Some General info about Cruising
This area covers general info. I put the info specific to either Mexico or Pacific Northwest in the menu under those places we've been. The info in this area are things that we have learned along the way, which may be of interest to you. Since we will always be learning more about cruising we will add info here as we learn about it.
The topics so far are heavy weather anchoring.
Are you ready for this kind of anchoring? 
Most boats survive heavy weather anchoring so please keep that in mind. I only want you to think about what you are going to do so you will be ready. The anchored boat in the picture to the right shows what anchoring can be like.
On Morning Star we use solar panels to charge our batteries and single line reefing on the main sail, and we have a monitor wind vane. I have taken some pictures of what they look like and have added a page on each to show how they work. I also have some pictures of where I put my whisker pole.
Some sailing terms that we can all use.
A great circle distance calculator with points from the Sea of Cortez and other Pacific points.
These two topics are in the Mexico area. How cruisers move in the Sea and leaving your boat for the summer in the Sea of Cortez
What really causes the tide
I have a question for you about the tides. If what we learned in school is correct, the Sun and Moon effect the tides. The water is elliptical in shape around the earth and the high spots are under the Sun and Moon. So, while setting on Morning Star in San Diego, California with open Pacific ocean to the west, I watched the sun set on the western horizon with a full moon rising on the eastern horizon. As I watched the sun set, I noticed that it was high tide. I have noticed this happening on more than one occasion. So if the sun is on the west horizon (one side of the earth) and the moon is on the east horizon (the opposite side of the earth from the sun) and I am in the middle, why would it be high tide where I am?
The moon theory assumes that the earth's surface is all water. Since this is not the case, there seems to be other things at work. The only area of the earth that all the oceans are connected is the southern ocean. The Pacific and Arctic/Atlantic are connected at the north end of the Pacific but the opening is so small that the Pacific seems to act as if it were closed.
I don't personally know the answer to this question yet. I am looking into why this would happen; moreover, there is something called seiche (pronounced sigh-shh). If you fill your bathtub with 6 inches of water, then put your hands in the water moving them from side to side. You will see the water move from one end of the tub to the other. This is seiche. I do not know anything about physics, but there must be something in physics that would tell us that the size of the body of water does not mater. You can see seiche in lakes and harbors, so there must be some component of the tide that includes seiche. If you know the answer you can email me. I would like to know why.
Please keep in mind that the info here is based on our experience which may be different than yours. You may have a different opinion. If you have any questions about the information that is here, please feel free to ask.