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……..