Sunrise, Ocean dip, and the Metropolis

The Friday morning sky was dramatic as we rounded the Santa Cruz Island bluff and skirted Anacapa (one of the smaller Channel Islands). Did I mention we want to come back here? We have begun dreaming about flying to LA to rent a boat to make it a 70  mile trip rather than 700 next time.

We picked up a mooring buoy in Twin Harbor on Catalina Island just after dark on Friday night after another 70-mile day, mostly motoring. The pre-dark anchorages that were marked on the chart were more than intimidating, with virtually no protection from the surf and a relentless wind beating toward shore. Not a recipe for a restful night. We were able to follow the navigation lights of another sailboat into a deep harbor that had over 99 mooring buoys and maybe only a dozen boats. The buoys are set up with a bow and stern line so that the boats can be lined up in parallel parking spaces without swinging. We couldn’t quite get the stern line to cooperate, but since there were no boats near us we called it a day and were in bed by 9.

Lanham and Keith made a quick and quiet get-away from the mooring buoy, about 4 am. Melinda slept in! The early wake-up paid off with one of nature’s most brilliant sunrises either had ever witnessed. (As Boy Scout veteran’s they’ve seen more than many of us).

We are in truly warm weather now. It’s hard to imagine all the fleece we were wearing just 48 hours ago. Part of our thought in bringing the vacuum packer is that we will seal up our wool socks and sweaters until be start north again next summer. At mid-day, Lanham got out the boat soap and brush, giving the cockpit a good scrub.

That made us all feel pretty grimy, so we cut the motor, put out the stern line as a tow rope and all three jumped into the ocean!! The water was 78 degrees and azure blue, the boat drifted on at about a knot and a half, and we took turns body surfing behind it, then soaping up and rinsing off on the swim step. Incredibly fun!! I couldn’t stop laughing hanging onto the line for dear life, watching Solar Wind speed away from me and getting a face full of salty water! Maybe my highlight so far…

Wheee! Ha! So much fun!

Local San Diego residents hanging out.

                          

Pt. Loma

Keith bringing us in to downtown

We are tidying up as I write this and have contacted the Harbor Office at San Diego municipal pier. We will tie up there tonight. Ed and Amy, dock neighbors from Seattle have flown from their winter time home in Phoenix to greet us! What friends! Will get these last three blog entries with photos off ASAP tomorrow. Thanks for following along!