Gathering of the So. Cal. Vikings at Two Harbors (Isthmus) on Catalina Island.

[Jeff Asbury]

Isthmus Web Shot

Here's what it looks like over there via web cam at 3:15 pm today.

 

[Mikebat]

There was a pretty steady rain most of the afternoon, but it stopped a couple of hours ago. The radar is showing scatters showers now, but earlier most of the area was voered by a big green blob.

 

[Mikebat]

So my car was towed overnight, forgot to put the resident permit in the window. Getting it out of impound delayed our start enough that we ended up turning around, because it was apparent that we wouldn't get to Two Harbors before dark. It was drizzling as we left dock, and I had to get fuel, so there was more delay. By the time we got to the breakwater at MDR at about 12:20pm, it was no longer raining and we could see some clearing skies out to the west. The wind was from the south-southeast and fairly light, and we could only make about 3 knots in it without the engine. But motor-sailing was OK and with our foulies on it was pretty comfortable, not too cold and not wet at all.

But after an hour or so the wind turned more to the south, dead on our nose. We dowsed the jib because it was just flapping in irons, but I could keep the main full of wind for a little while longer. I decided to take it down about due west of the Palos Verde lighthouse, because the wind was shifting back and forth across the bow, and it was hard to keep the heading without the main flapping back and forth more than I liked. By this time, however, it had become nice and sunny, and was warming up. The clouds had parted and only the land was covered. Palos Verde looked like it was wearing a hat. The swell was also increasing, and coming right at us from the south. Without a sail up, we were rolling around quite a bit. It looked at that point like we had about 3 1/2 hours more of that to go, and would arrive after dark. But the island like the mainland, looked to us like it was shrouded in low clouds and fog. This seemed not very promising to me, not having been there on my own before, to arrive in the dark and fog. So that's when I called it and turned around.

But we had fun trying, my nephew Daniel and I. Next time I am sure we will make it all the way across.

 

[bigtyme805]

Not worth it

Mike:

The weather was just down right bad yesterday. With the rain there was no wind, I would have have done the same thing Mike. Although, it was nice to see a speck of sun for at least a little while.

I don't know if any of you Southern Cal boaters saw the write up in the log as of yet, but Santa Cruz Island is going to be closed to hiking on the Nature Conservatory side, basically the entire island. Get this until 2007! Reason is to replenish the fox population and kill all the feral pigs. We can still go there but they will issue very few permits to enter the island. I am disappointed to say the least.

The nature conservatory is not one of my favorite org's, I suspect alternative means with their group. But that is another issue in itself.

We have not heard the last of this!

Don Anderson
Amigo E-27
Channel Islands

 

[Sven]

Here's what it looks like over there via web cam at 3:15 pm today.

Yup, that was La Petite at the top of the picture, right next to the rocks. Dawn Treader was right behind us, just to the left in the picture.

Wild ride at the mooring Friday afternoon and evening. Nancy and I could just barely get into the inflatable to row over and visit Glyn and Marilyn for dinner because of some serious chop and swells from the North. After a somewhat aborted but still wonderful dinner we headed back and the wind had shifted to southerly so I didn't have to row against it, just the waves

Marilyn, Glyn and Bruce (the guide dog in training) are still out there, for one more day. Unfortunately Nancy and I had to return for Monday morning meetings :-(

Our return trip was wonderful. We took in one reef (all we have) just as we passed by ship rock (as close as I'd ever want to because of the rocks just west of it). 5 hours and 39 minutes after dropping the can we ducked behind the MDR breakwater and almost exactly six hours after dropping the can we tied up in the slip. The swells were supposed to be huge and they were pretty big, with whitecaps all the way and real green water breakers. At Palos Verdes we added the foul weather gear bottoms to the tops we'd been wearing almost from the begining; not because of rain, just sheets of water coming over the windward side. The reefed main was wet halfway up the sail with the sun shining throughout.

No issues with container ships or tankers, saw 4 of the first and 1 of the second, that was it.

The rainfly worked like a charm but we sure didn't get much rain !

Cold, sometimes wet, bumpy and windy - it sure beats not sailing



-Sven

 

[bigtyme805]

Wow

Sven:

What a great narration. Congratulations on a successful trip. I am looking forward to meeting all of you. I am a little envious of all of you that went.

The trip home sounded like fun. Sunday was a great day for sailing, I went out myself and had the boat on it's rails most of the time.

Sven how many boats ended up going? Run into any whales?

Unfortunately for us in the channel islands area Catalina takes a little longer for us to get to. What that really means is more hours on the sea and that is a good thing.

Don
E27 Amigo
Channel Islands

 

[Sven]

Hi Don,

Sven:...
The trip home sounded like fun. Sunday was a great day for sailing, I went out myself and had the boat on it's rails most of the time.

Sven how many boats ended up going? Run into any whales?

Unfortunately for us in the channel islands area Catalina takes a little longer for us to get to. What that really means is more hours on the sea and that is a good thing.

Sunday was a beautiful day, enough wind and swells to make it a bit of a thrill ride too.

Didn't see any whales and on Sunday we didn't even see any dolphins ! On the way down there we saw 3 or 4 separate pods of dolphins, including one pod just lying around on the surface as if they were having a meeting. Those dolphins had pointy fins that were swept back much more than usual. I haven't had time to look them up yet to see what kind they were.

In the end, it was Dawn Treader and La Petite that made up the regatta. The whole cove probaby had less than a dozen boats total.

Crossing down from the Channel Island area would be a bit more than our 30 NM. This summer I'm hoping we'll get a chance to do an MDR-Catalina Harbor-Santa Barbara Island-Anacapa-Paradise Cove loop, but we'd want a week for that



-Sven

 

[Jeff Asbury]

Congratulations on your adventure on "La Petite"!

Sven,

Congratulations on your adventure on "La Petite"! Was "Dawn Treader" the name of Marilyn, Glyn's boat? What size Ericson was it? I haven't seen any posts from them. Sounds like it might have not been one of the most comfortable evenings at Two Harbors. Your passage back sounds a little rough as well. What was the reading on your wind speed? It looked like white caps all the way to the Island from San Pedro Sunday afternoon. Big swell too. It was raining cats and dogs Friday afternoon, which was when I originally intended on leaving. Rained Saturday AM as well. Let's all keep in touch and let each other know when we will be at the island in the future. I'm sure a bigger turn out is in the future.

Jeff

 

[Sven]

Was "Dawn Treader" the name of Marilyn, Glyn's boat? What size Ericson was it? I haven't seen any posts from them.

It is an Ericson Independence 31 in perfect working order.

Glyn is a moderator on some of the forums here, but he's been pretty busy lately.

Sounds like it might have not been one of the most comfortable evenings at Two Harbors.

Correct. Friday night was not comfortable

Your passage back sounds a little rough as well. What was the reading on your wind speed? It looked like white caps all the way to the Island from San Pedro Sunday afternoon. Big swell too.

It was supposed to be less than 15 mph but in my book you get whitecaps at 10 m/s which is about 20 mph, and these whitecaps were quite solid.

It was raining cats and dogs Friday afternoon, which was when I originally intended on leaving. Rained Saturday AM as well. Let's all keep in touch and let each other know when we will be at the island in the future. I'm sure a bigger turn out is in the future.

Surprisingly enough, I don't think we had even real pitter-patter on the deck rain throughout. We did have some light rain and a lot of mist, but that was it.

I think we made 4 trips to Isthmus and 2 to Cat harbor last year, so I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities during the coming year !



-Sven

 

[Jeff Asbury]

Thanks for answering all my questions! Wish I could have made it!

 

[Mikebat]

Crossing down from the Channel Island area would be a bit more than our 30 NM. This summer I'm hoping we'll get a chance to do an MDR-Catalina Harbor-Santa Barbara Island-Anacapa-Paradise Cove loop, but we'd want a week for that

-Sven

Sven, that is just what I want to do this summer. I wonder if you'd want to try and plan for the same week off and allow a newb like me to tag along. By the way, where in MDR is your slip? Mine is at Panay Way Marina, basin D, right next to the new condo construction. I think it's the second worst dock in the entire harbor. Have to walk across plywood scraps laid over mud to get to the gate.

 

[bigtyme805]

Sven and Mike

If you end up doing that trip I will undoubtly meet you on Anacapa and Santa Cruz Island. Lets stay in touch and really try to do this. I am just fitting my boat out for a Sea of Cortez trip late fall so all the sailing I get in the better. Going to San Carlos and will have Amigo hauled back. Anybody interested please let me know.

Has anybody been up the Sea of Cortez? The more educated I can get the better.

Don
E-27 Amigo
Channel Islands

 

[Mikebat]

I've driven down Baja, does that count?

While eating lunch seaside in Santa Rosalia, a pickup rolled by and one of the ninos in the bed hollered "Gringo puta!" and flipped us the bird. I thought afterwards that maybe Gringo Puta would be a good name for a boat.

Maybe not.

 

[Sven]

Hi Don,

Has anybody been up the Sea of Cortez? The more educated I can get the better.

We were there in October (?) on the Don Jose dive boat. Probably not the kind of info that would help you, except that after a week of diving we were impressed by how hot it was. Make sure you have ample water.

One evening we were in the middle of a mile (?) long row of dolphins hearding fish ahead of them. It was stunning to see the dolphins jump out of the water and slap their tails on re-entry to scare the fish while staying in a nearly straight line that went as far as we could see on both sides. I think that the 80-foot Don Jose caused enough noise to disrupt the hearding because we never saw the bait-ball form.

Should be a great sailing trip !



-Sven

 

[Martin King]

Don,
We bought our current Ericson in La Paz, made our way north
to San Carlos and then shipped her home to Long Beach. Anything
specific you want to know?

Martin

 

[Sven]

Don,
We bought our current Ericson in La Paz, made our way north
to San Carlos and then shipped her home to Long Beach.

I'd forgotten about that. When we were chatting on Dawn Treader at Isthmus Glyn mentioned that he got to go with you on that trip.



-Sven

 

[bigtyme805]

Martin you ever heard of a place called San Felipe? This is my destination. I will also have my boat shipped back.

How were the seas? How about the marinas?

I have not met anybody that has been to San Felipe, small fishing village that is being developed into a real estate haven. That is what I know and what i have read on the internet.

I don't know of any sailors that have been up the sea of cortez, only what I have read.

Thanks

Don
E-27
Channel Islands

 

[wiland]

Don - I've never sailed down in San Felipe, but do go there just about every new year. Fun town- two years ago my friends and I spent the whole evening drinking Tequila with Harrison Ford. but that's a story for another time. the Marina is a pretty grungy and simple and used primarily by local fisherman. it is a bit south of town, but getting rides into town should not be a big issue. The marina at Santa Rosalia is very accessible, and a little less grungy.
I envy you for being able to set out on your proposed trip, and hope to do the same in the near future. hope to hear more about what you are learning in the planning process.

Andy Wilson
E-28
Oceanside

 

[Martin King]

>We've driven through San Felipe but I've never sailed there. That's
pretty far north. Our cruising route had us hopping up the coast
to Bahia Concepcion from where we crossed the Sea of Cortez over
to San Carlos. San Carlos to Tucson is the major trucking route for
boats going back to the US.

Regarding conditions in the Baja, they say it's either blowing too
hard or not at all. Having done numerous camping trips in Baja,
I would go along with that. Plan on doing alot of motorsailing. The only
marinas I saw were the ones in La Paz and of course San Carlos. They
were better than expected however plan on bringing alot of spare
parts as there are no serious chandleries anywhere down there and
shipping in parts is expensive.

Despite the fact that we were on an unproven and new (to us) boat with
no mast, I had a great time down there and found the area to be a fascinating cruising ground. So much so that we have discussed shipping
our boat back down to San Carlos after the restoration is finished.

Martin

 

[Davis Modlin]

Unless you are a lesbian, I wouldn't put that name on your boat.

Davis
E29
#226
holy Guacamole