I arrived here at sun up. This 175 odd nautical miles, two day trip had a little bit of everything you could encounter in a year’s sailing around the world. From 30 knots to nada wind, nasty rough confused seas to smooth seas sailing in ideal conditions. And I have about as much confidence in the marine weather forecasts as the current state of the American democracy.

I did not get much sleep last night, and I will leave it at the few words I put down while under way:

Tuesday, October 18 sixty miles from San Diego and having one of the best sailing conditions ever. Running downwind with the prevalent N-Westerly about 10 knots of wind in smooth seas. T-shirt weather. What a difference since yesterday. I left Monday morning at 10 from Santa Barbara. The forecasts were for light winds. But the seas were rough, left over from strong Northerlies and Westerlies in the last couple days. I started out with just my 140% Dacron genoa. The westerly kept building and I ended up sailing with just the storm jib, then the wind dropped and the genoa went back up but it soon had to be changed again for the storm jib. The seas were nasty and I had to be very careful holding on for dear life both on and under deck. The still near full moon came up in a red fireball and then lit up the sea all night. In the morning the wind died again, just as I was approaching Catalina Island. Then the wind came up from the South East. And within an hour the wind clocked from SE to West and later to the NW. And the ocean surface was smooth which makes for a perfect sail.

But the wind died in the evening and at 9 pm the engine was cranked on. I may have just got very lucky after all with the weather. The weather forecast for last night for the Channel Islands and the Santa Barbara area put the fear of God into me. Gale force. And I must have arrived just in time. Very strong Santa Anna winds are blowing here since I docked. Keep up your prayers for me, they are obviously working.

I am moored in the Police/Custom guest dock on Shelter Island until Thursday, then I hope to have found another arrangement. My oldest son, John and my favorite daughter in law Jennifer and her two daughters live here in San Diego. I plan to head for Mexico right after the Baja Ha-Ha has cleared out of here on October 31st. Don’t let them read this blog because they may want to sail close to me under my lucky star.

I pushed the wrong button on my de Lorme satellite tracker. I meant to re-start it on leaving Santa Barbara. But I skipped that part until I discovered my error yesterday morning. I have a small video camera on board and started with it yesterday. I need to practice more but I expect that this will give more depth to my story. Particularly the moving visuals, like dolphins putting up their shows.

Leaving Santa Barbara October 17, 2016

leaving Santa Barbara, April 23rd 2005 for Hiva Oa