Bluewater departed Santa Cruz Harbor to cross Monterey Bay from North to South:
Monterey Bay
Departure from Santa Cruz Harbor
Liz lucked out by waking up early and preparing for adventure with no set plans. Lawrence called and graciously offered to wait the 1 hour for me to drive from Belmont to Santa Cruz to join the day.
Departure Date: Thursday October 14, 2021
Departure Time: approx 10am
3 Souls aboard:
Lawrence Kerver
Gloria Vilchez
Liz Barrish
Departure from: Santa Cruz Harbor
Destination: Monterey Marina
Sail Plan: Departing mid-morning in beautiful low wind conditions in slow rolling seas with a moderate swell predicted: 5-6 foot, period 10 seconds. Intending to fish and whale watch enroute. Estimated time of travel is approx. 4-5 hours, approx. 24nm.
Lawrence is mounting surfboard racks while Bluewater's dock neighbor Lance on Astoria (27 ft Hunter) also preparing for departure
The crew: Liz, Lawrence, Gloria
Departure time: 10:00am from Santa Cruz Harbor
Gloria on departure
Gloria & Liz: Ready!
Liz
Goodbye beautiful Santa Cruz!
As we exited the harbor entrance, a 200+ foot Oceanic Research Vessel 'Sally Ride' sped up across our bow and we took it's stern (had to navigate around it). From there we continued to navigate around kelp and crab pots as we kept a lookout for other obstacles, including whales. Lawrence let out the fishing gear (boat lines) but we were unsuccessful. We also watched a U.S. Coast Guard airplane circle our location multiple times. Lawrence called in to find out if we should be on the lookout for anyone in distress or if it was just training - it was just training. The closer we got to our destination, the more distinct the Monterey coastline crisped into view.
Departing Santa Cruz
Looking back toward Santa Cruz
Lawrence departing whence a large vessel starting maneuvers in front of us
Oceanic Research Vessel
Sally Ride
Close-up of Sally Ride
Lawrence putting out fishing Lines
Liz
Lawrence and Gloria
Coastguard aircraft making multiple flyovers
Gloria and Lawrence
View of Moss Landing Power Plant from Bluewater
Lawrence tending to the boat lines
Lawrence Skippering
Many whale sightings!
Sometime around 11am we started spotting whales. At one point, they surfaced SO close to Bluewater - off our starboard side - that Lawrence did evasive maneuvers to slow down and change course. We also spotted other sea life, including what we initially thought was a sunfish and then thought it was either a dolphin or harbor seal. Oh, and there was something large and dead floating not far from our destination. Regardless, we saw whales for about an hour and it was COOL!!
Love that sparkle!
Whale spouting in the distance!
Lawrence abeam Moss Landing
Liz
Whales!
Whales!
Whale surfacing
Whale Tale!
Something dead floating
BIG waves!
No matter how hard I tried, it was nearly impossible to capture the size of the 8ft swells (somewhere between beam seas and quartering seas) which built as we crossed Monterey Bay. Bluewater barely noticed but her crew did! It was exciting and somewhat unnerving at the same time. See video below (on web version, maybe not visible on phones)
Looking for waves...
...Wave rolling in!
Birds on the water off our port bow; Monterey coastline crisp in the distance
Arrival:
One must navigate through a narrow channel to enter Monterey Harbor!!
First Mate Gloria in position...
...on lookout through narrow channel
We have arrived! Liz, Gloria, Lawrence
Bluewater is secured at G Dock
View of friend Lance & crew on 27ft Hunter arriving via Monterey's narrow channel
Final Stats:
Santa Cruz Harbor to Monterey Marina
Departure date: Thursday October 14, 2021
Departure Time: 9:55am
Distance: 23nm
Elapsed Time: 3 hours, 38 minutes, 19 seconds
Average Speed: 6.3 knots
Max Speed: 9.0 knots
Motor sailing
Our track
Self Designated Land Commander!
So for kicks I calculated how far I drove last week (4 consecutive days) and came up with an astronomically high number........751 miles!!!!! On Friday 10/8 I drove from Belmont north to San Francisco (to pick up crew) to Sausalito (to pick up a boat part) to Richmond (to drop off crew) then back home to Belmont. Then Saturday 10/9 I drove to San Francisco (at 3am) to watch Bluewater depart under the Golden Gate Bridge then back to Belmont then south to Salinas for a soccer game then north to Santa Cruz (to pick up crew) then to Belmont (to drop off Amanda & pick up Honda key) then to San Francisco (to drop off crew) then to Richmond (to pick up Honda). Then 10/10 I drove from Belmont to Livermore (for a soccer game) and back to Belmont. Then Monday 10/11 I drove from Belmont to Santa Cruz (to drop off surfboards and get gas/propane) then back via the cabin to Belmont.
On Thursday 10/14, I drove again to Santa Cruz for a ride on Bluewater to Monterey. Then I took an Uber from Monterey back to my car in Santa Cruz and drove back to Belmont.
Bay Area driving for Liz - A LOT for soccer games and Bluewater departures p.s. I LIKE to drive!
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