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.