California State: The Redwood Coast to San Diego

We completed the passage from Charleston to Crescent City in just over 24 hours, as planned. Though the swells were slightly larger than those we'd encountered along most of the Oregon coastline (the Columbia River delta being the one major exception), we relaxed into a predictable rhythm as we navigated patches of fog and observed the stunning geography off our port side endlessly emerging and vanishing as it slowly slipped past. Aaron and Yael passed the time calmly listening to audio stories and keeping an eye out for stray fishing buoys that could wreak havoc on our engine propellers. Around midday we spotted Gray Whales breaching.

St. George Reef Lighthouse

Dusk was beginning to fall as we turned Mohini's bow into Pelican Bay, which straddles the Oregon/California border, and began our final approach into Crescent City's harbour--the one safe haven along a notoriously perilous stretch of rugged coastline. A treacherous reef dubbed "Dragon Rocks" by Captain George Vancouver lives up to its name with miles of sea stacks and shallow shelves that make for a thrilling spectacle of roiling water and crashing sea spray, but also underscore a dark history of wrecks and drownings over the centuries. We couldn't help but be grateful for modern technology as our digital navigation system allowed us to effortlessly circumvent dangers that might well have proved deadly in another era.

Passing close by the fortress-like silhouette of Saint George Reef Lighthouse with the moon rising over it was a breathtaking and eerie experience. This legendary structure sits 7 miles out to sea and holds the reputation of being the most expensive lighthouse ever built in the U.S. It sits on a forsaken and unforgiving foundation of exposed, wave-battered rock and, almost unbelievably, was inhabited full time for many decades by a series of lighthouse keepers who only had contact with the outside world once or twice per year, when it was deemed safe to deliver supplies by boat.

As the darkness and fog closed in and the kids drifted off to sleep, Nico and I peacefully entered the Crescent City Marina (a marina that, infamously, has been wiped out not once, but twice, by tsunamis in the past 60 years) and safely moored Mohini before drifting off to sleep ourselves.

Redwood National Park

Crescent City is the gateway to the old-growth redwood forest, one of the most magical places on earth. We couldn't wait to spend time amidst the splendor and majesty of the ancient trees and quickly made arrangements to rent a car for a few days in order to get around. In my youth, I spent a season working as a park ranger in Redwood National and State Parks and was eager to return and share some favourite spots and trails with Nico and the kids.

During our time with a vehicle we were fortunate to be able to access and explore many park highlights including Stout Grove, Simpson-Reed Grove, and Grove of the Titans. We breathed deep, craned our necks backwards, and drank in the grandeur and wisdom of the tallest trees on the planet, tingling with the life force of a biotic network that extends across the millennia. There's nothing that quite puts life in perspective like standing, ant-sized, at the feet of an ancient redwood tree and feeling with certainty that your own existence is but the blink of an eye. The trees, of course, hadn't changed a bit in the last 17 years.

We hiked many miles (the kids, as usual, were champs), spent time developing our log-walking skills, raced horsetail boats along the banks of the Smith River, and explored tidepools teeming with sea stars, anemones, and other intertidal life. What a delight it was to revisit this truly incredible corner of the planet and ground ourselves in its sacredness and magnificence. All four of us came away from our time along the redwood coast recharged and connected in all the ways that matter most.

Oregon Caves National Monument

On one of our days with a vehicle, we decided to drive the two hours northeast from Crescent City to Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve. Nestled beneath the tranquil beauty of the Siskiyou Mountains, this extensive network of spectacular marble caverns is truly a hidden gem. Yael just squeaked past the height requirement for a tour and our family was fortunate to be able to spend 90 minutes together underground learning about the cave system's natural and cultural history, marveling at flowstone formations, stalactites, and stalagmites, and experiencing impenetrable darkness.

After re-emerging into daylight, the kids were up for more hiking (our guide couldn't believe it and let us know that they were the smallest and least complain-y kiddos he'd ever had in his group), so we wound our way up through mixed alpine forest to a small summit where we could get some perspective on our surroundings and appreciate the Siskiyou wilderness from above ground as well as below. Aaron and Yael also had the opportunity to be sworn in as Junior Rangers, which was quite a thrill, and Aaron rated the day as an "11 out of 10".

Southward Bound

Our time in Crescent City stretched to one week, and then more, as we enjoyed our convenient location in the marina. But we were getting colder and colder. We dreaded climbing between icy sheets at night and waking up to the drip-drip of cold condensation running down our walls. Yuck. Our little heater was a champ and kept us cozy as we worked and homeschooled during blustery days and evenings, but we knew it was really time (probably past time) to head further south.

The problem was this: We were aware that the northern section of the California coastline is notoriously rough, especially in the fall season and, with unforgiving geography that offers very few sheltered anchorages, the kids and I just weren't sure we were ready to face it. We decided to think outside the box and made a plan to separate once again. Nico would sail south with a volunteer crew while Aaron, Yael, and I took a combination of buses and trains as far as San Diego. In this way, we would streamline our timeline, avoid a lengthy, uncomfortable journey. and reunite in warmer, calmer seas ready to continue adventuring south again.

With sailboat life, there is no standard template for success and excellent communication is the key to finding solutions that work for all members of the family. After careful consideration, we settled into this decision with enthusiasm, feeling that it would comfortably meet everyone's needs...and allow us to embrace warmer weather sooner!

School On Board Mohini

While moored in Crescent City waiting for Nico's crew to arrive, we were fortunate to have the time to take a breath and enjoy some simple, routine days. We know our children are thriving on our adventurous lifestyle and the tremendous learning opportunities all around us, but there's also something wonderful about those calmer periods where we can lean into a more predictable schedule and some more structured learning activities.

As a long-time classroom teacher, I'm always eager to dive into academics and creative projects and have been taking my cues from the places we're exploring as well as Aaron and Yael's organic inquiries and natural interests. (In teacher speak, this could be called working within an emergent curriculum framework). So far, learning together has been a rich and meaningful experience for all of us and both kids are actively engaged in a variety of developmentally appropriate routines and projects including journaling, art and poetry, calendar and numeracy activities, food prep, storytelling, Jewish studies, and much more.

I plan to create a separate post with some more in-depth information about how Nico and I are structuring and facilitating learning for our kids on Mohini, but for now, click on the slideshow below to see some glimpses into sailboat school:

Leading up to Halloween, we were fortunate to receive visitors in Crescent City! Our friends from Cumberland, B.C., who also homeschool and travel with their kids, were en route to Mexico in their motor home and took a detour out to the coast to connect with us for a couple of days. The kids played to their hearts' content and, at one point, we were amused to find them engaged in a game of "school", which consisted of the "mom and dad" teaching the kids as they traveled the world. It was wonderful to spend time with like-minded parents who also see the value in life and education outside the traditional systems, and we parted ways feeling inspired and hoping our paths would cross yet again in the not-too-distant future.

Exploring San Diego

Halloween was an exciting, Ninja Turtle kind of evening for Aaron and Yael, who both dressed up as the exact same character (kudos to Aaron for allowing his little sister to copy him so adoringly). The holiday is a big deal in Crescent City and they were finally able to fulfill their trick-or-treating dreams (something that hadn't really been possible the past few years in Mexico).

Later, as I packed our bags in the midst of a severe gale, we welcomed the first of Nico's two crew members to the boat and, early the next morning, we were off: The kids and I on a two-day adventure to San Diego by land, and Nico and his crew on a six-day adventure to San Diego by sea.

My parents had decided to fly down to San Diego to join us for a week in a 3-bedroom Airbnb, which was absolutely wonderful. The pieces fell into place like clockwork and we enjoyed so many special moments and experiences together, exploring the San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park, Torrey Pines State Park, the La Jolla Cove Walking Trail, Pacific Beach, and more. We were also fortunate to have the opportunity to spend time with my mom's cousin and, above all, relax at our clean, comfortable homebase for plenty of home-cooked meals, tickles, and talks.

Nico arrived on the sixth day, as expected, impressed with and extremely grateful to both of his young, capable crew members (shoutout and thanks to Wyatt and Dylan). Before we knew it, we'd said a tearful goodbye to Bubbie and Zaida and our family was back together again on Mohini. We planned to spend a few nights anchored in San Diego so that Nico could attend an in-person client meeting and then head south into Mexican waters.

To continue following Mohini's journey, read our post Baja California Part 1: Ensenada to Santa Maria.