San Francisco to San Diego

The marine layer returns but we are heading south

October of 2001 we left San Francisco and headed south to San Diego. We did most of the passage in day trips with an overnighter around Point Conception. The marine layer had been waiting for us outside the Golden Gate Bridge but not as strong as before. A lot of motoring but great scenary.

10/1, Half Moon Bay

N 3729.923, W 122 29.307 Half Moon Bay

We left San Francisco this morning after almost one and one half months. I think we were there long enough to appreciate the nuances of its unique character. From the fabulous harbor to the Napa Valley and out to Yosemite National Park we sailed, sampled and hiked. The kids were reluctant to leave since Indian Summer had just begun and it was 85 degrees on Sunday. Since the thunderstorm last Monday it has been clear in the bay, no fog, you can see the bridge. The weather report for today is more of the same.

We left early in the morning on a slack tide under the Golden Gate Bridge. Well, with our typical luck, as we prepare to leave we find the fog starting to envelop the bridge. The marine layer is back!! Winds are light as we motor under the bridge and turn south. The sun was trying to burn off the fog but then the fog gets thicker and visibility is less than half a mile. We roll along on with a featureless landscape (seascape?), a gray sea and gray fog with the occasional pelican or seabird. Even as we turn into Half Moon Bay it is foggy, we barely see the breakwater. We anchor in the bay just after noon and relax for the afternoon. At is good to be back on the water though, going to new places, heading south to warmer climes!

The weather window looks excellent so we plan to sail to Monterey tomorrow. The town has a great reputation for tourism and it's world famous aquarium. We will dock two or three nights there at a marina.

Elaine's hand is doing great. The specialist was pleased (and proud) with her rate of recovery. I almost have my first mate back at 100%.

Our passage south will require approximately one week and we are looking forward to the warm winds of Southern California and from there our passage to Mexico.

10/2,3, Monterey Bay

N 36'36.254, W 121'53.462

We left Half Moon Bay on Tuesday morning around nine. The marine layer was in full force. Fog everywhere and again very light winds. We made our way southbound. Along the way we had a visitor, a small finch decided to make a stop over. We were quite a ways off shore so he must have been tired. At Half Moon Bay and since, we have been plagued with some small flies. Well, this was a dining delight for the little finch who scarfed down all that he could find - great, no more flies. He explored the boat looking for more morsels as well as being just curious. He would hop around the cockpit combing, up and down the yankee sheets (good foot hold for him), in front of the dodger, on top of the dodger, inside the dodger, on the deck, on the mainsheet traveler, etc. Meanwhile, Mandu is sleeping on the cockpit floor in his bed. Every time the bird who be near we would raise our legs and hands to make sure it was not in his field of view. Luckily he never saw the bird or smelled him. If he did we were sure there would be quite a ruckus and most likely the cat would fall overboard.

Around 6pm we pulled into Monterey Bay Marina. There are upright panels on the docks to keep the sea lions off. This makes it a little tricky for the crew to jump onto the dock to moor the boat.

Fortunately we did so without incident.

We all looked forward to dinner and a good night's sleep, the foghorn and the sea lions baying in the distance.

On Wednesday, 10/3, after breakfast, Jesse and Sarah did their schoolwork. Rich worked getting us connected to shore power and Elaine made some paperwork. When we were done we walked to Fisherman's Wharf for a light lunch and then a walk to the Aquarium. The aquarium is a great place and we spent a couple of hours. They have a great exhibit on jellyfish and penguins as well as all sorts of sea life. On our walk back to the boat we checked out some of the shops along the way. All day it was beautiful and sunny. Outside of the bay you could still see the marine layer hanging over the water.

We plan to stay here Thursday night as well and head to Morro Bay early on Friday morning.

10/6, Morro Bay

Morro Bay N 35'21.764 W 120'51.237

It is Saturday evening now and we at on a mooring buoy in Morro Bay.

On Friday morning around 9:30am we motored out of Monterey Bay Marina. The sun was coming out and the marine layer was much farther out so we could enjoy the sun. The seas were calm, almost a lake and to be such, there was little or no wind. We valiantly pulled out the staysail to catch whatever breeze we could and headed south again. Along our way we saw gray whales, schools of young molas or sunfish with their distinctive one fin wave, school of porpoises and low flying pelicans. A small finch flew by but did not visit as one did before. Maybe this one saw the cat.

It was a very long day though. As nighttime fell the waning moon came out from behind the clouds and provided some light for a while. Unfortunately it hid behind the fog that appeared as we neared the entry to Morro Bay. The entry is marked, and very largely by a huge rock. We saw it with a mist of fog rolling over the crest of it and the red lights of the oil fire plant smokestacks beyond it. We threaded our way through the entry, and the channel markers - red right returning, and tied to a mooring buoy just opposite the Morro Bay Yacht Club after midnight. We had a quick bite to eat and then to sleep in the silence without the constant drone of the engine.

Saturday morning we woke up, leisurely and got settled. Our friends on Diva, Stuart and Sandy, are just a few buoys away so they stopped by for a visit and gave us the scoop on the town and the facilities. It turns out that this weekend is the Morro Bay Harborfest - with wine tasting, food tasting, booths, oyster eating contests, Hula Dancing, Rock'n'roll bands, a Digereedoo musician and Mariachi bands. Huzza!! We inflated the dingy, put on the motor and went to join the party!! The Lady California is here also (like the Lady Washington) and was giving tours and trips and firing her cannons at the "Rock". Only in California.

Tomorrow we are thinking of a picnic on the white ocean beach and more relaxing. Monday we will continue south.

10/8, Port San Luis

Port San Luis N35'09.536, W120'44.931

This morning after we got up, Jesse and Rich to the dingy and went to town. Jesse wanted to copy some of his comic book work and Rich went to pick up a few items. Sarah cleaned up inside, I did the dishes from last night's chocolate souffle - Yum, Yum. We have been carting around the souffle dish and a copper bowl so we decided to try them out. We got the boat ready for passage. When Rich and Jesse returned we pulled up the dingy, let loose from the mooring buoy and then to the fuel dock to top off the tanks.

We motored out of town as the sky was clearing and the sun came out. In little over four hours we were in Port San Luis on another mooring buoy. The night is clear, hopefully a nice sunset and some stars.

Depending on the weather report we will leave tomorrow or the next day to go around Pt. Conception and into the Channel Islands.

Hope you are all doing well. Thank you for your emails, we enjoy getting them.

10/11, Santa Cruz Island

33 58.730 N, 119 40.330 W

Greetings from Santa Cruz Island, one of the Channel Islands. We are anchored in a small indentation in the cliff side on the south side of the island. There is a beautiful sunset to the west.

We last reported from Port San Luis. On Tuesday evening after an early dinner we all went to sleep. At 11:00pm we got up, let loose from the mooring buoy and made our way out to round Point Arguello and Point Conception. These are the infamous points that one, we had a difficult time rounding when we brought the boat north and two, they mark transitioning from cold to warm when going south. It was again, a long motor with little or no wind, some fog and marine layer but also some moon and stars, dolphins swimming around the boat with luminescent trails in the night. The swells started small 1-2 ft but built in the morning to 6-8 ft. Almost no vessel traffic.

In the early afternoon on Wednesday, we anchored off of Santa Rosa Island. The air was warm and the water was turquoise. After removing our foulies and middlewear and long underwear we put on shorts and t-shirts and sat in the cockpit and soaked up the sun! Another sailboat was anchored nearby and a Coast Guard vessel was tied to a pier off the island. The chart indicates the island is undeveloped except for a ranch on the hill above the pier and a dirt airstrip. Sorta like Desolation Sound, only no trees and a lot larger island. We were pretty tired from our evening excursion so it was an early night.

This morning, Thursday, Jesse and Sarah worked on their schoolwork. I worked on our list of things to do before we head to Mexico. Rich cleaned up the 3 harpoon guns we were given to us by a sailor we met at Napa Valley. He had used them in Mexico and the Caribbean and he passed them on to us.

In the afternoon we pulled up the anchor and sailed, yes, sailed across to Santa Cruz island. It is nice to cruise at 6 knots with only a yankee and a staysail. The winds started at 8 knots and built to almost 30 before we rounded Santa Cruz Island and then they dropped down to 3 knots.

Tomorrow we plan to head for Redondo Beach if the weather cooperates. Hope to visit some folks in So. Cal and then head to San Diego.

10/12-15, Redondo Beach

33'50.929 N, 118'24.055 W

Greetings from Redondo Beach, CA. King Harbor Yacht Club!

Our last position update was from Santa Cruz Island on 10/11. On the morning of 10/12, we pulled up anchor and headed east. It was a long, long day, 64 miles of flat water, overcast and no wind. We left at 8:00 am dressed for cool weather, long underwear and our middle wear - wind block fleece. As the day progressed, the sun came out and soon we were all in shorts and t-shirts. YEAH!!!

Jesse brought out his fishing gear and put out a line. We would see sea lions hiding in small islands of kelp, sea gulls and pelicans diving for fish. At one point we saw some activity in the water and what looked like yellow fin jumping out of the water, some sort of bait ball, gulls were screaming overhead. We changed course hoping to snag some dinner but we saw that there were some dolphins involved in the activity and decided that we did not want to get involved so we returned to our original course. Later we had six dolphins come by and play in our bow wake, twisting and turning, diving and splashing. They are so fun to see and they seem to swim effortlessly.

Around 6pm we pulled into the marina and tied up to the guest dock at the King Harbor Yacht Club. It is a beautiful place. Behind the marina is an oil fired electricity plant. On the side facing the water it has a Wyland mural of whales and dolphins. The water is very clear, even in the marina and we have seen small stingrays, orange gobies and mackerel. On the weekends, there are many people fishing in the marina either in small boats or from the breakwater.

In 1983 and 1988 the marina was hid by large storms. There are pictures of the storms and the resulting damage. The yacht club is a two-story building and the entire first floor was swept clean, everything removed by the waves. One picture shows a wave TWICE as tall as the yacht club, just before it hit. A Volkswagen bug that was in the parking lot was pushed down into the water. Boats were overturned and smashed. In 1983, the storm knocked a hole in the breakwater and you can see a partially submerged sailboat. Luckily the main structure of the yacht club was intact and the integrity maintained so that the damage was minimal. Since the storm they have added another 8 feet to the breakwater and a secondary sea wall around the yacht club.

On Saturday, 10/11, we CLEANED the boat. It is amazing how much dirt had collected on dock from mooring buoys, anchor chain, cat hair, flies, etc. We hosed it down, scrubbed, polished, vacuumed and cleaned. We are now in Bristol condition, inside and out.

On Saturday our friend Dan visited us. He used to work with Rich on the LEAP program. On Sunday we went over to Don Day and family's home for dinner. Today, Monday, we went for lunch with Don and his wife Audrey and they drove is to Trader's Joes to pick up some supplies and then they dropped us of at the public library so we could check our internet email. Right now we are back at the boat, watching the Mariners!

10/17, Los Alamitos Bay, Long Beach

33 44.980 N, 118 06.940 W

Greetings from Los Alamitos Bay Marina, Long Beach, CA.

This morning we bid goodbye to the friendly folks at the King Harbor Yacht Club and headed south. We sailed in light airs around Palos Verdes and into Los Angeles harbor. Nice to be in shorts for a change and under sail instead of motoring.

We passed the platform and support ship for Sea Launch. We debated whether we could sail under the platform or not. Further down we saw the QE2 and the dome that used to house the Spruce Goose.

We are tied to the harbormaster's dock due to some miscommunication within their office. Tomorrow we will move to a slip for the next few days. Time to do some provisioning (Costco run!) and stop at the chandlery (West Marine). Plan to do some visiting with friends before heading south to San Diego.

By the way, my fingers are improving. My middle finger is all healed and looks nice and rounded at the end. It is still tender so I am careful. The swelling is going down on my first finger but I can bend it at to 90 degrees, which is an improvement. I am diligent about doing my finger exercises each day. I am typing with 9, sometimes 10 fingers.

10/23, Newport Beach

33 36.570 N, 117 54.470 W

Greetings! After a short hiatus at Los Alamitos Marina in Long Beach we are working our way to San Diego.

We are finding out that when we stop somewhere that we look for the basics first - grocery store, Laundromat, public library, a place that sells DVDs. If these are satisfied, and with in easy walking distance, the stop rates pretty high. Next level of conveniences includes a Costco, a Chandlery (West Marine preferred) and a bookstore. Los Alamitos was great but having a rental car helped for a few days helped. The only thing we did not get to was a library. Plan to do this in San Diego.

In Long Beach we got a chance to meet up with some friends - John Walsh and his two sons (Ryan 7, Evan 4), Paul Schoen, John Gerhard, Dan Krenitsky, Frank and Marina Butler and Marina's sister, Rosie. Frank and Marina were the previous owners of our boat. It was good to see them and hear some of their stories especially about fishing!

We got a sad piece of news when we arrived at Los Alamitos. John Heasey was the Butler's broker when we purchased Windarra. We got to be good friends with John when we came down to sail the boat north at the end of July 1999. He shuttled us back from the airport when we returned the rental car and helped coordinate having some work done before we arrived. John died of heart failure while helping deliver a sailboat from San Diego to Long Beach. He felt tired and went below to rest and never woke up. It reinforces the thought that life is short, go cruising now!

As we head to San Diego we are getting more excited about going to Mexico. We are reading Charlie's Charts on Mexico and other guidebooks. We look forward to the festivities for the Baja Ha-Ha. We are thinking of having a reggae theme for our boat.

Right now we are anchored in Newport Harbor off Lido Island in the only free anchorage. We are nested together with a few sailboats and a large yacht, Lady Faye, from Bainbridge Island. It just so happens that we anchored just behind Athanor, our friends Eddie and Eileen. We last saw them Sept. 11 in Sausalito. They will not be doing the Ha-Ha but we hope to meet us in Baja.

Tomorrow we will go to San Diego, about 64 miles south of here and try to find a place to anchor in the harbor. Trying to find moorage now will be like trying to find hen's teeth since there are 150-200 boats planning on doing the Ha-Ha and they are all collecting in San Diego. The race is in 3 segments - to Turtle Bay (360 miles), to Bahia Santa Maria (240 miles) then to Cabo San Lucas (180 miles), with parties at each stop. The plan is to leave Oct. 30 and get to Cabo around Nov. 8. Oh boy!

ps the marine layer was waiting for us when we reached the breakwater outside of Long Beach..... sigh!

10/24, San Diego

32 43.370 N, 117 10.810 W, San Diego

Well Navy fans, we are here in San Diego, it is now 8:30pm, and we just tied to a mooring buoy.

It was a long day that started with us pulling up anchor (of course Mr. Maxwell, the windlass, performed most of this) at 9:00am. As we pulled out we saw the sailboat, Rosalie Claire, tied to a mooring buoy. This sailboat was in the yard at Seaview when we were there last year. The marine layer was again at the end of the breakwater, waiting patiently. The seas were flat and little or no wind. Motor, motor, motor... We saw a catamaran (also motoring) go into Dana Point. We saw 2 CH-46 Sea Knights coming in from somewhere out west. There were F-18s flying above. Later we were buzzed by a Sea King, checking out our name and homeport. Much later we saw a sailboat, putting into Mission Bay. The sunset was beautiful though as a large cruise ship was leaving the entry channel, lights ablaze.

As we entered in the dead of night, again, we saw the Navy exercising their toys, from helicopters to UAVs, to zipping around in whisper quiet little rigid inflatables to small patrol boats. They are all over the place. Then add the planes flying in and out of the airport and you have quite a cacophony of sounds and activity.

After a night sleep, maybe, we will see where we will stay until the race and then check in with the race folks. Our friend, Dan Krenitsky is going to join us on the race. He raced with us a few times on Fairwind and he used to work with Rich on Leap.

I will give you updates as we prepare for the race when I get a chance. This will be our last US port for a while. Sorta makes you go hmmmm.

10/27, San Diego

On Thursday morning we called about a place to moor the boat. We moved the boat to an anchorage west of the bridge to Coronado Island. It is not a bad spot but a little far from the activities at Shelter Island and Harbor Island. Rich and I took a dingy ride over to the old America's Cup Basin so that we could visit Downwind marine and check in for the Baja Ha-Ha. This was a 45-minute ride, including refueling part way, into the wind. Once in the basin we motored by Cassiopeia, Burnett's old boat. It no longer has the name on the side but the homeport of Seattle is still on the stern. Not sure if she has been sold or not. We tied to a dingy dock and locked it up, including the oars, fuel tank, outboard, and life vests. Apparently there is quite a bit of robbery. Someone was caught the other day with a wire cutter, trying to steal a set of oars. This is the first time we have come across this. It's too bad but sure it will not be the last. Once on shore we visited Downwind Marine. It is a cruiser's marine store, great selection, and nice folks. They even have a computer where you can check your email for $1 for 15 minutes. Kewl. We bought a larger Mexican courtesy flag. Next we tried to get some Mexican currency at the bank. Not such luck. We went to the drug store to pick up some Pepto-Bismol, Imodium, and a few other items for the trip south. The dingy ride back was about the same, careful with the wake from passing container ships and tour boats. It was a dinner and a movie kind of evening.

On Friday morning, Rich and I got up early. Jesse ferried us to a dock at a boat rental place. It was near the Hotel Del Coronado. There we caught a taxi into downtown San Diego. First stop, Fisheries Dept of Mexico to pick up licenses, for us and the boat and the dingy. First you fill out the application. One of the two ladies who work there total up your fee and they start to type, on an electric typewriter, each of the licenses, which is 7 in our case. Then you walk down the street to the 7-11 (6 block) and get a money order in the exact amount of the fee. You go back to the office and wait your turn. Once you have paid the fee and the paperwork is typed up, the official in the office stamps it and hands it to you. We met several Baja Ha-Ha folks there and chatted a little. Then we walked to the Mexican consulate, about 3/4 of a mile, bypassed the line downstairs and went upstairs to get our tourist visas. This was a short wait. We presented our passports and the woman behind the counter wrote out our visas, stamped them and that was it, no fee, and no fuss. Kewl! We stopped by 2 banks looking for Mexican currency, no luck. We then walked to the shopping center in downtown and went to the Thomas Cook office. The woman in front of us bought the last of their Mexican currency. The man behind the counter told us not to worry that we could easily get by with dollars in Mexico and that they would give us a better exchange rate. Not sure if this is true or that he was just trying to make us feel better.

We caught a taxi back to Coronado Island and Jesse picked us up in the dingy. So far so good.

I called the Nobeltec folks, they wrote the Visual Navigator software we are using, to order key for electronic charts of Mexico and western central America. We have been using raster charts until now. With the software on CD-ROM, they provide you additional CD-ROMs with vector charts of the world. To use the charts, you call them, they give you the key for the particular set of charts, and you give them your Visa or Am EX card number. This is what it says in their literature, their manual, their advertising, and their reps at West Marine. BUT, when I called them they said sure but you also need a dongle cable since I want international charts, and the cable costs $50. Ackkk! How do I get this cable? After a lot of calls back and forth, very frustratingly since the cell phone kept dropping the calls, the salesperson volunteered to see if there was somewhere in San Diego where I could get the cable. As it turns out, I cannot get the cable but I was able to just purchase charts of Baja and Mexico to Mazatlan instead that don't require the cable. I let her know that I was an unhappy customer. She said that the policy was on their website - which I don't have access to, and that she thought it was in the catalog - I told here that my version of the catalog did not mention it, nor the manual. I purchased the software in May so it must be very recent. This will be something I will have to tackle when I visit back in Seattle. I am not going to worry about it now.

On Saturday we did chores on the boat. Rich worked at getting the genniker ready to fly. I worked on the computer, working the charts and routes for the race. Jesse did the dishes and Sarah cleaned the inside of the boat and the cockpit. She also cleaned the cat hair that collected in the bilge! Thank you Sarah! In the afternoon, Jesse ferried us over to Coronado. Rich and I did the laundry and mailed the bills.

Tomorrow is filled with Baja Ha-Ha activities. We have to turn in our crew list and waiver forms. Noon is the skipper's meeting (Rich only), at 2pm is the party. Oh boy. Dan will meet us there. On Monday we will get together with Rosie to look at diving gear and to make a chandlery run and buy groceries.

The Latitude 38 sponsors the race. Their website is www.latitude38.com

Update: We went to the Baja Ha-Ha activities on Sunday. A great time. Jesse and Sarah met some kids their age so they are really happy. I will give more on the party later. I need to send this out.

Update 2: On Monday, Rosie picked us up at the West Marine on Rosencraz. She took us all over San Diego, patiently helping us select snorkel and scuba diving gear. She even took us to get more boat stuff and groceries. It was late that evening when we caught a water taxi with all of our stuff back to the boat. We would like to thank Rosie very much for her time and effort. We really appreciate it.