It wasn't supposed to be that easy, although "easy" is a relative term when discussing offshore passages along the California coast. The dates were somewhat arbitrary, having been set months earlier, but we'd watched the buoy reports and offshore forecasts and under a full moon we motored under the Golden Gate Bridge at midnight on August 22nd.
Aboard Kia Orana was my long-time friend Stu, with whom I've logged thousands of sailing miles. Valhalla's skippers, Don and Katie, had enlisted Stewart from GCYC as crew, but their combination of sea time amounted to almost nothing. Believing there is no better way to learn than following the lead of an experienced crew, we had agreed to serve as Valhalla's guide down the coast to the Channel Islands.
Leaving at midnight when the winds are lightest, and at the beginning of the ebb to minimize the swells turned out to be our first bit of good timing. Apart from the NW and the unusual SW swell combining to remind everyone that we weren't on Scotts Flat Lake anymore...and a complete lack of wind...it was a beautiful night for motoring toward our first destination.
Planning an offshore passage along the California coast always involves the non-stop vs. harbor-hopping debate. Being our first cruise, and without large crews, the harbor-hopping decision was easy. Our goal was to reach Santa Cruz Harbor by 1600. Clear skies and a full moon provided spectacular visibility and shortly after we'd watched the moon set into the Pacific, the brilliant sun arose over the coastal mountains to the east. We ate our traditional breakfast of Raisin Brand and plain yoghurt while being treated to a pod of whales apparently too engrossed in their own pursuits to bother with us. The smooth seas allowed us to make much better time than expected and Kia Orana and Valhalla were rafted together on F-Dock in Santa Cruz before noon.
We had our first bout of land-legs, filled up with warm food, and slept as you'd expect after being up all night. Morning was gorgeous, and after breakfast at Aldo's and a visit to the fuel dock, we motored out onto Monterey Bay en route to San Simeon. Within 15 minutes, a breeze picked up and we were able to do the first sailing of the cruise. The log book entry says, "Sailing on flat seas @ 8kts!!! ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL." There was another whale show that afternoon and shortly before sunset the wind died. Motoring again on flat seas and clear skies, we were treated to a colorful sunset into the Pacific followed by the full moon rise over the coastal mountains to the east. It was like a negative-image deja vu and we marveled at our good timing.
Calm conditions call for a special meal, and a stroke of luck had left us with a big steak aboard Kia Orana. The bar-b-que on the stern rail was fired up and the smell of summer picnics in the park began wafting from our transom. Not wanting the feeling to go unshared, we slowed down to allow Valhalla to pull within smelling-distance. Top this, Valhalla!
It was an uneventful night and by 0400 the boats were anchored separately in San Simeon Cove. Morning was foggy and the SW swell made landing on the beach iffy, so we rowed around looking at the tide pools and blow holes. Both crews contributed some food which Katie cooked and served to us aboard Valhalla before we settled down for the night.
It was overcast in the morning, but the seas were almost flat with a nice breeze. We made coffee underway while on a beam reach for Morro Bay and enjoyed another day of perfect sailing conditions that had us tied up at the Morro Bay Yacht Club guest dock at 1600. After showers and a restaurant meal, we retired to the boats for another good night of sleep. Breakfast and fuel in the morning and we were ready to go.
Today we would round the legendary Point Conception. Although the winds were light, we reefed the mains in anticipation of building winds in the afternoon. That proved a wise decision when the winds picked up at noon. For the next six hours we sailed side-by-side with almost equal speed as the winds and swell built slightly. As we approached within 20NM of Point Conception, we were having an E-Ticket ride. I was feeling the exhilaration of my fifth southbound rounding while aboard Valhalla, Don and Stewart were imagining all the horrible things that could happen. Familiarity eventually eases most concerns and once they realized the boat could handle the conditions, they were able to revel in the uniqueness of their adventure.
The wind had almost died by the time we reached Point Conception. We furled our sails, Valhalla didn't, a decision they regretted when we got into the section beyond Coho where the wind takes a short-cut overland and dumps off the Gaviota shoreline into our path. It was ironic that the worst conditions of the cruise were after the dreaded point, but we pushed through and were soon in the lee of the Santa Barbara headlands. At 0420 we tied up in Santa Barbara harbor having traveled 326NM in just over 5 days. Everyone was feeling elated.
Stu left the boat in Santa Barbara and Teresa joined us for the trip to the islands. After re-supplying, we left at noon the next day for the 25NM sail to Smugglers Cove on Santa Cruz Island. It took us just over 4 hours in beautiful sailing conditions to cover the distance and drop separate anchors in the center of the cove just off the rocky beach where we were being entertained by the thriving wildlife above and below the surface. And then there was the food, which always tastes so good when eaten in the cockpit surrounded by such natural beauty.
A windy night gave way to a clear morning with the brilliant sun drawing a rainbow of colors from the meeting of air, sea, and land. Weighing the anchor was easy after a good breakfast and we were on our way to my favorite anchorage, Coches Prietos. Without wind, we motored along the Santa Cruz Island coast as the GPS pointed us to the well-protected cove.
We dropped our hooks on either side of a boat from San Francisco with a couple on their way down to Mexico. After exchanging sea stories, they pulled out leaving Kia Orana and Valhalla to enjoy the cove alone. It couldn't have been more beautiful. We walked the white sand beach, climbed to the top of the cliff, and just enjoyed the ambiance. This is what makes it all worth while.
Evening brought another feast followed by frivolity on Kia Orana and a long peaceful night of sleep, but in the morning we faced the dilemma of Teresa's car. The harbor office had told her there was a 3-day parking limit and, so we calculated, leaving the next morning for a sightseeing trip around Anacapa and back to Santa Barbara would put us into port after the car was supposed to be moved. There is no cell phone reception and no way to reach the harbor on VHF, so we reluctantly decided to head back today, a day early.
It was a beautiful, clear, windless trek across the Anacapa Channel and along the south side of the island. The wildlife was bountiful a we cruised with some dolphins for a while and saw hundreds of sea lions sunning on the beach while the birds went about their fishing duties. We passed the lighthouse and took pictures of Valhalla and her grinning crew with Anacapa Arch in the background. We didn't notice it at the time, but looking back now at the pictures, you can see an ominous-looking fog bank lurking in the distance.
Crossing the channel back to Santa Barbara, we were soon blasting along under reefed main and jib into almost zero visibility. Unfortunately, the best course we could hold under sail had us heading for Ventura and the decision was made to drop the sails and motor to Santa Barbara. That didn't make the conditions any better, but at least we were heading in the right direction. It was after sunset when we finally arrived at the harbor entrance, but the fog was so thick that the navigation lights were nothing more than an intermittent faint glow in the darkness. At times such as this, having some familiarity with a harbor is a valuable asset and we were soon safely tied up at the Santa Barbara Yacht Club guest dock.
The fog was just as thick when we awoke in the morning. We checked in with the harbor office and again requested the end-ties on N-Dock. Teresa dashed over to the parking lot to rescue her car. There had apparently been no need to rush as the 3-day limit was news to them, but returning to Santa Barbara a day early would prove to be another bit of good timing.
David arrived in late afternoon after a train ride down the coast to help crew Kia Orana back to San Francisco. The plan was to go back out to the islands for a day or two first, but listening to the offshore weather report that evening raised our concerns about timing the weather window correctly for rounding Point Conception. We'd check again in the morning.
All would have been fine if it hadn't been for the fog horn. Not much more than 100ft from the boats, it hadn't been a problem during our moonlit earlier stay, but in the fog it echoed its plaintive wail twice every 20 seconds throughout the night.
The next morning's report sealed our decision. It was time to leave for the point now as the winds and seas were forecast to build from the south the next day. Just after 0900, we departed Santa Barbara onto flat water, no wind, and heavy fog. Conditions remained unchanged to Point Conception where the wind increased only slightly...pretty good conditions for a northbound rounding.
It got colder as we got closer to Morro Bay, but the other conditions held in our favor. We didn't see any of the dreaded fishing buoys, nor much of anything including Valhalla in the fog, but we continued on keeping a keen eye on our radar. Through the night we motored, arriving in Morro Bay at 0300 to find the yacht club guest dock full. A few hundred yards farther down the channel we found enough space for both boats on the municipal dock where we got some sleep.
We fueled up in the morning and set off for San Simeon. The conditions were almost perfect, but the offshore forecast was calling for increasing wind and swell the following day. After a brief discussion on the VHF, we decided to take advantage of the good conditions and stay ahead of the forecast changes by bypassing San Simeon for Monterey. And so Katie's challenge began.
In our only bit of bad timing for the entire cruise, we happened to be coinciding with Labor Day weekend and many sailing events around Monterey Bay. But Katie persevered and, after countless phone calls, had us booked into 2 slips in Monterey Harbor. She was rewarded with an extra day in Monterey for some R&R. During our stay, David and I strolled down the tourist mecca of Cannery Row feeling quite out of place in my grubby sailing clothes, 2-weeks of beard, and favorite sailing hat of many years when I was approached by a man on the street who proclaimed to me, "You should never wear a hat with more character than you." I'm not often rendered speechless.
Skipping San Simeon allowed us two days in Monterey, but the weather was still building from the south. The plan was to make one final stop at Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay before heading back into San Francisco Bay. We prepared the boats and, after a good sleep, headed into the fog once more the next morning. Within an hour, the fog was lifting, the wind was calm, the swell was flat, and we motored along making good progress. Kia Orana's aging autopilot had been exhibiting what we called "senior moments" on the way down. David called on his vast reservoir of trivial nonsense, made some connection to erratic submarine movements, and re-named the device “Crazy Ivan” as it would work fine for hours and then suddenly decide to turn right. And once, just once, it turned left. Crazy.
We found that a combination of not waving our arms in the cockpit and sweet talking improved Crazy Ivan's demeanor, but we still had to keep an eye on him. At least he didn't fail at any critical point and Valhalla eventually learned not to follow us every time we turned.
Pigeon Point Light came into view from miles away. Our old stomping grounds along the San Mateo County beaches were clearly visible on this unusual fog-free day. Entering Pillar Point Harbor from the south took us along the beach, inside the reefs and straight into the entrance in the breakwater. By 1800 we were rafted together in Pillar Point Harbor swinging on a single anchor behind the bluff in the north-west corner of the outer harbor. Dinner was enjoyed together in Kia Orana's cockpit while watching the sunset. The peace and calm provided a good night of sleep.
It was foggy and cold when we weighed anchor the next morning for the last leg home, but it was still calm and flat on the water. Again we motored on, raising the sails at one point in the misplaced belief that there was enough wind. A couple of Humpbacks passed just off our port side, giving us a salute of their tails as they dove. The shipping channel markers could be seen from miles away in the clear conditions. Inside the channel, we turned toward the Golden Gate Bridge, the flood current adding about 2 knots to our speed. Just after 1000 we passed under the bridge and into San Francisco Bay after covering 740NM in 16 days. It was a pleasure to see the expressions of joy on everyone's face as they realized they'd logged their first ocean passage and made it home safely...and it really was that easy.
