Cruising from Mexico to Alaska - The adventure continues

[ksanders]

Here is a bit of an update for Vicky and I aboard our Bayliner 4788 dos Peces.

We left La Paz in early February and did the fabled Baja Bash. It was just as you would expect. 15 knots of wind and 2 meter seas in our face for hundreds of miles.
No fun at all, and having done it twice I am not anxious to do it again. People say the Baja Bash is easy, and I suppose it is but for me, I wanted to get to Ensenada so we traveled in seas that were not dangerous, but they were certainly uncomfortable.

Then we started our planned multi year adventure exploring the pacific coast including Alaska. We stayed in San Diego for a week, then the Los Angeles area for another week and had a great time being tourists. Yes, we hit Disneyland, and Universal Studios, and Hollywood, and a whole host of other touristy stuff.
We stayed at Alamitos Bay Marina in Long Beach, and Marina Del Rey.

Right now we are in Santa Barbara after spending a few wonderful days in Ventura. We will be here for another week then will fly home to La Paz for a couple of weeks.

The idea of Vicky driving the Jeep to the next port is working out great. Having the jeep with us makes exploring and shopping much easier.

Next time back we will make the run to first Morro Bay, then Monterey, and possibly make it to the bay area.

Living the life of Vagabond Cruisers

 

[Kaniksu]

Is Vicky shoving you off, hopping in the jeep while you motor solo, and driving to the next marina to grab lines as you approach your slip?

 

[ksanders]

Is Vicky shoving you off, hopping in the jeep while you motor solo, and driving to the next marina to grab lines as you approach your slip?

Yes that is exactly what she's doing!

When I arrived in Santa Barbara she was already there and ready to grab a line.

This whole idea of the jeep with us has proven to be a really great way to explore! For example on Monday we are leaving for a couple days checking out the largest trees in the world at Sequoia National Park. We rented a cabin for a couple of nights and will have a great time. Pack a cooler, and a overnight bag and go.

 

[READY]

Kevin, be sure to visit the free wagon and saddle museum. Hidden gem. Short walk from SB marina. Also a nice little Mexican market close by.

 

[READY]

Also Port San Luis is a great stop. Just south of Morro Bay. Very nice calm (exceptionally so) and free anchorage and reasonable fuel prices. I much prefer that to Morro Bay. Just watch your chart plotter as there are some well charted rocks here and there. Very easy to avoid as long as you follow the chart. Even approachable at night and without the potential danger of the entrance at Morro Bay.

I love Monterey. The muni marina has very low rates and so much to see and do. Easy to stay a week there.

I am on my Hatteras 48LRC in the Delta now but relocating to Emery Cove marina (Emeryville in SF Bay) next week. They usually have open slips and a good alternative to being on the San Franciso side of the bay. I also like South Beach Harbor in SF if you can get a slip there. Pretty easy walk to things. Pier 39 is right in the heart of the tourist area but slips may not be available and it can be rolly due to the ferries that dock.

 

[Taras]

Kevin, thanks for sharing! I hope you made it out to Catalina Island? You're not far from it and it is a must see. Grab a mooring ball in Avalon and experience "the med" of southern calif. Then anchor at Whites Landing....super cool. Also, going around to the back side to Cat Harbor is really flat, calm and relaxing. There's a small village in Cat with a bar and a really good restaurant!

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Maybe we will bump into each other in SEAK...

 

[ksanders]

Thanks for the great suggestions!

We have not made it to Catalina, but we did just come back from Sequoia National Park!
We are heading back to Ventura in the morning and will fly home for a couple of weeks, and continue the adventure north.

For those with Tick Tok Vicky made a really cool video.

TikTok - Make Your Day

Here are a few photos as well.

 

[ksanders]

Here is a great video Vicky made summarizing the last three weeks in California.

We are home in La Paz now and head back to the states on the 17th to continue the journey north.

TikTok - Make Your Day

 

[MichaelD]

I used to cruise those waters: open Pacific off SoCal. Especially Catalina, which I agree has full-on Med charm. We even had a house there. That was in sail boats, which are much more sea kindly than powerboats. I really can't imagine it being so fun in a Bayliner. I'm now cruising the PNW (Puget Sound, Salish Sea) from homeport Friday Harbor on a Bayliner 4588. These waters are much more interesting and much more friendly than the open sea, to me anyway. You'll like it here I bet.

 

[Dockmaster]

Any idea when you expect to make it into Alaska? My boat is currently in Ketchikan. We lived there for 5 years long ago but have been boating/fishing there for 25 years. Happy to help with any info or assistance I can. If we are there when you are we also have a vehicle there. We keep our boat at Bar Harbor South marina.

 

[ksanders]

Next summer we plan on being in Alaska.

Currently we are "stuck" in the Santa Barbara area waiting on weather.

Point Conception is a bugger, and this year it's really difficult.

 

[Dockmaster]

Next summer we plan on being in Alaska.

Currently we are "stuck" in the Santa Barbara area waiting on weather.

Point Conception is a bugger, and this year it's really difficult.

Our plan is to bring the boat down from Alaska end of this summer so we will miss you. Enjoy your cruising and hope you get a window to get around Conception soon.

 

[friz]

Here is a great video Vicky made summarizing the last three weeks in California.

We are home in La Paz now and head back to the states on the 17th to continue the journey north.

TikTok - Make Your Day

Ahh, La dolce vita!

 

[ksanders]

Well, an update of the adventure...

We had to fly home for a family member passing away, and are just heading back to Santa Barbara this afternoon.

We have a weather window coming up in a week. Yes that is a long way out for the forecast, but I'm pretty confident the weather will break.

I was going to do a straight shot 27 hours from Santa Barbara to Monterey, but have decided against that.
Watching the wind patterns in this part of the coast, every day the wind comes up around 2 pm and lasts until well after dark.

I'm going to avoid that by leaving Santa Barbara at around midnight the day we go. This will put us at Point Conception around first light, and into Morro Bay by 1 pm or so.

 

[tiltrider1]

You will enjoy Morro Bay. The bar is short but it creates a steep wave. It’s a very consistent break so it shouldn’t sneak up on you.

 

[Wtrguy]

So sorry for your loss. I feel the ocean is a great healer in that regard. Spent a lot of time on the boat after my dad passed. The constant work really helped.

 

[ksanders]

You will enjoy Morro Bay. The bar is short but it creates a steep wave. It’s a very consistent break so it shouldn’t sneak up on you.

Thanks Dave for the reminder, I'm entering the zone where I need to pay attention to the tides.

I jiust looked and it looks like the high tide is at noon on the 24th, perfect.

Later that night to depart the next high tide is at 10:14 pm. If I leave a bit early at slack that will be perfect.