San Pedro to Two Harbors in a 19' Mariner
- Thread starter JackOlsen
- Start date
No wind at all till 2 or so today. Isthmus fan on now though. glassy flat from Dana the whole way
Hope the op makes it today
Hope the op makes it today
Yes. Much better seas today than yesterday, which were quite lumpy between Pt Loma and Oceanside harbor. No good sailing wind today (toward destination) between Oceanside and Dana Pt. After 7 1/2 hr of lumpiness yesterday, today was still a good day!
Lying to anchor in the west basin of DP Harbor.
KG
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We had a great trip, there and back. And I was surprised to be greeted by name after mooring in Two Harbors. It was jeepbluetj who was as helpful and gracious in person as he is online. Like he mentions, there was very little wind early in the day. I almost pulled the plug when the forecasts started heading in that direction. But in the end we went, motoring until we had wind. One nice thing about a 3.5-hp outboard is that you get great gas mileage. We ended up using the engine (just about) the whole way back to King Harbor today. I think we used a gallon and a half of gas for both directions.
The kids had a great time. They both want to go back sooner than next year.
We had a tiny inflatable that I'd brought on the far-flung chance that the boat ran into trouble and a random flotation device might come in handy. But we inflated it just before arrival and I announced that their challenge was to get all of our gear to shore with it -- including floating the captain himself. They were itching to go swimming anyway and had a great time going back and forth with the inflatable between the string line and the beach.
Here's a video put together by an app on my phone. I've got a lot of other footage, which I'm sure I'll turn into something. But this clip shows our route and some random snapshots from the journey.
It would be nice if I could say that we proved we were capable of making the crossing. But there weren't any particularly-difficult challenges that came up on this particular trip -- nothing that soundly proves our skills as sailors. I'll be at least as cautious the next time we try it. It won't always be this easy.
But the help from this discussion was really significant. Just the mention of the Isthmus Fan removed what would have been a perplexing weather phenomenon from two miles out. Because of this thread, it was easy to explain to the kids and we managed to navigate it, aware of one option of how to move around it.
So thank you, to everyone who replied here. My kids love the island.
The kids had a great time. They both want to go back sooner than next year.
We had a tiny inflatable that I'd brought on the far-flung chance that the boat ran into trouble and a random flotation device might come in handy. But we inflated it just before arrival and I announced that their challenge was to get all of our gear to shore with it -- including floating the captain himself. They were itching to go swimming anyway and had a great time going back and forth with the inflatable between the string line and the beach.
Here's a video put together by an app on my phone. I've got a lot of other footage, which I'm sure I'll turn into something. But this clip shows our route and some random snapshots from the journey.
It would be nice if I could say that we proved we were capable of making the crossing. But there weren't any particularly-difficult challenges that came up on this particular trip -- nothing that soundly proves our skills as sailors. I'll be at least as cautious the next time we try it. It won't always be this easy.
But the help from this discussion was really significant. Just the mention of the Isthmus Fan removed what would have been a perplexing weather phenomenon from two miles out. Because of this thread, it was easy to explain to the kids and we managed to navigate it, aware of one option of how to move around it.
So thank you, to everyone who replied here. My kids love the island.
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Jack, I’d like to suggest an alternate view.
You planned a cruise to cross 25 nm of ocean. You crossed to the islands. You returned. All the family is safe. Sounds like you had a good time. That is exactly what good sailing is about.
If working on your boat handling skills is the goal then you will want to do day sails in progressively stronger foul weather. This will test your boat and you ability to handle the conditions. It may let you find the breaking point if both
Such training has nothing related to planning and execution of a safe family cruise. Good cruise planning involves going, with out fanfare and challenges. Having an understanding of what to expect and then when it happens, confirmation “ I knew that” or “man that was easy”. Easy is the result of good planning and execution of the plan.
There should be room in the season for both.
Congratulations on your successful RT cruise to the Isthmus! A good outcome from good preparation and weather planning generates confidence for the next one. While conditions were mild it was still a sea crossing, so that is significant. Oceanographers facetiously categorize a successful cruise as one where nothing was lost (over the side), nothing was broken, and no one was hurt. Just a way of saying “we did not achieve all of our goals, but we all got back OK,” which is itself a goal!!
Just to illustrate, Sector San Diego (USCG) broadcasted a Pan-Pan (urgent marine broadcast) yesterday for a 30-ft sloop overdue from its “cruise” from Santa Barbara to San Diego. OC Harbor Patrol came to the anchorage at Dana Point yesterday morning looking for it. Wanted to know if we had seen the boat, etc. I have not listened yet today, but I hope that he has been found OK by now. Same weather along the coast the past few days as yesterday’s.
A good outcome from good preparation and weather planning generates confidence for the next one. While conditions were mild it was still a sea crossing, so that is significant. Oceanographers facetiously categorize a successful cruise as one where nothing was lost (over the side), nothing was broken, and no one was hurt. Just a way of saying “we did not achieve all of our goals, but we all got back OK,” which is itself a goal!!Just to illustrate, Sector San Diego (USCG) broadcasted a Pan-Pan (urgent marine broadcast) yesterday for a 30-ft sloop overdue from its “cruise” from Santa Barbara to San Diego. OC Harbor Patrol came to the anchorage at Dana Point yesterday morning looking for it. Wanted to know if we had seen the boat, etc. I have not listened yet today, but I hope that he has been found OK by now. Same weather along the coast the past few days as yesterday’s.
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Yes. Thank you. I didn't mean to dismiss the accomplishment for my family. We prepared. We solved some problems. We dealt with some unexpected developments. It's exactly the kind of skills I want my kids to develop.
As it happened, nothing project-threatening came up.
What I wanted to be clear about was for the sake of future searchers/readers -- that taking a less-than-20' sailboat to the Isthmus is NOT something that will always be easy -- that it's not automatically a manageable thing for anyone who decides to give it a try because I posted about it, did it, and had an easy time. As you mention, Kings Gambit, there's (possibly) a 30' sloop out there that's been lost or stranded.
I wonder what the ballpark number of recreational boats are on the bottom of that channel?
While I think about that, here are some dolphins.
As it happened, nothing project-threatening came up.
What I wanted to be clear about was for the sake of future searchers/readers -- that taking a less-than-20' sailboat to the Isthmus is NOT something that will always be easy -- that it's not automatically a manageable thing for anyone who decides to give it a try because I posted about it, did it, and had an easy time. As you mention, Kings Gambit, there's (possibly) a 30' sloop out there that's been lost or stranded.
I wonder what the ballpark number of recreational boats are on the bottom of that channel?
While I think about that, here are some dolphins.
I called Sector San Diego this morning around 0830. Officer told me yesterday’s Pan-Pan had not been cancelled. We’re underway this morning Newport Beach to Alamitos Bay.
We’re underway this morning Newport Beach to Alamitos Bay.