Pendana arrives safely in San Diego
by Pendana Blog 15 Jan 2018 20:02 PST
A Mexican bird waves us goodbye as we enter US waters © Pendana Blog,
www.pendanablog.com
We have now arrived safe and sound in San Diego after a pleasant and very short run north. Once again Pendana performed flawlessly and she continues to truly amaze me in every respect. These Nordhavns are, in every sense of the word, complex vessels and, as such, they require a keen eye and/or a chequebook to keep them running. From electrical generation, head systems (toilets) waste water, both black and grey, hydraulic systems, multiple pumps both electric and hydraulic, not to mention the main engine and two 21kva generators.
To making fresh drinking water from sea water, 12 and 24volt systems, satellite communications, multiple computers and of course let's not forget our heating and air-conditioning systems. These are just a few things on board these mighty little ships that require attention if your goal, like mine, is to have trouble free cruising. Personally, I believe it all comes down to making sure everything is maintained properly. Aboard Pendana for example, we don't rebuild pumps and parts, we replace them with new, we don't turn a blind eye and hope for the best and we never leave port with a known issue regardless how small it may be. I am sure this is why we have been able to travel so far, for so long without any major mechanical issues. Touch wood, this continues as I would be completely useless trying to manage a major issue at sea!
Anyway before we move on, I would like to welcome aboard a new crew member to the Pendana family. As some would know, Ensenada and in particular the marina where we stayed has a stray cat population numbering around three dozen. You all know what's coming next....Abi and Bianca would visit these cats almost every second day to provide fresh water and food although it must be said plenty of other folks did the same, so they were hardly starving. If I am honest, I knew I was in trouble when Claire started to join them on their jaunts.
Then, when they named the cats and started talking about one cat in particular I soon realised that any resistance I could provide was going to be futile and, as such, I simply provided the necessary support for the new member of the Pendana crew to come aboard. Not without all the necessary vet visits beforehand I might add! As luck would have it, Coral Hotel & Marina while we were there, together with a local vet, gathered most of the cats over a number of days, and paid to have them de-sexed, which was great! Unfortunately, there were one or two they missed so... I'm sure there will still be a never ending supply of cats and kittens at the Coral Hotel in Ensenada!
I am pleased to announce that "Cuddles 'I Love Everyone' Ellingford" has now joined the crew of Pendana and is settling in very well. Cuddles is so affectionate it's almost hard to comprehend. My hope is that Oscar 'The Brave' and Fifi 'The Silly' Ellingford will pick up on this and understand this is how cats should behave and follow suit. Cuddles looks like being a great addition to the Pendana crew, so back to three cats once more!
Our run north to San Diego was simple and straightforward but once again trying to secure a marina berth was not an easy task. Without the help from Penny Talbot, fellow Nordhavn owner aboard N50 Northern Ranger II I am sure we would still be trying to find a spot. Clearing into US Customs was also a breeze and proved not an issue. Once cleared, we headed the approx. 7nms into the harbour south towards the Marian we would stay in at, Chula Vista.
Once safely tied up it was time to sit back and watch an incredible sunset.
When morning came we were treated to an incredible sunrise.
Sorry for the short blog but with these beautiful days ahead (sorry Seattle) we need to get out and explore more of what San Diego has to offer.
Finally, for those who enjoy the interview section of Pendanablog I can promise you that 2018 is going to kick off with an interview with a person who most would agree is a Mega Star in the cruising world. I was lucky enough to speak with him on a number of occasions to make this happen and look forward to kicking off the year in style with its release on Feb 1st.