Leg 4: Santa Barbara to Santa Cruz Island and Back

Tuesday November 2, 2021

Departure from Santa Barbara

The crew spent 2 nights in Santa Barbara enjoying the weather and repairing odds & ends before waking up on Tuesday and heading toward Santa Cruz Island.

Here is Lawrence's description of one repair:  When we were coming down the coast our house battery kept dropping even when running both engines. When it was down to less than 70% (12.2V) I figured something was definitely not working properly. We eventually diagnosed a dead Voltage Sensing Relay. We hooked up the battery charger at the dock and procured a replacement at the marine shop in town. All appears to be working properly again even after leaving the radar, instruments and charging of electronics on all night.

Voltage Sensing Relay

Santa Barbara and the Channel Islands

Destination, Fry's Harbor (anchorage) on Santa Cruz Island

Leg 4a:  Santa Barbara to Santa Cruz Island

Departure Date:  Tuesday November 2, 2021

Departure Time: approx 7:35am

3 Souls aboard:

Lawrence Kerver

Gloria Vilchez

Ronald Kerver 

Departure from:  Santa Barbara Harbor

Destination:  Santa Cruz Island, Fry's Harbor (anchorage)

Arrival Time:  12:45pm Gloria reported arrival after anchoring completed

Captain Lawrence on Departure

Roland leaving Santa Barbara behind

Bluewater's mainsail

Lawrence 8:02am

Roland nearing Santa Cruz Island 11:16am
Lawrence texted "Final approach to Fry's anchorage. Someone is very happy😆
TONS of dolphins. Literally hundreds"

Safely anchored in Fry's Harbor (anchorage) enjoying lunch
Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park

Lawrence and Gloria at sunset

Here is Lawrence's description of their anchor watch schedule:

Gloria did a fantastic 5 hour anchor watch from 7:30 to 12:30. Ron took over until about 3am and then I took a watch until this morning.   We left on the radar and Anchor Pro app on our iPad which works great to alarm us if we moved. Winds were as predicted and blew hard through the night until about 3am. Which is why I took over the anchor watch so I could get some more sleep.   LOL! 

We anchored in Frys Harbor in 24 feet and I put out a stern anchor with a bridle on each. All worked well and we haven't really moved much at all despite gnarly gusts coming down the canyon. We had a full 160' of chain out on the bow and full stern anchor which is like 30' chain with 100' of line.

Wednesday November 3, 2021

Isolated Paradise at Santa Cruz Island

At 8:30am, Lawrence wrote:  Ron just caught a sweet fish!

At Noon, Gloria texted a photo and wrote:  Fresh ocean white fish 🎣 lunch today

Lunchtime:  Roland with fresh filleted ocean white fish ready for the BBQ! Looks divine!!

These photos/video texted from Ron/Lawrence from the morning's fishing:

Ron with his ocean white fish

Ocean white fish!

Gloria fishing around 10:30am in the fog

Lawrence said the ocean white fish for lunch went quickly! They had it with chopped lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, salsa on toasted tortillas. Next up:  they're heading ashore for a hike on Santa Cruz Island!

Gloria and Lawrence on Santa Cruz Island with Bluewater and a serious fog bank in the distance
Nice to have a dinghy for exploring!

Lo/Glo/Bluewater/Fog

Glo/Lo Hiking Santa Cruz Island

Roland on Santa Cruz Island with Bluewater in the distance
and the fog!

No need to rest when you're in paradise! Nothing like a late afternoon snorkel (after fishing/hiking)

Lawrence in the water, Gloria heading down the swimstairs

Lawrence exploring caves in the dinghy
Santa Cruz Island

From Ron:

Hey bro. Copying Liz ( thanks for your tireless help, Liz, you remind me of Lo)  We are still in a small anchorage (Frys) on Santa Cruz Island. Yesterday after hiking the island, I went fishing in the dinghy and Lo/Glo went snorkeling along the caves and rock cliffs shoreline seeing a HUGE sea lion, bright orange garibaldi, strikingly purple urchins, and all manner of ocean life in the gin- clear water.  After a VERY tasty dinner of fillet mignon, salad, potatoes and grilled mushrooms, we watched Kong movie until 11:30.  Crazy thing to do because  I had nightmares of Kong coming over the island at any second .  

Howling gusts of wind last night awoke us at 12:30am to the sounds of our anchor chain pulling through the windlass.  Lo and I got up to see us getting closer to the rocks, but the anchor system worked as designed and Lo calmly cranked back a few feet of rope, put on another safety rope on the anchor system, and proceeded to take the first shift of anchor watch, which of course lasted all night.  He uses this cool GPS- driven anchoring software which sounds an alarm when the boat moves out of a preset radius ( he had it set quite tight due to high winds) and the alarm went off many times throughout the night.  

Spectacular views of a zillion stars gave way to a beautiful dawn sunrise at 6:30am, and all is well.  Our plan is to leave for Santa Barbara marina sometime this morning, of course depending on weather/ winds. Such a kickass trip!!!

Geo, my flight gets into DTW at 9:30 pm and I’m not sure if I am going to your house or Lansing for the night.  

TALK SOON. 

Ro

PS I’m sending this at 7:45am but no bars so not sure when you’ll get this. 

Thursday November 4, 2021

Returning from Santa Cruz Island

Bluewater & crew spent 2 nights at Santa Cruz Island and are preparing to sail back to Santa Barbara.

This from Lawrence approx 12:15pm:

We are sailing back momentarily. Had a great hike ashore and snorkeling around the bay yesterday. Took a dinghy ride through a cave and ate a nice fish dinner with Ron catching that ocean whitefish.   

Howling conditions last night so we were all on anchor watch with our AnchorPro GPS app.

A nice lunch of leftover filet mignon and chicken with salad and toasted bread.  Yum!

We'll keep you posted and I'll turn on the GPS tracker.

lo

This from Ron:

12:45 departure, 3 hours 18 minutes to arrival. Just saw a HUGE fluke from humpback off starboard bow. Amazing trip!!!!

This from Lawrence approx 3:30pm:

The happiest crew that ever lived

Mired in dense fog

Fog signals on the PA horn the whole trip.  Can’t see 3 boat lengths

Gloria and Ron :  "The happiest crew that ever lived"
Departing Santa Cruz Island enroute to Santa Barbara

Gloria in fog

Dolphins galore!!!

Dolphins swimming along with Bluewater

Ro & Glo enjoying a front row dolphin show!!!

Ron in the port bow pulpit mired in dense fog

Fog signals on the PA horn the whole trip. Can't see 3 boat lengths

Approaching a buoy in the fog

Marine buoy
Sea lions or harbor seals?

Roland on watch in the fog!

Too foggy!

Whales are hard to capture but if you watch this 30 second video you'll see whales spouting and waves and a whale tale at the end! 

Ron reported:  Bluewater just pulled into Santa Barbara marina in visibility so low it was incredible! 5:00pm arrival! Pea soup fog for the last 6 miles. After seeing whales, dolphins and sea lions. Happy to be alive😳. Skull mountain for sure.

Small sailboats

Gloria on the bow

Gloria and Lawrence
Successful arrival!

Roland and Gloria - still foggy

Amtrak Train Station, Santa Barbara
Checking out the location for Ron's trip tomorrow

Well deserved cocktails at The Red Piano Bar
Santa Barbara

SUCCESS!

Leg 4b:  Santa Cruz back to Santa Barbara

Departure Date:  Thursday November 4, 2021 

Departure Time:  12:45pm

Same 3 souls aboard:

Lawrence Kerver

Gloria Vilchez

Ron Kerver

Departure from:  Fry's Harbor (anchorage) Santa Cruz Island

Destination:  Santa Barbara

Arrival:  Approx. 5pm

Friday November 5, 2021

Roland heads home

Still foggy early in the morning as Roland prepares to take Amtrak from Santa Barbara to Union Station in LA before transferring to a bus to LAX for a flight home. Thanks for coming on short notice and staying for a kickass trip - clearly you were a welcome crewmember!!!

Roland at the Santa Barbara station early (6:30am)

Roland ready to board the Surfliner train to Los Angeles