Passage prep is an exercise in wondering “what if” and squashing problems before they arise. What if this breaks? What if this assumption shifts? What if we run out of x, y, x? This sort of stocking up feels akin to the early days of pandemic shopping (how much toilet paper is too much?!) but expanded to water, fuel, electrical, waste, engine, sails, and everyone’s favorite – food.
When we were in San Diego, I started thinking through the what-ifs of eating and drinking aboard Azimuth in varying conditions. Coming down the coast, saltines, Cup Noodle, and PB&J were our MVPs in rolly conditions, but they offer little in the way of balance for the diet. I had a eureka moment thinking about the kinds of just-add-water foods backpackers have mastered for conserving water, dishes, and fuel. A deep dive turned up many dehydrated food recipes we could prep in large quantities without sacrificing too much space. The Jet Boil blog has some basic info here for the curious. We stocked up on dehydrated veggies, onions, and tomatoes from Harmony House to extend time between ports.
The following have been our trusty standbys while underway: peanut curry with rice & TVP, minestrone soup, loaded potatoes, premixed oats with protein powder and nuts, pre-assembled lasagna and smoothies in the freezer, and mac with powdered milk and cheese.
We also typically do some food prep in advance of a long passage. Two favorites come from our friend Quincy aboard Espirit – DIY electrolyte drink and chai adventure bites. Cold peanut noodles often make an appearance in the fridge, inspired by a trip to Monterey with Scott’s sister and dad a few years ago.
The Pro Home Cooks YouTube channel was a big help in upping my cooking game too. Watch this one for some basics and this one for Mexican food ideas. We often have a batch of granola on hand and pickled onions in the fridge. If you have access to fresh herbs – that green yogurt sauce is amazing!
One of our mottos aboard is “creativity loves constraint”. We have less space for meal prep and food storage, which leads to stocking more raw ingredients and less packaged goods. In the remote areas of Baja, we supplement with whatever foods are on offer from the sparse tiendas and I’m often surprised by the variety that gets whipped up from the same old stuff.
This past week we had the company of friends aboard SV Petrichor. They came down with the Baja Haha from Oakland and are keeping their boat in Loreto for the next season or two. We did a lap of Isla Carmen together, rafting up and creating some tasty meals from the combined galleys. Kate’s cake and my frozen yogurt, Audrey’s “rando tacos”, Scott’s fresh pasta, and Sarah’s salmon cakes were huge hits.
We missed the familiarty of Christmas back home and are hoping for more togetherness in the new year – whether it be crashing in the guest berth aboard Azimuth, shoreside on our route, or once we’re rooted on the east coast. We adapted my mom’s cookie baking tradition to the boat galley and gifted pinwheels and peanut butter bon bons to boat friends and marina staff. The annual flurry of late night baking and dropping off treats never fails for feeling festive.
Provisioning is top of mind once again as we close out this chapter in Baja and cross 460 miles to the mainland tomorrow. Our Oakland fried Jen decided to extend her trip onboard Petrichor and join us for the crossing. We’ll be saying a toast to the new year out at sea. Cheers to you and yours!
Sailing Azimuth 