Bluewater Coastal Cruising: Leg 9: Oceanside to San Diego

Friday November 26, 2021

Oceanside

Gloria reported Bluewater's departure from Oceanside 0845 today heading south.

Leg 9

Departure Time: 8:45am PST Friday November 26, 2021

Departure from: Oceanside, CA

2 souls aboard

Lawrence Kerver

Gloria Vilchez

Destination: San Diego Harbor

Arrival: before 5pm PST Friday November 26, 2021

Anchored in Glorietta Bay, San Diego

Got a text from Lawrence just after 9am

Full sail, killin it

Bluewater's instruments just after departure (9:07am)
The upper left map shows Bluewater (Catamaran symbol) heading south, south of Oceanside Harbor
Depth is just over 50ft, SOG (Speed over ground) is 8.1kts
Heading is 166 degrees, wind is 18.9 knots, speed is 6.7knots

These photos are from Gloria just after 10am:

Beautiful day for a sail!

Lawrence putting out the screecher on the bowsprit

Lawrence reported dolphins around 10:45am:

Two more photos arrived around 11:15am:

Bluewater heading south with the screecher out

Gloria on the bow heading south aiming for San Diego
Lawrence says: Put on your life vest!!!!!

Around 1:30pm, Gloria snuck some shots of Lawrence grooming:

View thru the vinyl window

Lookin' good!

Belated Happy thanksgiving! 🍁

from Gloria Vilchez

Liz/Mark enjoyed the views from
Point Loma Peninsula,
Cabrillo National Monument Park

MEANWHILE....Liz/Mark/Amanda coincidentally flew to San Diego yesterday (Thanksgiving Day, Thurs Nov 25) for a soccer tournament. So Liz/Mark spent today Friday (Nov 26) afternoon enjoying the views from the Point Loma Peninsula trying to sneak a peak of Bluewater entering San Diego Harbor. Spoiler Alert: We were unsuccessful sighting Bluewater but we immensely enjoyed the views and convinced ourselves many times that we absolutely had Bluewater in our sights!

View looking north around 1:15pm

Looking southwest, Coronado Islands in view

View looking east toward San Diego and the North Island Naval Air Station

View looking west toward the Pacific Ocean
and the Coronado Islands

View looking east toward San Diego Bay

We also paid our respects to the fallen and their relatives from many many wars at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, Point Loma. It was very humbling.

Selfie facing north from the tip of Point Loma Peninsula
Camera view looking south toward the boats behind us

Sometime around 2pm we were in contact with Lawrence by phone and determined his position to be north of us. We hustled north and then south again and I mean a full speed run in street clothes past all the cars waiting to enter the park. Suffice it to say we saw MANY catamarans and even a few Seawind 1000's but based on later information we did NOT see Bluewater. But we LOVE boats and had fun looking and it was a gorgeous day.

3:45pm This Navy ship #89 was the determining factor in determining that we did not see Bluewater.
Lawrence's view passing this exact ship was taken in a different part of HUGE San Diego Bay.
The Catamaran facing the destroyer has a radar on the mast, different config from Bluewater.

Views and boats galore

Meanwhile, these are the photos I received from Bluewater's journey, pretty close to the correct order but no guarantee.

Dolphin to starboard!

Bluewater's view of Navy Ship #89

Per Wikipedia: USS Mustin (DDG-89) is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer in the United States Navy. She is named in honor of the Mustin family who has devoted over a century of U.S. Naval service.

Gloria passing downtown San Diego

Bluewater flying the flag approaching the Coronado Bridge

Bluewater looking back at the Coronado Bridge
presumably anchored in Glorietta Bay, San Diego

Bluewater is anchored in Glorietta Bay, San Diego
The Blue locator dot is Bluewater's location

Communication from Lawrence/Gloria comes in MANY forms including emails, phone calls and multiple text strings to various and sundry people. Here are a few snippets from the family - Lawrence and his 8 siblings sending Thanksgiving greetings/summaries. We enjoyed seeing Jean and her in-laws welcome Santa in Michigan (Hi to ALL your in-laws Jean!), watching George deep-fry 3 turkeys in Minnesota (thanks Briar!), considered paying Ron to re-join the crew but he's busy in Michigan freezing in 23 deg F weather bird-watching and hosting family (Hi Barry and Anne!), Kathryn reporting 53 deg F from Houston and Stevo says it's cold!, making fun of B-I-L Steve for STILL not providing dolphin videos from 2015 (When Steve When???), and Lawrence torturing us with the 10 day forecast for Cabo San Lucas. Endless chatter.

Success! You have arrived!

Let's hear some more stories, Lawrence!

Rest up!!!

Saturday November 27, 2021

San Diego

A day in port! I can't remember/find the details but at some point 2 new crew members (Andrew and Ryan) arrived via San Diego Airport and eventually dinghy'd to Bluewater, anchored in Glorietta Bay. I vaguely remember that they re-anchored in a new location and finally secured a dock from Coronado Yacht Club (Thanks to the CYC for the accommodation!)

Gloria and Bluewater: They scored a dock slip (instead of an anchorage)!

Bluewater in a LARGE slip, CYC
still in Glorietta Bay

View of Bluewater Boathouse Seafood Grill (outlined in white lights) VERY close to the dock
Hotel del Coronado was lit up in the background with changing colors

New crew member Andrew and visitors David & Mark plus Gloria & Lawrence and visitor Liz

Crew members Andrew & Ryan plus David, Mark, Gloria, Lawrence hanging out in the salon
Yours truly (Liz) is taking the photo

Gloria and Lawrence lookin' good in red

Sunday November 28, 2021

San Diego

Another day in port! And more visitors including Liz/Mark/Amanda and soccer teammates plus soccer parents. Welcome aboard!

Lawrence is coming to let us in the gate
Bluewater is still at CYC

Bluewater welcomes visitors

Hello! Nice to meet you!

Amanda's favorite spot topside
Mil, Kiana, Amanda

The soccer clan enjoyed lunch at nearby Bluewater Boathouse Seafood Grill Restaurant while Liz and my rental car took Lawrence to the grocery store for supplies. Ryan was out on a walk and he met us at Vons.