstorm because it is teaching us to live with that Presence all the time.

This morning I devoted an hour, or more, of my Presence to those I love who are not physically here with me. What this means in my language is that I devoted my whole being to sending you Reiki, love, light, and a reminder that you are divine. I hope you received this humble gift, and I hope you share it with those in your Presence.
Love, Jessica and Ryan

Look! Whales! (What a gift!)

Winter Solstice

Hello friends and family. Thank you, again, for being interested in our whereabouts.


We spent the winter solstice in the Marina La Cruz, and marked that celestial transition by saying goodbye to Tyler and hello to Laura and Jim. While we haven't noticed much of a change in the length of the days down here, we want to remind all our friends who are farther north of the equator that the days are now getting longer! Cheers to that.

Sunset in Punta de Mita, dedicated to Grandpa Went

The last few days have been somewhat uneventful for us, but not for our buddy Grandpa Went Lambert, who celebrated his 95th birthday on the 20th. In honor of his greatness, we have posted a few photos that show our appreciation of him. Happy Birthday, Went!

Here he is, in all his Glory!

Like I said, there is not much that is new to report today (except, Wow! I think I've made some Blog layout breakthroughs!). Stay tuned for a Christmas check-in, which will, hopefully, contain news of me finally overcoming my jitters about surfing, among other breakthroughs.

Lots of love to you all,

Jess and Ryan

P.S. Tyler and Harry should both know that Captain Ryan has called upon both of you, in his sleep, to uphold your duties as First Mate. I only hope he can learn to navigate the ship without you...

Artes y Olas

Here we are, again, in Marina La Cruz. We left for the "weekend" to investigate a new surf spot on the south side of Banderas Bay. Since arriving in Banderas Bay, we have been in the north-western part, so this recent trip required that we sail straight across the bay, which takes approximately 3 hours, depending on the wind. The coast over there is different, primarily because it is steeper, which makes for more difficult anchoring (the ocean floor is over 300 feet down, even just 100 feet off the shore). The place we had scoped out had a shelf that allowed for anchoring, but not much shelter from wind and swell. It was fun, perusing the shoreline, looking for this place called Quimixto, which we had read about and heard about. When we found it, we also found a beautiful, steep, and fast wave. Lucky for us, there was another swell arriving from the northwest, so Ryan and Tyler had an excellent day of surf. As for me, I opted out because it was just too advanced for me and my longboard. While I have been a little disgruntled, at times during this trip, trying to face my jitters about surfing, my day on the beach in Quimixto was one of my best days yet. It was truly awesome to watch those waves peeling onto that shelf. I am finally getting into some art, and that day pulled out my watercolors. What I created is posted above: a view of Banderas Bay, the wave, and the granite point at the east edge of the beach. While I was there, I also saw a Panga (small boat) try to land on a small piece of beach (between a granite headlands and granite boulders), during this huge swell. Even with 6 or 7 Mexican men trying to keep this boat off the rocks, the whitewater surging in from the waves smashed the boat into the rocks, turning it sideways and filling it with water. It was quite a drama that unfolded before me, there on the rocks. Through that experience, I found an opportunity to befriend a couple of the local surfers and practice speaking spanish. Generally, recently, I have found many opportunities to practice speaking spanish, and am enjoying the increased knowledge that comes with practice. Quiero aprender mas!!

I have also been experimenting a bit more with photography, which might explain some of the photos I've chosen to post here this time. Every time I find a suitable subject, I take about 30 pictures of it, changing the settings to try to get the light how I want it. I have come up with some decent ones, and am still experimenting.

This evening, Jim and Laura rejoined us. We are, of course, glad to set off on another set of adventures with them. On the flip side, our friend Tyler returns to Montana tomorrow, which marks the end of the fabulous trip we have had with our friends. While we are sad to see him go, we know he will find more good times everywhere he roams, so we're not too worried about his re-entry into life in the states.

That's all for now. We will check in next time there is something new to report.

Lots of love to you and "yours" (ha! whatever that means...)

Jess and Ryan

Life "A.H." {After Harry}

Thank you to everyone who has posted comments to this Blog. We have been enjoying hearing from you. It is fun to check the blog and find your thoughts!!!

Since I last wrote, we have sailed south, from Chacala, to the marina at La Cruz. The trip down was eventful: we narrowly avoided entanglement with fishing nets; got so close to whales that we could see the barnacles on their tails; caught a fish; etc. There are few dull moments out at sea, even though the hours seem to slip by lazily. Truly, we are always in awe of our surroundings.

We spent today "buffing out" the boat, and recovering from Harry's departure. Honestly, Ryan, Tyler, and I have been trying to figure out how to live "A.H." (after Harry). We all had such a great time together that it was sad to see him go. Leslie, you are one Lucky woman!!!

After cleaning, we did a slow marina cruise in the dinghy, which explains some of the attached photos. It was pretty cool to check out all the different styles of sailboat. This is timely, as Tyler and Ryan are working together to find a vessel that is ready to sail around the world for the "World Sustainability Expedition." Stay tuned.

With the holidays approaching--we are reminded by tinsel and nativity scenes on every corner--we are thinking of our loved ones and hoping you are all warm and snuggly, xmas style. Special thoughts to Pete and Suzy who are expecting their first child any day now. We are sending you much love!

Tomorrow we will shove off to explore a new surf spot, until Sunday, when we will return to La Cruz to meet up with Laura and Jim, and send Tyler off. (We decided to postpone the Yucatan trip until January, as it is a busy/expensive travel time here in Mexico, during the xmas holiday.)

Enjoy your 'Nog, Fruitcake and lots of good cheer!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Jess and Ryan

Moments aboard Brainstorm

Hi everyone! Since I didn't have any photos handy when I posted the last entry, I thought I'd put a few here to further illustrate our time crossing from Baja to the mainland, and our days aboard Brainstorm, in general. As you will see, sunrise, sunset, sails, and reflections were our entertainment as we passed multiple days motoring and sailing; there are many photos of colorful skies on our camera.

In the present moment, we are anchored at one of our very favorite places: Chacala! This is where we had our wedding ceremony last March, and it is great to be here again. We have been lucky to have waves to surf during the past two days. Yesterday the four of us had the break all to ourselves. Today is overcast, and the waters are calm so, instead of surfing, we went on a dinghy ride up an estuary. It was alive with birds including herons, osprey, egrets, warblers, etc. It was very serene adventure.

Now we are back in town, passing a lazy afternoon, dragging our feet a bit because we know we have to leave and send Harry on his way tomorrow. We will check in from the marina in La Cruz, when we have a minute. We expect you are all alive with the festivities of the holidays and hope that you are enjoying all your moments.

Lots of love,

Jess and Ryan

Swell

Hi everyone.

We have arrived at our destination: Punta Mita, Banderas Bay, Mexico. Better yet, we arrived just behind the north-west swell that you have probably been hearing about, which sent some of the biggest waves in 40 years to California and Hawaii. Lucky for us, these waves also made their way to a few special locations in Mexico. The stretch of coast which we are currently anchored off of usually breaks with south swell, but these waves were/are so powerful that they wrap in around the point and break perfectly just inside the north edge of Banderas Bay. And, when they make their way inside the point they have lost their power a bit and become perfectly surfable for people like us. Right now I am sitting in a beachside palapa bar watching the in-town break, which is kind-of like a skiing "green" slope. I was lucky, as an early bird, to surf this wave this morning at dawn with just one other person, and got a lot of good rides. (The attached photos very closely resemble the surf we have been seeing. These photos, however, I lifted from the internet because we didn't want to risk bringing our camera in on the dinghy; the potential was there, due to the waves, for it to be a wet dinghy landing. Will post some of our photos next time...) All told, we have done a whole lot of surfing in the last two days. Ryan and Tyler have been getting long rides off the point. We all paddled out at a wave called "Burros" (Donkeys) yesterday, and it was LARGE. I felt proud of myself just being out there, but didn't have the guts to paddle into any waves. Harry actually surfed all three spots yesterday, and is now out there somewhere, with sore arms. We all have sore arms! It's amazing: we've been here for two days and we just now came to land. I feel like the boat is my new home. :)

Backing up, to the crossing from La Paz, which was also amazing; I should say, at the very least, that we--Ryan, Harry, Tyler, and me--are a great team. We took shifts staying awake through two nights and three days of constant motion. It is amazing to be up in the wee hours of the night, pondering the stars above, the silence, and the bioluminescence in the water. While there was not enough wind to sail the whole time, we had periods of wind every day, which gave us respite from the motor and the satisfaction of moving with wind-power. That is truly magical.

Though we are accomplishing our goal of being in the present moment, and enjoying them all, we also tell lots of stories, reminisce, and dream about the future. You are all part of those stories and dreams. We love you and think of you often.

We hope you are enjoying the festivities that the holidays bring, with your loved ones.

Love,

Jess and Ryan

Swell

Well, we really got excited when we checked the surf forecast and saw that the storm in the north Pacific will be sending significant swell in our direction. According to Ryan, who monitors surf forecasting with zeal, this is a 60-year swell that is lining up to break beautifully off of Punta Mita, which just happens to be where we are headed. If you are someone who understands swell forecasting, or if you like to look at colorful maps, take a look at the forecast here: http://www.stormsurfing.com/cgi/display.cgi?a=npac_height

I will try to figure out how to officially add the link, too.

What this all means for us is that we are now super-motivated to get to mainland Mexico, as quickly as possible, so we can surf this swell. As I type, the engine is running and the boys are preparing to push the boat off, away from the marina's docks. So, I better go help. We hope you are all well and enjoying whatever it is that you enjoy, at this time of year.

Know that we love you.

Jess & Ryan, with Harry & Tyler :)

Moon-lit nights and breezy days

After a four-day sail down from Loreto, we have arrived in La Paz, where we will pick up Tyler and provision for our passage to mainland Mexico. Each day aboard Brainstorm is proving to be more spectacular than the last! We have been graced by brightly moonlit nights and a variety of sailing conditions, making each day feel unique. On the calmer, warmer days, we motor-sailed and enjoyed the tranquility smooth waters. On our second day out, however, we experienced the excitement of high winds and significant wind-generated swell. With an El Norte wind blowing at our backs, we had a fast ride south that day, and we were all glad when the wind calmed down that night (Harry especially, wink). On our third day out, we were able to fly the Geniker (sp?), which is a giant, colorful sail used for down-winders in light winds. That was beautiful! We have seen awesome sea life, including the largest pods of dolphins I've ever seen (70-100); whales; turtles; rays; etc. Ryan has been the ultimate Captain, going beyond his duties of keeping us safe on the water, by also providing freshly-speared fish two nights in a row and, of course, serenading us with his guitar. Harry also saved the day this morning, when we awoke to find that the dinghy had unclipped itself in the night and, lucky for us, had run aground on a distant beach; Harry is so adept at the paddle-board that we had the dinghy back on the boat in minutes. For many reasons, Harry has been a fantastic addition to Brainstorm's crew.

So, while I can't imagine the days getting even better, tomorrow we will head out for further adventures. We will check in the next chance we get, which will probably in about a week or more. We love you all and think about you daily.

Love,

Jess & Ryan....and Harry :)

Happy 99th Birthday Dody!!!

In today's entry, we want to honor Dody, who is celebrating her 99th birthday today. These two photos are for her: one of a watercolor card I painted for her from the marina, and the other of Ryan, Jim, and me wearing our favorite Dody-knit caps. We love you, Dody!!!

Sea Legs

Hi everyone!

We have returned to shore, in Loreto, after our first few days out on the sailboat. Laura and Jim brought us to three of their favorite anchorages in the Sea of Cortez: two on islands and one on the Baja. At all three we enjoyed pristine vistas, including cactused mountains and turquiose clear waters, tasty meals and, of course, lovely company. Ryan speared a fish that we ate in the form of a coconut curry dish, which was awesome. I am determined to pay closer attention to the details of sailing on this trip, so have been enjoying refreshing my memory with those and helping in every way I can. Yesterday, we sailed with both the (new) main sail and the Jib, across from our island anchorage to Loreto. It was a beautiful morning. We also have picked up our friend Harry and will spend today provisioning for our trip south. We leave tomorrow morning for another sail, taking our time visiting the many islands on the way to La Paz. We will do our best to check in when we get there, on the 6th or 7th.

In short, I have been fully reminded of how much I enjoy sailing, particularly in the Sea of Cortez. Ryan and I generally feel very very very blessed.

We are sending you all love and, occassionally, Reiki, too.

Jess and Ryan

Gratitude!

After a long period of calm air, the wind finally began to blow for our last two days in La Ventana. This gave me the opportunity to try kiting with the board, which was challenging but fun, and gave Ryan an opportunity to truly "rip" through the water with his kite. Even from shore, I saw him flying clear out of the water a few times. Needless to say, he was thrilled about the way that part of our trip wrapped up. We also enjoyed beautiful, clear nites by the fire pit, yoga in the mornings, great food, and fabulous company during our final days in the desert.

Thanksgiving day was a travel day for us. We loaded up our rental car and headed north toward Loreto to meet up with Jim and Laura. What was supposed to be a 4-hour trip turned into 7, when we missed a crucial turn and ended up going deep into the canyons of central Baja. Luckily, we found a bootleg gas station that was able to fill us up, and after a thanksgiving dinner of tacos at a roadside stand, we were back on course. We found J & L at the marina later in the night and feel very fortunate to be sitting aboard Brainstorm, now. Today we'll head north and anchor off an island in the Sea of Cortez. We'll be in touch next chance we get.

With love and gratitude,

Jess and Ryan.

Go Ducks!

Hi all,
There isn't much that is new to report, as we have been relaxing Baja-style waiting for the wind to blow. For the last few days the air has been calm, the waters crystal-clear, and time has passed slowly and quietly. The big excitement was on Saturday night. Ryan was posted up next to the satellite radio, hoping the solar-powered electricity would last through double-overtime. Even I pulled up a chair for the end of the fourth quarter, anticipating the Duck's victory. What a great game! Ryan was able to express his exuberance in a supportive setting--he was jumping up and down, as you can imagine. So, I guess we'll stay on the edge of our seats until next Saturday. Until then...

Hi fans (ha!)

We have returned to La Ventana, after a 3-day excursion to the Pacific coast of Baja. We stayed in a picturesque little town called Todos Santos and surfed at a break called El Cerritos. The waves weren't stellar, but we got some rides and had a great time just being there. It is such an interesting landscape: stark, mountainous desert with giant cacti edged with the dark, fine-sand beach and perfectly clear ocean. The ocean floor glitters with gold flecks when the sun hits it right. Truly magical.

Now Jim, Alenka, and family have joined us at their place so we are enjoying catching up with them. Today is my final day in a series of kite-boarding lessons. So far the wind is light, which looks good for my lesson. I hope to be able to share stories of kite boarding after this.... We'll see.

By the way, "Go Ducks!" Big game this evening!

Settling in

I am working out the photo glitches, so now we have a few images that show the house, etc. without crashing the computer. We are enjoying J & A's place soooo much! We just love the open-air layout, making us feel a part of the desert. We use candlelight at night and have had just enough solar to recharge our I-Pod and speakers. There have been a plethora of critters sharing space with us. So far they are: bats, a scorpion (see photo), an unknown rodent with very large teeth, a very hairy tarantula, and a sweet blonde dog. I wish I could post the tarantula photo, because it was pretty impressive, but that file is too big. I hope I don't have another photo opportunity of that critter. So far, all our guests keep to themselves, so we are co-habiting quite peacefully.