Sandy, It does seem like a lot to do in just one summer, but I don't think my wife would like me being gone for much longer. As it is, she is planning to fly out to San Francisco for a week and again in Maine. I've sold her the trip by mentioning Fishermans wharf, sea food dinners (SF) and lobster at the end of a dock (Maine). I'm looking at this trip as a sort of "sampler", and later I'll return to those areas I really like and will spend more time there. I've already sailed in some of these areas. I chartered a sailboat in the Apostle islands in1989, and got a chance to sail Southwest Harbor with a friend in 1990, so they are already "return" trips. The first response I received tonight was notification that the SCA will be held in August, so I'm looking at the trip to see if I can arrange to be in Monterey about that time. I was really hoping I could get tips on tunning my rig from Jerry. One of the biggest problems is not finding great places to sail, it's more about having to pass by so many good places...at least for now. Tentatively the plan is to go to the Dry Tortugas in 2003, and then see about the Bahamas and maybe Cuba afterwards. John Miss T M17 # 372