0800: First time for bringing the dinghy on board from an anchorage onto the deck of the boat. It was pretty seamless with the use of a block and tackle. David thinks he can come up with something that is a little less complicated and more permanent for the future. You can buy harnesses for over $200.00 but why spend the money when you have Captain Fantastic on the project!
0835:We left the moorage and motored down to the visitor's dock to pump out the holding tank and fill the water tanks.
1130: Away
1154: Jib out and Motor off.
4.5 knots without a cloud in the sky and the winds coming from the North at 5-10 knots.We both agree that Morro Bay was our favourite stop so far when it comes to atmosphere and friendliness. It just had a nice feel to it - kind of like La Conner.
1230: winds started to pick up and we were making our course at 6.5 knots which is basically our hull speed.
Explaination Time: What is hull speed? It is actually a formula: the square root of the waterline length X 1.5.
On a displacement hull (which is what we have) the hull displaces the equivalent amount of water as it moves forward. When you exceed hull speed the boat is pushed down into the water and the efficiency of the boat decreases. When this happens it is necessary to slow the boat down by reducing sail or pulling back on the throttle or in especially rare instances putting out a sea anchor.
1304: 30-40 dolphins all around the boat. They were mottled grey with a black dorsal fin. A few of them jumped right out of the water and others were criss-crossing under our bowsprit. Cool!
1320: winds died off and we had to roll in the jib and start the motor. It was good while it lasted.
Valencia Peak the Point Buchin Diablo Canyon Power Plant
1400: wind back and thus the sails are back and the motor is off. Another school of dolphins came to visit us.
1600: Even though the wind was up the seas were still relatively calm so I was able to make one of our favourites - Pasta Salsitsea (Sault Ste. Marie Italian sausage). This time I changed it up a little and used Paparedelli noodles and added sicilian olives which really made for it nice. We rated it as one of the best i have made.
1800: BA takes a nap to prepare for the night watch.
2000: BA up, sails down and motor on. Seas were calm and the moon was at 76%.
It was a pleasant night with the stars and the lights on shore marking my way. The lights from Point Arguello and the Naval Missile Gantry were especially bright. One of the boats that we met had been past this site when they were launching a satellite. That would have been cool to see.
We heard from Al and Sandy: they were having fuel problems and were about 15-20 miles behind us.
2223: abeam oil rigs about 5 miles North of Pr. Arguello. I can make out 3 more in alignment running down the coast.
I can also see a cruise ship about 5 miles off to starboard. It could be one of those repositioning cruises. He seems to be travelling relatively slowly so I am guessing that he is waiting for daylight to head into \Santa Barbara.
I absolutely love sailing on nights like this!!!
On night watches you are constantly looking around and checking things out. One thing that I still find comforting is picking up the different buoys or lighthouse flashing patterns and matching them up with the GPS or chart so you know exactly where you are.
I am supposed to wake the Captain up but I think I will let him sleep for another hour. Me and Blue Rodeo are enjoying this too much and are not ready to go to bed. The moon is so bright and the lights from the stars are magnificent. David says just wait until we are on the open ocean and there is no light from the shore. I can't imagine!
1132: altered course to 135. Orion is starting to rise in the east.
0020: abeam the second oil rig - Harvest. These suckers are big.
0042 passed the third one - Hermosa.
0100: I am tired. Time to wake up the captain.But I can see a white light coming from down below. Guess he just senses when it is his time to take over.
0120: the rigs are actually production platforms with Hidalgo, Harvest and Hermosa situated between Point Arguella and Point Conception.
0240: off Point Conception with light winds and calm seas. It can get pretty ugly rounding this point due to the cape affect so we won't complain.
0645: coming abeam of the last of the next three platforms - Heritage, Harmony and Hondo - lit up like hotels and flaring gas. ETA to Santa Barbara round 1100. One of David's previous careers was on drilling platforms similar to these in the arctic - except they were not permanent structures but rather drill ships exploring for oil.
0800: witness crew change on the platforms with the supply boat as well as the helicopters
0815: BA up. Rats - another sunny day and the shorts are on already. Morning greetings by another pod of dolphins .They are completely airborne and skimming just above the waterline. Fleece off and suntan lotion on.
0704: abeam Holly and you can smell the oil and actually see an oily film on the water. Apparently their excuse is that this is natural seepage! I am not sure how much I believe that. all I know that if there was any evidence of fuel from our bilge around the boat at our marina were could be subject to heavy fines. You were expected to put out absorbancy pads, fix the problem or have the boat hauled. I just don't get it.
1230: lots more dolphins. Then we noticed the Saphire Princess anchored in the bay at Santa Barbara ( the cruise ship that passed us in the night)
1240: Arrived at Santa Barbara' We got a slip for $44.00 dollars a night with very nice facilities. Santa Barbara is a beautiful place but we were not able to enjoy it immediately as we had a Head issue (toilet) - it was plugged! So the shit jokes were flying - especially as David had to replace the joker valve! But he found the plug and cleaned that out. He removed the entire toilet to do that and I took it on the dock and cleaned it all up till it looked like new. David resealed the sucker and then we went for our shower.
We were both too tired to do any more work so we walked up to the pub for dinner and watched the fishermen bring in their catch. The most interesting was the load of sea urchins - a favourite with the Japanese.
0835:We left the moorage and motored down to the visitor's dock to pump out the holding tank and fill the water tanks.
1130: Away
1154: Jib out and Motor off.
4.5 knots without a cloud in the sky and the winds coming from the North at 5-10 knots.We both agree that Morro Bay was our favourite stop so far when it comes to atmosphere and friendliness. It just had a nice feel to it - kind of like La Conner.
1230: winds started to pick up and we were making our course at 6.5 knots which is basically our hull speed.
Explaination Time: What is hull speed? It is actually a formula: the square root of the waterline length X 1.5.
On a displacement hull (which is what we have) the hull displaces the equivalent amount of water as it moves forward. When you exceed hull speed the boat is pushed down into the water and the efficiency of the boat decreases. When this happens it is necessary to slow the boat down by reducing sail or pulling back on the throttle or in especially rare instances putting out a sea anchor.
1304: 30-40 dolphins all around the boat. They were mottled grey with a black dorsal fin. A few of them jumped right out of the water and others were criss-crossing under our bowsprit. Cool!
1320: winds died off and we had to roll in the jib and start the motor. It was good while it lasted.
Valencia Peak the Point Buchin Diablo Canyon Power Plant
1400: wind back and thus the sails are back and the motor is off. Another school of dolphins came to visit us.
1600: Even though the wind was up the seas were still relatively calm so I was able to make one of our favourites - Pasta Salsitsea (Sault Ste. Marie Italian sausage). This time I changed it up a little and used Paparedelli noodles and added sicilian olives which really made for it nice. We rated it as one of the best i have made.
1800: BA takes a nap to prepare for the night watch.
2000: BA up, sails down and motor on. Seas were calm and the moon was at 76%.
It was a pleasant night with the stars and the lights on shore marking my way. The lights from Point Arguello and the Naval Missile Gantry were especially bright. One of the boats that we met had been past this site when they were launching a satellite. That would have been cool to see.
We heard from Al and Sandy: they were having fuel problems and were about 15-20 miles behind us.
2223: abeam oil rigs about 5 miles North of Pr. Arguello. I can make out 3 more in alignment running down the coast.
I can also see a cruise ship about 5 miles off to starboard. It could be one of those repositioning cruises. He seems to be travelling relatively slowly so I am guessing that he is waiting for daylight to head into \Santa Barbara.
I absolutely love sailing on nights like this!!!
On night watches you are constantly looking around and checking things out. One thing that I still find comforting is picking up the different buoys or lighthouse flashing patterns and matching them up with the GPS or chart so you know exactly where you are.
I am supposed to wake the Captain up but I think I will let him sleep for another hour. Me and Blue Rodeo are enjoying this too much and are not ready to go to bed. The moon is so bright and the lights from the stars are magnificent. David says just wait until we are on the open ocean and there is no light from the shore. I can't imagine!
1132: altered course to 135. Orion is starting to rise in the east.
0020: abeam the second oil rig - Harvest. These suckers are big.
0042 passed the third one - Hermosa.
0100: I am tired. Time to wake up the captain.But I can see a white light coming from down below. Guess he just senses when it is his time to take over.
0120: the rigs are actually production platforms with Hidalgo, Harvest and Hermosa situated between Point Arguella and Point Conception.
0240: off Point Conception with light winds and calm seas. It can get pretty ugly rounding this point due to the cape affect so we won't complain.
0645: coming abeam of the last of the next three platforms - Heritage, Harmony and Hondo - lit up like hotels and flaring gas. ETA to Santa Barbara round 1100. One of David's previous careers was on drilling platforms similar to these in the arctic - except they were not permanent structures but rather drill ships exploring for oil.
0800: witness crew change on the platforms with the supply boat as well as the helicopters
0815: BA up. Rats - another sunny day and the shorts are on already. Morning greetings by another pod of dolphins .They are completely airborne and skimming just above the waterline. Fleece off and suntan lotion on.
0704: abeam Holly and you can smell the oil and actually see an oily film on the water. Apparently their excuse is that this is natural seepage! I am not sure how much I believe that. all I know that if there was any evidence of fuel from our bilge around the boat at our marina were could be subject to heavy fines. You were expected to put out absorbancy pads, fix the problem or have the boat hauled. I just don't get it.
1230: lots more dolphins. Then we noticed the Saphire Princess anchored in the bay at Santa Barbara ( the cruise ship that passed us in the night)
1240: Arrived at Santa Barbara' We got a slip for $44.00 dollars a night with very nice facilities. Santa Barbara is a beautiful place but we were not able to enjoy it immediately as we had a Head issue (toilet) - it was plugged! So the shit jokes were flying - especially as David had to replace the joker valve! But he found the plug and cleaned that out. He removed the entire toilet to do that and I took it on the dock and cleaned it all up till it looked like new. David resealed the sucker and then we went for our shower.
We were both too tired to do any more work so we walked up to the pub for dinner and watched the fishermen bring in their catch. The most interesting was the load of sea urchins - a favourite with the Japanese.
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