September 22, 2023
We dropped anchor off the beach in Santa Barbara with our friends SV Malaya and SV Cariba in the early morning. Both the air and water were noticeably warmer. We’d made it to sunny California!
We made quick work of putting the boat away. We put the sailbag back on, stowed our safety jack lines and put the dinghy in the water. After a brief nap, we ventured to shore, searching for a good burger, which we found at a local brewery.
We planned to be here for a couple of days to wait for some packages we shipped to ourselves. Thankfully, it was warm and sunny…unfortunately, the anchorage went from pleasantly calm to non-stop rolling in a matter of days. While we waited for our packages, we watched our friends leave in search of destinations further south.
We explored the city, broke a paddleboard while trying to beach land and met up with some family for dinner. We got our packages, re-provisioned and finally were able to escape the rolly-est anchorage we’d been in so far. We picked up anchor early on the 29th and pointed our bow to Newport Beach for a flat, calm anchorage.
We dodged crab pots while navigating out of the harbour until we were out far enough to catch the breeze that would carry us further south. Once the sails were set, we relaxed in the cockpit and watched the miles slowly tick.
By morning, we were still sailing and slowly going past the Los Angeles harbour. To say it was intense was an understatement. Container ships were coming out of the harbour, fishing boats zipping past on their way to the Channel Islands and ferries. It would have been easier to motor through the area. Still, we were determined to sail as much as possible, so I tacked along, barely making much headway with the less-than-ideal wind direction. Once I thought I was clear of the majority of the traffic, I spotted some jet skis…otherwise known as jerk skis or the scourge of the sea. There weren’t a few jet skis either. Nope. It was twenty. All lined up. Why were there so many?!!? It was a tour, and they were wrangled into a very orderly line. They passed along behind us with no drama.
By the afternoon, we had Newport Beach in sight. We also had a lot of planes flying around. Big ones. In addition to the aircraft, there were many Coast Guard ships around. Well, this was kind of weird. Things got more bizarre as the afternoon went on. These weren’t just regular airplanes. They were those extra loud, extra fast airplanes. After a quick Google search, we determined that the USA wasn’t being attacked and that it was just an air show we were sailing through. So we enjoyed the show as we floated onwards to Newport.
We crossed into Newport to a new challenge. Not only was the harbour bustling on a Friday evening (something we’d come to enjoy), but we had to try our hand at a bow and stern mooring... In a crowded mooring field, no less. Thankfully, the harbourmaster and their staff helped us pick up the moorings, making everything easy.
We took no time, dropping the dinghy to explore. Newport Beach’s harbour is mostly man-made; orderly moorings are installed to maximize the number of boats that can fit dinghy docks everywhere. Where there isn’t a public dock, there’s a good chance that a restaurant or shopping center has one to use. We cruised around, found ourselves a spot and took in the sights of Newport at night.
We loved Newport Beach. The anchorage was flat-calm, there was always somewhere to put the dinghy, and the harbour staff, as were the local liveaboards, were accommodating. We even had the chance to join in on their weekly games night. We met some young cruisers heading down to Mexico around the same time as us, and we were looking forward to seeing them again in a warmer climate.
This was also the first time we got to enjoy the water. Our time in Newport turned into a nice routine. We’d take the dog to the beach early in the morning for a walk, do some boat work, and then go off for an afternoon swim. The waves were big, so it was fun to swim each day. Hindsight, I wished we had taken up surfing while we were there. It looked great. Our evenings were filled with happy hours, and we watched the local party and electric boats zip around the harbour.
The downside of Newport Beach was the cost. The mooring was expensive, and the anchorage was limited to 3 days. No exceptions this time. So, eventually, we had to leave. It was nearing my birthday, and we still had time to kill before we arrived in Ensenada on the 15th, so we headed to Catalina Island, a short 40-mile sail away. It was hard to leave Newport, knowing we probably wouldn’t return. But we had places to go and more things to see, so we closely hauled our way to the Channel Islands.
A short 6-hour close reach of sail and we were entering the Avalon harbour. We quickly (and pretty confidently) picked up a mooring and headed off to explore the area. We had a lot planned for the few days we would spend here. Snorkelling the kelp forests and spotting a bison were at the top of the list.
Conveniently, we were spending my birthday here. So early in the morning, we packed our wetsuits and snorkel gear to head to Casino Point to check out the underwater attractions. We weren’t disappointed. We swam through kelp forests and saw so many Garibaldi we lost count.
After a quick lunch at the pizza place, we loaded into a Jeep for a Bison sightseeing adventure. We were warned that the chances of seeing one were low because of the amount of rain they’ve been having. The bison had spread out and weren’t easy to find anymore. We got lucky and saw 4 or 5. One was so close we could hear it breathing. Although the tour was pricey, it was well worth our money. I even came home with a bison pillow to add to the collection.
However, the 15th was nearing, and we needed to go to Mexico. We planned to sail straight from Catalina overnight to land in Ensenada the next morning. So, on the 14th, we dropped the mooring ball and set off south again.
NM Sailed: 146
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