Weather Helmed

Because Pete and Ray didn’t have much time left with us and the wind wasn’t cooperating for a fast trip to, well, anywhere we wanted to go, we decided to head from Santa Barbara over to Santa Cruz island just across the channel.  We ended up motoring most of the way, but it was a gorgeous day and the dress onboard went from fleece and beanies to flipflops and bikinis, which was quite welcome.  We anchored at Scorpion Cove on the southeast end of the island.  It was pretty, but didn’t look particularly exciting.  Plus, all I really wanted to do was sleep and be significantly lazy in the sun.  On our way into the anchorage we were joined by frolicking sea lions and even saw the tip of a whale’s tail as it dove into the horizon.  Pete and Ray ventured over to the island and went for a quick hike only to discover that there was a national park visitor’s center just out of sight of the boat, with a full fledged museum honoring the history of sheep and pig farming on the island.  Needless to say, I was glad I didn’t feign the energy to join them for that excursion 🙂

We left Scorpion the next day to head to Catalina and literally bobbed around less than 3 miles from where we had left for most of the day, as in H.O.U.R.S.   Matt wandered around in his shorts and visor, smiling and saying, “I’m in no rush! Are you?”  A few dolphins came flashing up beside our boat but soon realized that we weren’t moving at all and dashed off.  Is it funny that I felt a little embarrassed about that?

That evening, the wind picked up and we had Jon’s drifter flying yet again and the boat was pulling 5-6knots and it was a BEAUTIFUL night and Matt and I were enjoying our evening watch.  As we approached Long Beach harbor, a major shipping channel, I looked up from my book and we were enveloped in dense fog.  It had been patchy for a while, and we were being careful to monitor the AIS and radar when needed, but I was still a little surprised.  It was EERIE.  But, thanks to AIS, we knew where we were and where all the other big mean boats were the entire time.  That AIS is incredible.  I know it doesn’t show everyone, but the fact that it shows the enormous, fast cargo boats that could munch up our Syzygy in seconds… that’s really really nice (that we can see them, not that we can be a quick snack!)

At 2am, Matt and I were exhausted and eager to wake Pete and Ray up to take the helm.  Of course, the wind died at the same time and we all spent what were probably the most miserable 6 hours of the whole trip rolling uncomfortably side to side, not sleeping, and not moving more than 500 feet.  At 6am, the boat still groaning and shifting erratically, I shouted at Matt, “CAN WE PLEASE JUST TURN THE ENGINE ON FOR AN HOUR?”  It’s not that I like the engine being on or that I like the smell of exhaust or the awful sound it makes in our bedroom, but for the love of all that is holy, the engine could straighten the boat out and at least make the rolling bearable so I could get some sleep.

Matt either honestly didn’t hear me or ignored me completely and I fumed for the next two hours.

When we got up at 8am, I could barely speak to him when Pete and Ray, also grumpy, went to bed, and Matt turned the engine on and we motored our entire watch. Oh sure, for them, he would turn the engine on, I thought.  But not for me, his gentle, loving wife, who makes him coffee in the mornings and spoons him when he’s cold and makes him laugh in rough times.  No, I had to SUFFER for six hours.  It took me an embarrassingly long time to start acting like an adult again and not like a 2yr old who missed her nap.

We made it to Catalina in one piece and are anchored and it’s lovely out, and there are showers, and a laundromat, thank goodness, and french fries at a little cafe on shore, and internet access, and I’m going to bake brownies, and we’re going to have mimosas, and did I mention the laundromat?  because my socks smell really really bad.