Sailing, Sailing!
Tuesday, August 10th, 2010 – Point Richmond to Half Moon Bay
It was a cold and grey 62 degrees as we get underway at 10:37am on Tuesday, August 10th, 2010 heading for the Golden Gate Bridge and points south! We are a party of six: Admiral Carol, Captain Dan, First mate Tom, Communications Officer Merrie, and Goodwill Ambassadors, Spirit and Echo, two large, white standard poodles!!
We glide under the Golden Gate Bridge at 12noon and by then had successfully tested the popcorn maker and sampled many flavors of Jelly Bellies!
We are heavily loaded with food, beverages, the Poodle Boys, games, music and communications tools. Our departure latitude was 37 degrees, 54 minutes and our longitude was 122 degrees, 23 minutes.
At 1:15 pm we raise the main sail and bid adieu to San Francisco Bay. At 5:35pm we tie up to a slip at Half Moon Bay and Joe and Marsha join us for dinner at Sam’s Chowder House. And to bed to dream of greater adventures ahead!
Wednesday, August 11th, 2010 – Half Moon Bay to Monterey Bay
Anchors away at 6am under heavy fog and clouds. The winds do not cooperate for a good sail, so we motor our way to Monterey. The yacht club guest dock is full because of the Wednesday night beer can races but the Harbor Master has a berth for us in the municipal marina! And what good news… the yacht club is serving dinner! No dishwashing for us!
We are accompanied by playful dolphins and eventually, humpback and blue whales join in the fun. Whales and dolphins were everywhere… but no wind! Tom got some great pictures of the dolphins and whales and we will attempt to send a few along with this email. So we give thanks for our two big iron spinnakers and proceed to Monterey in gorgeous sunshine! We have decided to have a rest day in Monterey and enjoy lots of walking and shopping and eating out… lunch on the old Fisherman’s Wharf is delicious and atmospheric. Ice cream is in abundance and we even found a cinnamon bun bakery! We had night visitors on Thursday night… a giant raccoon boarded us and ran off with the dry dog food container. Tourists were having fun photographing the caper and eventually frightened the raccoon into giving up the booty.
Friday, August 13th, 2010 – Monterey Bay to Morro Bay
Grey is the color of the sky yet again, but the mood aboard Caprice is anything but grey! We are having a grand time… We have decided that a return visit to Monterey Bay is a must and we anticipate feeling the same way about all of our ports. Bret and Marcia joined us aboard Caprice for lunch and a tour of the boat on Friday. It such fun to show off Caprice… between the poodle boys and the boat, we are quite an attraction!
After lunch we stow gear, top off all the tanks and set a course for Morro Bay with an anticipated arrival time of 12noon on Saturday, August 14th. We rounded Pt. Sur at dusk with no problems at all… the winds and the seas were calm… we believe that the gods must be with us! This is a big night for Merrie as it will be the first time she has overnighted on a small boat in the dark on the ocean! All goes well until approximately 11pm when one of the engines acts up… a sudden change of pitch and much vibration… but this morning it is running smoothly again. The theory is that perhaps we ran into some kelp or a fishing trap line.
Saturday, August 14th – Morro Bay
Another grey day… good winds for a while and we fly the spinnaker for the first time on this cruise. As we approach the harbor entrance the winds die and the spinnaker is doused. We are hoping to be able to tie up at the guest dock as a buoy would require launching the dingy which is in the stowed position for cruising.
Hooray, we get guest dock berthing for tonight. After tying up this afternoon we head off for lunch at a Thai place. Food was okay but did not appeal to all.
Sunday, August 15th , 2010
Another grey morning in Morro Bay. But fresh warm cinnamon buns for breakfast put smiles on our faces! Before getting underway for an overnight sail to Santa Barbara we indulge Dan’s need for a fish and chips lunch… yummy and delicious. About 12:30 pm we set off for Santa Barbara. It is a bit rough but the sails are up and we are trying to catch the wind.
Winds are twenty knots and we are sailing at 7 knots. Weather is cool. Overnight the winds build to 37 knots but the boat handled well. Dan and Tom reef the main once, then they reef the jib, then they reef the main again and roll in the jib. We chicken jibed twice when reefing the main. We sailed on with a double reefed main only and still doing 8 to 9 knots. It was a wild ride… exciting but scary for Merrie.
We arrive safely at Santa Barbara on yet another foggy morning… but it burns off by 1 pm and we bask in warm, Southern California sunshine.
Caprice needs some sprucing up after a week cruising with 6 aboard so we spend some time and elbow grease and soon she is sparkling! Downtown is a short walk away and begs exploration… so off we go to explore. Tuesday dawns sunny… this is the first sunny morning since July 25th! Again, we enjoy the very lovely Santa Barbara Harbor and downtown. It is easy to tell we are in Southern California… everyone is tanned, blond and beautiful!
The owner and publisher of Latitude 38 is berthed close by, so we introduce ourselves and enjoy cocktails aboard his 60foot catamaran in the evening.
We are planning to leave Santa Barbara today, Wednesday, August 18th, and sail to Santa Cruz Island, one of the Channel Islands, for tonight, then on the Santa Catalina and the Seawind Rendezvous on Thursday.
Cheers from Caprice!
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010
At sea on our way to Santa Catalina Island via Santa Cruz Island… the weather is glorious as we untie at Santa Barbara and set a course across the Santa Barbara Channel for Santa Cruz Island. Winds are up and so are the sails on a bright, windy, sunshiny day! We dropped the anchor at Smuggler’s Cove and enjoy a game of Rummy-o followed by a delicious dinner or ravioli, salad and Tartufo… Italian gelato covered with chocolate!
Thursday morning again dawns beautifully and off we go to Santa Catalina, 26 miles across the sea from Los Angeles as you may remember from the famous Four Preps song, but 60 miles from Santa Cruz Island. We motor in the morning and by noon, it is time to set the spinnaker. A beautiful sail brings us right to Two Harbors and a mooring alongside the group of Seawind Catamarans. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres await at Banning House, a lovely B&B atop a hill overlooking the harbor. We meet and greet and then head down the hill for dinner.
Friday begins with breakfast and a cruising seminar by Dan and Carol at the Yacht Club. A tour of the Isthmus Yacht Club is next. The club has been active since Civil War Days and celebrated its 100th birthday in 1964. Many of the 28 regular members have been members for generations. Regular Members have rooms at the club that they can use any time. These members must be boat owners, not ferry passengers. Associate Members can use the facilities but do not have rooms to stay in overnight.
Then lunch on the patio… the dingy motor is being fixed and once ready, Dan and Carol head back to Caprice and the boys (Spirit and Echo) while Tom and I take a hike up the hills and overlook Two Harbors and other small harbors in the vicinity. What a beautiful site… hundreds of boats bob in the sunshine and lucky people enjoy this marvelous vacation wonderland. Children are everywhere enjoying the beach and camping with their families. Yachtsmen tell tales of adventure on the patio. It is truly a grand place. Dinner is on the beach at 6pm… the theme is Hawaii and Dan and Tom have their Hawaiian shirts ready. All of us join the fun including our goodwill ambassadors who really enjoy a run on the beach. Mai Tai’s and a luau menu are featured… a big fire is very welcome as the wind is blowing!
Saturday is the race around the island to Catalina Harbor… the winds are up and off we go at 11 am after a photo shoot of the fleet of seven Seawind Catamarans. We fly the spinnaker and win the “best looking” prize, but alas, Selah comes in ahead. We moor and raft up at Catalina Harbor which is quite a difficult process, but eventually the fleet is “screwed down” and the appetizer contest and progressive pot luck dinner begin. Carol’s appetizers were delicious and the other boat owners outdid themselves with food and décor.
Sunday, August 22nd, 2010
Island time has set in and we are settling in to this lifestyles… go or stay… doesn’t seem to matter much… the sun is shining and the views are gorgeous. Tom and I decide to go ashore and take a walk about and check out the wildlife which includes a herd of buffalo. Tomorrow, Avalon… or maybe the next day!
Five boats decide to stay overnight in Cat Harbor, so outcome the leftovers from Saturday night’s potluck. Lots of laughter and shared stories about the perils and delights of boating! We have made friends with our fellow Seawind owners and hope to see many of them at the Baja Ha Ha in October.
Aloha from Caprice!
Monday, August 23rd, 2010
Another sunny morning… I could certainly get used to the sunshine, although the temperatures continue to be unusually cold. The raftup is going to unraft at 9 am and we will be on our way to Avalon. A personal note here: I (Merrie) was last in Avalon when Randy was 5 years old and Bret was 18 months. We camped first down in San Diego and then took the ferry from Long Beach to Avalon. My memory tells me that at that time it was a glamorous place to visit! We shall see if time has been kind to it or not! We truly enjoyed our visit to the West End of the Island and are expecting to enjoy Avalon as well! Our motor around the island to Avalon goes smoothly. No wind, but gorgeous scenery. The island is quite barren with rocky cliffs right down to the water… we are also sorry to report that we have yet to catch a fish! But we will try again when we leave Avalon.
We have arrived! It would be silly to say that it has changed since I was here in 1974… but I can’t help myself! It sure has changed, and it seems to be very good changes. Sitting on Caprice in the harbor feels like we are in the Med! The lights in the town and on the homes up the hills and the Casino flicker and invite! We spend the afternoon getting our bearings… find the ice cream store, a delicious place for dinner ashore, and choose things to do for Tuesday. And best of all… we have found warmer temperatures! And more glorious sunshine.
Tuesday, August 24th, 2010
On a mooring in Avalon Harbor… Dan’s famous coffee and freshly baked cinnamon buns for breakfast make for a grand way to start the day in Avalon. We plan to take a tour of the Casino which now functions as a movie theater and dance hall. Additionally, we have signed up for a tour of Avalon featuring folklore and historical info about the town.
A large cruise ship in here… we are surprised to see it as none of us had knowledge of cruise ships sailing in these waters.
Wi Fi is hit or miss… hence the delay between emails but rest assured that we are fine, enjoying our odyssey greatly and will send our story whenever we can.
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010
Yesterday was a grand day in Avalon! We took the historical tour of Avalon at 12noon and gained much information about the little community of Avalon. There are 4000 permanent residents living here in Avalon, the only land on the island that does not belong to the Wrigley family and the Conservancy. People are allowed to own land and businesses and homes. The rest of the Island is owned by a public trust and individuals are not allowed to develop it. The weather was warm and sunny again and the tour took us into the center of the island as well as all around the town. At 2pm we took a guided tour of the famous Santa Catalina Casino. Opened in May, 1929, it has operated continuously since opening day. It has never been a gambling casino, but was given that name because casino means gathering place and that is how it has functioned… as a theater on the first floor and as a grand dancehall on the upper floor. Many of the most famous big bands played here in the 30’s and 40’s. Today it hosts music festivals, concerts and private events. It is a grand and elegant art deco building… you feel glamorous in it and we could picture ourselves dancing “cheek to cheek” in black tie!
We have a fabulous sail from Avalon across the channel to Newport Harbor which is lovely. Hundreds of boats on moorings, many yacht clubs and attractive homes along the harbor contribute to a boaters’ paradise. Dan and Carol are having dinner tonight with family and Tom and I are planning to dine at the Balboa Yacht Club which looks spectacular. It was not only spectacular… but also delicious! And they offer free of charge, (price included in the mooring fee… see below) shore boat service to boaters on moorings out in the harbor. Tom and I took a walk to Balboa Island before dinner. The homes and boats here are quite amazing. We checked out some of the real estate listings just for fun and decided that life here would be very good!
We will be here for two nights and then head south to Dana Point. Change of plans…we like Newport Harbor so much that we have decided to stay three nights. Yesterday we took a walk along the longest beach I’ve ever seen… and people everywhere out enjoying the warm Southern California sunshine. We are moored between Lido Island and the Balboa Peninsula… right off the American Legion Yacht Club… the only legion yacht club in America. Thursday morning we moved the boat to its present location as the Balboa Yacht Club mooring was $57 per night and this harbor mooring is $5 per night. We plan to explore and enjoy the area today and set sail for Dana Point tomorrow. We’ve arranged for a slip at Dana Point Marina and will do the laundry… which is piling up quicker than we can wash it! The Dana Point Yacht Club is there and we’ve heard good things about it. The fog is rolling in and out of the Newport Harbor this morning but the weather report says we will have sunshine by 11am! We are considering lunch at the beautiful Newport Harbor Yacht Club today. And we did dine there… it was lovely and delicious. This yacht club is beautiful with wood paneling everywhere and a trophy room to make you green with envy. Their display of half hulls and marine paintings and photography was grand. It appeared to be the other prestigious club along with the Balboa Yacht Club in Newport Harbor. Carol and I enjoyed a shopping expedition on Balboa Island in the afternoon. Marine Street is the main shopping street on the island and the shops cater to the summertime tourist. We did some browsing and some buying to help out the local economy.
Stay tuned for more adventures from Caprice.
Sunday, August 29th, 2010
Here we are in beautiful Dana Point… the sun is shining and the temperature is in the low seventies. Dan is filing Echo’s toe nails, which is truly a funny thing to see, and Carol is preparing breakfast for us. Tom is fighting a cold and we hope he will win the battle. We arrived here yesterday after a really bumpy ride from Newport Beach Harbor. The wind was coming from in front of us at 11knots rather than from behind… so we motored all the way (12 miles) under grey skies… the fog has returned unfortunately… although it did clear yesterday and it looks good for today also.
We are tied up at a slip at Dana Point Marina which has all the amenities boaters need… water, fuel, showers, laundry, etc. The Dana Point Yacht Club is here and it is beautiful… We enjoyed a beverage there in the late afternoon on Saturday and are going to visit again today. It overlooks the west end of the harbor where there is a beach for children and a launch area for kayaks and paddle boards. Paddle boards are the in thing down here in Southern California… they are everywhere! The board is similar to a surf board but flatter and the rider stands on the board and paddles across the water with a long handled paddle. We had seen them in Santa Barbara, Catalina, Newport Beach and here in Dana Point. It looks like fun, but so far, none of us has tried it. But there is always tomorrow!
We are anchored in front of the DPYC… we decided this was such a nice place to be and we should stay another night… and that is the beauty of not being on a schedule… so we think we will set sail for Mission Bay in the San Diego area tomorrow morning. It will be an all day sail so anchors away by 7am. But today, the sun is shining, the views are gorgeous and the company friendly…
A visit to the Dana Point Yacht Club proves to be valuable… the manager offers us the guest slip free of charge for Sunday and Monday nights and they are serving dinner on Sunday… so after a cocktail, we dingy back to Caprice, raise the anchor, and guide her into the guest slip which is 22 feet wide. The 21 and ½ foot wide Caprice fits snugly into the slip! We enjoyed dinner at the club Sunday night and met a number of friendly yacht club members.
Carol and Dan, those great adventurers, can’t help themselves and decide to try paddle boarding on Monday morning and they have a fabulous time. They both start out gingerly, but soon Dan is standing steadily and paddling himself around the harbor. Carol is slower to get up on her feet but is finally up and paddling. Tom got great photos of both and captured Carol’s spectacular dive into the water while showing off!
Tuesday, August 31st, 2010
En route to Mission Bay just north of San Diego under motor. Tom set the spinnaker as we departed Dana Point but the winds died quickly. We will try to find a slip for a night or two. I forgot to put the sea sickness patch on early enough and am a bit under the weather. By the time we arrive at Mission Bay I am feeling fine, but Mission Bay does not appeal, so we continue on to San Diego and the welcoming San Diego Yacht Club. They had a slip for us for two nights… we are so lucky… the club is gorgeous and a prime rib satisfies for dinner tonight. This club was started in 1888… it’s a racing club and the trophy rooms are unbelievable! The clubhouse overlooks the marina… which is loaded with multi-million dollar yachts… like we have never seen before… I believe they rival those in Monte Carlo!
Wednesday, September 01st, 2010
We are feeling quite satisfied and proud… our goal when we set out on August 10th was to make it to Santa Catalina in time for the rendezvous and to make it to San Diego in good health, with no fiberglass damage, and with our friendship intact. We’ve done all three!
This is the life! Here we are at a beautiful place among gorgeous yachts, warm weather, walking trails along the water, and a tall ship festival taking place this weekend. We saw the parade of ships this morning sailing into San Diego Bay… they will be on display near the Maritime Museum… We were fortunate in getting a third night here at the SDYC and will move Caprice tomorrow to a slip at a marina at Harbor Island. She will stay there alone until we return in October. Dan has had some work done on Caprice that was necessary for the next portion of our adventure to Cabo San Lucas in late October.
Sunday, September 05th, 2010
We are at the Sunroad Resort Marina located on Harbor Island in San Diego Bay. The marina is a stone’s throw from the San Diego Airport and a two mile walk along the bay to the Maritime Museum where the Festival of Tall Ships is taking place this weekend. Tom and I walked to it yesterday and enjoyed it greatly. Tom is a fan of old ships and a special surprise at yesterday’s festival was “Surprise” the ship that starred in Master and Commander, the movie made from a combination of two of Patrick O’Brian’s famous novels. Surprise now belongs to the San Diego Maritime Museum.
Today we are going for a sail in San Diego Bay with our marina neighbors, a couple who now live in Atlanta, but were formerly residents of the area. They are visiting for the weekend and have not sailed on a catamaran such as Caprice! Tomorrow is pack up day for the drive home. We have rented a large SUV for the drive and may look like the Beverly Hillbillies as we roar up Highway 5 en route to Point Richmond. We have decided to take home all that extra “stuff” we brought with us and never used this time. And our “goodwill ambassadors” will not be accompanying us to Mexico so all their “gear” is going home with us on Tuesday.
So, on Sunday of Labor Day Weekend this is what I think… This has been a wonderful adventure for all of us. Caprice has been a lovely and safe home away from home for the six of us and, “oh, the places we’ve been”! Wonderful places that Tom and I may never have visited had it not been for our friends Dan and Carol and a boat named Caprice!
Tuesday, September 7th, 2010
7:00 PM… HOME!
We packed and packed and stuffed and stuffed and finally everything was in the rented Suburban! Echo and Spirit had a small, but comfortable area in which to curl up and enjoy the ride. We left San Diego at 10:00 AM and stopped every two hours, changing drivers and refueling (ourselves) each time. Before we knew it, we were climbing over the Altamont Pass and on the “home stretch”! Dan and Tom piloted us safely to Point Richmond and we all cheered our safe and happy return!
Part two of the adventure will continue as we set sail in late October from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas!
Adios!
