I am finally settling into a groove up here in the Bay Area. I am so blessed to have a safe haven at my brother and sister in law’s beautiful home in Tiburon while Haunani has her own little spot nearby. She is snuggled away at Paradise Cay Yacht Harbor, whose stewards have been beyond kind and generous to this wayward traveler! It is seriously a little slice of heaven and I am so lucky to be there! I am loving getting to know the bay and all of its nuances. Sailing here is definitely awesome and inspiring! Yesterday was my 1st solo sail up here, and it was definitely one for my personal record books. Vigilance and being on point were called for to a degree that I have never experienced. It was a great test of my skills and focus. The thing that struck me the most was the changeability and extremes. All of the land formations and the patterns they create are certainly interesting! I loved every moment, and am so grateful for this time to acclimate and practice before the big day.

I want to say a special thank you to my sweet and fierce soul sisters, Silvia and Gabi, who schlepped all the way up here last weekend from Venice in my truck to transport stuff and help me in my preparations. Their generosity and enthusiasm for my cause knows no bounds, and as much as I already knew this, this trip really took it to a new level. There was organizing, cleaning, anchor chain moving (no small feat in an old rickety wheel barrow), cooking, errand running, MUCH laughter, sailing…you name it. Logistics aside, the thing that I needed the most was their presence. Just having them here gave me such solace, and I am sure it was no mistake that they happened to be here when I had my hardest day to date in this whole adventure. My autopilot started acting up again, and as a result, I was stricken with severe anxiety, to the point that my stomach was in knots and I would burst into tears at the drop of a hat. I could barely focus on conversations because I was so consumed with worry (this is not like me either). That of course opened a can of worms that revealed all of the hidden anxieties about what I am about to take on. Along with my baby brother (who is a total rock), they helped me through a really tough couple of days with tenderness, kindness and some tough love to boot. I am so grateful!

Saying goodbye to my friends was really hard, but by providing me such a safe place to process all of my fears and let down a little (not to mention have some fun), they left me feeling ready to take it all on again! I will definitely be taking them with me on my journey!