Flight of the Blue Eagle

journey on · Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 8:53 am Post subject:

Just read about it. That's got to be a great trip.

We made it down the coast in Our Journey, a 36' sailboat, which was 6 knots all the way, and a 25' sailboat from Morro bay to Santa Barbara.

As you know, try to pick your passage early in the morning. I've passed Point Conception at 7 AM in a dead calm. And gone by Gavotia Pass (just south) at nightfall in 20 knts of wind.

A great trip and I'm envious, since I'm sitting in a trailer in Colorado

Boris

mailbox101 · Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 1:49 am Post subject:

I've fallen behind on posting, so let me begin with Morro Bay.
It is a really nice, boat oriented, town about halfway between Monterey and Santa Barbara.
There are lots of shops with locally made products and foods, as well as some good restaurants that are reasonably priced.

We were fortunate to get in while the weather was good; sometimes the surf breaks just outside the entrance to the harbor and no one can get in or out. The channel winds it's way in, surrounded by shallow, fauna filled, shallow areas and beach on the right, and colorful commercial establishments on the left. Everything seems lumped together, with not much delineation between shops that sell fuel, or machine parts for fishing vessels, or sell fish, or souvenirs. It is all lumped together in a pleasant way.

We got a slip, by advance reservation only, at Morro Bay State Park. The people at the dock, although very friendly and helpful, know nothing about the slip rentals, which is why prior arangement with the park, directly calling the park not the State Park reservation number, is critical. It is also a quiet, out of the way, but not too far away spot that I recommend, which is why I digress with details. There is also ample anchorage in the harbor, and dinghy docks/tie-ups are all over.

Since it is such a boat centric town, we finally stopped procrastinating and inflated the dinghy for the trip into town. Not having yet painted on the registration numbers I put a wide strip of painters tape on each side and used a Sharpie magic marker. The trip to dinner went well, with the little 27lb, 2hp Honda humming along. I only wish I'd allowed a few days to rent a kayak and explore all these little coves and shallows properly, however, the weather at Point Conception is supposed to be good for only another day, so we must leave in the morning, and come back some other time.
Goodnight.
David
posted from my iPhone
PS There is a boat launch here too, so you could trailer inane just explore the area without traveling the coast.

C-Hawk · Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 9:30 am Post subject:

Hi David,
Wishing you fair winds for your adventure. We'll be following along with you. Tell your Dad "HI" and have fun.

ps- That boat luanch at Morro is tricky. You have to consider the tides when you launch, or you may lose your boat.

C-Hawk · Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 9:57 am Post subject:

David-
We will be at the Channel Islands Harbor boat launch parking lot this week, Thursday to Sunday, in the motorhome. Stop by and meet with us.

Roger King

mailbox101 · Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 2:41 am Post subject:

Point Conception went well; weeks of waiting for the weather to be just right paid off handsomely. Even so, you should have seen the scale of some of these low lying monsters. There were swells a couple hundred feet across; swells so big that you could lose track of them optically and keep track of them by watching the speedometer increase and decrease, despite no change in the RPM. Whenever my speed dropped dramatically it meant that we were nearing the top of a particularly big swell, and soon we would be rushing forward, surfing the wave while reducing the throttle to keep our speed in check. According to instruments, at one point I was going 25 knots yet getting 7.7 mpg! I could only imagine what it must be like when they go vertical and break into giant cascading waves, pounding the coast and smashing anything else in their way.

One of the keys seems to have been waiting for a day with minimal wind waves(less then 2'). If there had been significant chop then the swells(8.9'@11sec) would have been much harder, or impossible, to deal with. All said it was calmer then San Francisco Bay, or San Pablo Bay, on a windy day. The boat likes swells much better then chop.

Highlights of our passage included seeing our third whale, albeit a juvenile at 75 yards, 1 seal, 5 sea otters, a beautiful fog bank, packed tightly to the coast, and the oil platforms. After months of monitoring the weather in this area it felt odd to finally see the 'Horizon' platform, on whose reports I had been so relying(They seem to get the worst swells out of the buoys and stations in the area so I had been graphing out their data looking for an opportune time to go for it.) It was like meeting someone face to face that you have only emailed with before.

We finally got into Santa Barbara, but that is for another post.

David

PS Roger, we would like to do that. I'll try to give you a call in the morning. Is the number you sent last month your cell? If not, please PM me.

PPS Whose 2008 or 2009 Tomcat with dual helm controls is this on L dock? Nice boat.

journey on · Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 9:43 am Post subject:

Great trip and you must have had fun. How about some pics and a list of harbours visited?

Boris

mailbox101 · Posted: Fri Jul 09, 2010 1:47 am Post subject:

Leaving Santa Barbara there were plentiful dolphins just about a mile south and SSE of Mugo Lagoon(where the base is) There was someone doing touch-and-goes with a four engine AWACS, which was rather odd to watch, but I guess that you have to practice, qualify, and get hours even for the big birds.

We finally reached Marina del Rey yesterday, and got all checked in with the Marina, where we intend the base out of until the Catalina Cruise next month, although we will be back and forth to home.

Today we took the fold-up bikes out and rode up to the pier in Santa Monica, using the bike path that meanders through the beach in Venice. Although the bikes are really kewl, and fold up in the boats' closet, I had to do a lot of work to tighten things down and fix a few parts because they are apparently assembled at the store by employees who know much about boats, and not much about bicycles. Fortunately they are under warrantee and there is a West Marine not far from here.

We're now going to spend the weekend exploring the area, taking a quick trip up to see Roger and CJ(C-Hawk, previously Fishtales), up at Channel Islands Harbor, stop by Inflatable Boats Specialists to thank them for the rush job on the dinghy, pop by Two Harbors for a night, clean up the boat, and of course, fix the Wallas.

David
PS Boris, our ports of call included Monterey, Morro Bay, Santa Barbara, and Marina del Rey, and we intend to add Oxnard, Ventura, Two Harbors, and possibly Avalon over the weekend. Right now I am still posting from my iPhone, but when I get home, to a real computer, I'll be glad to post some of the pictures.

C-Hawk · Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2010 9:03 pm Post subject:

Talked with David yesterday, his dad- Don, slipped and broke his elbow.
He went through surgery last night to repair the damage. David called and said he was doing OK and should be out of the hospital today.
Ya'll keep him in you thoughts to have a good and full recovery.

Roger King

kmcclish · Posted: Sat Jul 10, 2010 9:42 pm Post subject:

Roger, Thanks for the update. I hope David's Dad is O.K. now!

David, if we can help, let us know. Marcia and I live in Santa Maria (about 100 miles north of Marina del Rey) and are retired so our schedules are pretty flexible.

We're looking forward to Two Harbors in August and are glad you're attending as well. Hopefully, this accident won't change your plans.

Enjoyed your descriptions of the "big cruise". I'd sure be up for a group cruise down the coast if we could capture a decent weather window.

Best of luck!

Kent and Marcia
MARCIA JANE

mailbox101 · Posted: Sun Jul 11, 2010 3:28 am Post subject:

Thank you for your warm wishes, and offers of help.

The surgery went well and my father was discharged from the hospital late this afternoon. The doctor wants to see him on Monday or Tuesday so we are staying in the area, and he is catching up on his sleep.

If one is going to fall off a bike and break an elbow, Marina del Rey is a good place to do it. Apparently, a number of pro athletes live in the area, and quality orthopedic care is available.

This should not affect our plans for the Catalina trip as he should be well on the way to recovery by then.

I am glad that you enjoyed the narrative of our journey down the coast. A group cruise own the coast would be a lot of fun. It would probably have to be slightly later in the season then when we did it as we spent 16 days in a holding pattern waiting for the weather to be right. Let's talk more about it when we see you next month.

David

C-Hawk · Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 8:52 am Post subject:

Had a good visit with David and Don yesterday. Don was still a bit uncomfortable from the surgery, but is doing good.

David- Let us know when you are back in the area, and we'll put the boat back in the water.

Roger

Jim Gibson · Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 11:03 am Post subject:

David-

Please post your arrival at Morrow Bay. That can be a very tricky bar enterence.

Say hello to Donald for us. He is a real trooper!

David, please be careful out there and we will see you in Catalina! Even though you have a 26 footer, it is a big nasty ocean.

Jim and Kath

David, you are actually doing a trip that I have always dreamed about doing in my 22 foot C-Dory.

God Speed.

Jim Gibson · Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 7:40 pm Post subject:

Wow David!

I am impressed. You actually did it and made it! You took your C-Dory out the Golden Gate, turned left, and went to Marina Del Ray. To me this is more impressive than the C-Dory's that have made the Alaska Inside Passage Cruise.

I think you are the very first skipper on this C-Dory site to ever make this epic coastal cruise down almost the entire length of the rugged Coast, in open ocean the entire way. This is an impressive achievement to accomplish in a small boat. Congratulations!

I don't know how you will ever get back to San Francisco, but we look forward to celebrating your achievement when we see you on the Catalina Off-Shore Adventure. The best to you and your father.

Sincerely,

Jim

C-Hawk · Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2010 9:02 am Post subject:

David- How is the trip going? I suppose you guys are back home for a while.
How is Don doing? Hope all is well.

Roger