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San Diego to Oxnard

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We visited a couple more of the Channel Islands – Catalina and Santa Barbara – both on the way out and on return. Catalina still leaves me cold. It has everything that Santa Cruz does, but it’s covered with people. I’m no misanthrope (someone who hates people, Randy), but they sure clutter the landscape.

Entering San Diego was very interesting. Though no carriers were underway in the harbor, there were plenty of warships on the radio. In fact, we got turned back when we wanted to circumnavigate Santa Barbara. That area wasn’t hot, but it was close to a firing range and it was too hard to explain we wouldn’t intrude. So we didn’t and just headed for Catalina.

The weather was dismal on the way down and we motored a great deal. The return leg got better and better with our final leg under blue skies with winds near 20 knots most of the way. It was beginning to feel like Southern California.

BTW – the Local Notice to Mariners that cites hovercraft operations near Camp Pendleton – well, there’s no real restriction, just an alert. We clocked one on MARPA at 40+

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Dall's Porpoise ©David Gallup/GAP

Dall’s Porpoise – according to our reference manual – is quite common. Nevertheless, I saw them this week for the first time,  and I’ve been sailing the Pacific for more than 20 years. I’ve got some film of the critters, but it’s indistinct, blurry, shaky and – maybe – barely usable. That’s because these guys spend about .01 seconds grabbing a breath and the rest of the time jinking and zigging and zagging. Surprisingly, these porpoises don’t porpoise. I guess that’s reserved for dolphins. We’d already had two great days of wildlife watching when the Dall’s interrupted our Humpback
viewing. Just north of Cueva Valdez, between two and four miles from the beach, we encountered multiple pods of Humpbacks. They were extremely acrobatic, tail slapping, spyhopping and breaching intermittently. We sailed in the vicinity of 6-8 pods, each with 3-5 whales. This aggregation spanned the area from just north of Cueva to the West.

Humpback breaching © David Gallup, GAP

End of Santa Cruz. The final whale made the most spectacular breach any of us had ever seen, getting its entire body airborne before arching  and twisting to land on its side with a colossal splash. There were so many whales spouting, slapping and making a ruckus that it reminded us of the

fountain at the Vegas Bellagio. And one more thing (two more): we could frequently smell the animals (not pleasant) and hear vocalizations. These were not the well know

n “song,” but sounded more like a car attempting to get unstuck from a snowdrift. The Bosun said it also sounded like a tuba player clearing the spit valve on his instrument. Tells you who has more experience with what.

Checkout the slideshow from Orizaba and Platt’s Anchorages.

More Whales

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Rogue Wave

The Rogue Wave Sailors joined us for a daysail off Oxnard. Led by Ferne Ross (to Capt. Dan’s right), they enjoyed mild conditions, got a chance to drive Sancerre, our Jeanneau 45.2 and reviewed Rules of the Road. Though tempted to discuss the racing rules, which are different (far more detailed) from the International Rules, they worked on mastering the the intricacies of Stand-On and Give-way.

“But why, oh why is the vessel on starboard tack the Stand-On?”

Right off the bat, logic breaks down and the inevitable answer is that it’s arbitrary. As one of my shipmates – Jim Julian gets credit – once said: “Never associate logic with the Navy.”

Keep that in mind and the seeming inconsistencies won’t keep you up at night.

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Sail Channel Islands

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Rusty and Denise now share a surname – They’re Rusty and Denise Ely now. They married aboard Wiley with several of their friends there to witness. Capt./Chaplain Dan officiated and Leia manned the helm and shot the video.

We had shirt-sleeve temps and enough wind to sail but not so much that the girls’ hair got messed up. The ceremony was conducted a bit off the Ventura coast, just outside of Channel Islands Harbor.

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From: Rob Walton, Capt. S/V R Escape

I fully agree with the plan for “next time” but being one of those who was on a boat in the harbor I’d like to relate what a “goat roping” this event was.

We awoke aboard Saturday morning to predicted scattered showers and possible t-storms. Sailing was most likely not in the cards, but there were plenty of boat projects to keep us busy. We poured a cup of joe and turned on the t.v. to catch up on the news. The earthquake in Chile was the lead story.

In short order the VHF came alive with CG sector L.A. broadcasting the Tsunami warning…or was it a watch at that point? Either way there seemed to be no detectable concern and as is the norm the voice on the other end seemed quite bored with the announcement duty. As best I can recall the “wave” was predicted to arrive around 1230 hrs and the surge was estimated 1′ – 2′. That didn’t seem to be anything to be alarmed about, so we went about our normal Saturday morning.

It was close to 1200 hrs when I first heard the new revised broadcast. It had changed from “Tsunami Warning” to “Imminent Tsunami” and the 1′-2′ was now was 8′-10′. T

The CG also warned mariners to stay off of beaches & jetties, out of harbors and to seek “safe haven.”

The radio came alive; “So are you saying to get out of the harbor?” some anonymous Captain asked.

Sector L.A. replied “Please stand by” followed by a disturbingly long pause…they didn’t know what to tell us! The revised announcement was repeated, no further instructions were given and Sector LA went quiet.

Ventura Harbor Patrol finally broke the silence and instructed anyone in the Harbor to stay put and consult their marina managers.

Whaaaat? Being a student of Sail Channel Islands and working on my graduate degree in “Ole Sea Dogness” I instantly knew what a horrible piece of advice that was – our marina’s only concerns are slip fees, registration and insurance compliance. Tsunami’s, water spouts, disasters natural and man-made as well as rampaging mothers-in-law are outside of their field of view.

By this time, it was much too late for us to get underway and out to deep water, but the question remained: should we leave the boat and head for the safety of … the parking lot?

I’ll admit at this point I phoned Captain Dan and told him what was going on. We both agreed that most likely very little will happen but to be on the safe side, close up the boat and go for a walk – away from the beach! We did just that and as we now know not much happened.except for the fishing boat who sped out of the harbor at full speed but that’s another story.

So what’s the moral of this story? Follow the Captain’s advice: head to sea or meet him in Ojai. I believe you’ll find him in the first bar on the right.

R. Harvey

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American Pride probably looks a little pitiful – at least her crew will – after running aground in in Rainbow Harbor in Long Beach.

The Coast Guard reported that another tall ship’s crew finds itself wondering why they can’t move ahead. Ooops we’re aground!!!

According to the Coast Guard, it was a “soft grounding,” and she floated away on the rising tide.

Here’s Rainbow Harbor (Marina). American Pride lives at pier 3b. That looks pretty tight. I wonder who is responsible for monitoring shoaling … or the depth sounder, for that matter.

The Coast Guard is investigating the cause.

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Score this video.

The Ropers – Wayne and Bill – joined the Boatswain and me when we set sail on 15 Feb. As everyone knows, you can’t sail in winter. That is unless you buy some beer, a couple of pounds of steak and then throw off the lines. Remarkably, the boat floats just fine in February and the sails seem to work, too.

Bill Roper caught this Gray Well as he sounded between Anacapa and Santa Cruz Island

We headed for Santa Cruz thinking we’d overnight in Pelican anchorage on the north shore. However, we were distracted by whale spouts and sailed south for a closer look. We got within a quarter mile of a pod of three, but were unable to close the distance under sail. It was getting a little late in the day and we wanted to be in anchorage with a couple of hours of daylight left so that we could perfect our bow & stern anchoring technique.

The night was warm and the New Moon made it perfect for stargazing. Then day #2 rewarded us with a spectacular sunrise. It was warm enough by 0700 to kayak in shirtsleeves.

We had anchored in Coches Prietas, which is a very popular anchorage. I rarely go there because it is so popular, some times attracting 20 boats or more. But this night only one joined us and they did not actually get into the anchorage with us, preferring to ride to a single hook a bit outside. Though it’s easier by far to set one hook, we had a much more comfortable ride inside the reef. We watched other boat’s anchor light traverse an arc of ± 20 degrees. That couldn’t have been fun for long.

Winter Morning Coches Prietas Santa Cruz Island

In the morning, we set out in kayaks to explore the beach. This is the site of a Chumash village and we think we spotted the midden where their ancient garbage dump is located. The island is greener than we’d ever seen with water flowing in all the creeks and trees and flowers, including lupine in full bloom.

We got underway about 1100. Wind was still calm and seas absolutely flat: a perfect day for whale spotting. Once we were in the Anacapa Passage, we found several pods. As we were only making 5 knots, the whales had to come to us, which they did. There are a couple of excellent seconds of video and several great stills that Bill caught with his Canon.

We had to motor all the way home. We hate that, but if it was the price for hanging out with the Grays, it was well worth it.

The weather is lousy today and forecast lousy through the weekend. Winter sailing is great in SoCal, you’ve just got to pick your days.

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How to save money and grief without really trying.

by Wayne Roper, “The Engineer”

We humans have one thing in common, and that is as soon as the sailing lessons are over, we feel the urge to buy a boat. Some of us don’t wait that long and are not very careful.

Some of us will take a prospective used car to six mechanics before a purchase decision. But many in that same group will purchase a boat based strictly on what the owner (or worse – broker) tells us about the vessel, often without as much as sea trial.

For these people and other prospective boat buyers we are going to attempt to explore the wonderful world of surveys.

A survey doesn’t give a 100% guarantee that the boat is 100% up to standard, in fact surveyors will usually tell you what they won’t look at or what they won’t test before they start. Make sure you know what you’re buying in terms of survey service. Done correctly, a survey goes a long way to assuring the safety of your crew and the overall condition and value of the boat. It also satisfies both insurance and bank loan requirements.

A marine survey is nothing more than an inspection of the boat’s hull, rigging and its various operating systems. These systems can be complex and are always expensive to repair or replace. Onboard operating systems such as electrical, water and sanitation are inspected and tested for proper operation; the engine is inspected for leaks and proper mounting. All the deck-level rigging mount points are inspected, along with the hull above the water line. Most insurance/bank surveys will also require the haul out of the vessel for a below waterline inspection. This will uncover hull damage, blisters, shaft issues, as well as any damage caused by the lack of maintenance of zinc’s. Steering mechanism and rudder can also be checked along with straightness of the propeller shaft and condition of the bottom paint. Finally, the surveyor will attempt to assign a value to the vessel, considering its condition.

Most of the surveyors that I have talked with charge approximately fifteen to twenty dollars per foot to survey the vessel. A couple of notes at this point, surveyors do not go aloft to inspect masts or rigging. So a visit from a good rigging specialist would probably be a good investment, particularly if the boat is more than 10 years old. Surveyors do not perform in-depth condition reports on engines. Therefore, an outside mechanic, and the purchase of a couple of his hours for an inspection, compression test and oil sampling would be money well spent. And surveyors do not look at the sails or running rigging on sailboats.

I know this seems like a lot of time and trouble but a marine survey is the best money you will ever spend, affording you more protection than most insurance policies. A boat that looks good and floats could be a better candidate for a chain saw and the recycler than a boat for you and your crew. A survey will help identify the correct boat for you.

At no time in my memory have their been better boat bargains. The recession has forced many quality boats onto the market at very attractive prices. By using a well performed survey as your compass you will insure the fact that you get the most value for your boating dollars.

But even before the survey is the sea trial … we’ll deal with that next.

Here, btw, is a list of Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors and the International Association of Marine Surveyors and some case studies and other valuable information about the surveying business and survey procedures.

And, finally, an example of what might happen if you don’t have a bit of help when you buy – Country Bumpkin Buys a Boat

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The squid fleet is having a hell of a time keeping their boats afloat. About two weeks ago the Fishing Vessel Lady Francis (thought ladies spelled in Frances) ran aground in Smugglers and Sat. night, the F/V Donz Rig ran aground trying to find her way into the harbor.
 

The Fishing Vessel Donz Rig***** is supported by supplemental buoyancy bags and surrounded by oil booms. At least two Vessel Assist boats, a Coast Guard vessel and a few other boats accompanied the wounded lady back home to Oxnard’s Channel Islands Harbor.
 
I’ve been trying to get the CG to tell us what caused these incidents as there might be a lesson for us all to learn. Think of it – Lady F went aground on Santa Cruz Island on a no-wind night with visibility unrestricted and under a full moon. How’d that happen?

 Donz Rig apparently bounced off the north jetty trying to negotiate the turn into Channel Islands Harbor, began taking water immediately and beached herself on Hollywood Beach.

Actually, I can see how that could happen, particularly to an out-of-towner.
 
It may take an appeal under the Freedom of Information act, but we mariners need to know the multiple causes of these accidents or we’re liable to repeat the actions ourselves.

more when I learn more

and now I’ve leaned more

****Turns out that the boat towed in Sunday was Donz Rig on her way to the shipyard. Sources in the harbor say the crew thought they were entering Ventura Harbor, spun around when they realized their mistake and clipped the north jetty, ending up aground on Hollywood Beach.

There was a small – a couple of gallons – of diesel discharged during the event.

F/V Lady Francis was reportedly towed from Smugglers to a Ventura shipyard for salvage last week. Sources say that was a particularly long ride at a max. speed of 1.8 knots.

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Boat Owners:

If you think the tax on your boat is too high, the Ventura County Assessor just might agree.

If you’ve looked at any brokerage page on the net, you know that your boat isn’t going to sell for anything near the amount you paid. Yet you keep getting tax bills based on that amount.
 

 
If your boat is in Channel Islands Harbor or Ventura Harbor, call the Ventura County Assessor and ask for an assessment appeal form, fill it out and send before the end of November. Don’t bother trying their website. That is an electronic disaster area. Call (805) 654-2181 and request the form.

BTW – the form covers the 2009-2010 tax year and does not affect this year’s taxes.

BTW -2- I intend to file every year for each of my boats. It’s marked on my calendar annually on 1 Oct.

The process takes a long time – about a year, so it looks like I’ll be “in process” all the time if I file a yearly appeal. Even if the economy largely recovers, the value of the boats will likely continue to decline. A sad state of affairs, but a boat fact of life. Don’t let it be more expensive than the law requires.

If you own a boat in California but outside Ventura County, call your county assessor. The process will be similar.

capt. dan

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