WEB LOG OF OUR TRIP
SAN FRANCISCO TO SAN DIEGO

 SAN LUIS OBISPO to CHANNEL ISLANDS

Day 24-25

2009

Transit Chart  Harbor Chart


Brian at work-- really

Sue at rest

Craig cleaning up the red wine spill -- really

Thar be dolphins Captain

Same same?

Oct 5

 Motor-sailed from San Luis Harbor to the Channel Islands.

This is the longest and potentially the most hazardous  leg of our journey, but because we are cautious, or perhaps because we are lucky, it turns out to be no big deal.  We were most thankful during this part of the trip that Brian agreed to help us make this journey, and want to thank Jennifer her sacrifice; Sue and Craig promise we will make it up to her in the future.

We departed in the dead of night so we could arrive before sunset.  Brian had convinced Sue that the day-berth in the salon would be more comfortable in rough seas than her stateroom bed, and apparently she agreed -- see picture.

We decided to deploy the asymmetric spinnaker about halfway through the trip and that was comical at best.  We finally had to retire the good old green and stars because we were competing with a tanker for the main Santa Barbara Channel.  Sue has decided that spinnakers are to men as the large red mating bulbs are to male frigate birds, i.e., lots of show with no real effect.  Craig and Brian got to see about eight dolphins playing a game with the bow of the boat.  Really wish we knew the rules to the game...something about how close you can come and can you come close while inverted with your stomach pointed at the surface.  (By the way, some dolphins joined us during the spinnaker debacle and we suspect that they were trying to figure out the rules of that game as well.)  Brian and Craig also saw a large Blue Whale broach and blow about the same time as the dolphins...he was really, really big!

We are now officially in Southern California, having passed Point Conception.  It must be true, Sue appeared on deck in shorts for the first time in memory.  It is noticeably warmer and the wind is calmer.

We pulled into Santa Cruz Island at the Coches anchorage about 5:30 in the afternoon.  We anchored in about 35 feet of water not 100 yards from the beach and immediately had to defend our turf from two other sailboats that wanted to anchor right on top of us.

Beautiful evening, with an incredible moon rise, but a bit rolling as the SW swell rolled in.


This is an arid island...no joke!

Oct 6

We awoke to some pretty rough swells, but the weather was clear and after inflating the dingy, we all went ashore to the nature preserve to take a hike.  (Sue had procured us permits before the trip.)  This is an arid island where most of the wild-life is small birds and foxes...saw bird, no foxes.

Returned for lunch and then Sue and Craig went for a snorkel in the small harbor where we are anchored.  The water was nice, but not much to see other than some anemones and kelp.  Craig did see one school of sardines...no they do not come in a can naturally.