Catalina or Ensenada in October

[Old Sailor 2]

I am thinking of taking a 4 or 5 day trip from San Diego and sailing either to Ensenada, Mexico or Catalina Island both trips being about the same distance. Has anyone made either of these trips in Late October and do you have any words of wisdom or advice for me?

My thinking is Catalina will be a good trip if the Santa Ana's aren't blowing and one never knows if or when that will be. Ensenada will be good if I don't get squeezed out of the marina by Baha Haha folks who rightfully have priority. And it is Mexico with the worries about going to Mexico by sea.

So help me out with the decision folks. Thanks! Sandy

 

[justsomeguy]

Nice town, Ensenada. Why would you worry?

Watch your weather.

 

[kingsailor]

Catalina is great in October.

 

[Rick D]

Either would be a great trip. Just know you will have to devote a half day to checking in to Mexico and another half to check out. You also need Mexican boat liability insurance but that you can purchase on line. Hotel Coral is an agent and can walk you through it but your fanny still goes with them to the various offices. OTOH, you will have some very nice documents suitable for framing. Catalina is also great although I would go around the back side to Cat Harbor for protection if Santa Ana winds kick up.

 

[Old Sailor 2]

Either would be a great trip. Just know you will have to devote a half day to checking in to Mexico and another half to check out. You also need Mexican boat liability insurance but that you can purchase on line. Hotel Coral is an agent and can walk you through it but your fanny still goes with them to the various offices. OTOH, you will have some very nice documents suitable for framing. Catalina is also great although I would go around the back side to Cat Harbor for protection if Santa Ana winds kick up.

So Rick, not being a SoCal guy how often do the Santa Ana's kick up in late October and how long do they blow? And since they would be coming off land I assume Cat Harbor is a great place to be. I have been to Two Harbors and one night we had wind blowing through the gap from Cat Harbor and seas out of the NorthEast. Rough night to say the least. Sandy

 

[Rick D]

Santa Ana Winds

So Rick, not being a SoCal guy how often do the Santa Ana's kick up in late October and how long do they blow? And since they would be coming off land I assume Cat Harbor is a great place to be. I have been to Two Harbors and one night we had wind blowing through the gap from Cat Harbor and seas out of the NorthEast. Rough night to say the least. Sandy

It's hard to predict but they often follow stormy wet weather, although certainly not always. There are many 'light' Santa Anas that blow and they can be great for weather, although usually lousy for sailing. i wouldn't hazard a guess about October but I'd say maybe a half dozen serious events a season, pulled right off the seat of my pants. There is usually a day's warning, but not always. It's just a matter of watching several sources of forecasting carefully before departure and monitoring weather while you are there. And, yea, Cat Harbor is where you want to be during Santa Anas. You still get a lot of the wind, you just don't get caught in the seas.

Here's an interesting review of the winds:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Ana_winds

 

[Alan Gomes]

So Rick, not being a SoCal guy how often do the Santa Ana's kick up in late October and how long do they blow? And since they would be coming off land I assume Cat Harbor is a great place to be. I have been to Two Harbors and one night we had wind blowing through the gap from Cat Harbor and seas out of the NorthEast. Rough night to say the least. Sandy

I have been going over to Catalina virtually every October for the past 16 years, and have been there in many other Octobers for the 30 years prior to that. So I have spent lots and lots of time there in October. Here's what I can tell you:

The later in the season it gets, the higher the probability of Santa Anas. So, late October is going to be more likely than early October. I'm typically there the third week of October and I have encountered some nasty Santa Anas on occasion, but usually not. You do get them, but not nearly as often as during December or January. Here I have in mind the strong ones that pose a safety concern, not the milder ones that can actually be quite pleasant.

Browsing through my past logs, I see that an ugly one went through on Oct. 22, 1997. I've attached a photo I snapped from the cockpit of my (then) Newport 27. I was in Avalon--not the best place to be. On that particular trip there was a brief lull, during which I managed to hightail it around east end and head up the backside of the Island to Cat Harbor. It was still blowing like snot through the pass at Cat, but as others have observed, the water remained flat and we had a lovely time for the rest of the trip. (My wife was with me on that one.)

Unless the weather pattern is very settled, I generally head around to Cat Harbor on my October trips--though obviously I failed to do so on the aforementioned trip. Cat Harbor is a very secure place to be late in the season. It's also a great place to anchor if you want to do that in order to save a few shekels. But note that the mooring rates in the offseason can be pretty attractive, such as pay for two nights and get the next five free.

I'm most likely heading to the Isthmus at the end of this week for a few days, and then I'll be doing my October trip to Cat Harbor from (probably) Oct. 15-20.

Take care,
Alan

 

[Old Sailor 2]

I have been going over to Catalina virtually every October for the past 16 years, and have been there in many other Octobers for the 30 years prior to that. So I have spent lots and lots of time there in October. Here's what I can tell you:

The later in the season it gets, the higher the probability of Santa Anas. So, late October is going to be more likely than early October. I'm typically there the third week of October and I have encountered some nasty Santa Anas on occasion, but usually not. You do get them, but not nearly as often as during December or January. Here I have in mind the strong ones that pose a safety concern, not the milder ones that can actually be quite pleasant.

Browsing through my past logs, I see that an ugly one went through on Oct. 22, 1997. I've attached a photo I snapped from the cockpit of my (then) Newport 27. I was in Avalon--not the best place to be. On that particular trip there was a brief lull, during which I managed to hightail it around east end and head up the backside of the Island to Cat Harbor. It was still blowing like snot through the pass at Cat, but as others have observed, the water remained flat and we had a lovely time for the rest of the trip. (My wife was with me on that one.)

Unless the weather pattern is very settled, I generally head around to Cat Harbor on my October trips--though obviously I failed to do so on the aforementioned trip. Cat Harbor is a very secure place to be late in the season. It's also a great place to anchor if you want to do that in order to save a few shekels. But note that the mooring rates in the offseason can be pretty attractive, such as pay for two nights and get the next five free.

I'm most likely heading to the Isthmus at the end of this week for a few days, and then I'll be doing my October trip to Cat Harbor from (probably) Oct. 15-20.

Take care,
Alan

WOW Alan that is a bit scary especially if you were on the hook. Heading to cat Harbor might be the answer to all my questions. Protected water and an easy walk to Two Harbors. I think that might only add an hour to the trip from San Diego. What is your boat name? If I am up there at that time I will give you a shout. THANKS! Sandy

 

[Alan Gomes]

WOW Alan that is a bit scary especially if you were on the hook. Heading to cat Harbor might be the answer to all my questions. Protected water and an easy walk to Two Harbors. I think that might only add an hour to the trip from San Diego. What is your boat name? If I am up there at that time I will give you a shout. THANKS! Sandy

That picture was taken inside Avalon from the vantage point of the mooring I was on. There is no anchoring allowed or possible inside Avalon harbor, since the harbor is completely filled with moorings.

My boat's name is Spartina and it's an 1984 Ericson 26. If you see me there drop by!

--Alan