Having spent the previous
day cleaning and prepping Bluewater for the next leg, we enjoyed a nice meal
and watched the Giants win game six of National League playoffs. We decided
that to get to Isthmus Cove during daylight, it would be another oh-dark-thirty
wakeup call and departure.
We all woke at 3:30-ish, but
the previous leg was catching up with us (strange, we all slept well). After some
coffee and Rice Krispies, we were moving a little faster and preparing to cast
off. Mark let me take the helm and pilot Bluewater out of the harbor. Inside
the harbor the winds were calm (almost non-existent), but once outside the breakwater,
the winds were blowing harder with bigger seas. We could have prep’d just a
little be better before departing the harbor, because Mark had to go forward
with harness and tether to open the main sail’s cover and attach the halyard.
Not that it was unsafe, but something that is far easier to do while tied up to
a dock than while motoring at 5kts in a bumpy sea in the pre-dawn blackness of
a Fall morning.
With lines set and ready, I
turned us into the wind and (once again) Mark went forward to raise the main
with Kevin by his side. (Kevin was still learning about sailing, but rapidly
coming up to speed knowing he would be Mark’s sole crew in a couple days for
the last two or three legs into San Diego).
With both the main and jib
set I set a course. Mark stopped and commented that he felt a little queasy;
and Kevin said he felt a little bit as well. They both asked if I was okay with
them lying down for a little while. I was fired up and feeling good, so had no
problem being on a semi-first watch alone. (Believe me, having just gone
through what did on our previous leg, the last thing I could possibly want to
wish on someone is feeling a little queasy! Besides, sleeping is one of the
best weapons against motion sickness.)
After about an hour or more later, they both awoke
refreshed with no real lasting effects from feeling queasy. (Thank goodness for
that.) With renewed energy, Kevin went below to the galley and fixed us
pancakes.
The bulk of the day was fairly routine. Raise the
screecher when the wind started to fade; start an engine when it became even
lighter. The Channel Islands were to our starboard and Santa Barbara faded off
our stern. We watched a steady procession of tanker ships heading toward Long
Beach or some other Los Angeles port.
We trolled three lines off the back of Bluewater with
hopes of catching something as the fish finder showed a rise in ocean
temperature. Alas, only an occasional sea bird took any interest in the lures
and a little kelp was all we snagged.
With no strong need to get to a destination as quickly
as possible, the day allowed us to be more relaxed and we resorted to sailing
over motorsailing.
Drawing closer to Catalina, the winds picked up. With
only a short debate on whether to anchor in Catalina Cove or Isthmus Cove, we
settled on maintaining course and head for the east side of the island (Isthmus
Cove).
Nearing Isthmus Cove, we saw various fishing vessels
nearer to shore. Kevin sighted "squid boats" and explained how these
in conjunction with the light boats worked to attract squid to the surface at
night.
Following the usual routine, we lowered the main,
furled the jib, started both engines and entered the cove.
Not sure exactly what the procedure was, we motored up
to the main fueling dock and was haled by someone on the dock. "What are
your intentions?" We yelled back we just wanted to spend the night; the
reply was to switch to channel 9 and talk with harbor patrol. We where directed
to a mooring and after securing bow and stern lines, I went out onto the
transom to dip my toes into the water. Wow, this water is warm. Before I knew
it, Kevin had changed into swim trunks and jumped into the water. It was only a
matter of minutes before both Mark and I joined him. It felt warmer just
dipping toes in than fully submerged, but certainly was refreshing.
The water in Isthmus Cove is so clear. Swimming along
and you look down (yes, easy to open your eyes underwater) you feel like you
could just go and touch the bottom.
A quick rinse with fresh
water, clean clothes and we were on our way to shore. The carnivores had
burgers and we enjoyed watching the Giants win. (We assumed those cheering for
St Louis really were Dodgers fans.)
Back on board Bluewater, we
joked at the neighbor’s strange mix of music that sounded like something a
teenage girl would listen to and wondered if the sound would carry on late into
the night. The following day’s leg wasn’t going to be a long one, so we agreed
that we could sleep in and avoid another oh-dark-thirty start.
No comments:
Post a Comment