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Hi from Catalina Harbor

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Initially Posted - 08/01/2008 : 20:36:08

Hi, I've been out a week now and I am sitting out a bad weather forecast for the outer waters here on the backside of Catalina. The first week was good, the kids loved camping on the beach. I had a fast passage over from Dana Point - it was a reaqch all the way and finally the winds came up to about 25 knots - I was just rounding up under 135% and reefed main. But I made the passage from San Diego with mucho sailing and only used a total of 5 gallons of fuel for the whole first week.

I would have been much better off sleeping on shore because the anchorage was sand in 25 feet - vewry good holding, but totally exposed to the NW - our prevailing wind/wave direction. It was bumpy and rolly. One day I'll never forget the winds were about 15 knots and perpendicular to the 4 foot swells. The boat was rolling so far and so hard it was putting the decks under. The waves were just right to match the roll period of the boat - about 2 seconds. I had to cancel dinner - no way I could cook or eat, and somehow I slept through it, only waking up at the very worst moments. I was wedged into my bunk like I was on an offshore delivery. I've never been more uncomfortable but it was over by dawn. That was Monday I think and no other day was that bad.

We went to Two Harbors two days and to Avalon once. Now the kids are gone, I sailed around the island, and am anchored in 6 feet way in the back of Catalina Harbor waiting a few days for a better offshore forecast (even though it is calm and summy here in the inner waters). Today I showered, shaved, ate a nice lunch, and took a long walk.

Its is difficult to maintain my determination while I am alone. I am not sure I'll be able to do it. It is tough to sit here in 10 knots of breeze or less and wait for gale warnings in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary to be lifted.

I'm a little bored so I'll probably post Saturday and Sunday and leave Monday. Still have 2 weeks of vacation, nothing has broken on the boat, we are full of fuel and water, and ready to go.

The cooler works good but draws too much power to leave on all the time. I've never run it at night. I run it about 4 hours per day and I can get a cold beer. We were able to eat steaks and burgers and dogs the first few days but eventually the batteries were almost totally flat - even with solar panels and engine charging. I've dumped the remaining fresh food and run the cooler for a few hours per day to cool down a drink or two for happy hour. That seems to do just fine. So I am down to canned food, noodle dishes, and the like.

I had Thai noodles and beef last night, quite good, I copied the recipie from one of the guys on the single handed transpac.

Indiscipline 1978 FK SR #398

Edited by - on

jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 08/01/2008 : 20:43:01

Glad your first leg went well...wish you the best the next 2 weeks. I leave tomorrow for a week solo, tying up at marinas along the way...we don't have a powered cooler, but I'm using dry ice to keep things (hopefully) frozen for the week....

Edited by - jerlim on 08/01/2008 20:43:49

piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 08/01/2008 : 23:26:12

Jim, great to hear from you. Every day I look at all the web cams at Catalina and think of you. I too have been on the backside but years ago. Its amazing here.
Those were pretty strong winds you describe. I have been reading about them in our local paper.
Hope things go well to continue on. Keep in touch.
Steve A

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 08/02/2008 : 09:36:03

Bummer on the weather down there... I'd been glancing at it periodically and thinking it didn't look that good. I always think of southern California as a semi-tropical paradise (in terms of weather)... guess it ain't always so.

Stuck in a small boat in a semi-isolated anchorage has got to be tough. I think I'd try to put myself in a 'John Muir' mode. He spent hours watching and detailing the 'life' surrounding a single clump of flowers. Maybe keep a journal and take photographs or make sketches. Likely takes a certain kind of personality to make that approach 'work'.

Hopefully the forecast will turn in your favor soon and you'll get to sail to some new territory.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 08/02/2008 : 10:13:55

Quite a night, Jim! Long Island Sound chop can do exactly the same thing--literally throw you out of the cockpit. Did you think about setting a stern anchor to pull you around to a better angle to those seas? Just trying to think of something...

You sound a little down... "...not sure I'll be able to do it." Hey, it's you, Indiscipline, and nature--alone together. Whether you're under way or not, life is pretty good!

Hope you're under way soon and it gets even better...

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 08/02/2008 : 13:40:33

Here I sit on Saturday noon, just finished getting the weather. It is 5 -10 knots and sunny here, little swell. But the Channel Islands have a small craft advisory and gale warning, with gusts forecast to 35 knots! The weather looks bad Saturday and Sunday out there. I'll have to wait here until Monday. Monday - Wednesday it looks fine - winds 10 to 15 and seas 3 to 5. I've been weather bound before, I remember waiting for weeks to cross from Miami to the Bahamas. I had to wait days and days to cross Lake Ontario from Cape Vincenet to Oswego.

Mentally it is hard to keep up the determination to wait it out and go on. But then my alternative is to give up and return to work. For me this is the ardest part of single handing - there is no one to spur you on.

That night with the big winds perpendicular to the seas I really wanted to get out a stern anchor and face the waves but there is no way I could. I could not single handedly back the boat up across the winds with the bow anchor eased - I tried. I put out my anchor stabilizers and they didn['t really help - just made more noise. It was not possible to launch the kayak or dinghy since they were on the beach with the kids. I just wedged myself in the bunk and waited it out. I surprised myself by actually being able to read and sleep. Frankly, I feel I've survived the worst. I felt bad for the kids since they missed dinner and had only a little water and a few snacks to eaqt thaqt night. I am really surprised nothing broke.

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 08/02/2008 : 17:06:13

Sailflow shows most of the wind on the 'outside' of the islands and around Pt. Conception...

http://www.sailflow.com/windandwhere.iws?regionID=129&regionProductID=30&day=0&timeoffset=25&selected_model_id=

Edited by - on

SEAN
Admiral

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USA
772 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2008 : 08:03:32

Whats nice now , is any smaller chop or swell you wont even notice .
Stay safe .

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2008 : 10:04:26

Things could be worse... look at poor Sparky.

http://www.sfbaysss.org/TransPac/transpac2008/race_tracker/log.html

[Sparky is a Pearson 'Electra' 22... dismasted during the solo Pacific Cup. Currently bobbing around in a windless hole 400 miles from Hawaii with what is now a 12' mast.]

You can leave him an 'attaboy' message of encouragement here: http://sparkysfo.com/comments/

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2008 : 11:46:48

Poor Rubin (aboard Sparky)! Well, the Electra is a stout little boat--an Ensign with a cabin of sorts. What a way to cross an ocean--now with a jury-rig. I guess DNF is not an option.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2008 : 12:07:45

Everything looks good for an early departure tomorrow (Monday). In fact I could go now but I am not ready. I am thinking of making a fast passage to Santa Cruz, then out to the outer islands if I can Tuesday and Wednesday as the forecast looks good.

Today I am going to shower, check food and supplies, buy any last minute things. The boat is a real mess I have to get everything ready for sea.

If my current plan holds, I will accomplish my goals and be back home in a week, I can spend the last week of my vacation cleaning up.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 08/03/2008 : 12:30:12

Safe passages, Jim!

Edited by - on

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