A fabulous sail home on HONU today from the Isthmus to Long Beach!
A Small Craft Advisory was posted for today and by 7am the Isthmus Fan was in full operation early with a stiff breeze. But the proverbial to us experienced sailor/racers, that the "Harbor hurricane" was in effect so to speak. I knew my son Chris and I were in for a treat from my past experiences from these sails for a great sail home from Catalina!
Hoisted sail off of 4th of July Cove @ 1040 and ran past Ship Rock @ 1050. Sailed the entire way in a nice breeze where the big Westerly kicked in nicely @ 14-16 knots a mile after Ship Rock and then built to 18-20 knots the last 8 miles to Long Beach Light that we passed by @ 1515. An easy, comfortable sail on a Lapworth designed boat ahead of its time, even with another confused washing machine sea state mixed in with the traditional big rolling Pacific swells we experienced upwind on Saturday going over. For a Cal 29 flying a full mainsail and a nice Yankee Cut # 4 high clewed jib, not bad, at 6 -8 knots always under control.
Other sailboats we passed and also saw heading over were all reefed down or motoring - not criticizing at all, and much respect to their owners/skippers respecting the blustery and sea state challenging conditions and acting accordingly. Saw a Grand Banks 31 heading over braving the wind and seas and crashing through them - and kudos to that skipper and crew! The adage of "Respect Mother Nature, because she takes what she wants!" was in play today. It was a rough, challenging day, but if most of us out there who were prepared, a day to remember.
This day sailing / cruising life is suiting me well! Got my son on the road within 15 minutes of getting to our slip and got HONU put away 30 minutes after that--
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