In search of exotic places
With the paperwork behind us, we leave Ensenada knowing that we were faced with our first overnight sail. The temperatures were supposed to be in the high 40’s low 50’s, and that’s not too bad considering it’s December.
Well underway, we caught our first fish. A Bonito is not considered the best quality, but makes for yummy fish tacos nonetheless.
Ensenada is a major port town and tourist destination. It is also the main port of entry for most boats coming from the north.
With Angel finally on board, Christmas behind us and a decent weather window, we left San Diego early in the morning on Dec 26th.
As a perk to staying in Ventura West Marina, we were allowed a courtesy stay at West Marina in San Diego for one week. This came in handy, as it allowed us to prepare our paperwork, get provisioning done and wait for a good weather window.
After the work on the rudder had been completed, I was ready to leave Marina Del Rey and sail to San Diego, with a stop over in Dana Point to catch some sleep. Passing by San Pedro and Long Beach gives an impressive view of the mechanism needed to get all the goods and products from Asia into the US. Cargo ships, tankers and massive cranes decorate the environment.
Once this section is passed, we’re back to nature. The sun was warming up the day and a seal enjoyed an early sunbathing.
Dana Point has a beautiful harbor and they provide two reasonably good anchorages for cruisers to stay a few days without having to register and pay for a slip. As I got settled, I was the only boat anchored. A 12 knot gust was keeping the sky crystal clear.
After leaving early, I was well underway towards San Diego, Passing the beautiful beach of Oceanside, I was about to round the southern tip to get into the San Diego bay. Little did I know about all the kelp growing around this point and I found myself in the middle of a kelp forrest. The engine was having a hard time keeping up with weed wrapping around the propeller.
It was quite a stretch getting up the San Diego bay to Harbor Island. But all came to a rest once we were tied up and settled in our slip for the next two weeks.
Monday, December 12th 2016 – the big day has come. We leave the cozy, safe marina slip and head south into the unknown. Angel has to sell her car, get the passport done and finalize various paperwork after leaving her job. so its up me to get the boat south with first stop in Marina Del Rey.
I leave the marina just before 7 am and say goodbye to our dear friends we made over the past 2.5 years. It’s fresh and a bit misty, but still a fine weather window to sail in December. A nice melancholic quietness sets in as I leave the harbor entrance and cruise along the coastline.
