Day One 07 July 2003 They say not to leave San Francisco Bay at max ebb...we've read the stories in Latitude 38...but when you're going by the calendar and not by the moon, you get what you get. And we got *^&%$@^%$! Breakers in the shipping channel. There was no question that we stay just outside the red channel markers. Steve had joined us at Coyote Point and we had picked Doug up at the Marina in San Francisco at 1100. For the next hour and a half, Kia Orana took a pounding. At R2, we turned off, killed the diesel, set the jib, and were off on one of the nicest sails I've had for a while. By 1400, we'd unfurled the main to the first reef and doing 6.5kts by the GPS. The wind diminished and sail area increased over the next several hours. The soporific effects of the ocean had most of the crew napping by 1800. The smells wafting from the sternrail-mounted bar-b-que roused them from their bunks for a delicious sunset dinner of shrimp and white wine on the Pacific...under sail. There was no green flash, but shortly after sunset our Mighty Fisherman pulled in his 8-inch-long lure, with a hook large enough to snare a Great White, to find he had hooked a squid (smaller than the lure that snagged it through the mid-section). The sails carried us into the night, under glowing half-moon reflecting off the gentle swells, past the lights of Davenport, and onto the first of the channel markers leading us into Santa Cruz Harbor. 0300 found us tied to the dock where we enjoyed a good sleep after 100 nautical miles of beautiful ocean sailing. It was indeed fair winds and following seas. Day Two 08 July 2003 Awoke to clear, blue skies. Checked in with the harbormaster and were assigned to dock "O" using only our credit card as verification of the quality of our character. Who needs a yacht club? In a chat with a USSC skipper/instructor, we learned that the sailing jellyfish we'd been seeing were Velella Velella, Purple Sailors, or By-The-Wind-Sailors. They would become our constant companions. Chris and Allen drove down to pick up Steve and Doug. After breakfast at Aldo's, they left Teresa and me to ourselves. No sooner had we settled into being by ourselves than Double Play showed up with Don and Terri and their crew. A couple of beers after a long previous night and we were soon asleep. Day Three 09 July 2003 Frisbee Flake Day...You Can Never Go Back. I'm a sailor! Day Four 10 July 2003 Quiet morning in Santa Cruz harbor. Walk around to the light house. Pick up some supplies. Nap. 1600 sail. Beautiful. Clear. Dolphins. Wind died... Dinner at Rosa's. Generous bartender! Tasty food. Gotta come back. John and Gee Kirkland stop by the boat at 2000. Jon and Sheila arrive at 2200. Cards, Cheetos and booze. Soon asleep. Day Five 11 July 2003 1000 Left Santa Cruz Harbor with Jon and Sheila for a day of whale watching. I'd seen a couple of nearby breaching whales on an earlier trip across the Monterey Canyon and was hoping for more of the same. The problem was that as we got into deeper water, we picked up more swell and it got more uncomfortable for Sheila. Jon was having no problem, but in deference to Sheila's comfort, we headed on a zig-zag course toward the stacks in Moss Landing. 1700 Increasing winds made return to the shelter of the lee the wise choice. Safely back in Santa Cruz Harbor. Shayna & Mike join the crew for dinner (and another round of generous drinks) at Rosa's. After-dinner walk almost results in "arrest" from good-natured Santa Cruz cop. Day Six 12 July 2003 Another beautiful morning. Jon and Sheila leave after breakfast at Aldo's. Shayna drove over to visit. Sam and Lane drove over to visit. Santa Cruz is a great place to entertain. Dinner with everyone at the Crow's Nest. Bartender flunked out of whatever school the Rosa's bartender attended. Everyone left after dinner. Teresa and I were left to our own desires. ...and Teresa won! Day Seven 13 July 2003 Another sunny morning. Coffee and breakfast on the boat. 1040 headed out for a sail. Beautiful sail. 1325 fog. Back to anchor for the afternoon off Capitola. Double Play loaned us their dink. Closeup otter! Back to Santa Cruz Harbor for another night. Day Eight 14 July 2003 1010 Leave Santa Cruz Harbor. Empty holding tank. Full water tanks. Full bellies. Destination: Stillwater Cove. 1040 Teresa sees a "barrel" ahead...no...a "dinosaur". It was a monster Leatherback Sea Turtle...a rare and special viewing treat. 1110 Sailing under jib and reefed main. Beautiful sail! 1330 Lots of nearby whales off Cypress Point. Beautiful sail! Fair winds and following seas. Cliche sailing. Riding the mountains of the Pacific into Carmel Bay. 1500 Swinging on the hook in Stillwater Cove. Love the Bruce. Nearby otter cracking shells on his belly. Realized I had been here before on PlayStation 2. 1600 Went ashore. A walk toward the 3rd hole quickly drew the services of a golfcart taxi driver. Boat buck drinks and Hor's d'ouvres in the Tap Room. Picking something from the Pro Shop for Ryan (on the other end of the cell phone). Dinner on Double Play. ...and Rock and Roll All Night! Day Nine 15 July 2003 1000 Heading back to Santa Cruz. Foggy morning. Motor-sailing. More whales in the same spot as yesterday. Lots of playful activity. 1330 Tied up at "D" Dock in Santa Cruz Harbor. Double Play about 1 hour back. Lunch (dinner) at Aldo's and sleep. Day Ten 16 July 2003 0604 Left dock. Dropped off keys. Destination: Pillar Point Harbor. motored into a pleasant morning with a low ceiling. 0730 Rounding Davenport. Has this ever been easy? 1000 Mellow! Flat seas and light winds. Pigeon Point light in view. If things keep like this, we'll be happy. 1300 Abeam Pigeon Point. Seen more whales and dolphins. Another beautiful day on the ocean. 1430 Safely secured to "G-39". Difficult crosswinds on docking, but local fisherwoman rushed to our assistance. The World's Best Fish 'n' Chips for dinner. Beautiful sunset walk. Day Eleven 17 July 2003 0600 Exit Pillar Point Harbor. Destination: Coyote Point. 0800 Another beautiful morning. Rocking a bit but who's going to complain? Velella Velella would be in trouble in a man-overboard drill. Where's Steve when we need him? 0900 Lots of ships in the shipping channel. Turn to parallel just outside the red markers. 50 feet from a tug-and-tow on the same heading at the same speed. 1000 Still "shadowing" tug-and-tow. Golden Gate Bridge in sight. 1055 Passed under Golden Gate Bridge after successfully avoiding considerable amount of shipping traffic. The tourist ferries seem so much smaller. Beautiful sail along the city front. Lost wind at the Bay Bridge (as usual), iron genny and flood pushed us on. 1330 Kia Orana back in her slip in Coyote Point. Another safe and successful trip. I'm lucky to have my crew and craft.
