Crewing on a different sailboat

As it turned out my last post November 8th about meeting a boat in Long Beach California fell through.  I'd not yet booked my flight yet as I was waiting to hear when I should arrive based on the results of a haul out and boat inspection.  I took this to be an inspection of a boat already owned to make sure all was shipshape for the beginning of his planned sail around planet earth.  I found out after I contacted him for an update that the deal fell through.. Turns out he was yet to own the boat and was lining up crew before he even owned it?  Hmmmm?  

Anyway after sending out a few more inquiries I heard back from 2 different boats also heading south down the west coast.  One was planning to depart San Diego December 1st and sail to La Paz and hang out in the Sea of Cortez for the winter.  The other was further north in Astoria on the Columbia River bound for Panama by spring.  The first boat was a 41 year old captain and his dog on a 40 foot boat.  He stopped replying after our first phone call that I thought sounded promising...  For a brief day or so it seemed I might have to choose between the 2 boats but suddenly I didn't have to and was exchanging phone calls with the boat in Astoria.  This was all happening on the 23rd and I was not able to get to Astoria or the second port Newton and I won't make Coos Bay or Brookings either but I have booked my flight to Oakland, California for 7 am November 28th...the day after tomorrow!!  The flight cost me the most off all the one way flights of the previous 3 winters crewing, including the return flight from Guatemala City last March.   And the price went up for Sunday the 29th and didn't come down until December 3rd.  Oh well, I was able to use PayPal Credit so I get zero interest for 6 months to pay it off.    

I've been visiting my mom so I have to head back after breakfast tomorrow...then pack and winterize my attic apartment before getting taken to the Duluth Airport by 6 am Saturday morning.  I arrive in Oakland about 3:50 pm Saturday.   2 friends from my past live in the Bay area, neither of which I've seen for too long.  One is my cousin and my best friend up until he graduated college and moved to LA.  The other worked as a kayak guide 2 seasons in 1999 and 2000 I believe?  I'll see my cousin for sure but my former employee might be away.  It will depend on how things go.  I might rent a car and drive to Eureka to join the boat or I might wait to join the boat in San Francisco if there is good weather and he arrives to San Francisco too soon?  

Oddly...I've never been to Northern California or seen the Redwoods etc.. This visit certainly won't satisfy my desire to check it all out.  I'll be back soon enough on a road trip at a better time of the year for some camping/hiking/backpacking.  

The boat is a 40' Choy Lee that sounds very well equipped.  The owner/captain is not so experienced sailingwise but was an Alaskan bush pilot now retired.  It sounds like it will be just the 2 of us.  

It's been hectic this year as I'm trying to join a boat that's already underway.  Other years I had more time to book my flight enough in advance to get a better price.  

This Pacific Northwest coast has a reputation of being quite treacherous at times where seas building can make crossing the bars to enter rivers along the way to wait out stormy conditions...impassable forcing you to push on in very challenging conditions.  Spring and Fall seem to be best times of year for this stretch with winter a definite no go season.  Or so I've read...  So far he has had pretty mild conditions, mostly motoring in small 3' swell at 14 seconds.  

How far down the west coast I get remains a mystery.  I need to return at the end of March roughly.  I think we will be beyond Mexico by then but it all depends.