02-01-2010
Hi All,
So, after a week and a half of scary storms, we finally got underway. We steamed out of Moss landing into an oily-glassy bay, without a breath of wind in sight. We waited becalmed 'till around noon, when a beautiful 15 knots of NW wind sprung up and whisked us around Point Pinos in no time at all. Passing Carmel, we decided to put into Stillwater Cove for a night, as the first mate was feeling a bit seasick. Unfortunately, Stillwater Cove in winter, with 10 feet of swell, did not live up to its name. We rocked and rolled all night, and found it hard to sleep from the motion and the excitement.
The next morning, we decided that, even though there wasn't much wind on the forecast, we might as well be trying to make some progress south since it was just as rough at sea as it was at SWC. As we motored out of SWC a light NW wind sprung up and we sailed just past Pt. Lobos before the breeze promptly died around 11am. We sat becalmed, making slight northward drift until sunset, still off Point Lobos and, depressingly, still within sight of SWC. Luckily, to ease the boredom, a loose pod of whales passed us by around 1pm, getting quite close (see picture),.JPG)
before diving underneath us. Closest we have ever been to whales.
At sunset, a very light NW breeze developed, and we set our big light-air sail and started ghosting south at about 2 knots. We stood 3hr watches starting at 8pm, but neither of us got much sleep when off watch because the wind was so light and fickle that tacking sail changes were necessary all night. Sailing all night with very light winds, we drew just past Point Sur at dawn. We decided not to anchor at Fuller's or Wreck beach, as there was a moderate low pressure system forecast to move through that evening and neither anchorage is protected from storm winds. The wind switched to SE mid morning, and strengthened throughout the day. Close hauled, we could just about sail due south. By dusk, the SE wind had strengthened to 25 knots and the swell picked up. We tied in a reef, then another as the wind continued to pick up and night fell. Heavy rain made the first watch miserable, but no sail changes were necessary until the rain stopped around 11. Around the watch change at midnight, the wind turned W and became light, then N, then E, all light. After another night of tacks and sail changes every few hours kept both of us busy through the we hours.
Around dawn, consultation with the charts showed that the SE wind had pushed us about 40 nm offshore and at an even latitude with San Simeon, so we enjoyed a bit of downwind sailing through the morning heading due E. Listening to the weather forecast showed that a large W swell would be arriving by evening, so we decided to skip San Simeon, which is exposed to the W and SW (we had enough of rolly anchorages for the week) and head straight for Morro Bay..JPG)
Unfortunately, the wind quit mid morning. Deciding whether to motor to MB, we checked our charts and guides, which both warned us about the tricky entrance to the bay when there is a large W or SW swell running. We radioed the Morro Bay Coast Gaurd, who informed us that 8-12 ft waves were breaking nearly across the harbor entrance, and that they were going to have to close the entrance by nightfall.
Of course, we caved in and fired up the motor, making about 5 knots through the glassy long-period swell. By 1pm, nice NW wind sprung up so we set all the sail we could manage and squeezed 6 knots out of Orca motor-sailing on a broad reach. About a mile outside the harbor we radioed the CG again. They sent someone down to stand on the beach and time the sets for us. They also offered to escort us through the channel on one of their 50-foot rescue boats, which we declined. We harnessed up, closed up the cabin and dogged everything down tight. As we drew near the harbor we struck the main (so we wouldn't have to worry about the jibe if the wind were swirling around Morro Rock, which is a pretty imposing geological feature.) We left the jib up, as we needed all the speed we could get against the 3 knot + current ripping out of the channel. As we arrived just outside the breakwater, a set arrived, a good 10 feet high right in the channel and looking steep enough to break. We headed the bow into it and plowed over the 3 waves at an angle, none the worse for the wear but with the adrenaline pumping. With some coaching from the CG, we made a run for it and gained the protection of the breakwater before the next set arrived. Plumes of spray were shooting over the breakwater, but just inside of it we were safe in calm water.
So, after a week and a half of scary storms, we finally got underway. We steamed out of Moss landing into an oily-glassy bay, without a breath of wind in sight. We waited becalmed 'till around noon, when a beautiful 15 knots of NW wind sprung up and whisked us around Point Pinos in no time at all. Passing Carmel, we decided to put into Stillwater Cove for a night, as the first mate was feeling a bit seasick. Unfortunately, Stillwater Cove in winter, with 10 feet of swell, did not live up to its name. We rocked and rolled all night, and found it hard to sleep from the motion and the excitement.
The next morning, we decided that, even though there wasn't much wind on the forecast, we might as well be trying to make some progress south since it was just as rough at sea as it was at SWC. As we motored out of SWC a light NW wind sprung up and we sailed just past Pt. Lobos before the breeze promptly died around 11am. We sat becalmed, making slight northward drift until sunset, still off Point Lobos and, depressingly, still within sight of SWC. Luckily, to ease the boredom, a loose pod of whales passed us by around 1pm, getting quite close (see picture),
.JPG)
before diving underneath us. Closest we have ever been to whales.At sunset, a very light NW breeze developed, and we set our big light-air sail and started ghosting south at about 2 knots. We stood 3hr watches starting at 8pm, but neither of us got much sleep when off watch because the wind was so light and fickle that tacking sail changes were necessary all night. Sailing all night with very light winds, we drew just past Point Sur at dawn. We decided not to anchor at Fuller's or Wreck beach, as there was a moderate low pressure system forecast to move through that evening and neither anchorage is protected from storm winds. The wind switched to SE mid morning, and strengthened throughout the day. Close hauled, we could just about sail due south. By dusk, the SE wind had strengthened to 25 knots and the swell picked up. We tied in a reef, then another as the wind continued to pick up and night fell. Heavy rain made the first watch miserable, but no sail changes were necessary until the rain stopped around 11. Around the watch change at midnight, the wind turned W and became light, then N, then E, all light. After another night of tacks and sail changes every few hours kept both of us busy through the we hours.
Around dawn, consultation with the charts showed that the SE wind had pushed us about 40 nm offshore and at an even latitude with San Simeon, so we enjoyed a bit of downwind sailing through the morning heading due E. Listening to the weather forecast showed that a large W swell would be arriving by evening, so we decided to skip San Simeon, which is exposed to the W and SW (we had enough of rolly anchorages for the week) and head straight for Morro Bay.
.JPG)
Unfortunately, the wind quit mid morning. Deciding whether to motor to MB, we checked our charts and guides, which both warned us about the tricky entrance to the bay when there is a large W or SW swell running. We radioed the Morro Bay Coast Gaurd, who informed us that 8-12 ft waves were breaking nearly across the harbor entrance, and that they were going to have to close the entrance by nightfall.Of course, we caved in and fired up the motor, making about 5 knots through the glassy long-period swell. By 1pm, nice NW wind sprung up so we set all the sail we could manage and squeezed 6 knots out of Orca motor-sailing on a broad reach. About a mile outside the harbor we radioed the CG again. They sent someone down to stand on the beach and time the sets for us. They also offered to escort us through the channel on one of their 50-foot rescue boats, which we declined. We harnessed up, closed up the cabin and dogged everything down tight. As we drew near the harbor we struck the main (so we wouldn't have to worry about the jibe if the wind were swirling around Morro Rock, which is a pretty imposing geological feature.) We left the jib up, as we needed all the speed we could get against the 3 knot + current ripping out of the channel. As we arrived just outside the breakwater, a set arrived, a good 10 feet high right in the channel and looking steep enough to break. We headed the bow into it and plowed over the 3 waves at an angle, none the worse for the wear but with the adrenaline pumping. With some coaching from the CG, we made a run for it and gained the protection of the breakwater before the next set arrived. Plumes of spray were shooting over the breakwater, but just inside of it we were safe in calm water.
While we motored around the bay, checking out the scene, two people at the Morro Bay yacht club flagged us down and we tied up to get the down-low on where to anchor, public showers, etc, from two very nice people.Morro Bay is a beautiful estuary with a quaint tourist town right on the water and lots of public facilities. We anchored just outside the channel and slept great, steady as a rock. Next morning, Sunday, Kara's sister's family came down and we spent the day exploring the town.
This morning, Sunday, we woke up early, waxed up our boards and paddled across the estuary and hiked across 1/2 mile of surreal Sahara-like sand dunes and found a fun little beach break south of the harbor entrance and had a great little surf in head high glass.
This brings us up to date, with us sitting in a little coffee/doughnut shop just off the water. So far, so good! We're going to keep going, but not until Thursday's storm passes through. Thanks for reading!
John & Kara
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