Blog

November – 2011 Brisbane, Australia

Dear F&F,

\”Beach House\” has finally \”Jumped the Puddle\”….We\’ve completed our crossing of the worlds largest ocean which started 4 years ago. The \”Puddle Jump\” is the euphemism that many US West Coast sailors in particular call the Pacific Crossing. It\’s a but cutesy, but you get the point. There are actually websites devoted to nothing else other than giving sailors information on people, places and logistics to aid them in this journey.

When we arrived, we opened that bottle of wine from friends Jerome and Nathalie and had a toast of the crossing completed and especially to Cindy who is here in spirit and always will be.

I may eventually head further West, there are still two big Oceans out there on the horizon, but I\’m not yet sure what my plans will reveal.

\”Beach House\” will be soon be stored in the local boat yard for the Austral Cyclone Season.

Hurricanes (Cyclones \”down under\”) can be fairly intense in this part of the world and Brisbane is just South of the Cyclone belt which is why I chose to leave the boat here. We\’ll be in the yard for about 3-5 months depending on when I return to \”OZ\”.

I\’ve many questions to ponder and I will be doing this in earnest while back in the USA. I may never find the answers, but I will give it my best. I should be back in Southern California around Thanksgiving which I hope to spend with Skye and Sean in Los Angeles. I will have lots to deal with, it will likely be a more difficult time \”at home\” than out here. It\’s been a tough emotional year, healing is progressing, but I\’ve got some distance to travel yet. When I\’m in the Los Angeles area, I hope to do some catching up on the original website; bringing it to date. I hope this will help many of you as well as myself understand what Cindy was going through, we might even begin to have some understanding as to why.

Thanks to Kate Richardson, Sandrine Duren, Anja Ciercieski and Kay McNamara for helping me sail s/v \”Beach House\” from Auckland, New Zealand to Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Brisbane, Australia this season. You were all great. I wish you all the best in your continued voyages and life\’s endeavors.

Also thanks to all my fellow sailors, Ham Radio operators and friends who were there for me yet again this season. I\’d especially like to thank the Pacific Seafarer\’s Net, Bruce Balan and Alene Rice of s/v \”Migration\”, Peter Bruckman and Diana Young of s/v \”Quickstar\”, Jerome & Nathalie Fittouse of s/v \”Na Maka\”, Jim and Pat Whiting and friends aboard s/v \”Wetnose\” and lastly David and Mary Wilson of s/v \”Giselle\” for their kindness and continued friendship throughout the year.

I don\’t want to forget Paul McFadden, Gram Schwiekert, Chris and Sandra Biggs in New Zealand for all their help in getting \”Beach House\” back on the road and of course, Mike Lonnes, the best boat guy in the world for all his continued assistance.

Last and anything but least, my almost daily email companions who\’ve helped me more than they could ever know getting me through this difficult time. Angela, Alexandra, Gayle, Nikki and oh so very much Laurie without whom I have no idea where I\’d be. Hugs for Karen, Ella and Alberta too. A big kiss for Skye, and thanks Sean for taking good care of her.

I\’m working now on the photographs from the last month and getting ready to de-commision the boat while she\’s in the yard. Photo Galleries to be posted soon. Lots of work ahead over the coming weeks and it\’s more difficult doing it alone than I have in years past without Cindy. I\’m sure this needs no explanation.

Thank you all for the wonderful emails I received. Please keep writing.

Hugs to you all!

Scott Stolnitz – s/v \”Beach House\” – Brisbane, Australia