Channel Islands Container Ship Route

J

journey on

New member
Last August I tried to go from Ventura to Santa Cruz Island off Santa Barbara. What stopped me was the dense fog, coupled with the 3' wind waves. I thought it over and the thought of meeting a container ship in the fog in those conditions made me go home.

I was just looking at an AIS site MarineTraffic.com and it looks as if all the container ships are going on the outside of the Channel Islands, as opposed to the Santa Barbara channel between the islands and the mainland.

I know that they were discussing it. Does anyone know if this is the required route now? It'd be a lot safer.

Boris
 
Boris,

Sometime last year the state of California required all ships passing along a certain distance from the CA coast to be in compliance with California air pollution laws. I don't remember the exact details, but the ships were required to burn a low sulpher diesel.

The way the shipping companies have dealt with this is to stay further offshore.
 
Thanks for the link. Its interesting to see that the Navy stressed that more ships would end up passing thru its test range; but that the environmental board disagreed.
 
Like the 'environmental board' knows about Navy Test Ranges! Bet they voted for Prop 19, or whatever the number was! :lol:

I bet they loved the days when the Navy burned black oil and had to "blow tubes" every so often (even in port) for safety reasons. [if they didn't, they suffered economizer fires, don't ask me how I know]. That caused huge plumes of black soot, unavoidable. I was the boiler officer on a carrier and was chewed out more than once for "blowing tubes". I disliked that much less than having to fight an economizer fire on a steaming boiler in an enclosed space... :evil:

Charlie
 
Charlie and Ron,

Thanks for the info. I guess there are some container ships & tankers that take the Santa Barbara Channel, but it's nice to cut down on the number.

There bow wake thru that channel is bigger than Journey On.

Boris
 
The crossings are much easier now!!! I've made that crossing in fog and at night---- the radar comes in mighty handy during those crossings.
 
The outer route is voluntary -- which means that ships may still be in the channel. I see them frequently.

Another issue that has encouraged traffic to stay outside the channel are the whale strikes around the marine sanctuary.

I don't know what the hostility is about -- the port of LA was a major polluter -- and they have been at the forefront of making manageable changes that enhance reduced emissions. Things like requiring ships to plug into the grid rather than burn oil at dock or reduce speeds as they approach the LA basin reduce unnecessary emissions and reduce our overall oil dependency. Can't complain about either of those.

The navy's inability to accommodate the shift in traffic is greatly exaggerated... :roll:
 
Captains Cat":vdyz88fl said:
I bet they loved the days when the Navy burned black oil and had to "blow tubes" every so often (even in port) for safety reasons. Charlie
Click to expand...

When I first went to sea in the 50's, my first 'job' on the USS Albany was to stand midwatch (midnight to 4 AM) in front of two guages in the engine room. When the first guage reach a certain mark I would report " engine number one has blown the tubes." I repeated this for the second guage, "engine number two has blown the tubes". After several weeks of this, I decided to streamline my job, so one day I waited until the second guage reached the mark and then reported into that black thing around my neck, " Engine room bridge ( or was it 'bridge engine room'?) Engines one and two have blown the tubes". Next thing I know I'm standing in fromt of some officer who chewed me up and down. "..but sir, I thought..." Not quite the best response.
 
It depends on when you look at the AIS picture. I looked a few minutes ago, and far more ships inside of the channel islands tha outside. Radar and listening are your friends. We have done the trip many times in sailboats before radar--on the other hand, a friend's 57 foot Yawl was run down and all aboard lost in the mid 50's...on a clear night.

With Radar, its a snap--but the 3 foot waves are smaller than you often find up there. The seas can be a challange for a C Dory, or even much larger boats.
 
Yes I agree with Dr. Bob....radar is a must...Those big ships really move fast...they don't look fast...but they put out a huge wave.... I don't like to be anywhere near when they go by.... I don't think I have ever made the crossing without seeing a couple of those giants. (at a distance)

Yes...3' waves are normal...it's those 8 and 9 footers that are thrilling...normally you can just slow down and do the up and over thing...but sometimes the spacing of the waves makes it thrilling...luckly with the C-Dory you can poke your nose and stay dry... and safe..
Not saying we don't have flat water days...lots of them...but 3' are not at all uncommon. (only been in those 8 and 9 footers a few times)

Joel
SEA3PO
 
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