In true Mark and Christiana style, our first passage involved jumping into the middle of the pool. Not wading in, not the complete deep end. But that 4.5′ zone where Mark is above water and Christiana is worried about going under.
We planned out a nice, leisurely day sail to Half Moon Bay from Golden Gate Bridge–it’s only about 5 hours. While we have sailed in the open ocean before, it was mostly with a captain and on a catamaran. Never on our own in a monohull. That Half Moon Bay sail was to be our wading in. Then a nice night’s sleep in Half Moon Bay–perhaps even an excursion ashore for a brewery. The following day, we would wake early and head out for the longer 11-hour sail to Monterey Bay. The route would involve a little darkness, we figured but we had tracks to follow out of Half Moon in the wee hours of dawn. Then we’d spent 3, maybe 4, days in Monterey Bay before tackling the 22-hour sail to Morro Bay–our first overnight and longest yet. All said and done, we’d sail a bit in the dark and be in Morro Bay for some time at the Hope In Spades Ranch in just over a week.
To quote the title of the latest Jordan Peele movie: NOPE.
A low-pressure system was heading south from Alaska. The Bay Area weather people described it as “early” and “unusual” for this time of year. We had to make sailor decisions. We could depart as planned for Half Moon Bay and end up being there for days, a week even. Or, we could go for it.
We went for it!
At 0300 on Wednesday, we woke in Emeryville. By 0400, we followed our track out of the narrow and shallow channel into San Fransico Bay. As we approached Alcatraz, we could no longer see land due to fog. The Bridge’s fog horns sounded ominous coming from, apparently, who knows where! We departed the Bay Area around 0530 in fog and darkness.
At about 1030 on Wednesday, we were navigating into Half Moon Bay. We’d spend roughly an hour trying to anchor only to find the bottom so slippery with thin mud (think baby diaper consistency) and so much kelp that each attempt at anchoring resulted in the anchor, the bow, and Mark needed cleaning. We called the Harbor and they graciously allowed us to stay on an end-tie for the next 5-6 hours at no charge. We quickly ate a PBJ and went to bed.
Wednesday at 1700, we were up again and ready to depart at 1800. We motored off into the sunset.
This part of the passage would be motoring overnight–and stalling to arrive in Monterey Bay after sunrise. We passed through fields of Wild Sea Nettle Jellyfish, whose bodies easily extended 10′. (See video by Monterey Bay Aquarium) Mark saw a whale breach and I saw the whale’s tail! Our first humpback sighting as cruisers! Dolphins swam around us. There were at least 100 Scripp’s Murrelettes around, they resemble a penguin which makes you very excited for a second. Their call is akin to a human screaming so that’s fun in the dark.
By midnight, we were deep into the darkness and getting hungry and tired. We took turns “resting our eyes” in the cockpit. We consumed a sleeve of saltines; Mark made popcorn; I ate dried fruit. By 0200 on Thursday, the caffeine came out. I was so cold that despite having on thermal underwear, foulies, gloves, lined boots, a ski cap, and a neck gaiter, I needed a blanket. At 0400, we could see the lights of Monterey Bay through the marine layer. We were so tired that we decided to go for it! We could not imagine bobbing or circling for hours, waiting for the sun to come up and the marine layer to burn off.
Mark called the Harbor, got a slip assignment, and together, we slowly navigated the channel. I sat on the edge of the cockpit with the Steiners (binos) to call out hazards and directions. Mark followed the chart and tried to block out the fact that he couldn’t see between the darkness and the condensation on the cockpit “windshield” that rendered it useless. By 0500, we completed our first passages! We did 17 hours, 20 minutes, and 23 seconds of motoring in a 25-hour period on little sleep, little food, and a lot of darkness. Thank goodness for radar and AIS!
After docking and checking in, we ate a bagel and went to bed. Thursday was a blur of sleeping and eating. By Friday, we were starting to know what day it was and sleep a normal schedule.
Today is Wednesday, September 21. We are still in Monterey Bay. Still tied up right by 5 million sea lions that never stop barking. I’m not exaggerating. (See videos below.) While our sleep had returned to normal, we are here longer than anticipated waiting for a weather window to make the almost 24-hour passage to Morro Bay. Maybe Friday? Maybe Saturday? The offshore low is moving on today, allowing the winds to return northerlies. The winds are expected to calm a bit too. We should be able to sail to Morro Bay!
This is cruising life!