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Old 08-14-2015, 01:21 PM   #29
CeeBee
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City: San Francisco
Vessel Name: Emily B
Vessel Model: Beneteau Swift Trawler 44'
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 123
Trip Update

Hi All


Update on our trip.

After spending a couple of days in Marina Del Rey we made the quick uneventful trip to Catalina and were lucky enough to snag a ball in Avalon. The original plan was two nights but we always extend our stay because it is such a magical place, so we added a third.. Met awesome peeps, Matt and Shannon (Bustlebomb) and Jerry and Joyce from Long Beach.

Made the trip over to Avalon and down to San Diego on ½ a tank of fuel. Forgot to put the drain stopper in the dingy so that made for an exciting launch in Avalon J I quickly jumped in and plugged it.

Starting a list of needed “spares” , Bay Marine in SF “forgot” to put on the prop zincs after doing the bottom,. Matt Peterson (fstbttms) caught it, but it was the day before we pulled out and he didn’t have the Beneteau 50mm’s in stock. Thus have been chasing zincs and divers down the coast. Got turned on to BoatZincs.com and the drop shipped them to Marina Del Rey.

The Raw Water impeller on the Gen Set bit the dust and thanks to Peter at Explorer Marine Services in San Diego got a quick fix and an extra two as “insurance”.

The 60+ mile run from Avalon to San Diego is a beautiful open water trip. Swells were advertised as 3-4’ but definitely had about an hour of 4-6 but the wave period made the ride comfortable although the boats going uphill were getting a little “wet”. When making the trip, keep a look out for “kelp islands” floating around well offshore. We passed almost a dozen 25- 30 miles off. You can see some of them because birds are on them but others you need to keep a good eye out for.

You will cross the shipping lane a couple of hours out of Catalina, there was quite a bit of traffic we navigated around. Fortunately their course and speed are easy to calculate as they are using AIS but very few of the recreational boaters have AIS on. We take that for granted in the SF Bay Area due to all of the Fog as it adds an extra layer of safety.

San Diego is beautiful , staying at San Diego Yacht Club. Great people and the food is worth the visit!.

If coming to San Diego from the North stay at least 3 miless off as the kelp beds extend out up to two miles. You’re good heading to Buoy SD then following the channel in. Also keep an ear out on 16 as there were several warships transiting in and out and some exercises offshore. They will hail you if they don’t like your course and ask you to chat with them on 10 or 12.

Hanging here for another day or two then heading uphill to Marina Del Rey.
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