Bright Angel
FollowBright Angel is a 1990 Mason 44 cutter, built in Taiwan at the Ta Shing boat yard for Pacific Asian Enterprises, a Dana Point, CA company that now builds the Nordhaven ocean trawlers. She was designed by Al Mason, and has a very traditional look about her; but, more importantly, she is a great sea boat and a comfortable home.
Bob & Linda Hargreaves bought Bright Angel in Seattle in 2003, in anticipation of blue water cruising after retiring; their first boat, a 1979 Ericson 29, was much loved, but not up to ocean sailing. Bob worked as an attorney for the Washington State Attorney General's Office, and was a commissioned officer in the Washington Army National Guard; Linda was a business development manager for L'Oreal's Redken line of salon professional hair care products.
In 2010 Bob & Linda left their home port of Olympia, Washington, and set sail for Southern California and Mexico. After two seasons in Mexico, in 2012 they joined the "Puddle Jump" and sailed from Banderas Bay to the Marquesas and worked their way across the Pacific through French Polynesia and Tonga to New Zealand. For the next four years they sailed back and forth from NZ to the tropics - to Fiji three times, and then to Vanuatu and New Caledonia. In 2018 they concluded their full-time cruising and sailed Bright Angel home to Washington from NZ, with stops in Tahiti and Hawaii. They plan to continue cruising in Puget Sound, the San Juan and Canadian Gulf Islands, and further north in British Columbia.
Recent Updates
Another miserable night; high winds, rough seas; but thankfully, no squalls. A little tired (and a lot tired of these conditions!) but all is well on board.
Fairly comfortable night; motored thru light winds and some squalls (highest winds in squalls 28 knots). Will set sails at first light, as winds have filled back in. All is well on board.
Comfortable night; all is well on board.
all well and all sorted after the turbulent start
via relay as still too close for 8MHz
Anchored in Oneroa Bay, Waiheki Island. Enjoying our cruise of Great Barrier Island and Hauraki Gulf.
Sailed thru the night with sse then se winds. Winds died off around 4 a.m.; motoring again. At sun up were visited by an albatross; beautiful! All is well on board.
Passed thru front yesterday a.m.; few squalls, no drama. Southerly winds since; now 16-20. Motoring to make southing; very lumpy ride. All is well on board.
Approaching front. All is well on board.
<p>Still motoring; under sunny skies yesterday, grey this morning. Wind is still light. All is well on board.</p>
Leaving Port Denerau, enroute to Navula Pass, then on to Opua, NZ!