Santa Barbara Island?

Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Me yacht needs “exercise.” A “safe” destination is one to where almost no one else goes in many numbers, e.g., Santa Barbara Island. Looking toward a trip beginning May 27 or so, weather depending. Forty-four n.mi. WSW the LA Gate.

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At Landing Cove

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Admiral & Friend (veteran of the Bahamas & Windwards), 2008

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Looking South; Sutil Island at right

It's DDW home, so maybe I'll get to use me new whisker pole!:dancing:
 
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Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Sounds delightful! The yacht has pretty much been “hibernating” since early late fall. Rain, coolish temps, a lack of destinations (Covid-19), work, and to be fair, a certain amount of lethargy :(, has kept us home. Looking forward!
 
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Jan 5, 2017
2,263
Beneteau First 38 Lyall Harbour Saturna Island
We’ve just gotten started this year. Staying close to home but have lots of places to explore. Surprised at the number of boats that are out and about. Border patrol/RCMP boats patrolling the border waters which we’ve never seen before.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Border patrol/RCMP boats patrolling the border waters which we’ve never seen before.
Well at least since the 30’s. I suspect during Prohibition there were a few boats patrolling. Certainly gives the crews a sense of purpose. A little action. Better than just racing up and doing safety checks. A little adrenaline triggering excitement. After all they did not join the BP/RCMP to sit at a desk and push papers answering phones.

Especially when you can be out on a bad boy like this...
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Jan 5, 2017
2,263
Beneteau First 38 Lyall Harbour Saturna Island
Well at least since the 30’s. I suspect during Prohibition there were a few boats patrolling. Certainly gives the crews a sense of purpose. A little action. Better than just racing up and doing safety checks. A little adrenaline triggering excitement. After all they did not join the BP/RCMP to sit at a desk and push papers answering phones.
I’m old John but not quite that old! But in this nice weather it’s got to be better than paperwork for sure.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
I was just reading about “Mystery Bay” as an anchorage near Port Townsend. It was the drop site for Canadian booze making it’s way into the US. Until the border is open and the island folk consider transient boats a desirable visitor again, I have started to make a list of spots to visit. Perhaps following the bootleggers routes might be fun. It was a 13 year period 1920-1933.

Hoping this virus issue does not last that long.
 
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Jan 5, 2017
2,263
Beneteau First 38 Lyall Harbour Saturna Island
That sounds like a fun trip John. There are a number of places here where the booze left from so we can visit those....... write a joint book about prohibition! Sorry about the hijack @Kings Gambit
 
Dec 25, 2000
5,704
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
I was just reading about “Mystery Bay” as an anchorage near Port Townsend. It was the drop site for Canadian booze making it’s way into the US. Until the border is open and the island folk consider transient boats a desirable visitor again, I have started to make a list of spots to visit. Perhaps following the bootleggers routes might be fun. It was a 13 year period 1920-1933.

Hoping this virus issue does not last that long.
You just might find some they left behind and well aged.
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
I doubt we’ll see any patrol boats, USCG or otherwise, at Santa Barbara Island. Never have, that I remember. My first trip out there was in 1979 on the boat Just Love, a kind of tug, that Mr Brooks of the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara owned. That boat is now on the logo of the Ventura Harbor Boatyard. He and a few of his students, one a friend of mine, were doing a photography tour of the Channel Islands (Santa Rosa, San Miguel, & Santa Barbara islands) that included underwater photography in the SBI kelp beds. I was along to collect some kelp fishes for a research project. I did not have a chance to return until 2004, that Labor Day weekend, on the Bavaria which Admiral & I had bought in June. It was just as intriguing and romantic a place as when I first encountered:). We’ve visited at least a dozen times now since 2004 on the yacht, the last time Memorial Day Weekend, 2016. I’ve been a few more times on other vessels, but not since then. It’s just a worthwhile destination!:dancing:
 
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Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Last June, we spent 4 days in Santa Barbara for the beach wedding of a good friends daughter. Took the Father of the Bride out for breakfast. Found a restaurant “the Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach”. A great site with a beautiful view of the channel Islands. Your Islands cruise sounds like fun. May the weather gods give you fair sky's and bright breezes.
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
SBI lies right next to the “border” of two So Cal weather zones; one for the inner waters and the other for the outer waters. Most of our trips there in spring and summer have been very pleasant. The west wind gets up (15 - 20 kt) in the afternoon and can stay up around 15 kt until past mid-night. But if it tapers off by 2000 or 2200 you’re probably good for pleasant evening. Once, I remember, it pretty much stayed up all night, until dawn. It blew down my Davis Echo Master (radar reflector) that was up on the port-spreader halyard, and which had chaffed through. Sea lions bellow most of the night. Flying fish commonly end up on me deck. Gulls screech and cackle every morning. We rarely see more than a few boats there.

The “retreat” from weather you don’t like is to blow downwind to Catalina Island, which lies in the zone of the inner waters. For the most final comfort, head for the north side of Catalina. Once past the West End (20 n.mi. distant from Landing Cove), you’re in the lee of the island, and out of the conditions.The other option, making for Cat Harbor, keeps you in the conditions for another five “roly-poly” n.mi. The swells get up a bit more, it seems, as you near the island by that approach.:doh:
 
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Nov 22, 2011
1,192
Ericson 26-2 San Pedro, CA
I've been to SBI several times but not in quite a few years. It has always been as a stopover to Santa Cruz Island. (One common route we would take was San Pedro --> Isthums --> SBI --> Smugglers on SCI.) Anyway, in my experience the holding was not very good, though we managed. I'd say we dragged some on at least half the trips. Good news is that we were never on a lee shore. Anyway, what has been your experience as far as holding goes?

The landing in that photo looks a good deal more developed than it did back when I was sailing there. It looks quite deluxe by comparison. When we went there it was just a platform situated part way up the cliff with a ladder that went straight down into the water. We would have to time jumping out of the dinghy on to the ladder and then pull the dinghy straight up by the painter and set it on the platform. Timing it with the surge/waves was interesting. I recall one unfortunate landing when the bow of our dinghy got pinned underneath the ladder as a wave came in and we got creamed. This was in the late 70's on a Cal 25 I used to own. Fun times!
 
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Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
The holding has always been good in 30 ft. Of course, that's with a 100 ft of chain out and an over-sized Plowmaster anchor. We used the ladder as well, but left the dink tied to it as you see in the picture. In calm conditions and maybe 6-8 ft on the painter, it was secure there. Now, the ladder is gone; cannot land at the structure. But can battle the sea lions for the flat rock all the way right, but not in my pic.
 
Nov 22, 2011
1,192
Ericson 26-2 San Pedro, CA
The holding has always been good in 30 ft. Of course, that's with a 100 ft of chain out and an over-sized Plowmaster anchor. We used the ladder as well, but left the dink tied to it as you see in the picture. In calm conditions and maybe 6-8 ft on the painter, it was secure there. Now, the ladder is gone; cannot land at the structure. But can battle the sea lions for the flat rock all the way right, but not in my pic.
Thanks for this.
As I recall, I was using a Danforth 13S, which was plenty of anchor for a Cal 25. However, I think my Rocna 10kg anchor for my E26 might fare better. I'd like to do another trip there some time and find out!
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
I know the fluke-type anchors have a lot of holding power by static tests. I had a Danforth on my P-30 for years, but eventually changed to a genuine Bruce. I remember having difficulty setting the Danforth, as well as experiencing some dragging; but not in sand. The Plowmaster is the only bower I've used on the Bavaria for overnight; although, I've used the Fortress for a stern anchor w/o problems:).
 
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Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Windyty is showing a good forecast for Santa Barbara Island Wednesday through Saturday evening. Sunday morning wee hours show the wind getting up a little more than comfort permits. We’re heading out to Cat Harbor for Wednesday night. Then hopefully Thursday & Friday nights at SBI. Return to Catalina Island Saturday night, then...? We’ll see. The weather has been very nice here the past few days.
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
So, departed Wednesday morning for Two Harbors (Cherry Cove) instead of Cat Harbor, as a stop over to SBI. After that 4 + hr of motoring to arrive, decided to layover a second night at Two Harbors but in Isthmus Cove as it was uncharacteristically uncrowded, plus the beautiful weather made it inviting. Enthusiasm for another day (25 n.mi.) of motoring to SBI waned, so we sailed the 7 n.mi. to Button Shell cove and took a mooring. Very few boats around there as well. Next day, an easy 5 n.mi. sail to Avalon where we learned of the warning of high surf/seas arriving from south and affecting Santa Barbara and Santa Catalina islands. Landing Cove at SBI, even though on the east side of the island which is itself is hardly more than a speck of rock in the open sea, is not well protected from southerly swells wrapping “the point“ and entering the Cove. We probably would have quit the island rather than pitch/roll on the “incoming”, assuming that occurred.

Avalon is uncrowded. Lying to a mooring in the center/north area, no boats are near us. Very quiet. Few people ashore. Take-out is allowed, and there is shore boat service. Tomorrow I think we’ll anchor off White’s Cove, a few miles NW of here.

KG
 
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Jun 11, 2004
1,621
Oday 31 Redondo Beach
Thanks for the report. Hoping to head over to somewhere on the island sometime this coming week. Maybe Little Harbor?
 
Nov 22, 2011
1,192
Ericson 26-2 San Pedro, CA
So, departed Wednesday morning for Two Harbors (Cherry Cove) instead of Cat Harbor, as a stop over to SBI. After that 4 + hr of motoring to arrive, decided to layover a second night at Two Harbors but in Isthmus Cove as it was uncharacteristically uncrowded, plus the beautiful weather made it inviting. Enthusiasm for another day (25 n.mi.) of motoring to SBI waned, so we sailed the 7 n.mi. to Button Shell cove and took a mooring. Very few boats around there as well. Next day, an easy 5 n.mi. sail to Avalon where we learned of the warning of high surf/seas arriving from south and affecting Santa Barbara and Santa Catalina islands. Landing Cove at SBI, even though on the east side of the island which is itself is hardly more than a speck of rock in the open sea, is not well protected from southerly swells wrapping “the point“ and entering the Cove. We probably would have quit the island rather than pitch/roll on the “incoming”, assuming that occurred.

Avalon is uncrowded. Lying to a mooring in the center/north area, no boats are near us. Very quiet. Few people ashore. Take-out is allowed, and there is shore boat service. Tomorrow I think we’ll anchor off White’s Cove, a few miles NW of here.

KG
Very good.

I'm probably going to head up to Emerald Bay tomorrow and stay for a few days.