Santa Catalina Sept. 29, 2010

We came across from Long Beach to Santa Catalina with smooth seas and no wind! Below is a picture of how flat the water was. We are tied to a mooring ball so close to shore we can hear the smalls waves hitting the beach. Last night we had dinner in town with Eric and Marilyn from Full Shell and today Michael and Patty are coming over on the ferry. Tonight we are all going to the Jazz Festival at the top of the island. The weather here is beautiful, great night for an outdoor concert.

Smooth seas to Avalon on Santa Catalina

Queen Mary – Sept 28, 2010

Today wasn’t near as hot as yesterday. We figured out the free bus system around town and went shopping!  Yeah… a hose and groceries. We did get to do something touristy, we made it to the Queen Mary for a tour. Tonight we are BBQ’ing on the boat. Tomorrow morning we are going “26 miles across the sea” to Catalina.

Bow of the Queen Mary

Cocktails

Long Beach – Sept. 27, 2010 Monday

Made a 5 hour crossing from Marina del Rey to Long Beach Harbor with flat seas. We did see a lot of planes flying overhead when we crossed in front of the LAX runways. We also saw a lot of seals jumping out of the water, but no whales. We arrived at Rainbow Harbor and we are the only boat tied up at the Pine Street Pier. Right off the pier is every kind of restaurant you can think of. There is even an Outback! I guess you know where we are going while we are here. Tomorrow we are going to figure out the bus system and head to the grocery and hardware store. Then hopefully make it to the Queen Mary for a tour.





Leaving Marina del Rey

A Seal in the flat seas

A cruise ship and the Queen Mary in Long Beach

It is 105 degrees in Long Beach today!



Marina del Rey – Sept. 24 -26, 2010



Used the dinghy to explore the harbor. Found a hugh sea lion on a dock and the harbor patrol told us to stay away, they attack. Rick found that out in Monterey when he chased one off the dock and it jumped out of the water at him! We spent an afternoon at the pool soaking up the sun. The temperature went from foggy and wet to 100 degrees in a couple of days. I’ll take the heat any day. Sunday was laundry day and boat projects.  Rick moved the anchors around, applied fire hose to stop the dinghy from chaffing, installed a fresh water hose bib at the back of the boat and put the dinghy away for our departure the next morning. We are moving on to Long Beach Harbor Monday  morning.

Marina del Rey from the dinghy

Stay away from this guy!

Finally pool time

Marina del Rey – Sept. 23, 2010 Thursday

We moved to a new slip out of the wind and the weather is beautiful. The new Garmin GPS showed up at the Marina office at 10:00 this morning. It was installed and working by noon. We spent the rest of the day visiting West Marine, the Ship Store and the grocery store. We barrowed Sound Effects cart to carry all the purchases. I think we need one of these.

Marina del Rey - Sept. 22, 2010

We made it into the harbor with the on and off chartplotter. Found the slip, put the boat in reverse to get into the slip because the wind was blowing us in. Tomorrow we will get a slip out of this wind. We are right next to a hotel with a nice pool we can take advantage of. Can’t wait to explore Marina del Rey.

Across from the Marina we are at

A Technical Day at Sea

Wednesday morning we left Channel Island Harbor with Sound Effect following us. Rick soon realized the chart plotter wasn’t receiving satellites from the GPS. Big problem. We couldn’t follow our course. We talked to Sound Effect and decided we would follow them. Rick worked on the chart plotter and talked to Garmin for at least an hour. They both finally pinpointed the problem to a bad GPS unit mounted at the helm. Garmin said they would ship a new one overnight to our next marina. The chart plotter worked off and on, so when Sound Effect put up their sails and slowed down we were able to continue ahead of them. We didn’t want to sail, we had more problems to contend with.



Next, Rick noticed the batteries weren’t accepting juice from the engine. He figured it must be a problem with the alternator. Right away, he was on the phone to Rob at Electromaax. Rob asked him a couple of questions and determined that the solenoid didn’t open to the house batteries, only to the starter battery. He had Rick turn off the boat and restart it and this time it worked. The problem was solved, but we do need to get a few new solenoids for spares. Electromaax is always a great help, even out at sea!


We’d been making water for 6 hours as we motored, but about a mile from Marina Del Rey entrance we noticed the water maker turning off and on every few minutes. Again, Rick was on the phone, this time to Spectra. Bud had Rick adjust the pressure switch on the high pressure pump. Another problem solved! I keep telling Rick he is just looking for things to tinker with, but I’m glad he can fix these things.

Following Sound Effect out of the harbor

Passing Sound Effect as they put up the sails

Anacapa Isle Marina – Sept. 19-22, 2010





We really enjoyed Anacapa Isle Marina in the Channel Island Harbor. We spent time with Jim and Connie on Sound Effect. Thanks for the happy hour and dessert! Had champaign in the hot tub, too. But it was soon time to move on.



Anacapa Isle Marina Clubhouse

Rick in the hot tub



We Arrived to Sunshine

Hotel California left foggy and wet Santa Barbara Sunday morning with Sound Effect and crossed over to Channel Island Harbour.  It was beautiful and sunny as we entered the channel. We are at Anacapa Isle Marina. It has a great clubhouse, pool, hot tub and laundry. The sunshine didn’t last long, it has been cloudy the last 2 days, but not foggy or wet, so the weather is getting better. We have been walking around town a lot and last night we found a great sushi restaurant, Sushi Holic. Great food and fun chef. Tonight we plan to BBQ steaks in the cockpit. Hopefully the sun will come out.  Tomorrow we plan to shove off for Marina del Rey.

Arriving at Channel Island Harbour



Overcast day in the harbour



It’s time to move on

We’ve been in Santa Barbara for 5 days. It’s been foggy in the mornings and evenings but bright sunshine in the afternoons. This is a beautiful place to hang out. We’ve spent time with quite a few friends from other boats here like Full Shell, Di’s Dream, El Tiburon, Sound Effect and last night Double Dharma pulled in. Santa Barbara has great restaurants and shopping. We took the electric trolly and walked all over this town. But, it is time to fuel the tanks and head over to Channel Island Harbour. We should be there by 3 today.

Downtown Santa Barbara

Oh, Gizmo is on restriction! She got off the boat last night and wondered a few boats down. Now she is confined inside the boat, at least at night.

Gizmo on watch

The Long Passage to Santa Barbara and Sunshine!

With the weather window closing in on us we decide to leave Morro Bay at midnight on Tuesday/Wednesday to arrive in Santa Barbara late Wednesday afternoon. This was a big trip for us.  Our longest so far and we were passing around Pt Conception, which can be a bad experience if the weather isn’t right.  I must admit, I was a little nervous about this passage. We left Morro Bay in the dark and headed out to sea. We saw a couple of dolphins jumping in the bow wake and a whale’s hugh splash about 100 yards from the boat. Once the sun came up, we saw the oil derricks off the coast of Santa Barbara and put the sails up.  Luckily, we picked a good time for the trip and had small waves and 15 to 20 kt winds that pushed us right in. Santa Barbara is beautiful, sunny and warm. I think we will stay here for a while.

Leaving Morro Bay





Oil Derrik

Santa Barbara

Sunshine in Santa Barbara

Rick gets a chance to clean the boat

Morro Bay

Sunday morning we left San Simeon and traveled into Morro Bay. We are side tied 3 deep at the Morro Bay Yatch Club. It is overcast, but not foggy. Went out to dinner last night, had a good nights sleep, and I'm doing laundry. We are looking at the weather forecast for a good time to head around Point Conception. It should take us about 18 hours. So there will be some night sailing. Once we get into Santa Barbara I can post more.

Coming into Morro Bay

Change of Plans! Again..

It was so sunny and warm on Friday morning we left with 2 other boats, Di’s Dream and Full Shell, for Stillwater Cove around the corner. A short 2 hour sail. As we came around the corner the fog rolled in thick and heavy! New plan, head for San Simeon Bay, 90 miles down the coast. We motored sailed in pretty thick fog. Thank God for the chart plotter and radar! The fog lifted a little, but settled back in by nightfall. As we got closer to the anchorage around midnight, we slowed down and stayed closer together. Di’s Dream went in first and dropped the hook. Full Shell followed, and then us. We couldn’t see shore, the pier or any other boats. We just hoped we were in the right area of the anchorage and not to close to the pier. We slept a little. By morning we could see a little better, but it was still foggy. Everything looks good, the anchor is holding. The sun even came out a little. It is a beautiful bay! We’ll stay here another night, then head down to Morro Bay on Sunday Sept. 12. Hopefully, it won’t be in the fog. We have heard it is a tricky entrance.

Di's Dream and Full Shell

Nightfall

Leaving Santa Cruz and Sailing to Monterey

Thanks Diane and Ray. We had fun visiting with you at your great house in Santa Cruz. Thanks for dinner and taking us shopping. Hope to see you in Mexico soon!

Wednesday morning we had breakfast on the boat, then coffee and Rick’s second breakfast at Aldo’s on the pier at the harbor in Santa Cruz. We left to some choppy seas, but put the sails up, shut off the engine and sailed all the way to Monterey. It took about 4 hours to cross the bay. We fueled the boat and headed to the assigned slip. There were two hugh sea lions on the dock waiting for us. At least they jumped off the dock as we tied up so we didn’t have to chase them away.

Checking the weather, we may stay here a few days then head to Stillwater Cove off Pebble Beach on Friday. Then down to San Simeon Saturday. That is the plan for now??

Arrival in Santa Cruz

We motor sailed from Half Moon Bay and into sunny Santa Cruz. It was rolly with 9 foot seas when we left but mellowed out about half way. It was so nice and warm getting into Santa Cruz. It took us 8 hours to travel 50 miles.

We left Alameda on Friday morning about 9am. Motored under the Golden Gate in the fog and motor sailed on to Half Moon Bay. We arrived about 2:30 and grabbed a mooring ball. Some family and friends came to visit us on Saturday. We had a good time with all, but it was hard to say good-bye. Hope we will see some of you down south. Come on down!