Hi all,
We had a lovely sail to Santa Cruz Island from the harbor at Santa Barbara on September 10th. Your "three hour tour." So after four hours, we dropped the hook (actually, hooks, as it is a bow-and-stern anchorage) in Pelican Bay on the North side of the island. Pelican Bay has great holding, about 5 fathoms of water. We were the sole boat for a few days, then enjoyed watching the "working folk" arrive by boat from Santa Barbara over the weekend. By Saturday I'd say there were about 15 boats in the anchorage. The fragrance of the island is unique. The terrain is rugged - and dry this time of year - with a few windblown trees and lots of brush. The Chumash Indians are said to have lived on this island many years ago, building their tomols (redwood canoes) and hunting game and fish for survival. Though Santa Cruz is quite close to Santa Barbara/Ventura/Oxnard, one is wise to remember that this Island is rugged and remote - and the weather can change from fair to force 6+ in a blink. Weather patterns are dominated by strong, almost daily, northwesterly winds that often reach gale force as they accelerate at Point Conception and impinge on the islands.
After several days at Pelican we scooted around to the East end of the island and anchored in calm waters at Smugglers' Cove (I can't help but wonder what one would smuggle to or from the island...). This was a different kind of beautiful, with olive trees planted in smart rows, and somewhat barren hills. The water was emerald and calm. Except for the 250' Navy ship (non nuclear) that pulled in and anchored next to us (!), we had the anchorage to ourselves!
Intentions for the following day (Monday, Sept. 15th) were a 12 hour motor/sail to Santa Catalina Island. After a double-check of the forecast, we elected to abandon that plan and proceed to Channel Islands Harbor (Oxnard), which would allow us to avoid the predicted gale force winds. Oh, btw, my upper back began acting up again which effectively means that Steve is single-handing the boat. I provide the brains and he provides the brawn. Rest is the only "thing" that helps my back heal, so helming in a forty knot breeze is not an option (heck, I wouldn't want to do that if my back was as strong as Arnold's!). We arrived after sailing thru lumpy, gusty seas and winds in the Channel Islands Harbor after a 3 hour passage from Smugglers. What a blesssing. This is a lovely Harbor and I'm so thankful we didn't miss it! And, btw, we had another hitchhiker. A homing pigeon, banded on both legs, arrived while we were at Smugglers, stayed the night on deck, and came with us (most of the way) to Channel Islands Harbor. To say this bird had personality is an understatement! But why s/he pecked at all our portholes, climbed up and down the ropes and lines, trotted around the deck counterclockwise, and refused to eat or drink is beyond me. Guess you need to be smarter than the bird to understand it all....
Tomorrow we once again intend to trot along to Catalina Island. About 58nm. We flight plan for about 5+ knots (and, with wind, we can make about 6 knots speed made good) so if you do the math it's apparent we'll be underway ALL day. Ahhh, the (almost) full moon will come in handy!
More from Providence and her crew soon.
Blessings,
Jill
We had a lovely sail to Santa Cruz Island from the harbor at Santa Barbara on September 10th. Your "three hour tour." So after four hours, we dropped the hook (actually, hooks, as it is a bow-and-stern anchorage) in Pelican Bay on the North side of the island. Pelican Bay has great holding, about 5 fathoms of water. We were the sole boat for a few days, then enjoyed watching the "working folk" arrive by boat from Santa Barbara over the weekend. By Saturday I'd say there were about 15 boats in the anchorage. The fragrance of the island is unique. The terrain is rugged - and dry this time of year - with a few windblown trees and lots of brush. The Chumash Indians are said to have lived on this island many years ago, building their tomols (redwood canoes) and hunting game and fish for survival. Though Santa Cruz is quite close to Santa Barbara/Ventura/Oxnard, one is wise to remember that this Island is rugged and remote - and the weather can change from fair to force 6+ in a blink. Weather patterns are dominated by strong, almost daily, northwesterly winds that often reach gale force as they accelerate at Point Conception and impinge on the islands.
After several days at Pelican we scooted around to the East end of the island and anchored in calm waters at Smugglers' Cove (I can't help but wonder what one would smuggle to or from the island...). This was a different kind of beautiful, with olive trees planted in smart rows, and somewhat barren hills. The water was emerald and calm. Except for the 250' Navy ship (non nuclear) that pulled in and anchored next to us (!), we had the anchorage to ourselves!
Intentions for the following day (Monday, Sept. 15th) were a 12 hour motor/sail to Santa Catalina Island. After a double-check of the forecast, we elected to abandon that plan and proceed to Channel Islands Harbor (Oxnard), which would allow us to avoid the predicted gale force winds. Oh, btw, my upper back began acting up again which effectively means that Steve is single-handing the boat. I provide the brains and he provides the brawn. Rest is the only "thing" that helps my back heal, so helming in a forty knot breeze is not an option (heck, I wouldn't want to do that if my back was as strong as Arnold's!). We arrived after sailing thru lumpy, gusty seas and winds in the Channel Islands Harbor after a 3 hour passage from Smugglers. What a blesssing. This is a lovely Harbor and I'm so thankful we didn't miss it! And, btw, we had another hitchhiker. A homing pigeon, banded on both legs, arrived while we were at Smugglers, stayed the night on deck, and came with us (most of the way) to Channel Islands Harbor. To say this bird had personality is an understatement! But why s/he pecked at all our portholes, climbed up and down the ropes and lines, trotted around the deck counterclockwise, and refused to eat or drink is beyond me. Guess you need to be smarter than the bird to understand it all....
Tomorrow we once again intend to trot along to Catalina Island. About 58nm. We flight plan for about 5+ knots (and, with wind, we can make about 6 knots speed made good) so if you do the math it's apparent we'll be underway ALL day. Ahhh, the (almost) full moon will come in handy!
More from Providence and her crew soon.
Blessings,
Jill
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