San Francisco Bay sail and Catalina Island sail. June 14, 15 and 17, 18, 19, 2003
The big adventure started for me by trying to decide what all I needed to pack. I’d done as much planning as I had time for, it was time to shove off. I knew that if you wait till you are entirely ready, you never leave. With the Toyota Mini Motorhome packed with everything I could think of, and the little Potter 15 in tow, I headed south.
My plan for days 1, 2, 3 of my trip was to drive the 600 miles from my home near Portland Oregon to Richmond CA. To put in at the Richmond Marina, and sail over to Angel Island, anchor overnight, then finish the circumnavigation of Angel Island, and sail back to Richmond harbor. I figured it was about a 12 mile sailing adventure. It would also serve as the shake down for my bigger plan further south.
Day 4 to drive from Richmond CA to the Long Beach area to put in at Davies in Alamitos Bay. Day 5, 6 and 7 to sail to Catalina, hang out for a day, then sail back to Alamitos Bay.
Spend day 8, 9 visiting family in the LA area then day 10, 11 making the 1000 mile drive home.
Day two I was out on the water in Richmond harbor but had taken all of day one and most of day two to get there. I was not comfortable heading out of the harbor at 4:00PM to head for Angel Island so after familiarizing myself with the harbor, traffic patterns, shore, and jetties I found a spot to anchor for the night. If I wasn’t in such a small boat I might have been asking for trouble, but I was well out of the traffic pattern, kind of in a little corner by a sandy beach and good mud bottom. Swung comfortably on anchor all night. With a full moon I noticed that the high tide almost completely submerged the rock jetty defining the southern part of the harbor.
Day three I followed the traffic pattern which I had observed the day before out into the big water the chart labeled Southamton Shoal. There was a light south west wind and I was quickly taken north on a flood tide away from my destination. It was all I could do just to maintain my overall position as I tacked back and forth attempting to cross to Racoon Straight near Angel Island. After a half hour of futile progress I noticed that just a little further out the boats were making good progress under sail. I lowered the motor and headed further out into the better wind. I enjoyed a stronger and building breeze once about half way across. Stowed the motor and got back to sailing. The closer I got to Angel Island the stronger the breeze. What had been a comfortable 10 to 15 knots was turning into sustained 15 to 20 with gusts to 25. I put a reef in the main sail and was able to clear the western shore of Angel Island. With the San Francisco sky line and Golden Gate clearly in view to the south and west respectively I reached around the Island into what I think I have heard termed "The Slot" and run along the southern shore of Angel Island. By now I was in pretty good waves and since I was running saw no need to carry the jib. Under reefed main I tried my best to surf the backs of the waves, but never really got to ride one for very long. They kept passing. I also sail and race a Laser. The difference in the Potter and the Laser is amazing to me. Where as the Laser will hop up on a plan and ride the waves till they peter out, the Potter doesn’t really want to leave displacement mode and will only really ride the steepest part of the wave. The GPS registered 6.5 knots. At this point I thought it was a pretty slack tide, but it’s hard to tell when there is so much wind and waves, and Okay I admit I wasn’t keeping a close watch on the tide tables. None the less it was an exciting experience. Seemed pretty fast for the little Potter.
The shakedown cruise had gone well.
The GPS showed I logged about 18 miles. That made me feel confident that it was possible to sail the distance required to sail from Long Beach to Catalina, as long as conditions were right, and I didn’t have to beat into the wind too much. The only thing I thought needed attention was the rudder pivot. It was loose enough that the rudder rotated back about 20 degrees causing excessive weather helm. I’d want to address that before I attempt the Catalina trip.
Day 4 was completely consumed driving to Long Beach CA. I found Davies Launch ramp in Alamedos Bay, and found the harbor master office. I asked for guest moorage but was told they were full and they suggested I check over by the Queen Mary. It was already late in the afternoon so I decided to hold off launching and find a place to park for the night.
Day 5. It had been a restless night. I was feeling very tired from a combination of the sail in SF the drive South and not sleeping well. The weather was foggy and overcast with winds forecast to be 15 to 25 knots. I didn’t feel rested enough to be making wise decisions in that kind of weather so decided that I’d just hang out, and enjoy the marina scene. I visited West Marine and got some better charts than what I’d been able to download before my departure. I looked for something I could use to somehow make the rudder stay fully down. Finally decided to just temporary drill an extra hole thru the rudder and rudder housing and put a second bolt through so the rudder would no longer be a "swing" rudder. Not a superb solution but adequate for the time being. I walked all up and down the docks, checking out the boats, one of my favorite marina pastimes. I found the Cal 20 fleet particularly interesting, and while observing one incredibly well re-conditioned and race prepared Cal 20. I met it’s owner who I conversed with at length about the upgrades, and local fleet. He invited me to come out in the bay and watch them race that evening which I did. Mid afternoon I launched Perky and sailed around the harbor and then San Pedro Bay. I tried again at the Harbor Masters office to obtain a guest moorage. This time maybe since I already was in the water and had a boat tied to their dock they found space, an "End Tie" which was fine with me. It was clear I wasn’t headed to Catalina today in the overcast and windy conditions. So I thought maybe tomorrow, if not, then there is plenty of sailing and puttering to do around here.
The Cal 20 race looked just like so many other races. I’ve spent many a weekend racing on a Hobie 16, and crewing on Santana 20s and J-24s. Watching is not the same as doing. Interesting to see how these 30 year old boats are seeing a resurgence though. With the Potter I was happy just to be out on the water enjoying the wind and waves. The feeling of being propelled by the air, and knowing I had everything with me to be comfortable for the night.
Back into the Marina and to my End Tie. I got out my backpacking stove and cooked up a simple dinner of macaroni, cheese, and a nice large fresh red bell pepper.
Day 6. Well I caught up on my rest. Faded away to sleep about 10:30 PM and woke up 12 hours later. The weather forecast was still for foggy and overcast skies but lower wind speeds, 5 to 15. I felt more comfortable about the wind speeds, but still wasn’t comfortable about the visibility. My entire instrumentation consisted of a hand held compass, and battery operated GPS receiver. That is probably enough, but being conservative, I wanted to be able to see too, and use the instrumentation as a back up, not the primary means of navigation. Besides that sleeping in had meant I’d lost valuable day light if I was really going to attempt the crossing to Catalina.
With a clear rested mind I decided that Catalina wasn’t going to happen on this trip, and I should just write this up as an exploratory experience. With that decision I had more time to be relaxed and enjoy the marina and it’s surroundings. I started off with a run for exercise. About a half an hour is my norm. I crossed over the 2nd street bridge onto Naples, and followed the path on the water front. I was simply in awe of the different styles of architecture of the shoreline homes and the gardens. Seemed everything was I bloom and I was repeatedly treated to the sweet smell of many flower blossoms. By the time I got back I’d run and walked more than an hour. Peanut butter and jelly for lunch seemed like such a crime when there appeared to be so many good restaurants around, but I don’t like restaurant dining alone so PB&J did the trick. Another afternoon sail in the bay. More familiarizing. This time before heading back to harbor, I poked Perky’s bow out past the breakwater enclosing San Pedro Bay. There I saw the wide expanse of ocean to the west, and observed small 2 to 3 foot ocean swells. Indeed conditions seemed quite calm. To the south west I saw the off shore oil drilling plat forms, and thought maybe tomorrow I’ll sail out towards them and see how that feels. Saw a few ocean going ships approaching LA harbor and a couple exiting. This is feeling pretty comfortable out here, I’ll spend more time out here tomorrow I thought.
Back in the harbor, and a nostalgic trip to eat at In N Out Burger, a favorite when I lived in the LA area, but really leaves something to be desired to me now that I no longer a big burger fan.
Day 7. After a breakfast of oatmeal and granola, pushed off the dock about 10 AM. Winds were light. Sailed out the jetty into the San Pedro Bay with the intent on seeing how far off shore I could get before it was time to turn back. The tide was incoming and it was noon before I cleared the outside breakwater. Potters are not speed demons but they do give one time for reflection. One hand on the tiller, one hand on a sheet, one hand on a coffee mug, on hand fetching snacks, one eye on the horizon, on eye on the charts, one eye on the GPS, one eye on the shore, one eye on the sails, one eye just gazing off in the distance. One needs lots of hands and eyes on a potter. Listening to the marine radio I followed a conversation to "Vessel Assist" off channel 16 the hailing channel to 78. Interesting to me to follow the conversation as the Vessel Assist folks (the AAA of the water, for which you can buy a membership and get towing and jump start services etc.) attempt to help a vessel on the way back from Catalina to LA with engine problems. The motor "just stopped" and they aren’t sure where they are. They think they are about 10 miles from LA but they don’t really know how to use the onboard GPS. The vessel assist folks calmly asked how long they had been traveling, at what time they thought they left and what compass heading they thought they were on in an effort to locate them. After about 20 minutes of conversation they were located and the conversation ended. Presumably they were … saved! Back to Channel 16 to see what else is going on. Two calls came in to the coast guard, on vessel on the rocks, another out at sea taking on water. The coast guard answering the calls and asking if there is immediate danger of life involved, and how many people are on board and their condition.
I decided 4:00 PM would be my turn around time. I wasn’t going to make it out as far as the distant oil platform. I’d entered its coordinates into the GPS and could ascertain it was 8 miles off shore. I was a little more than 5 miles off shore at my turnaround time. I’d been beating into a south west wind all day, doing long tacks across the shipping lanes being careful not to cross paths with the stream of ships entering and exiting the harbor on about half hour intervals. Though it was overcast I never lost sight of the shore. Though at arms length the tallest buildings were just about 1/8" tall.
I thought when I turned around it would be a swift run with the wind back harbor. It was a run, but not too quick. The wind had been about 8 to 10 knots and of course seems non existent as you turn to go with it. I used a paddle to hold the jib out as there was not enough pressure in the sail to hold it out on it’s own. In the LA latitude it was light till about 8:30 PM so I figured I had a little more than four hours of day light and the run in would take about three hours so I had a little safety cushion. Besides that it had just been a full moon so the night was fairly bright.6
The run in to harbor was fairly uneventful. I arrived dockside about 8:00 PM The GPS showed a track of a little over 18 miles, about the same as I’d done on the circumnavigation of Angel Island. Just short of the 22 mile straight line distance to my intended goal of Catalina Island.
I never made it to Catalina, but I sure had fun thinking about it. If I ever do get a chance again I am now better familiarized with what it will entail and the waters around Long Beach. I’m better prepared mentally for the task, and I know for sure conditions need to be just right for me to feel comfortable to do this trip solo in such a tiny boat. Had I been involved in a group sail there may have been some momentum to get the group across, but as it was acting totally independently I like to error on the conservative side.