The Golden Gate

June 5, 2011 4:30 am

Winds 15-20 knots from the southwest, swells 6-8 feet and subsiding, rain abated

I came on deck to see Dan behind the wheel and to find out that the self steering wasn’t working ….. my turn to watch.  The phosphorescence sparked galaxies that whirled out of orbit and receded to stern as the blackness faded and the cloud curtain materialized.   I braced, with one foot to starboard and one to port, to maintain my balance while trying to anticipate and control the wheel, but I couldn't seem to get a feel for it.  Even though it’s a steering wheel and drives like a car, it was not immediately responsive; my timing was off and I had to make larger and larger corrections.  In the bracing wind, the staring focus became monotonous and I had to resist dozing.

Dan stired below and went head down in the locker to trace the hydraulics and fix the self steering. ……. Ah…… it was the switch!  Back on self steering we were free to move about; I went to make coffee and Dan went to feed the fish  ;)

Later in the morning dolphins returned to play in the bow wave.  These were light brown dolphins with darker brush strokes that looked like racing stripes.  I laid down on the bow with my hand out over the rail,  Sea World style, to see if they would pop up and touch my fingers…….. nope….. but I was mesmerized all the same. 

The sky split and God’s lips smiled for a moment……

Nevertheless, Big Sur was surly; uninviting, prohibitive. 

Passing Monterey, the sun broke out momentarily.  “Red at Night, Sailors’ delight”,   and, truly, the seas became oily smooth and the swells were more rocking than battering. 

I went below to cook a hot meal and got the water in the pot and the pot secured to the stove with fiddles, but before I could release the gimbals, the water jumped out and sloshed over floor.  After I let the stove go, to rock merrily on it’s gimbals, (looking ever so much like a teeter totter in high gear) the  Mac-n-Cheese cooked.  We savored every cheesy bite!

Although the fog returned, our excitement grew as we approached the Golden Gate.  Relying on  instruments, we located the shipping channel, turned to a new compass heading and strained our eyes to see the bridge.

What the radar showed

 

What the GPS depicted

 

What we saw

Eventually the mist lifted enough to record the passage;  we were home!!

The Window….

Waiting, waiting……. Dan obsessively checking NOAA (http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/graphical/sectors/pacsouthwest.php) which has really cool time lapse color mapping to describe the marine conditions in three hour increments.  Of particular interest were the wind speed and the wave height; the two deciding factors on ‘weather’ or not.  The focus of concern was Pt Conception, just north of Santa Barbara; California’s elbow.  This area is notorious for gale force winds and steep seas.  The ‘trade winds’ blow from north to south along California’s coast making a northerly trip one of beating up (and being beaten up!).

So when Dan saw that the winds were briefly shifting to an unusual south to north direction, it seemed like the window he was looking for.  So it was back down to Ventura where Cair Paravel was waiting.  With a quick reprovisioning, and one final check of NOAA……. the small craft advisory would be dissipating by midnight…..  Dan was anxious to go; I was just anxious, here we Go!

Ventura Harbor, Saturday, June 4, 2011  11:35 am

Winds light to moderate from the southwest, overcast skies, swells 2-4 feet.

Single Reefed Main, Jib and Staysail

Donned foul weather gear as the cold becomes apparent. 

We are visited by dolphins, a pair of black backed, white bellies who seem to enjoy racing the bow wave; they duck back and forth from starboard to port  playing with speed, then fall back to disappear under the boat before shooting ahead to win the race and start the game again.  

Winds 15-25 knots from the southwest, swells 6-8 feet  

Dusk descends, the shore lights twinkle on as the wind and seas increase.  Occasionally we hit 8+ knots surfing down a swell. Making good time, (too good a time), we enter into the ‘small craft advisory’ conditions as we approach Point Conception well before midnight.  Dan put up extra canvas cloths to provide some shelter from the rain, but the south west winds, providing an extra boost of speed make the lea cloths only marginally effective.  The self steering is attending to the compass direction, but doesn’t seem to be able to pick up the way point…… are the seas too confused? sending to many mixed messages?  I become fixated on the GPS chart, with our little boat’s arrow inching across the screen as the clouds descend and we are engulfed in darkness. 

The oil rigs that appear as gray apartment blocks in the day, now glow faintly in the gloom.  The GPS depicts the underwater topography as well as the depth soundings.  The sea bed looks like the shore sand that has been rippled by waves; washboard mountains below are not hard to imagine when riding the steep seas above.  At 2:48 am we reach Point Arguello and leave the “Graveyard of the Pacific” to stern. 

Dan stands the first solitary watch as I go below shedding foulies and crawling into the bunk.  Inadvertently, as I release my life line harness and drop it in the companionway, the buckle hits the self steering switch and turns it off.  Unaware, I go to sleep as Dan begins arm wrestling the seas in the blowing rain…..

On Stranger Tides …… ;^)

Standing Down

The weather has not improved and we decided to wait for more favorable conditions; however, we couldn’t wait in Santa Barbara as the harbor has a two week limit for visitors.  We called around and found Ventura to be very welcoming and, more importantly, to have a berth available. 

We set out Friday morning under glowering gray skies that immediately descended to envelop us in fog.  Nothing was visible beyond a few dozen feet,  at least that is how it appeared, distance is very tricky to estimate on water, in a mist; we became totally reliant upon the instruments.  While the compass was dependable, and the GPS unquestionable, the auto pilot continued to be erratic more often than not, turning the boat in a complete circle rather than attending to a course.  Dan worked for several days on the system so the auto pilot was ready for another go; even so, doing the trial in a complete fog-out seemed like an additional test.  So it was with some anxiety that the tryout began...... but it worked, perfectly!!  Not only did it pick up the job mid course and head to the designated destination, but it also tracked the original way point and then aligned with the projected path.  Whew! What a relief!!   It was also a relief that the fog lifted somewhat as we approached the Ventura harbor.  Instruments are fine…… but visual is reality!

So Cair Paravel is tucked in at Ventura and we have returned home to wait for more favorable conditions…… 

Waiting for a Weather Window

The next leg of this passage is from Santa Barbara to Morrow Bay.  In the middle, and the most challenging portion of the whole trip, is Point Conception, whose weather makes the trip north one many wish to steer clear of, however there is no other route, and admittedly, I’m experiencing approach avoidance…….. 

Our new ‘favorite’ site is: http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/graphical/sectors/pacsouthwest.php

Dan studies the predictions: the wind speed and direction, the wave heights and intervals and the pressure highs and lows to find a ‘window’ of favorable indicators that will last for at least 20 hours…… our trip is estimated to take 17.  It looked like Tues might be a favorable opportunity, only to have the indicators deteriorate as the updates were posted.   While the boat is capable of handling the yoyo of 10-12 foot swells at 9 second intervals along with the 25-35 knot winds…. I shudder at the prospect. 

The winds, even at the dock, have been so strong, that looking out the hatch I’m surprised to see sunny skies instead of a howling blizzard. 

In the mean time, one could have worse places to wait than Santa Barbara! 

Uriah Heap, haunting a Black Crowned Night Herron, skulks the docks in the light of the silvery moon……..

Dana Point to Twin Harbors, Catalina & Twin Harbors to Santa Barbara

May 11, 2011

Dana Point to Twin Harbors Catalina

So.. I’m deflated….. I took pictures and transferred them (or thought I did) to my computer and then erased the memory on my camera only to find out that I hadn’t actually downloaded …… so no snaps of the bright sparkling water, the blue, blue heavens, the snug harbors along Catalina’s coast, the tanker crossing our bow or the oil rigs ringing Santa Barbara…….. but I’ll throw in some random shots just for fun.

The legend lives at Dana Point 

Wind light and variable, swells 4-6 feet, temperature fresh

A fabulously beautiful day, if a little rocky and rolly…….. We saw a whale spout in the distance and I had a faint (very faint) urge to run up the mast and sing out “Thar she blows!".   Other than that, there was very little traffic in sight, only the ferry to Avalon skimming along and quickly passing out of sight.  We left our own con train of white foam fading to stern with no other indication of passage;  blue on blue, and empty 360’. 

There was a man-over-board drill mid day when Dan’s hat flew off: it was safely rescued and then replaced by a beanie.

After Catalina emerged out of the hazy fog and Avalon came into focus, we decided to push on to Twin Harbors and arrived as dusk roseyed the bay.  There were no docks available, but hundreds of moorings arranged as tight as public parking spaces.  Fortunately, few were occupied, as it seems that the season hasn’t yet begun. We moored and, inadvertently, began a test; how long can a dog go without a patch of grass………. I had some doggy pads available, but Guy Noir hasn’t been trained to use them and didn’t seem to appreciate the idea, so began the clock, twelve hours and counting……..



A tall ship, a pirate I’m sure, patrolling the coast……..

The mooring was relatively calm, with only a gentle rocking to check how good our anti-rattling measures had worked.  After some additional adjustments to limit elusive clunking, we were rocked to sleep. 

May 12, 2011

Twin Harbors Catalina to Santa Barbara

Wind light at one point off the port bow, swells 4-6 feet, temperature fresh

Twenty four hours and counting…..

We slipped our moorings before the sun was fully up to get a jump on the leg to Santa Barbara…..which at 80+ miles was the longest stretch yet.  As the sun illuminated Catalina’s harbors along the coast and outlined the sleeping dragon’s profile of the northern tip, the swells increased and the pacific became grumpy, with swells 6-8 feet.  Blech…..wrapped in motion sickness I lay on the deck; this section was about as much fun as having the flu.  Ginger fails!! 

Guy Noir occasionally yelped in frustration…….

We came upon the coast by Pt Magoo, and eventually, as we tucked in the unseen lee of the Channel Islands the swells subsided somewhat, the temperature dropped to chill, as the wind increased to 10-20 knots.  Dan set the main, yankee jib, and staysail which steadied the motion while adding a few extra knots of speed.    Whew…… nothing was more welcome than the Santa Barbara harbor buoy!

Thirty six hours and then some, as Guy Noir hustled up the dock to dry ground….. he gets the iron dog award!!



Anti-scurvy Dinner:  Kumquat & Kalamata Olive Salad  with Pan Roasted Mushrooms and Wild Rice Soup



Shake down, Rattle and Roll

While waiting for perfect weather, we (ok, Dan mostly) continue to make adjustments to the boat. First on the list was the auto pilot: one would like to walk away from the wheel during passages.   After hours of work filling the fluids, reattaching some wires, and turning ON the power  ;^)  the hydraulics seem to be doing the job.  We will test it again tomorrow on the way to Catalina (estimate an 8 hour trip). 

  
  

Dan also worked on the cabinets to help keep the

provisions from shifting while under sail by putting shock cords on the spices and cans.  

I needed some lighting in the clothes lockers and found some little LEDs that I stuck to the top of the space.  They give great light, almost like having a sky light through to the locker, with only a slight problem: they have a tendency to drop like ripe fruit rather than stick…..  so now I’m working on finding stickier stickers!

 

Guy Noir continues to work on entering and exiting the companionway without assistance.  Mostly he requires pushes up the steps, and then he, with only slight shoves, executes partially controlled falls down.  Dan even sacrificed some of his Cheez-its to the training effort, to no great effect.

Yes, there is a bathroom (aka Head) to starboard of the companionway and then through it a ‘shop’ and a line locker beyond.  (where Dan is located above)

To port of the companionway is the Captain’s and First (and ONLY) Mate’s berth. 

Regarding Comments: I adjusted the settings on the comment section of the blog…….. you don’t have to have a ‘profile’ anymore to leave a comment.  You can do so as ‘anonymous’ and without typing in those annoying letters to verify the post…  so pleeeease let me know what you think. 

San Diego to Dana Point: gray on gray

Overcast, winds light and variable, swells 2-4 ft.

After a day of delay (is one ever entirely ready?) we slipped the dock lines, headed out San Diego’s brief channel and pointed north.   We were immediately surrounded by countless dolphins and took it as a good omen despite the glowering skies. 

Running entirely by motor, the wind being insubstantial, Dan plotted a course for Dana Point using the new GPS.  What an amazing change from the SatNav of 25 years ago, which gave readings as infrequent as every 45 minutes.  We noticed a difference (of 5 feet) in the readings of the on deck instrument and the one at the chart table, puzzled over it for a minute before realizing that they were in fact five feet apart!  The GPS is set up like the monitors on the airlines that show the figure of an airplane crossing the continent….. only this has a boat following the coast, (including all the zigzags of inattention ;^)

Dan set the sails several times, but the Jib only flapped (aka luffing) and the main thwacked (aka irritating as hell) and so he gave up and we motored on, occasionally being engulfed by diesel fumes.  I felt sleepy several times, not being quite sure whether it was the fumes or the soporific motion of the boat.    Imagine sitting on one of those large exercise balls and constantly moving it six to eight inches in any direction……… We both ate a ginger chews (great placebos) before leaving SD, avoided any head down in the locker activities and, for the most part, were spared the discomfort of motion sickness. 

The motor/boat performed better than anticipated; we averaged 6.8 knots and arrived at Dana Point in eight hours.  While the Great Blue Herron gang dominated the San Diego harbor, the Brown Pelican gang overwhelmed the Pt. Dana channel, rivaling the seals of Sausalito in their olfactory assault. 

Oh, but it’s pure elation to arrive at a new harbor.  

Maiden Voyage

Across the harbor for a root canal  ….

The mast had to be removed and the wiring and pulleys (aka Sheaves) replaced so the ropes (aka Lines) could run smoothly and not bind at critical moments causing great embarrassment while creating grave danger to life and limb.  “Stepping the Mast” was at least a yearly occurrence on the Nor’Sea, as we launched and hauled her out ourselves (‘Fish’ restaurant, next to the Sausalito launching ramp, will now have to look elsewhere for their bi-yearly comedy routine.)  Much to my immense relief, the local boat yard was willing to do the job for Cair Paravel as it required a crane and four hands to steady and maneuver the big straw after all the stainless steel wires that hold the mast up (aka Shrouds) were released.  I did not stay around to observe…… way too anxiety provoking!  In the end, after several days, and being ‘relieved ’ of a significant amount of cash, the mast was re-seated, with new innards.  I suppose, after 23 years or so, one might require some new parts, ........and of course, root canals never come cheap......... 

Before

.

This was our first introduction to "Sea Spirit VI" at Sea Forth Marina in San Diego.

Length Over All: 37.00'  

Beam: 12.00'

Fore deck with open hatches

The deferred maintenance provided us with a bargain and a challenge.






View
from
the
companion-
way

Chart table to starboard

Salon mid-cabin

Looking aft, companionway with galley to port 

Forepeak

 



Fin keel



The ‘after’ pictures will develop over the next few years as we clean, repair and personalize the renamed sailboat. 



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