MV Dirona travel digest for Winter 2023


Show Winter 2023 travel log map Click the travel log icon on the left to see these locations on a map, with the complete log of our cruise.

On the map page, clicking on a camera or text icon will display a picture and/or log entry for that location, and clicking on the smaller icons along the route will display latitude, longitude and other navigation data for that location. And a live map of our current route and most recent log entries always is available at //mvdirona.com/maps/LocationCurrent.html.


   

12/1/2023: Shinya Shokudo
We really like the food at Japanese Yakitori restaurant Shinya Shokudo, but the drink list is somewhat limited with only Japanese beer and sake. We stopped in this evening and were delighted to find a new choice on the menu: a tasty Montepulciano d'Abruzzo by the glass or bottle.
12/2/2023: Holiday Tree
The beautiful holiday tree in the lobby of our apartment building was just installed.
12/2/2023: Failed Charger
We don't often have need for a voltmeter these days, but we used one today to debug a failed charger for our portable VHF radio. James determined that the power adapter wasn't supplying power, then cut off the end and used another white power adapter from a different device to verify that the charger itself worked. We don't have a power adapter on hand that fits the charger, and have a new one order.
12/2/2023: Lanterns
Colorful person-height paper lanterns suspended from the ceiling at Momiji Japanese sushi restaurant near our apartment.
12/4/2023: Nevada Mountains
Snow-covered mountains in Nevada, viewed from James business flight to Houston.
12/4/2023: Lake Houston
Lake Houston, viewed from James flight to Houston on business. The lake was created by dam 1953 and is the primary water source for the nearby city of Houston.
12/4/2023: IOC
The 2nd annual International Orbit Debris Conference (IOC) is being held at the hotel just outside Houston where James is staying on business. The goal of the conference is to "promote orbital debris research activities in the United States and to foster collaborations with the international community".
12/5/2023: Atmospheric River
Seattle is in the midst of an atmospheric river weather system, effectively a river in the sky that redistributes moisture from tropical areas. We've received eight inches of rain over the past 24 hours with more still falling. One person has died after being swept away in a flooded creek, and ten million people in the Pacific Northwest are under flood watch.
12/5/2023: Honda CRV
Our Honda Passport is in for all-day recall service at Honda of Bellevue, and they've given us a loaner CRV in the interim. With similar features and controls as the Passport, the CRV feels very familiar but overall seems less capable and well-appointed.
12/5/2023: J Percy Priest Reservoir, Tennessee
Sunset over J Percy Priest Reservoir, near Nashville, from James flight home to Seattle on a business trip. The lake was created in 1967 through a dam of the same name, honoring Congressman Percy Priest. The community of Old Jefferson was demolished as part of the construction, and inundated by the lake.
12/7/2023: The Boys in the Boat
The #1 New York Times-bestselling The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown chronicles the true story of Joe Rantz and his working-class teammates on the University of Washington rowing crew who, against all odds, competed for the gold medal at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.

The book was recently made into a movie of the same name, directed by George Clooney, who co-produced the movie with long-time collaborator Grant Heslov. Amazon MGM Studios is distributing the movie, and this week held a pre-release screening at the SIFF Theater in downtown Seattle.

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12/8/2023: Tamsen
The 171-ft (52.4 m) superyacht Tamsen, on sea trails from Elliott Bay Marina in Seattle. Launched in 2007 by Italian superyacht builder Perini Navi, the main mast stands 170 ft (51.72 m) above the waterline.
12/8/2023: Amazon Self-Service Returns
Newly-installed Amazon self-service returns machine at Whole Foods in South Lake Union. After scanning the return code, the machine prints a label to attach to a bag in which the return item is placed and then dropped into the package drawer at right. The entire process was super-efficient.
12/9/2023: Seattle Kraken
The Seattle Kraken hit the ice before the start of a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. We normally sit on the other side of the arena, but this side has a much better view to both team benches (directly right of the Kraken entrance gate). In an exciting game, the Kraken scored two goals in the second period to match the Lightning's two first-period goals, both teams scored a goal each in the third, and the Lightning won in overtime.
12/11/2023: Willmott's Ghost
A delicious pizza dinner at Willmott's Ghost in the Seattle Spheres. The restaurant is named after famed British horticulturist Ellen Willmott, who is said to have secretly planted in other's gardens, a fitting namesake for a restaurant in the plant-filled spheres.
12/11/2023: Cutting pizza
At Willmot's Ghost, patrons are given scissors to cut the unsliced pizza. It's a little odd, but works remarkably well.
12/12/2023: Heating Pad
Spitfire has long enjoyed sleeping in his bed by the window, but has recently started sleeping on the sofa. We'd prefer to have him near where we are working, and he makes a bit of a mess on the sofa. As he gets older, he gets lighter, and we're suspicious that he's getting more sensitive to the cold near the window. We recently purchased a pet heating pad that so far has been keeping him in his bed.
12/12/2023: Sunset
Spectacular orange sunset over Elliott Bay this evening.
12/13/2023: Sunrise
A dramatic pink sunrise over the Olympic mountains.
12/14/2023: American Dynasty
The Seattle-based fishing vessel American Dynasty en route to Vigor Shipyard. The vessel must be having some kind of propulsion issue to require tug assist across Elliott Bay.
12/15/2023: USCGC Healy
The USCGC Healy arriving into Seattle. Completed in 1999, the vessel is the largest in the Coast Guard fleet and the most technically advanced icebreaker in the US. The ship can continuously break 4.5 ft (1.4 m) of ice at 3 knots or 10 ft (3.0 m) when backing and ramming. This is impressive, but is less capable than Le Commandand Charcot that we took to the North Pole earlier this year. Le Commandand Charcot has been tested at up to 5 m, and in our trip we were breaking ice as thick as 2.8m.
12/15/2023: Testing Starlink
Testing our Starlink satellite dish on our apartment balcony. We'll be taking it with us to Antarctica and recently switched to the maritime plan, required for coverage there. We also haven't used the dish for several months, so want to update the firmware before we leave and make sure everything is working. The dish again worked surprisingly well on our balcony and, after an hour or so, offered to apply two sets of patches and now is up-to-date and running on the new plan.
12/15/2023: Packing
Our clothes and gear laid out to pack for our trip to Antarctica. This will be a bit of a complicated packing job as we'll be spending three nights in Qatar, then flying to Cape Town and on to a South African game park for four nights before traveling to Antarctica for a week. For the flights to Doha and Cape Town, we'll be checking two large LL Bean duffle bags full of our gear for Antarctica, and bringing two rolling carry-ons that will become our checked luggage for the luggage-restricted flight to Skukuza while we leave the big bags at our Cape Town hotel. For the flight to Antarctica, we can bring only the LL Bean bags and two knapsacks, and will leave the rolling carry-ons in Cape Town.
12/15/2023: Maiz
A delicious Margarita at Maiz to end a big week before we fly out to Qatar tomorrow.
12/16/2023: Qatar Qsuite
Absolutely the best business class seat ever! On the 14:25-hour flight from Seattle to Qatar in Qatar Airways fabulous Qsuite. We loved that the seats were right next to each other, with the rest of the space towards the aisle. And with the sliding doors closed, the area becomes our own private room. (We're wearing sunglasses minimize exposure to light as part of adjusting our circadian rhythm 11 hours ahead using the Timeshifter jet lag app.)
12/16/2023: Double Bed
Qatar Airways Qsuite in sleep mode effectively forms a double bed in our own little room. We've not seen anything as close to as nice in a business class seat.
12/17/2023: Austrian Mountains
Snow-covered Austrian mountains viewed from our flight from Seattle to Qatar. Austria is another country that is high on our list of places to visit.
12/17/2023: Nearing Qatar
Flying over Turkey as we near Qatar.
12/17/2023: Qatar eVisa
US citizens can obtain a visitor visa on arrival to Qatar, but clearing immigration is much faster with an eVisa, easily obtained advance. When we arrived, dozens were already lined up to clear immigration, with a queuing system capable of handling hundreds. We instead went to the near-empty self-serve eVisa section, scanned our passport at a kiosk, passed a facial recognition test and were on our way in less than five minutes.
12/17/2023: Doha Hilton
Our room at the Doha Hilton in the West Bay district of Doha, Qatar. Visible in the distance through the window are the lights of the city of Lusail (left) and the Pearl artificial island at right.
12/17/2023: Poolside
Light-wrapped palm tree trunks reflecting into the still water of one of several pools at the Hilton Doha resort where we are staying.
12/17/2023: Tahitian Village
A light dinner and fun evening beach-side at the Tahitian Village in the Hilton Doha.
12/17/2023: Balcony View
Looking down to the pool area from the balcony of our room at the Hilton Doha. A large outdoor bar is on the far side of the large poo, and beyond are beach chairs setup for the following day. The large circular building left of the beach chairs is a Trader Vic's restaurant, and the Tahitian Village where we had dinner is at upper left, where the green light is shining in the water.
12/18/2023: Breakfast
Breakfast on the balcony of our 15th-floor room at the Hilton Doha. In the background at right are the towers of the Pearl artificial island.
12/18/2023: Souq Waqif
One of the incredibly packed stalls at the Soug Waqif market in Doha, where goods for sale range from small pet animals to garments to spices. The market is centuries old, but the current buildings date from the 19th century and were renovated in 2006.
12/18/2023: Military parade
Today is National Day in Qatar, commemorating Qatar's 1878 unification. The normal extensive celebrations were curtailed to respect the recent death of Kuwait's leader, but a military parade with camel riders still was held.
12/18/2023: Skyline
The Doha West Bay skyline, viewed from the promenade around the bay Corniche. Our hotel, the Hilton Doha, is at far right behind Jennifer.
12/18/2023: Nobu
An exceptional meal at Nobu restaurant with a view to the spectacular Doha West Bay skyline.
12/19/2023: Sunrise
Sunrise over The Gulf, viewed from our room at the Hilton Doha in Qatar.
12/19/2023: Lusail Qatar
At Lusail, the second-largest city in Qatar after Doha, with populations 198,600 and 956,457 respectively. The 2022 FIFA World Cup final match that we watched in Buenos Aires was held here at Lusail Stadium. Lusail also is the host city for the annual Qatar Formula race.
12/19/2023: Raffles, Qatar
Qatar has some spectacular architecture, but none more dramatic than the Raffles Doha, opened in 2022 in the city of Lusail just outside Doha. The construction isn't nearly as impressive as the design though. Dozens of workers were repairing glass leaks throughout the exterior of the newly-opened building, and the flagstones in the entrance driveway were cracked and collapsing. Even the letters naming the hotel in the entrance sign were askew.
12/19/2023: The Pearl, Qatar
Looking across to West Bay, where our hotel is, from the St. Regis hotel on an island in the center of the Pearl in Qatar. Construction of The Pearl, an artificial island with an area of about 1.5 sq mile (4 km sq), started in 2004 at an estimated cost of $2.5 billion, but is currently expected to cost $15 billion to complete.
12/19/2023: Khalifa International Stadium
Khalifa International Stadium, viewed from Three Sixty, a revolving restaurant at the 47th floor of The Torch hotel. The striking stadium is the home of Qatar's national football team and was one of several stadiums used when Qatar hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The 980-ft (300m) Torch hotel, completed in 2007, is the tallest building in Qatar.
12/24/2023: Happy Holidays
Happy holidays from Lion Sands Ivory Lodge in Sabi Sands Game Reserve, South Africa. Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season and best wishes for the new year!
12/31/2023: Happy New Year!
Happy New Year from the geographic South Pole! We had an amazing trip and will post highlights on the web site.
1/8/2024: InReach MINI 2
Our recently-purchase Garmin InReach MINI 2. We use our cell phones to create the personal tracks that we post to the web site. But the phone often has difficulty getting a GPS fix on cruise ships, trains, and planes, so we are hoping the InReach will do better. For cruise ships, we can just hang it outside on a balcony, and place it near a window for other forms of transport.
1/11/2024: Squall
A squall in the Puget Sound, lit up in the afternoon sun. A ship passing through the squall is just barely visible in the distance.
1/11/2024: American Dynasty
The fishing vessel American Dynasty went into Vigor yard three weeks ago under tug assist, and is returning from the yard again with tug assist but also a major list to port.
1/11/2024: Snow in Seattle
A rare snowfall in Seattle. The temperatures have been below freezing since we returned from Antarctica on Sunday.
1/12/2024: Hatch Cantina
Dinner at our favorite table by the window at Hatch Cantina hear our apartment building.
1/13/2024: 15F in Seattle
We're seeing the lowest temperatures since 1990 as Seattle gets hit with some freezing weather. Pipes are bursting throughout the city, and the streets are icy and slippery. It's so cold that the Mt. Baker ski resort closed temporarily due to the impact the temperature has on their equipment.
1/13/2024: 2023 Timeline Update
At the end of each year, we each receive a Google Maps timeline update showing all the locations we traveled to that past year. We actually were in a surprising number of places this year, including Buenos Aires, Argentina; Iguazu Falls in Argentina and Brazil; Honolulu, Hawaii; Santa Barbara, CA; Sagecliff Resort, WA; Mt. Rainier National Park, WA; Friday Harbor, WA: Vancouver, Canada; Ketchikan, Juneau and Seward in Alaska on an Inside Passage cruise; Heathrow, UK; Barcelona, Spain; Hood River, OR; Whistler, Canada; Walla Walla, WA; North Cascades National Park, WA; Paris, France; Svalbard, Norway; the North Pole; Iceland; Greenland; Victoria, Canada; Lima, Iquitos, and the Amazon River in Peru; Qatar; Cape Town and Sabi Sands Game Reserve in South Africa; and the South Pole in Antarctica. This is James' map, which includes a business trip to Japan and many within the continental US.
1/13/2024: Macy's Star
The iconic Macy's Star, first displayed in 1957, on the Macy's building at 4th and Pine in downtown Seattle. The 161-ft (tk m) 3,860-bulb star has been a fixture during the Seattle holiday season for more than six decades.
1/14/2024: Sunset
A striking pink-orange band across the sky as the sun sets over Elliott Bay in Seattle.
1/15/2024: Olympic Mountains
The Olympic Mountains with a thick coating of fresh snow.
1/16/2024: CIDR 2024
James presenting the keynote, Constraint-Driven Innovation, at the Conference on Innovative Data Systems Research (CIDR) in Santa Cruz, CA.
1/19/2024: Navios Herakles I
The cargo ship Navios Herakles I at anchor off Tacoma after arriving in from Nantong, China earlier in the week. We passed the vessel on our way to Point Ruston for a weekend stay.
1/19/2024: Point Ruston Waterfront
Our room at the Point Ruston Waterfront hotel, with sweeping views to Commencement Bay. We really enjoyed our stay here over a year ago, and felt it was time to return.
1/19/2024: Copper & Salt
We had an excellent dinner, with a wonderful view, at Copper & Salt restaurant in our hotel at Point Ruston.
1/20/2024: The Office
James getting some work done Saturday morning in our hotel room at Point Ruston. We love this spot by the window where we can work and see what's happening outside, both on land and the water.
1/20/2024: Dune Peninsula
Looking down Dune Peninsula park at Point Ruston, named in honor of local author Frank Herbert. The Tacoma Yacht Club is partially visible at left in the distance.
1/20/2024: Unification
Unification in bronze by Pacific Northwest artist by Edward Korolak is one of many public art displays at Point Ruston.
1/20/2024: Ole
The sculpture Ole by Enumclaw stained-glass artist John Casey and metal artist Anita Schuller on display at Point Ruston.
1/20/2024: Sprite
Another Point Ruston sculpture, this one Sprite by Washington artist Kris Vermeer.
1/20/2024: Stack 571, Point Ruston
Lunch at Stack 571 at Point Ruston. James ordered the appetizer wings and there was enough there for both of us. Stack 571 is named after the 571-ft (174 m) smokestack, demolished in 1993, that was part of the ASARCO copper smelter at Point Ruston. 571 feet is taller than our 40-story apartment building, and the stack was the highest in the world when completed in 1917. The foul-smelling smoke that spewed from the factory, once one of the most polluted Superfund sites in the country, was the inspiration for local author Frank Herbert’s epic science-fiction novel Dune.
1/20/2024: Winifred Street Bridge
Jennifer looking down to the railroad tracks from the Winifred Street Bridge in Ruston on an afternoon walk from our hotel at Point Ruston.
1/20/2024: Totem Yacht Club, Ruston
The clubhouse for the Totem Yacht Club in Ruston. The club was founded in 1955 to "encourage the sport of yachting, to stimulate a greater interest in boating, to promote the science of seamanship and navigation, and to provide a forum for the exchange of boating information and member fellowship."
1/20/2024: North End on Pearl, Ruston
Watching the Houston Texans take on the Baltimore Ravens during in an NFL wildcard games. The game was close for the first half, with score tied at 10-10 at half-time. But the Ravens rallied in the second half to win 34-10.
1/20/2024: Garden of Eatin, Ruston
Patrons of the Antique Sandwich Co. enjoying a winter lunch in the "Garden of Eatin".
1/20/2024: Point Defiance Park
Jennifer at the entrance to the Point Defiance Park. The 760-acre (307 ha) green space juts into Puget Sound, and visitors can tour the park either on a ring road or on one of several walking trails. The park incorporates the smaller Dune Peninsula park, and the Fort Nisqually Living History Museum and surrounds the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium.
1/20/2024: McLaren 720S
A spectacular McLaren 720S waiting in the line at Point Defiance for the ferry to Vashon Island, viewed from the Wilson Way Pedestrian Bridge.
1/20/2024: Point Defiance Boat Launch
The parking capacity of the Point Defiance Boat Launch indicates how popular it must be in the summer.
1/20/2024: Tacoma Yacht Club
Looking across the Tacoma Yacht Club from the Wilson Way Pedestrian Bridge connecting Dune Peninsula and Point Defiance.
1/20/2024: Ruston Way Waterwalk
One of several mosaics, this one just outside our hotel, on the Ruston Way Waterwalk along Commencement Bay.
1/20/2024: Ice Cream Social
Handmade ice cream cones, freshly made, at the Ice Cream Social in Point Ruston where we stopped to satisfy our sweet tooth.
1/20/2024: Dusk, Commencement Bay
A small Coast Guard vessel streaking across Commencement Bay at dusk.
1/23/2024: Holiday Lights, Amazon SLU
Holiday light display at the Amazon South Lake Union (SLU) campus.
1/24/2024: Tower Crane Disassembly
Workers removing a section of the tower crane at The Confidential apartment building under construction at 4th & Bell, 2 blocks west of our building. The crane will be completely disassembled this weekend. How innovative that the crane can lift itself upward unassisted and then self-disassemble down to within reach of ground cranes that will remove what's left.
1/24/2024: Tower Crane Sections
Several removed sections of the tower crane at The Confidential apartment building under construction at 4th & Bell, 2 blocks west of our building.
1/27/2024: Tower Crane Disassembly
The yellow and black portable crane at left was brought on-site this weekend to complete the disassembly of the tower crane at The Confidential apartment building under construction at 4th & Bell, 2 blocks west of our building. Another portable crane at bottom left will lift the sections onto a truck as they are removed.
1/27/2024: Tower Crane Boom
The boom from the tower crane at The Confidential lying on the road after being removed from the tower crane.
1/27/2024: Boom Removed
The tower crane is still partially in place, but with it much lower and boom removed, the skyline looks a lot more clear.
1/27/2024: Waterfront Inn, Gig Harbor
The Waterfront Inn at the head of Gig Harbor, where we'll be spending Saturday night. Our room is leftmost on the bottom level.
1/27/2024: Gig Harbor View
Enjoying the view to Gig Harbor from the expansive deck at the Waterfront Inn.
1/27/2024: The Harbor
Our comfortable room at the Waterfront Inn, The Harbor, was well-equipped and had a great view to Gig Harbor.
1/27/2024: Morso Bistro, Gig Harbor
We had an excellent dinner at Morso Bistro, a few minutes walk from the Waterfront Inn in Gig Harbor.
1/27/2024: Dusk
Dusk in Gig Harbor, viewed from our table at Morso Bistro.
1/27/2024: Terrace View
The view from our terrace at the Waterfront Inn while we enjoy an evening drink outside after dinner. The weather is overcast and cool, and we enjoyed sitting outside to take in the scene. Gig Harbor is a wonderfully sheltered and tranquil harbor and this evening brought back great memories of the many times we've anchored there.
1/28/2024: Breakfast
Breakfast on the terrace of our room at the Waterfront Inn in Gig Harbor. We'd not been here before and very much enjoyed our stay. The only negative is that the terraces are a little on the public side with no barriers between them.
1/28/2024: Tides Tavern
Lunch at Tides Tavern in Gig Harbor, a long-time favorite of ours when we visited the area by boat.
1/28/2024: Baby Seal
We watched as this young seal made several attempts and eventually succeeded at jumping onto the Tides Tavern dock. It was the star of the restaurant with a good crowd at the window.

Pup season is the summer, and nursing pups remain with their mothers for less than two months before learning to survive on their own, as this seal likely is. The animal was pretty nervous the whole time there, and was constantly alert for danger, perhaps hoping to be among the half that actually survive their first year.
1/28/2024: Last Crane Segment
We arrived home from Gig Harbor in time to see a truck carrying away the last piece of the tower crane from The Confidential apartment building under construction to our west.
1/28/2024: Tower Crane Gone
The tower crane now is completely gone from The Confidential apartment building under construction to our west. It's been in visible through our windows for so many months that the sky looks a little empty without it. But the view has improved :-).
1/30/2024: Milton R. Young Station
The Milton R. Young coal-based electrical power plant in North Dakota, viewed from James flight to Minneapolis on business. The two-unit plant has a combined capacity of 705,000 kilowatts, burning coal from the nearby Center Mine and using cooling water from the artifical reservoir Lake Nelson.
1/30/2024: Mall of America
James hotel while on business in Minneapolis is within the Mall of America. At 5,600,000 sq ft (520,000 m2) or 129 acres (52 ha), it is the largest shopping mall in the Western Hemisphere and the 12th largest in the world.
2/1/2024: Food Trucks
Food trucks at Westlake Park, sponsored by the Downtown Seattle Organization, whose mission is "To create a healthy, vibrant downtown for all".
2/1/2024: Bunny Suit
James wearing a "bunny suit" on a visit to Seagate's Normandale Minnesota hard disk drive wafer fabrication facility.

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2/2/2024: Deicing at Minneapolis
Deicing the plane prior to James' flight from Minneapolis to Los Angeles.
2/2/2024: Sunrise Departing Seattle
Sunrise over the clouds as Jennifer's flight to Los Angeles departs the Seattle area.
2/2/2024: California Coast
View to the California coast as Jennifer's flight nears Los Angeles.
2/2/2024: Nearing James
We're spending the weekend in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and, with James away on business the three days prior, we'll be meeting up in Los Angeles and continuing together from there. The orange circle with a 'J' inside shows James' location, already at the Los Angeles airport, and the blue circle to the left is Jennifer's location as her flight approaches.
2/2/2024: Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant
Passing over the Hyperion Water Reclamation Plant as our flight takes off from Los Angeles for Cabo San Lucas. Operating since 1894, the plant is Los Angeles' oldest and largest wastewater treatment facility. Why we would allocate ocean-front property to one of the least desirable uses of real estate escapes us.
2/2/2024: Redondo Beach
View to Redondo Beach as our flight takes of from Los Angeles for Cabo San Lucas. The city is known for surfing and beach volleyball.
2/2/2024: Isla San Luis
Flying over uninhabited Isla San Luis, a Mexican island in the Gulf of California, en route to Cabo San Lucas.
2/2/2024: Hotel Tunnel
The hotel we're staying at in Cabo San Lucas, the Waldorf Astoria, is reached by a tunnel carved through Pedregal Mountain.
2/2/2024: Dusk
We arrived out our hotel, the Waldorf Astoria, just before dusk. Despite all our travels, this is Jennifer's first time in Mexico. James visited Cancun years ago for a conference, but otherwise hasn't spent any time here either.
2/2/2024: Champagne Terrace
Looking across the beach in front of our hotel from The Champagne Terrace at El Farallon restaurant where we'll be having dinner tonight. Visible in the distance is 442-ft (135m) Mt Solmar at Land's End.
2/2/2024: Surf
Enjoying the view to the surf from The Champagne Terrace at El Farallon restaurant, with 20 different champagnes on offer by the glass.
2/2/2024: El Farallon
An excellent meal at El Farallon restaurant in our hotel complex in Cabo San Lucas. We loved the view to the pounding surf below from our table at the edge of the terrace.
2/2/2024: Pool
One of the infinity pools at our hotel in Cabo San Lucas. Strung along the base of the cliff in the distance is the restaurant El Farallon, where we had dinner earlier this evening.
2/3/2024: 3,600 HP
Six V12 Mercury Verado 600s sets the record for the most horsespower we've ever seen on the back of a sportsfisher. We thought the 2,508 hp we saw at the Miami Boat Show was already pretty out there. This combination at the Marina Cabo San Lucas is 3,600HP, 45.6 liters, 2,782 cubic inches, 72 cylinders, and 7,560 pounds (3,430 kg) for a hefty $450,780.
2/3/2024: Sportsfishers
Cabo San Luca is a popular fishing destination and the marina is full of large and beautifully-maintained sportsfishers.
2/3/2024: EcoBar
Enjoying a Mexican Modelo while taking in the the scene along the boardwalk at Marina Cabo San Lucas.
2/3/2024: Clear boat
Small boat tours are popular in Cabo San Lucas, and local company Envatours pioneered the completely clear tour boat to allow guests to enjoy the underwater life as well. The boats look quite innovative.
2/3/2024: Vibrant
A great meal at Vibrant restaurant overlooking Marina Cabo San Lucas.
2/3/2024: Urban Market
Shopping at Urban Market in Cabo San Lucas to bring home a few provisions for our hotel room.
2/3/2024: Fire pit
Enjoying the evening at the fire pit on the deck of our room at the Waldorf Astoria in Cabo San Lucas.
2/4/2024: Sunrise
Sunrise over the Pacific Ocean, viewed from the deck of our Cabo San Lucas hotel room.
2/4/2024: Cabo Expeditions
At the Marina Cabo San Lucas for an excellent afternoon of whale-watching tour with Cabo Expeditions.
2/4/2024: El Arco
Passing the famous Arch of Cabo San Lucas, at the tip of Land's End, on our whale-watching tour with Cabo Expeditions.
2/4/2024: Humpback whale
The winter months offer excellent whale-watching opportunities in Cabo San Lucas, when humpback whales begin their annual migrate north to Alaska and British Columbia after breeding in the warm waters of Baja California Sur.
2/4/2024: Orcas
Orcas pods don't migrate, but they do move large distances in search of food. Found most often in colder waters such as Alaska and Norway, some do live off Cabo San Lucas.
2/4/2024: Infinity pool
Cooling off in the infinity plunge pool on the deck of our Cabo San Lucas hotel room.
2/4/2024: Baja Brewing
The sunset view from Baja Brewing looking across Medano Beach to boats moored off Cabo San Lucas, including the cruise ship Navigator of the Seas.
2/4/2024: Tres Sirenas
A delicious dinner at Tres Sirenas in Cabo San Lucas.
2/5/2024: The Office
Getting some work done on the deck of our Cabo San Lucas hotel room.
2/5/2024: Cruise Ship
One of a steady stream of cruise ships arriving and departing Cabo San Lucas. We very much enjoyed our room at the Waldorf Astoria, the Estrelle Suite, with its multiple decks and views to the ocean and the pounding surf. We often spotted migratory whales from here as well.
2/5/2024: Cactus Garden
Checking out the extensive cactus garden on the grounds of our Cabo San Lucas hotel.
2/5/2024: Pochos
A fun evening at Pochos overlooking Marina Cabo San Lucas.
2/6/2024: Dawn
Dawn overlooking the Waldorf Astoria hotel complex, with 442-ft (135m) Mt Solmar at Land's End visible in the distance at left.
2/6/2024: Mt. St. Helens
A great view to Mt. St. Helens on our flight back to Seattle from Cabo San Lucas.
2/8/2024: Alfa Romeo 4C
An early-model Alfa Romeo 4C parked in downtown Seattle (4C refers to the car's straight-four engine). The vehicle was in production for only 6 years, starting in 2014.
2/9/2024: Arksen A30
An Arksen A30 at the Seattle Boat Show Bell Harbor Marine location. We're toying with the idea of a high-speed weekend boat to more easily take advantage of the water-based attractions in the area. The Axopar is an appealing package, with a 45-knot top speed, light-filled cabin, pocket galley, V-berth forward and spacious cockpit.
2/9/2024: Axopar
We also checked out several Axopar models at the Seattle Boat Show, but didn't find their layout as appealing as the Arksen 30, particularly the exterior head forward of the helm.
2/9/2024: Galeon 470 Sky
We're definitely not in the market for a Galen 470 Sky, but were impressed with the fold-out bar area.
2/9/2024: Coastal Craft
We hadn't been on a Coastal Craft for many years and were surprised to see they had evolved from a work boat feel to high-end, with a price tag to match. This 42-ft (12.8 m) Expressfish model has a beautiful interior and can do 55 knots. It's way more boat than we want, but the smaller 33-ft (10 m) Expressfish can do 45 knots and might fit the bill.
2/9/2024: Lumen Field
Looking across the hundreds of boats on display for the Seattle Boat Show at the Lumen Field Event Center.
2/9/2024: Saxdor
The Saxdor 320 is another entrant in the weekend boat contenders. But we liked the interior layout of the Arksen a little better, and it also had a shower and a glass roof instead of fabric.
2/9/2024: Life Proof Boats 45 FC
Life Proof Boats 45 FC was nicely finished, but felt like more boat than we needed. They also have a 33 FC, but it doesn't have sleeping accommodations.
2/10/2024: Anthony's Pier 66
We had lunch for the very first time today upstairs at Anthony's Pier 66. We've had dinner many times here but, in the past, lunch has only been available at the Bell Street Diner and Fish Bar downstairs. The two downstairs restaurants are now closed during winter, and the main restaurant is open for lunch. This is great news for us, as we love the sweeping view of Elliott Bay from upstairs.
2/10/2024: Puget Sound
Two Washington State ferries crossing Puget Sound in the late afternoon.
2/10/2024: Dusk
Enjoying a glass of wine at dusk from out apartment's main balcony.
2/14/2024: Military Choppers
Four military choppers (one not visible) crossing over our apartment complex in downtown Seattle.
2/14/2024: Zoox
James with two Zoox vehicles during a business trip to their offices in California. This is James' first trip on city streets in a car without driver, steering wheel, or pedals.
2/14/2024: Il Bistro
A special Valentine's Day dinner at Il Bistro Italian restaurant in Pike Place market.
2/16/2024: Zoox
A rare sighting of two Zoox test cars together in the wild at 6th & Seneca in downtown Seattle.
2/16/2024: Butcher's Table
Finishing of the week with a relaxing and delicious meal in our favorite table at The Butcher's Table near our Seattle apartment.
2/17/2024: Crossing I-90
Crossing I-90 from the parking lot to snowshoe at Cabin Creek Sno-Park just east of Snoqualmie Pass.
2/17/2024: Grooming Equipment
Cabin Creek Sno-Park consist of 21 miles (33.7 km) of groomed cross-country ski trails. The grooming equipment has a plow in front and behind drags mats to cut the grooves and a hydraulically-deployed form to cut the track.
2/17/2024: Groomed Trail
Following National Forest Development Road 4822 up towards Amabilis Mountain, keeping to the edge of the groomed road and particularly avoiding the ski track cut to our left. Our plan is to walk up part way, and then "off-road" in snowshoes to reach higher elevations at the switchbacks.
2/17/2024: Offroading
We donned our snowshoes to "offroad" between the switchbacks along National Forest Development Road 4822. This was great fun, and our MSR Lightning Ascent snowshoes continue to impress us with their traction.
2/17/2024: Climbing
After returning to the road for a bit, we hiked up another steep section near a clearing, looking for a good view spot for a snack.
2/17/2024: Snack
Enjoying the view from a bluff above National Forest Development Road 4822. The road extends all the way to Amabilis Mountain, and we camped not far from here back in June of 2022. Even in June, much of the road was still covered with snow and impassible near the top. Right now, in February, the road is closed completely from I-90 on up.
2/21/2024: Willmotts's Ghost
At Willmott's Ghost in the Seattle Spheres for a delicious pizza dinner over a glass of Italian wine.
2/22/2024: Moonlight
The moon, two days off full, lighting up Elliott Bay early this morning.
2/22/2024: Barolo
An exceptionally tender and delicious artichoke appetizer before our meal at Barolo Italian restaurant in Seattle.
2/23/2024: Mercer Island
Flying over Mercer Island and the I-90 floating bridge en route to Las Vegas to see U2 at the Sphere.
2/23/2024: Mt. St. Helens
A great view on our flight from Seattle to Las Vegas to the 1 mile (1.6 km) wide horseshoe-shaped crater in Mt St. Helens left from the 1980 eruption. That event produced a 0.6 cubic miles (2.5 km3) debris avalanche and reduced the mountain's height from 9,677 ft (2,950 m) to 8,363 ft (2,549 m)
2/23/2024: Ivanpah Solar System
Flying past the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in San Bernadino County, California. The 392-megawatt plant use mirrors to focus the sun's energy on boilers inside three solar power towers. When opened in 2014, it was the largest solar thermal power station in the world.
2/23/2024: Sloan Limestone Quarry, NV
The massive Sloan Limestone Quarry, just outside Las Vegas, mines for calcium and magnesite.
2/23/2024: Las Vegas Blvd
Evening view to Las Vegas Blvd from our 33rd-floor room at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, where we are staying to see U2 at the Sphere tomorrow evening.
2/23/2024: Sushisamba, Las Vegas
A delicious meal over a bottle of Riesling at the Sushisamba Tree Bar in the Venetian Resort complex.
2/23/2024: Year of the Dragon, Palazzo
Year of the Dragon display at the Palazzo hotel atrium, within the Venetian Resort complex where we are staying.
2/23/2024: Love, Palazzo
The Love installation, by artist Laura Kimpton, at the Waterfall Atrium at the Palazzo hotel.
2/23/2024: Taqueria Canonita
A night-cap margarita at Taqueria Canonita along the Grand Canal inside the Venetian resort. We enjoyed the spot at the water's edge with a view to the passing gondolas with their singing drivers.
2/24/2024: Black Tap
Hundreds of bottles of Heinz ketchup on display at Black Tap Burgers & Beer in the Venetian Resort complex, where we had lunch today. Ketchup is an unusual item to feature, but the display seemed to work.
2/24/2024: Royal Britannia Gastro Pub
Drinks "outside" at the Royal Britannia Gastro Pub in the Venetian Resort complex before heading to the Sphere to see U2.
2/24/2024: Pedestrian Bridge
Walking the 1,000-foot (300 m) pedestrian bridge to the Sphere from the Sands Expo in the Venetian Resort complex.
2/24/2024: Outside Sphere
A close-up view to the Sphere from a balcony off the pedestrian bridge. Completed in September, 2023 at a cost of $2.3 billion, the structure is 366 feet (111 m) tall and 516 feet (157 m) wide. The exterior is covered with 1.2 million puck-sized LED lights that are programmed with an ever-changing array of spectacular images. At this distance, the individual lights that make up the pixels display are discernible.
2/24/2024: Atrium
Multi-story escalators inside an expansive atrium carry attendees to the various seating levels.
2/24/2024: 7th Level
We'd arrived 90 minutes early for the concert and spent some time beforehand exploring the Sphere. This is the view looking down to the stage from the 700 sections. The interior of the Sphere features a 16K 160,000-square-foot (15,000 m2), wrap-around LED display, the highest resolution and largest screen in the world.
2/24/2024: Roof
The roof of the sphere appears open to the sky, and it feels as if we are inside a rocket silo in a science-fiction movie. But it's all just digitally rendered.
2/24/2024: Soundboards
One of several sets of soundboards inside the Sphere. This ones are just behind our seats in section 206. You know you've got good seats when you are near the soundboard.
2/24/2024: Seated
In our seats for the show. We're in section 206, which were fabulous seats. We were close to the stage and had a full view of the Sphere display.
2/24/2024: Pauli Lovejoy
British drummer and multi-instrumentalist Pauli Lovejoy DJing from inside a neon Trabant (East German car) that moves throughout the general admission area before U2 hits the stage.
2/24/2024: Stage
The stage for U2:UV is based on Brian Eno's artwork Turntable. A founding member of Roxy Music, the multi-talented Eno is an in-demand producer whose clients include U2 and Coldplay.
2/24/2024: Bono & The Edge
U2 lead singer Bono and guitarist The Edge performing at the Sphere. We're longtime U2 fans and it was a real treat to see them in concert for the first time, especially so close to the stage in such an intimate environment, with only 20,000 other people.
2/24/2024: The Fly
During the song "The Fly" the Sphere was covered multi-colored characters that gave the illusion of a cube-shaped space, instead of spherical.
2/24/2024: Atomic City
When U2 played the Las Vegas-inspired song "Atomic City" the screen showed a backdrop of the city, making it appear that the concert suddenly was outside. During a reverse-timelapse, the background reverted to empty desert.
2/24/2024: U2
Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Bram van den Berg taking a bow at the end of a spectacular show. (Dutch musician van den Berg is replacing U2's founding drummer, Larry Mullen Jr., who is recovering from surgery.) The combination of seeing U2 live for the first time and the astounding venue made for an exceptional evening.
2/24/2024: The X Pot, Venetian
A post-concert drink in one of the private booths at the X Pot in the Venetian Resort complex.
2/25/2024: Sphere
A last view to the Sphere as our flight home to Seattle takes off from Las Vegas.
2/26/2024: Passport Renewal
Our two shiny new US passports just arrived today, less than three weeks after we sent them in for renewal with expedited service. It sure seems a long time ago since we last renewed them in 2015 in Australia.

We're fortunate that the processing times have improved dramatically in the past few months. A flood of applicants drove last year's processing times up to seven to nine weeks for expedited and ten to thirteen for standard processing. Being without our passports for several months would be pretty inconvenient.