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Greetings subscribers! We are pleased to announce that our final yard period prior to launching on our cruise in April has been scheduled for the last week in Jan/first week in Feb … at Anacortes instead of Friday Harbor. Major jobs include the usual bottom painting and hull wax n buff and a propulsion trainContinue reading “Prelude – 18 December update”

Chronicles of our first-ever four month sailing cruise. SY Encore C-400 MkII #264 – sea trial day, August 2021

The nap helped. The departure from Lukla was a hoot save for an overly careful hand-security inspection of everyone’s small backpacks. Three twin-otters landed within several minutes of each other, and the first one was taxiing, fully loaded again, back out onto to the iconic inclined, abbreviated runway just as the third plane was taxiingContinue reading “14-16 April – Return to Kathmandu and thence home”

Dawn came eventually, very cold and clear, but thankfully without much snow accumulation. Nine of us trekkers, Conan included, enjoyed a last delicious breakfast at the Madison Mountaineering Everest Base Camp, packed our duffels, and walked to the helo pad to await four 5-minute shuttle flights to Pheriche and two 9-minute combined flights to Lukla.Continue reading “13 April – Return to Lukla by helicopter”

Having started taking Diamox last night, and being at 17,450ft, I awoke after almost no sleep, and it was very cold. That, combined with yak-dung-impregnated dust, and smoke from yak dung fires set me up for a cold that I carried through our return to Kathmandu. Fortunately, Jane was spared a similar experience!We completed theContinue reading “12 April – Gorak Shep to Everest Base Camp”

Despite this being one of our shortest hiking days distance-wise, it was difficult because of starting from 5030m and hiking to 5288m/17,450ft. 258m (850ft) may not sound like very much at all, but climbing that vertical distance from 16,350ft was exhausting. And as if that weren’t enough, Garrett offered the opportunity to climb an additionalContinue reading “11 April – Lobuche to Gorak Shep”

Pictures are going to have to wait a bit and I’m behind a few days unfortunately. The internet is weak here and also overloaded with a few users this morning. It is around 0F this morning, and my fingers are freezing as I type. The heat was turned on about a half hour ago, andContinue reading “10 April – Pheriche to Lobuche”

Those who’ve looked carefully at pictures of buildings have noted that all are made of well-fit granite blocks. Given no bulldozers here and no apparent block-cutting industry, one is left to wonder how all these buildings came together. I’ve not seen joists, but roof pitch does not look like it would support a great dealContinue reading “9 April – Pheriche, with day hike to Dingboche on the Imja Khola.”

WE AWOKE TO CLEAR SKIES THIS MORNING, AND OMG THE VIEWS! Ahead of us, Mt Everest was peeking out behind Nuptse ridge on the left and Lohtse on the right. Just the south to main summit portion was visible, but it was there! Well to the right of Lohtse and closer, so very impressive, satContinue reading “8 April – Debuche to Pheriche”

Today was our second hardest hike after the Namche leg, but the day started with a ceremony offered by the mother-son owners of the Panorama Lodge, Migu and Doma. Climbers were blessed first and then we trekkers.We traversed in leisurely fashion from 3440m up the Imja Kohla river on our right well below where weContinue reading “7 April – Tengboche and Debuche”