Bluewater Coastal Cruising: October 2021

Sunday October 24, 2021

Epic storm hits SF Bay Area with lots of rain from an 'atmospheric river' storm which created HUGE waves (20+ ft near the coastline, bigger further out) in the Pacific. Bluewater intentionally remained in port safe & sound in Monterey Harbor.

Lawrence is watching/waiting for a weather window and will depart from Monterey at the earliest opportunity. Destination and crew will be firmed up as the planning continues. Possible stops include: San Simeon anchorage (if necessary), Morro Bay (if necessary), around Pt. Conception to Cojo anchorage or possibly all the way to Santa Barbara.

Satellite map overview of route and possible stops, as necessary (based on weather)

Thursday October 28, 2021

Lawrence's brother Roland (aka Ronald, aka Ron, aka Ro, aka Hey You) flew in from Michigan on super short notice to join the crew. He arrived around midnight last night. Sister Liz dragged him around Belmont for hiking and San Francisco to see the sights. Ron had a whirlwind tour of Belmont and San Francisco in the 36 hours he stayed at sister Liz's family's house.

Ron in San Juan Canyon,
Belmont

Ron/Liz in San Juan Canyon
with view of Sugarloaf Mountain

View of San Francisco
from Sugarloaf Mountain

Homemade Sourdough Waffles
- Carole Barrish family recipe

Only the best accommodations
(Ron slept in a tent in the living room)

Peter Coffin Statue, Pirate
- Golden Gate Park

SkyStar Wheel - Ferris Wheel
in Golden Gate Park

View of California Academy of
Sciences from SkyStar Wheel

View of SkyStar (and Ron)
in distance

Ron/Liz & Golden Gate
Bridge

Ron/Liz under GGBridge

Ron and view of downtown
SF from GGBridge

GGBridge Traffic

Ron and bunkers
near GGBridge

Ron/Liz/Mark and
Classic Paloma's (Tequila drink)

Uncle Ron and
Halloween Birthday Amanda
as Bucky Barnes,
the Winter Soldier (Marvel)

Meanwhile....Lawrence was toiling away cleaning carburetors and meticulously surveying engine parts.

Lawrence and engine carburetors and other parts

The neighbor's boat cover - now THAT is a boat cover

Friday October 29, 2021

Quick stop on drive toward Monterey

Liz drove crewmembers Roland and Mark from Belmont to Monterey in the morning with a stop to see Captain Paul Barrish, USN, Retired and Mrs. Carole Barrish for some good luck and sea stories! THANKS for the last minute hospitality!

Paul, Ro, Mark, Carole, Liz

Departure from Monterey Harbor

Arriving at the Monterey Marina in the afternoon, we found Lawrence & Gloria in the midst of preparation. Mark & Ro jumped aboard Bluewater while Liz drove Gloria to the post office for a special mailing of WEDDING INVITATIONS💒💌! Then Lawrence got a ride to Trader Joe's for last minute supplies before Liz drove home.

Lawrence and Gloria and endless preparation

Leg 3 crew: Lawrence, Gloria, Roland, Mark

Last minute food supplies from Trader Joe's

Pre-departure: Bluewater in Monterey

The sea is endless when you are in a rowboat.

— Adolfo Bioy Casares

(unless it leaks...then it's a shorter trip)

Gloria, Lawrence, Mark, Ronald
Crab House on Old Fisherman's Warf: casual seafood with scenic views!

Departure preparations are underway!

Glo & Lo pre-departure

Pre-departure activity and reporting from
gloria_the_first_mate

Mark, Gloria, Lawrence (by Ron)
Departure is imminent!

Bluewater's view from G Dock

BLUEWATER in Monterey

Bluewater on G dock in Monterey,
ready for departure

Amanda playing soccer in Mountain View Friday night
whilst Liz reported Bluewater's departure

Initially Mark reported: "8:15pm departure into light fog and modest swell."

Then at 10:45pm Friday night Lawrence (on first watch) reported: "Everyone is sleeping. Much rollier than expected. Full jib out and one motor."

This from Ron: "Departed Monterey Marina at 8:15pm. Saw dolphins off the port side in the pitch black and foggy weather. We lost sight of the coastline very quickly as we plunged into the black blackness of the sea. An occasional glimpse of stars told us that we were still on planet earth. About 1:15am, just as we could see a few more stars above, Mark noticed another vessel directly in our path coming fairly straight towards us but still about 10 miles out. At the closest point we were within 2nm of point Big Sur and on the other side was the recreational sailing vessel. We were quite literally two ships passing in the night because it was around 2am. And what I thought was the occasional glimpse of point Sur lighthouse actually turned out to be the moon fading in and out of the marine layer as we still saw stars very clearly overhead. At 4am we saw our first whale and more and more dolphins. We just saw a second mola mola (aka ocean sunfish). Then later saw another."

Saturday October 30, 2021

At 8am Saturday morning: "Mark here. We are just north of piedras blancas. Motored out of Monterey into a boisterous swell and fog. Slow going northwest into the breeze and swell around the point then better when we could turn south. Fishing gear is now out!"

At Noon Pacific Time Abeam Cambria

Mark wrote: "Just got your message! Yea, I was using Lo's phone. The night was a little uncomfortable. All of us were up till 10, Lo was on watch till midnight, then Ron and I took the 12-2 shift. Ron went solo 2-3, I took 3-4:30, and Lo and Ron were on watch and started fishing. Motor sailing (one engine and jib) from 11ish pm till 8ish, then we raised the main and broke out the new screecher for some deep downwind sailing in a light breeze (7-11 knots) with the motors off (yay!). Back to motor sailing during an awesome brunch from chef Lo."

At 1:30pm, sister Kathryn reported: "Excellent. Thanks for keeping us posted! Michigan State beat Michigan."

Ron wrote: MSU beats UofM. Nothing else that notable all day. Lots of floating kelp so fishing was not catching anything off the back of the boat.

Photos enroute below including a predict wind screenshot with comment from Paul: "Thanks to all afloat and Liz ashore for providing these reports and blog entries. The Kerver clan responsive comments are heartwarming i.e. congratulations to MSU! Technology onboard Bluewater is amazing to this ancient mariner; sat phones, sharing progress in real time and the background of wind speed depicted. Best wishes to those afloat and to the entire clan for fair winds and following seas. Love from Carole and Paul"

Lawrence and Ron with the fishing gear out!

Roland on the bow

Main and Screecher up

Skipper Lawrence happy about MSU's win!
Mark sleeping in the salon

Roland is ALWAYS happy to be
fishing (regardless of catch)!

Predict wind is amazing!

This from Ron: At 7pm, pitch black as we dropped all sails. Lo turned off motor and we dropped his blue light which attracted jellies, squid and other fish. Lo's most concerned night as we prepared to round Pt Conception.

Sunday October 31, 2021

Happy Halloween! Happy 15th birthday Amanda!

This from Ron: "At 2am or so we are approaching point conception and a vessel seems to be coming directly at us. They would not answer to Lawrence's hailing calls and they also did not show up on radar, but they DID show up on AIS (Automatic Identification System) which identifies watercraft. We slid by without incident not ever knowing who or what was in the sailing vessel. It did just turn Halloween! Dia de las Muertos soon! We caught a glimpse of a red light, then it was gone..."

In the wee hours of the morning, received this text from Mark at 3:20am Pacific time: "Moon rise over point conception. Calm and clear and much warmer. Should be in Santa Barbara before 9. Hope to figure out the train when I get into town."

From Ron: "4am and Mark is captaining Bluewater. We came around Point Conception without incident and the stars were incredible. No Northern Lights but it was a spectacular evening with the waning crescent moon rising on the horizon. 4:30am, Mark needs some sleep so I'm the Captain now. We come within a nautical mile of a tanker ship on our starboard, and a research vessel is on the shore on our port side fairly close as well. I am visited by a pod of five or six dolphins who stick with me for awhile as the water calms to nearly no waves at all and wind of just a few knots. I had to wake Mark to furl the jib because it began flapping in the 8 knot headwinds."

Moon rising

Moon rise over Point Conception

Check out Mark's view of Bluewater's mast against the stars!

6:38am Guessing this is Ron

Water calm in the wee hours of the morning

6:44am Ron at the helm

Bluewater's view

6:46am Ron at the helm

Someone is making coffee in the galley
at 7:06am

Calm seas

Approaching Santa Barbara

Bluewater's instruments and Lawrence on the bow

8:03am

8:05am

From Ron: We are motoring toward Santa Barbara and will stay the night there.

Screenshot from a video Roland and Lawrence
sent to Amanda singing Happy Birthday!!!

UCSB (University of California at Santa Barbara)
View of Mark's alma mater including the campus tower

Mark

Mark and Lawrence

Lawrence

Lots of arrival activities including a race to the train for Mark.

Lawrence, Ron, Mark arriving Santa Barbara

Halloween fun in Santa Barbara

Gloria the 1st mate on duty for arrival in Santa Barbara

Bluewater and crew reported safe and sound arrival in Santa Barbara Harbor approx 11am Sunday October 31st. Good times in Santa Barbara

Sailing is dangerous! Lawrence's feet are always injured

Crabs for sale

Gloria, Lawrence, Roland
enjoying a well deserved good meal in Santa Barbara

Roland's next home?

Mark took the train from Santa Barbara to San Jose and then Uber'd home. Arrived just before 9pm. Amanda was still out celebrating Halloween with her friends but Mark was able to wish her a HAPPY 15th BIRTHDAY before bed. Thanks for a great time Lawrence & Gloria!

Final Stats:

Crew: Lawrence, Gloria, Mark, Roland

Departure from Monterey Harbor Marina

Departure Date: Friday October 29, 2021

Departure Time: 8:15pm

Distance: 209nm

Elapsed Time: 38 hours, 48 minutes, 45 seconds

Arrival to Santa Barbara Harbor

Arrival Date: Sunday October 31, 2021

Arrival Time: approx 11am

Average Speed: 5.4 knots

Max Speed: 9.3 knots