| DREAMCATCHER VOYAGE Journal 2 - San Francisco to San Diego along the California Coas “CRUISIN’…” |
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Octr 1, 2003
“CRUISIN’…”
FROM S/V DREAMCATCHER:
So, we finally made it off the dock. “ya just gotta go, you’ll never be
ready…” they say. And we weren’t… entirely, but we slipped the dock-lines
and took off out of the Golden Gate on September 28th. It was a cold, grey,
windless San Francisco morning and as we made the “left turn” to migrate
south. An emotional time for both of us and we both had our hands on the
helm as DREAMCATCHER slipped quietly under the Gate…. It’s been a
long time coming.
Our passage – all 12 hours of it – baby steps, first, right?..... was uneventful.
From 3 miles offshore I felt we were in one of those dull 18th century
paintings – the ocean and coastline were simply different shades of grey,
and didn’t change till mid afternoon when the sun appeared, bringing a little
wind with it. Essentially, we motor-sailed all the way to Santa Cruz, and
entered the harbour at sundown. A positive day with “Jack”(our autopilot)
doing the driving, giving us a chance to put all our autopilot and navigational
systems and processes through their paces. A quick meal at the local pub,
then the start of 4 days “down time” in Santa Cruz. We had both been
working hard, 14 hour days to ready the boat for departure: more on that
later – I believe getting ready to go cruising is one of the hardest things one
can possibly do. You’ll read in Cruising World and other journals of the joys
of cruising – and they’re right. But there’s not too many chronicles on the
months of daily grind, the two steps forward one step back (or sometimes 1
forward 2 back) back- breaking, frustrating work to prepare for a world
cruise. We’re both managers, and thankfully that combined 5 decades of
process, operational management and delegation came to the fore and we
were able to pull this off in less time than many, with a little help from our
friends. But we both realized we were about an ‘11’ on the richter scale of
“tired” when we arrived at Santa Cruz. So, day one was simply about being
here, and the major achievement chalked up was getting the laundry done….
on foot. Working towards being low achievers!! At least for the time
being…..
Santa Cruz harbour is a buzz! It’s exciting to be in a working harbour rather
than a residential marina – and on the end of the dock, we see plenty of
action in the comings and goings of the fishing boats, kayaks, outrigger
canoes, sailing races and of course, the wildlife. I allowed myself the luxury
of spending nearly half an hour just watching a beautiful blue heron elegantly
picking his way along the dock, and was an unwitting spectator to the death
of a big salmon in the jaws of a 200lb seal just 10 feet from the boat: it was
brutal: blood & guts flying everywhere – watching the food chain dynamics up
close and personal.
Our boat neighbours are cordial: 30 seconds into our initial conversation one
of them offered to give us her car to use. Another loaned us his boat steps,
and yet another drove me to the supermarket, picked me up and helped
carry the groceries to the boat: you could live for years in any city and never
experience the helpfulness of the cruiser community – oh that the rest of
society could be this way.
We finally prised DREAMCATCHER off the dock after 4 days of visits from
friends and family, and launched ourselves back out into the Pacific with
intent to anchor at idyllic San Simeon with an estimated arrival time of mid
morning – well DREAMCATCHER got the bit in her teeth and powered down
the coast with the aid of following winds & seas and a nippy 2 knot current,
at a surprising speed, blowing past said idyllic anchorage about 1.00am.
We decided to be prudent and not approach it at night, so continued on
down the coast, staying about 3 miles offshore, to arrive in San Luis Harbour
at dawn – the boat put in a 160 mile day – what a gal !!!! It was a lively ride,
and we incurred just a little damage to a couple of ties on the mainsail, but
nothing too harrowing. We took off the sail and enjoyed a couple of days
swinging on a mooring ball in the Harbour, watching the seals and getting
some small jobs done aboard. San Luis wouldn’t get the award for the
prettiest harbour on the west coast, but it was a welcome respite and the
locals who approached the boat were friendly.
We embarked upon our third leg at sunset. This was infamous west coast
leg, rounding Point Conception. For the folks who don’t live in California, this
point has been sometimes referred to as the “Horn of the Pacific”. It’s known
for rough seas and high winds, and something all passaging sailors
approach with not a little trepidation. We prepared well with a good dinner
and all necessary precautions. We needn’t have worried.
Cost of a mooring ball in San Luis : $10 a night (which they never collected!)
Cost of sail repairs in Santa Barbara – not much.
Cost of rounding Point Conception at midnight in a light breeze, escorted by
dolphins under a clear starry sky? Priceless !
Thus we transitted into the magic kingdom of Southern California – the home
of “Arnie”, cosmetic surgery, Hollywood and other fun foibles.
More later………………..
Glen & Henry, aboard DREAMCATCHER in stylish Santa Barbara.
photos are the same for journal 2 and 3
Click on link to VIEW PHOTOS FOR JOURNAL 2 and 3
“CRUISIN’…”
FROM S/V DREAMCATCHER:
So, we finally made it off the dock. “ya just gotta go, you’ll never be
ready…” they say. And we weren’t… entirely, but we slipped the dock-lines
and took off out of the Golden Gate on September 28th. It was a cold, grey,
windless San Francisco morning and as we made the “left turn” to migrate
south. An emotional time for both of us and we both had our hands on the
helm as DREAMCATCHER slipped quietly under the Gate…. It’s been a
long time coming.
Our passage – all 12 hours of it – baby steps, first, right?..... was uneventful.
From 3 miles offshore I felt we were in one of those dull 18th century
paintings – the ocean and coastline were simply different shades of grey,
and didn’t change till mid afternoon when the sun appeared, bringing a little
wind with it. Essentially, we motor-sailed all the way to Santa Cruz, and
entered the harbour at sundown. A positive day with “Jack”(our autopilot)
doing the driving, giving us a chance to put all our autopilot and navigational
systems and processes through their paces. A quick meal at the local pub,
then the start of 4 days “down time” in Santa Cruz. We had both been
working hard, 14 hour days to ready the boat for departure: more on that
later – I believe getting ready to go cruising is one of the hardest things one
can possibly do. You’ll read in Cruising World and other journals of the joys
of cruising – and they’re right. But there’s not too many chronicles on the
months of daily grind, the two steps forward one step back (or sometimes 1
forward 2 back) back- breaking, frustrating work to prepare for a world
cruise. We’re both managers, and thankfully that combined 5 decades of
process, operational management and delegation came to the fore and we
were able to pull this off in less time than many, with a little help from our
friends. But we both realized we were about an ‘11’ on the richter scale of
“tired” when we arrived at Santa Cruz. So, day one was simply about being
here, and the major achievement chalked up was getting the laundry done….
on foot. Working towards being low achievers!! At least for the time
being…..
Santa Cruz harbour is a buzz! It’s exciting to be in a working harbour rather
than a residential marina – and on the end of the dock, we see plenty of
action in the comings and goings of the fishing boats, kayaks, outrigger
canoes, sailing races and of course, the wildlife. I allowed myself the luxury
of spending nearly half an hour just watching a beautiful blue heron elegantly
picking his way along the dock, and was an unwitting spectator to the death
of a big salmon in the jaws of a 200lb seal just 10 feet from the boat: it was
brutal: blood & guts flying everywhere – watching the food chain dynamics up
close and personal.
Our boat neighbours are cordial: 30 seconds into our initial conversation one
of them offered to give us her car to use. Another loaned us his boat steps,
and yet another drove me to the supermarket, picked me up and helped
carry the groceries to the boat: you could live for years in any city and never
experience the helpfulness of the cruiser community – oh that the rest of
society could be this way.
We finally prised DREAMCATCHER off the dock after 4 days of visits from
friends and family, and launched ourselves back out into the Pacific with
intent to anchor at idyllic San Simeon with an estimated arrival time of mid
morning – well DREAMCATCHER got the bit in her teeth and powered down
the coast with the aid of following winds & seas and a nippy 2 knot current,
at a surprising speed, blowing past said idyllic anchorage about 1.00am.
We decided to be prudent and not approach it at night, so continued on
down the coast, staying about 3 miles offshore, to arrive in San Luis Harbour
at dawn – the boat put in a 160 mile day – what a gal !!!! It was a lively ride,
and we incurred just a little damage to a couple of ties on the mainsail, but
nothing too harrowing. We took off the sail and enjoyed a couple of days
swinging on a mooring ball in the Harbour, watching the seals and getting
some small jobs done aboard. San Luis wouldn’t get the award for the
prettiest harbour on the west coast, but it was a welcome respite and the
locals who approached the boat were friendly.
We embarked upon our third leg at sunset. This was infamous west coast
leg, rounding Point Conception. For the folks who don’t live in California, this
point has been sometimes referred to as the “Horn of the Pacific”. It’s known
for rough seas and high winds, and something all passaging sailors
approach with not a little trepidation. We prepared well with a good dinner
and all necessary precautions. We needn’t have worried.
Cost of a mooring ball in San Luis : $10 a night (which they never collected!)
Cost of sail repairs in Santa Barbara – not much.
Cost of rounding Point Conception at midnight in a light breeze, escorted by
dolphins under a clear starry sky? Priceless !
Thus we transitted into the magic kingdom of Southern California – the home
of “Arnie”, cosmetic surgery, Hollywood and other fun foibles.
More later………………..
Glen & Henry, aboard DREAMCATCHER in stylish Santa Barbara.
photos are the same for journal 2 and 3
Click on link to VIEW PHOTOS FOR JOURNAL 2 and 3
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