Fog and No Radar!

We arrived Saturday, October 17 in San Diego via Long Beach, Newport, Dana Point and Oceanside. We left Catalina Island on Sunday morning, October 11, and headed slightly northeast to Long Beach where we stayed for two nights at the Long Beach Yacht Club. I had been to LBYC on several occasions for meetings, but had never arrived by boat. It's a totally different experience arriving by sea, and much more interesting.

Russ and I really enjoyed scooting around in our Dinghy around the island of Naples. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera on this day, so there are no photos of the cute canals. Long Beach really caters to cruising boats. Behind a large shopping center with sport stores, electronic stores, and grocery store, there was a dinghy and yacht dock in the back by the parking garage. We tied up, did our shopping, took the elevator down to the dock with our shopping basket, loaded the bags on the dinghy, and wound our way back through the canals to our boat. Really fun!

 Aneta and Roz

October 12 - We met friends Aneta and Peter Murphy and Irv Howard for dinner on Monday evening. It was absolutely wonderful seeing them. The photo I took above was taken near LBYC and it reminds me of how much fun Aneta and I had catching up late one afternoon.

October 13 - North central California is in the midst of a rain storm. Long Beach was due to be pelted, Tuesday afternoon, so we left fairly early and headed south towards Newport Beach. The seas were a little rough, but not bad. Nevertheless we motored and stayed inside the pilothouse. I love our pilothouse. The little video in the left margin shows about 15 seconds of our boisterous ride. At one point our bow dipped pretty low into a wave, and the rush of water against our pilothouse windows was so strong that it actually rang the bell on the inside. Of course, I didn't capture that one. Wish I had. We arrived in Newport and battened down the hatches for rain. Our laptop keeps freezing up when our navigation software is running. Russ spent the afternoon trying to figure it out.

October 14 - It rained, but not bad and we were secure on two mooring lines. Our neighbors were a little noisy though. The seals and pelicans have completely taken over a few of our neighboring boats.

We met three more Baja Ha Ha boats in Newport...Allymar, Stepping Stone, and Evergreen. Russ spent nearly 3 hours with technician by phone to reinstall navigation software to see if that fixes our freeze problem. As the day progressed, the clouds started to part, the sun came out and blue sky prevailed. Note the sky in the first photo of Worrall Wind.  The clouds are departing and the sun is coming out.   We walked around Balboa Island and thought how fun it would be to have a little cottage here...nothing under 1 million. The ones that were modest but more our size stared at $10,000,000! Maybe in another lifetime. None of them however can match our ocean view.

October 15 - Worrall Wind motor-sailed down to Dana Point. Blue sky, big sea swells, and no wind prevailed. There was a weather warning about residual storm swells and we were concerned about making it into the harbor, but it was well protected and not a problem. Navigation software worked well most of the day, then froze in the afternoon. Rats! We'll need to get some help in San Diego.

We walked around and enjoyed being where Richard Henry Dana is memorialized. Having read Two Years Before the Mast, gave this port special significance to us. Russ is posing with Dana.

October 16 - Another beautiful day dawned and we headed for Oceanside. We arrived around 1:00 p.m. and were assigned the guest slip in front of the Jolly Roger restaurant where we became the afternoon and evening "look-see" for passerbys. We walked around the harbor and enjoyed happy hour from the bar watching people looking at our boat, pointing at all the stuff....solar panels, folding boat, flags, wind generator. We got to bed early as we knew we would have a long day on Saturday, 40 miles south to San Diego. We were hoping for some wind.

October 17 - We awoke to glorious sunshine. We ate breakfast on the back deck, listened to the weather forcast....small swell, no wind. I decided today might be the first day to wear a halter top and shorts! Ha! As soon as we headed out the channel, we hit what we thought was a bank of morning fog. I flipped on the radar. It was the first time we had used it since Russ reinstalled the software. We should have checked it before we left the dock, but now we were in thick fog and the radar refused to connect with the laptop. I stayed on the fan tail at the helm following our plotted course with the GPS while Russ went downstairs to see what he could do to get the radar up and running. It was so foggy that the hairs on my bare legs collected dew!  Time to put on the sweats again.

Fortunately, the maritime big ship identifier AIS was working and plotted on our software, so we knew we didn't have two worry about being mowed down by any large vessels. It was those little fast craft that might pop out of nowhere that we were worried about. We traveled slowly through the fog with only 50 yards if that visibility. While it seemed that my eyes were popping out trying to detect any craft on collision course, Russ kept popping up and telling me all the things he was trying and what wasn't working.

Long story short......It was a long day in the fog with no radar, and the computer froze up at least 5 more times. We arrived in San Diego and didn't see the shoreline or a break in the fog until we were well into the entrance channel, third buoy. We had encountered only 3 vessels on our voyage and all within our ability to get out of the way or change our course.  We docked at Cabrillo Isle Marina on Harbor Island, met with friends for dinner, and made a list of all the things we need to accomplish this last week before we leave the U.S. Fixing the navigation software and radar is on top of the list, along with screens, fans, modifying a suncover, changing oil, fueling up, empyting out, shopping, laundry, and numerous seminars we want to attend on single side band radio, sail mail, Puddle Jump, etc.  The docks here are filled with boats with Baja Ha Ha flags.  We understand a record number of boats will be leaving this year, close to 200.  There will be some news media coverage on October 26 as we parade out the San Diego Harbor in Halloween costumes....We will be dressed as Naughty Cats!

October 18 - We got up early and did a week's worth of laundry and Russ tore the boat apart examining the components that could be leading two radar failure. In the afternoon with BYC friends, Doug and Catherine from Galatea, we rented a car for the week, checked out the hotspots, attended a welcome party sponsored by DownWind Marine and an afternoon seminar on offshore communications and West Marine. We spent the evening on Galatea learning about Sailmail and strategizing with Doug and Catherine about how we could collaborate with car to maximize our errands which are very similar. Russ will be visiting the local Nobeltec Guru in the morning to figure out our software and radar problems.

October 19 - That's today, Monday! Russ and Doug left early this a.m. to meet with Gordon West at Gordon's communication van outside of West Marine, to listen to HAM operators in the Cabos San Lucas area discussing Hurricane Rick. Russ tore the boat apart looking for the Radar problem and calling Nobeltec first thing in the morning and thinks he may have a solution to the radar problem. The freeze problem is still a mystery.  

I am catching up on chores on the boat including this posting. We leave next Monday. I'll try to post once more before we leave for Baja - and probably won't get a chance to post again until Cabo San Lucas or La Paz second or third week in November. We are thinking of all of you and hope all is well in your neighborhood!

On The Sea Again - To Sunny Catalina

After returning from Italy on September 30 where we spent a wonderful 10 days in Tuscany, Venice, and the Cinque Terra enjoying quaint fishing villages and spectacular sunsets on the Mediterranean, we returned to our new reality.

Nephew Mike  picked us up at LAX at 11:00 p.m.  and took us to his home in Woodland Hills where we enjoyed a midnight supper prepared by niece Teresa.  With exception of an overnight layover in London where we got some rest, we had been traveling for 48 hours and were exhausted.  Their hospitality was most welcome.

October 1 - In the morning, we rented a car and continued to Ventura Isle Marina where Worrall Wind had been cooling her keel for the last two weeks.  While we were gone, our refrigeration and freezer system were completed.  Yeah! but now our head had a vacuum leak.  If it's not one thing, it's another.  So goes it on a boat....another project.


October 1- 3 - We managed to unpack and forced ourselves to stay awake.  We caved at 7:30 p.m..  By the next morning we were almost back to normal.  We spent Friday and Saturday catching up on laundry, shopping, and our obligatory stops at the marine stores for little project stuff. Russ installed two more opening portholes in the lower saloon and just in time. During the project we had gapping unportected holes into the cabin.   We filled the freezer and refrigerator for the next leg of our voyage, tentatively scheduled for Sunday.  Mike and Teresa came to dinner on Saturday evening minutes after the last porthole was installed and the groceries were stored.

October 4 - Saturday night the wind started to pick up and by Sunday morning the wind was howling.` We closed the hatches and the new portholes.  We were really glad that project had been completed.   There was so much beach sand blowing around, we got it in our mouths, ears, and hair.  Needless to say we decided to postpone our trip to the Channel Islands, particularly after watching some brave boats making their way in to the harbor.

We recorded sustained winds in our slip of about 40 miles per hour with gusts upto 50!  The surf was breaking inside the entrance channel to the harbor.  We rocked and rolled in our slip through out the night.  By Monday morning, the harbor was a glassy pond and Worrall Wind was in need of a  thorough wash down.

October 5 - We left Ventura on Monday after lunch and headed for Santa Cruz Island.  Sailing conditions were beautiful and we marveled at what a difference a few hours make.  We glided out on fair, but slightly brown seas, raised the sails, and turned off the the motor.  In about 4 hours we arrived.  We anchored in Smugglers Cove in about 40 feet of water, making sure our anchor was well set.  Smuggler's cove is open to the ocean and constant sea swell.  We could see the waves crashing on the beach and rocks and wanted to make sure Worrall Wind didn't find herself on the rocks.  Several times during the night, the anchor alarm went off.  We dutifully checked to find that the wind had only shifted and our drift was within the scope of where we thought we should have been.   With a full moon, we had good visuals to check our movement.


October 6 - On Tuesday morning, just as the sun was rising in the east we heard a helicopter overhead. We looked out the ports to discover that a fishing boat had gone on the rocks the night before and was being checked out by the Coast Guard.

Transmission on Channel 16 verified that the Coast Guard was trying to determine if the skipper and crew were still on board.  Apparently they were not on board the Lady Frances.  Through out the day we watched in morbid fascination of the saving,

sinking,

resurrection,

and

salvaging of the Lady Frances. 


Boat US sent out rescue boats from Ventura (about 22 miles away).  Not knowing what the procedure is for "salvaging" a boat, we don't know whether they purposely held off sending out the big rescue boat until late in the day or it was tied up in other salvage efforts earlier in the day as a result of Sunday's horrific wind storm.  The Coast Guard was present all day in a standoff position once the salvaging began.  We felt sorry for the skipper and saddened by the whole affair.  They worked into the night long after our ability to shoot open exposure photos on the rolling sea.


October 7 - After another rolly night and some unpleasant dreams about the day before, we pulled up the anchor at day break as the sun was rising over Anacapa Island and headed towards Catalina, nearly 60 miles away.   Yesterday was now a memory and a reminder of the importance of a well set anchor.

We had a long way to go so started off motoring until the wind came up.  Unfortunately, the wind didn't pickup well enough to move Worrall Wind until we were just outside of Isthmus Harbor on Catalina.   The Isthmus is like the blow through the Golden Gate Slot.  And of course by this time, we now had to think about mooring in gusty winds.   During the day, we saw lots of pelicans, a lone dolphin, and a baby flying fish that landed on our deck and died before we could throw it back in the water.
 
During the long motor, we fired up the auto pilot so we could attend to some little projects while underway.  We started up the watermaker for the first time and it worked!   We made about 2 hours worth of fresh water (28 gallons).  It tasted good and our little water tester indicated that it had less salinity than the water currently in our tank.  Go figure! 

When we pulled into Isthmus Harbor, we were introduced to their 2 point mooring ball system and immediately became the evening's entertainment for those yachties already moored up and sucking down their Buffalo Milk.

Floating about 10 feet in front of tightly place mooring balls, there is a small ball with a tall quill.   The strategy is to sneak up on the quill after dodging the other mooring balls and boats; pull up the quill and ball which is attached to a looped line leading to the mooring ball, drop the quill back into the water, grab the looped line and hook it on to a bow cleat.  There is then yet another line attached to the looped end with lead weights that a crew member walks back to the stern of the boat.

Upon reaching the stern, the crew member continues pulling up on this line until another looped line appears which is then tied to the stern cleat, dropping the weighted snake line back into the water.  After is all said and done, it seems pretty straight forward and clever, but the first time it's a little scary because newbies are not sure where all these under water lines are and if they will get caught up in the keel, rudder, and prop.  In the meantime, crew mates  (Russ and I) are yelling directions at one another that may or may not make any sense.  Well, we made it on our first attempt, but not without a few choice words, switching positions from helmsman to quill yanker, a little sweat and nearly mowing over a couple of mooring balls (that would be me).  We were glad to have had the practice in the off season with only every third occupied mooring ball as witness and audience.   I can only imagine what it is like when all the balls are occupied.  There is only about 20 feet between the beams of all the of the lined up boats. 

Once we were snug in our slot, we took the dinghy to the landing and headed for the bar for a hamburger and beer.  The specialty on Catalina Island is Buffalo Milk, no not the kind baby buffalo drink.  We decided to wait until the next night to try this treat while we watched newbies moor.

October 8 - We spent a lazy day Thursday enjoying the sunshine, reading, taking a walk across the Isthmus to Catalina Harbor on west side and relaxing.  We had cell service and  Internet connection, so we took care of the first of the month stuff and making phone calls.  During the course of the day, we met up with two other boats and their crew that will be on the Baja Ha Ha, the Bob and Alice Ann Phillips from Crescendo, Challenger 50 ketch, and Scott and Monica Stoner on Scott Free, a 44 Gulfstar.

Both of these boats came down from Washington state and were resting up on Catalina before heading down to San Diego.  Catherine and Doug Hounshell, Berkeley Yacht Club friends and fellow Baja Ha Ha'ers from Galatea were on the other side of the Isthmus in Catalina Bay participating in the Island Packet Rendezvous.  There were probably other boats as well, but if they didn't have their flags up we wouldn't have know about them.

Our raggedy Baja Ha Ha 2009 flags are becoming badges of honor.  The more tattered they are, the better the stories they have to tell. At least this is what we believe after the long awaited Buffalo Milk and a couple glasses of wine.  So what's a Buffalo Milk?  Crushed ice, a shot each of vodka, creme d'banana, creme de cacao and cream blended together, topped off with whipped cream, nutmeg, and a shot of Kalua. I think it might even be better than gelato, which we sampled once, maybe even twice a day while in Italy.

October 9 - Friday a.m. we were up early.  Check out time from the mooring balls is 8:00 a.m. and the harbor patrol starts cruising and reminding folks that if they want to stay later, they've got to fork up more dollars.  We turned on the motor and headed out toward Avalon.  We were told that Avalon on a weekend can get pretty crowded so we wanted to get there early and with less of an audience to witness our tie up show.  As we rounded the last point, we saw a huge cruise ship anchored outside the Avalon harbor. It was at least 12 stories high and would probably disgorge more passengers than Avalon residents and all the yachties combined.

A harbor patrol boat met us at the breakwater and collected a check from us for two nights in the amount of $90.00 in exchange for a map to our mooring ball and dye pellets for the heads to make sure we were not discharging into the harbor.    Now old pros, we found our spot, snagged the quill, looped the bow, walked the snake line, and tied up the stern much to the disappointment of some of the onlookers who were eating lunch topside and looking for some afternoon entertainment.

We too ate lunch and relaxed on the boat and enjoying the harbor views,

not too eager, to rub elbow with all the cruisers in the T-shirt shops.  We waited until 4:00 p.m. when the cruise ship sounded its "gitty up" signal.  At that point we, dinghied to shore and enjoyed a lovely afternoon walking around.  I spied a beauty salon and inquired about a haircut.  Russ was a little disappointed as he had been training with our Colfax stylist and friend Beth to crop my mop.  But I wasn't quite ready yet to give him free reign with the sheers...maybe Mexico on some deserted beach when I'm desperate. Renee, a native Catalinian, did a great job cutting my hair.  I'm set now until that deserted beach.  Tomorrow though, Russ gets a cut from moi. We plan to take a hike and then on Sunday we will head to Long Beach and our continued journey south.