2,082.7 Nautical Miles!

We have come a long way since departing Seattle 3 months ago. Our longest stopovers were in Ucluelet, the San Francisco Bay, and Los Angeles, for about a week in each spot. Otherwise we’ve been on the move every few days since the end of June. It has been exhilarating, exhausting, and exciting. During these past three months we have learned so much about full-time cruising, our boat, and ourselves. We are now in San Diego where we will stay for the month, preparing to continue south to Mexico. We’ve heard and read that it is much easier to obtain parts and supplies in the US than in Mexico, so we’re working on projects and shopping for spares. Throughout our coastal cruising in California we’ve had the chance to see a number of friends who have supported us along the way. Thanks to everyone who helped us by sharing their washers and dryers, accepting packages for us, giving us garden fresh eggs, tomatoes, and apples, showing us around their towns, singing karaoke, eating burritos with us, and welcoming us with open arms. It has been such a treat to have warm hospitality all along the coast. THANK YOU!

We spent a few nights in Avalon, Santa Catalina Island. After our time in the Channel Islands National Park, it felt like a big bustling town with lots of people, restaurants, and activities. Not to mention the hundreds of golf carts scooting around instead of cars. We spent a day exploring the town, and a day hiking up ~1,500 feet for sweeping views of the island and beyond to San Clemente Island.

Avalon helped ease us back into civilization and prepare us for our next stop in Los Angeles. We tied up to a mooring ball in Redondo Beach and spent the next week visiting friends and exploring multiple parts of LA. We rented a car for the first time on this journey and jumped right back into traffic and congestion. We visited Santa Monica, Venice, Sherman Oaks, Valley Village, Little Tokyo, Griffith Park, Norco, the Petersen Automotive Museum, the La Brea Tar Pits, and Hermosa Beach. We also went to see Jay Leno doing stand-up comedy just down the road from our marina!

We sailed over night from LA to San Diego. Our first six hours or so departing LA were perfect sailing weather. We started with a little upwind sailing to get around the corner, then a nice downwind sail. Seas were generally calm and we had a beautiful sunset. Later in the evening the wind died down to only a few knots so we motored the rest of the way in somewhat rolly conditions. Throughout the foggy night there were active military exercises in the distance that we were made well aware of over the VHF radio from various unnamed warships announcing their GPS positions and various military craft on AIS seemingly headed right for us then vanishing from AIS. There was no trouble staying alert for Mark’s 2-6am watch. As we neared San Diego around 8am, a thick fog set in. Kris was on watch and visibility was less than a 1/4 mile. Yet another another opportunity to trust our instruments and charts. The fog lifted about half way through the channel into San Diego Bay, providing us with a clear view of the naval submarine at the surface exiting the bay. San Diego is a busy military area. We’re reminded of that daily by the military airplanes flying overhead and the sound of the bugle playing Taps floating through the marina from the neighboring naval base at sunset each day.

Next Stop: Ensenada, Mexico