All we wanted for Christmas...was to go Sailing!

Arriving to the Hunter 36 on XMAS eve. Look at the fog layer.

 

  We arrived in San Diego Saturday night and had great weather for our family Christmas gathering on Sunday. We had been following the weather and knew that there would be a change of weather thru the night before Xmas eve. It was fully expected to let up by morning. Our reservations for the boat were for 9:00 a.m. and there we were arriving at the charter office as it was still raining. We were all baffled by the weather as NOAA and local forecasts showed it to be clear weather by then. We delayed a few hours while we went for breakfast arriving back around noon and got the OK we were looking for to be allowed to sail as the weather did improve.

 

Headed out to sea

We had originally planned to head out of the harbor for a course to the Los Coronado's Islands. However with this late start we wouldn't have enough daylight left so we just went out for a good sail. There were very few other boats who had decided to head out on Christmas eve in this weather. Surely it was only us die hard sailors.

 

 

 

We pulled out of Shelter Island on this well equipped Hunter 36 and noticed right away how much easier the sail handling was on it as we hoisted the sails. The big problem was the wind had shifted as well from what was predicted and was coming from the southwest right on our nose as we were headed out of the bay. After a couple hours sailing upwind we took the approaching Navy supply ship entering the channel as a sign to head back into the bay.

 

 

 

 

 After turning back, we picked up speed as we jibed back and forth in the narrow channel heading back into San Diego Harbor. We both got in quite a bit of practice as we took turns at the helm and working the sails.

 

 

 

 

A decision was made to get back to the slip a little early instead of heading further into the bay because of the winds direction. We were having a lot of fun and made it back in better time then expected. So we doused the sails, turned on the engine and made our course back to the slip.

 

 

 

 

 After an easy docking and securing the boat for the night we poured some wine to celebrate another successful day of sailing. We spent some time looking over the harbor chart to see where we had sailed, and looked over the boat getting acoustomed to it's layout and equipment.

 

 

 Going up to the cockpit to lounge for awhile longer and looking out thru the harbor before heading out to another family get together. We relaxed and took in what it will be like to one day soon be living on our own boat. 

 

 

 

 

 

We did come back in the evening after dinner as we had the boat for the night and spent the night sleeping aboard very comfortably. We woke up on Christmas day refreshed from a good nights sleep aboard. We packed our things into the car and locked up the boat saying goodbye for now. We reflected on our focus for this new lifestyle which we had fulfilled in 2012. And knew that we were going to enjoy many more fun filled days sailing in the coming New Year.

 

 

 



 

    And Sailing...... We Did!!!

 

 

 

Finally - Were Sailing Again!!!



Chris is proudly representing in his Nautilus Sailing Shirt
 

  After  5 long months back at work, we finally were able to plan a day sail in San Diego, California. We spent many days over the last few months deciding who to charter a boat from so we could get back out sailing and get some much needed practice time to work on our skills.


We settled on joining  http://www.marinasailing.com/  which charters out of 6 southern California locations to it's members.

Chris motoring out of the slip
 

We decided to start small chartering a Catalina 27 Mark II named "Fury" for our first sailing since we got our ASA 104 back in June. After a quick briefing on the boats systems, local chart's and a docking test we were off sailing.



  We couldn't have asked for better weather. It was a perfect clear day with temp's in the low 70's and forecast for 15 to 20 kts of wind. We motored out from Shelter Island and into the main San Diego harbor channel and began to put up the sails. 

A photo to remind us were to turn back in.

View of Pt Loma as we pull out of Shelter Island.
 

 

  

 We viewed Sea Lions sunning themselves on the channel markers and although we were aware that the Marines were doing exercises up the coast were not really prepared for all the Navy ship activity we would encounter.



 

 

After some tense moment's trying to remember our brief instruction on the in mast furling main sail system on this boat we were able to figure out the lines and get the sails up. We shut off the engine and were sailing!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Not long after we made our course for the open sea we were surrounded by small Navy patrol boats keeping tabs on our position as a Nuclear Submarine was entering the harbor. This was a sight you don't see every day.

 

                                                      

 

So once clear of the bay and the tip of Point Loma we made a turn west to get out of the  main shipping channel but recognised there were kelp beds and fishing nets which were hazards the first couple miles off shore in our direction so we kept a good watch. We gained speed as we took on more wind but a wind shift from off shore to onshore from a Santa Ana condition would prove challenging later as we would head back into the harbor.

 

 

Chris sailing offshore 

 

Amanda had it heeled over and loving it.

 

We did see winds pick up off shore from 12 to 19 kts as we practiced different points of sail. We realized rather quickly that we were out of practice and were not getting the full efficiency out of our sails that we would have liked and would need more practice.  

 

 

 

 

 

We continued to sail offshore for about three hours and then decided to go back into the harbor and sail the bay looking for somewhere to stop for lunch.

 

 

 

After entering the main harbor getting ready to pass North Island NAS on a port tack we were quickly approached by a small military craft with a 60 cal gun aboard yelling at us over the P A to sail off from another approaching Nuclear Submarine we hadn't seen. As we looked ahead of us under the sail, sure enough the sub was headed right for us. The patrol boat pulled along side us and forced us over towards the shore as the sub took the full main channel as it passed us. This put us on a course directly into a forbidden military zone shown on our chart and told to us by the charter company as a military nuclear loading dock. We figure we must be allowed since the military themselves put us on the course towards the dock. After the Submarine passed us the military boat sped off  towards the sub leaving us where we were. Unable now to change course sailing into the wind to get away from the approaching ship docked we made the decision to start the engine and motor back into the channel. This was awkward as we had full sail up and no time to douse them. So into the channel we went with a back winded Jib.

 

 

 

 

As we passed Harbor Island, and rounded Coronado Island headed to downtown San Diego to get lunch we were passed by a cruising boat just adding insult to how inefficient we were sailing in the now light winds inside the bay. But after a few more tacks we furled in the Main and Jib, turned on the motor and headed for a dock at Anthony's for some world famous Fish and Chips for our lunch. Getting a fair amount of docking practice as the winds did not cooperate and after several trys we did make it to the restaurant's dock.

 

 

After lunch, we undocked and headed back across the bay to Shelter Island to our slip.

 

 

 

 

Figuring after 7 hours of successful sailing and docking back at our slip for the night we patted ourselves on the back, had a celebratory glass of wine and realized once again how much fun sailing was vowing to do it again soon.

 

Driving passed the harbor on the way to the airport to fly home the next day we gazed into the harbor were the transient boats were moored taking a photo of the dingy dock and vowing to return for another day sail in a couple weeks time.

 

 

 

The Next Step... Getting back "Out There"



 So, now that we have returned back to our daily routine what must we do to keep on track. Knowing that it will be easy to get cought up in the day to day of shoreside life we must keep our focus on the goal. With full time demands of our employers and distractions on our time from friends and family what will we do not to get totally sucked in. One of the ways I keep focused is finding time to write this blog, and update our Facebook page.

A typical Bareboat charter leaving from Long Beach, CA



 We had to wait about a month before recieving our credentials from the American Sailing Assoc and now we are ready to get back on a sailboat for more practice and experience. Were trying to put together our logbooks with written sailing/boating experiences (resume) so that we can once again go bareboat sailing. Also we have been reviewing our choices for local sailing charter opportunities. We also want to schedule some additional classes in the future.

A lone sailboat on Lake Pleasant in Phoenix, Arizona



 Being landlocked in Arizona and a 6 hours drive from the Southern California Coast will certainly present some challenges. One local lake about 1 1/2 hrs drive away does rent 25'-30' sailboats by the day and gives us a good local choice for sailing practice. SAILING IN THE DESERT may seem like an oxymoron, but it's true. You can sail in the desert.

Here are the Island destinations for druising So. California



 The other choice would be to charter a boat in California for short trips to Catalina Island or just up and down the southern California coast. We have also found a couple good possibilities for that. This will take more time but give us valuable coastal cruising and anchoring practice with tides and currents not typical in our local lake. 

Avalon Harbor on Santa Catalina Island 22 miles SW of Los Angeles



 We also continue to read books and our favorite blogs of others out there cruising and those also in the planning stages like us. And look forward to gaining more experience as we countdown to our Sabbatical. 

BARBADOS - OUR FINAL CARIBBEAN DESTINATION

 Once again this Monday morning June 18th we find ourselves getting up and heading to the airport before the sun comes up as we make the island hop to Barbados. As we approach this new island nation from the air we can already tell that it is going to be worlds apart both geographically and economically from where we have been before.

 Situated more then 100 miles to the East of St Vincent and the Grenadines it sits alone into the Atlantic Ocean. Seldom traveled to by Cruising Yachtsman but with vibrant tourism and a good economy. We felt like we should see this island nation since we probably wouldn't get a chance to next time around on our own boat.

  We took what seamed like a long taxi ride towards Bridgetown from the airport past large homes and acres of rich farmland. We arrived before 7:30 A.M. and were told we were to early for check in at the Hilton-Barbados (http://hiltonbarbadoshotel.com/)  which is nestled in the lush tropical peninsula of Needhams Point near historic Bridgetown. We took this time to have breakfast and see the tour desk to make arrangements for the days activities. We decided that once again is would be best to hire a private tour guide to drive us around the island and lucked out that a local restaurant/bar was having a dinner show tonight showcasing local entertainment and food.

After getting settled into our room, which had an amazing view balcony of the Caribbean sea port we got ready for our island tour which would begin in less then an hour.We were pleasantly surprised to look out and see a good anchorage lined with mooring balls and more cruising yachts then we would have expected. We met our guide in the lobby and began our tour of the island.

During our tour we were taken on a clockwise tour of the Island up the Caribbean coast first then across the top of the Island and down the Atlantic coast then around back to the city.

After our Island tour we were dropped off in Bridgetown to get some lunch and do some last minute shopping. There was a cool inlet into the city center where there were fishing boats available for immediate charter for some private fishing, very cool.

After finding a great local place for lunch in what could be described as a 3 story department store. We bought some souvenirs and returned to the hotel to relax before going for the dinner show. Watching the sundown over the Caribbean sea for the last time from our Balcony.

We met several other Americans staying at the resort on the short shared taxi ride to the event. We were looking forward to the dinner show as we were concluding this amazing Caribbean Trip. We couldn't recommend more the fun of the Harbor Lights show filled with activity and great food.

 Check out the following video's of the experience.

Well just when we thought the adventure was over, upon waking up in the morning for our early departure flight back to the states, there was a blackout and we had no electricity to our room getting ready. Thankfully we were prepared with our sailing gear including several flashlights from which we lit our final hour in Barbados. Our last taxi ride to the airport and this adventure would be over.

Flying back to the U.S to go back to our daily lives we were overwhelmed with emotion as we came away from this trip more convinced then ever we were directing our lives towards the right lifestyle for us and cannot wait to continue the journey. See you all "Out There" again soon.