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Old 06-04-2013, 04:10 PM   #1
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Whether weather? North to the Bay we go!

Finally, the weather window around Point Conception has opened up, allowing us to cruise Tropical Blend home to Alameda. For the past few weeks, there have been numerous gale warnings around the Point, keeping us on hold. This wee the winds have died way down, and will stay down - of course, the day we are rounding the point will be the peak over the next week - but still manageable. We plan to be off the Point around 5AM Friday, with a wind forecast of 5 to 15 knots, seas 4 to 6 feet. We'll hug the beach for awhile, as the seas are supposed to be short and steep offshore. But overall, things are looking good. We're going non-stop, leaving Dana Point around 7AM on Thursday, and we expect to arrive in Alameda Saturday night. It's high time that we got to enjoy the "Cape Horn of California"!
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Old 06-10-2013, 05:39 PM   #2
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We completed our journey north. It took 57 hours, about 3 less than we anticipated. The only real rough patch was in the Santa Barbara channel. For about 8 hours, we have short, steep head seas. I estimated them at 4 to 6 feet, but very steep and close together. We had to slow down to 6 knots there to find a slightly more comfortable ride.

Going around Conception Friday morning was a piece of cake. We rounded the point at about 6:30, about a mile offshore. Although we could see really big breakers on the rocks, we didn't have hardly any wind, with long, gentle swells. North of Arguello, we came across a pod of about 50 Minke whales - best whale-watching cruise I have ever been on!

We only saw one other boat between Santa Barbara and Pacifica, other than a few sailboats anchored in Cojo. This was the first time we have made this long of a passage, with two overnights. It's a little strange cruising in complete darkness, relying solely on radar, but we got used to it.

The real bad weather we got was actually when we pulled into SF Bay. The wind was up to 35 knots behind us, with the tide ebbing out of the gate. These conditions played Hell with the autopilot. And then there were the maniacs trying to sail and kite surf all around us. I don't think they realize that a 30 ton boat can't stop or turn on a dime.

Anyway, we are now in Alameda, and we'll spend the rest of the summer acclimating and finishing the upgrades before departing in October.
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Old 06-10-2013, 10:10 PM   #3
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Congratulations, sounds like a great trip. When you speak of departing in October, what is the destination?
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Old 06-11-2013, 11:25 AM   #4
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Congratulations, sounds like a great trip. When you speak of departing in October, what is the destination?
Well, we are dropping off of the grid for an open-ended voyage. We'll spend a few weeks going down the California coast and visiting the Channel Islands, then we'll join the FUBAR rally in San Diego, arriving La Paz in mid-November. After that, a month or so in the southern Sea of Cortez, then over to the Pacific Coast. We'll work our way down Mexico and Central America, arriving in Panama in May. After a canal transit, we'll spend hurricane season in the San Blas Islands, Cartagena, and Trinidad. Then it's up the Antilles for 6 or so months. At that time, we'll either decide to transit the Great Loop, or back through the Caribbean for a spring jump to the South Pacific.

At lease this is the plan... we are liquidating 95% of our land-based stuff, so this is a real commitment to cruising.
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Old 06-11-2013, 12:00 PM   #5
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When you get to the Los Angeles Harbor, give me a PM. I'd like to say hi.

I've known many people go up past Point Conception and only a few with no major seas. Good Going!!
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Old 06-11-2013, 12:03 PM   #6
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When you get to the Los Angeles Harbor, give me a PM. I'd like to say hi.

I've known many people go up past Point Conception and only a few with no major seas. Good Going!!
We'll be sure to let you know. We used a weather router to get the best window - Omni Bob. It really paid off.
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