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Leaving Friday at Dawn!

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/22/2008 : 11:54:26

Well, now that the race is over, I am busy filling the boat with anchors, food, water, beer, kayak, dinghy, gas, dinghy outboard, and camping equipment.

I leave Friday at dawn for what should be a 750 mile, 3 week, single handed voyage to Southern California's most remote offshore island.

First, I am meeting the kids for 5 days camping in a remote, boat-in only, private cove on Catalina Island (no facilities). We are only 4 miles from Two Harbors and 8 miles to Avalon, however. Lots of activities are planned. The kids are camping on the beach, I am staying in the boat.

After they leave I have 15 days to sail 65 more miles to windward, then island hop out to about 75 miles offshore, single handed.

Right now I am planning a "single handed transpac" simulation as I sail what should be downwind 150 to 200 miles home without stopping.

Here's a little map - San Diego bottom right and that little island all the way out and just under Point Conception is my destination.

I'll be around for a few days to respond to this thread, then, you won't hear from me until August 18.

Hasta la vista!

Indiscipline 1978 FK SR #398

Edited by - on

stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2008 : 11:56:09

Fair winds!
Sounds like a wonderful adventure.

Edited by - on

redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2008 : 12:54:35

Jim, YOU are my hero! HAVE A SAFE TRIP!

sten

Edited by - on

jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2008 : 13:15:09

Enjoy - safe return!

Edited by - on

redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2008 : 14:09:10

May the wind be forever at your favor
May the Sunscreen stick like gummies in the rain
May you sleep like a newborn baby and awake, clear eyed, a steady hand
And may you sail all the while with the rummy's smile.
And return to tell us all of your adventures once again.

Great Sailing!

regards.ray

Edited by - on

Sloop Smitten
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1181 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2008 : 14:17:33

Jim,
We saw three Blue Whales and what appeared to be a pod of Orca’s on the way back from Catalina. Keep your eyes peeled. Boat traffic appeared down, probably due to fuel prices. Even got a front row mooring in Avalon on Friday afternoon. If you have your Blackberry, drop us a note. You can forward it to me and I’ll post it for you if that work’s better. Good luck and don’t over do it. Remember your cruising this time, not racing.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2008 : 15:18:46

Will do, Joe, I am planning on leaving my racing sails at home. I'll probably drop off the cruising 155 too, but I am taking my #2 spinnaker for the run home.

Main + 135 should be enough for virtually all of this trip, with 110 and 60 in the V berth.

Edited by - on

SEAN
Admiral

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USA
772 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2008 : 16:33:55

safe trip jim , take some pics for us !

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2008 : 21:12:28

Looking forward to your return and reports.

Keep a good log! we'll be following your progress as you report in.

Safe sailing.

paul

Edited by - on

piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2008 : 21:35:42

Jim we are all jealous, at least Iam. 3 weeks, I can only imagine. Have a wonderful trip and take lots of pics. Safe voyage.

Steve A

Edited by - on

Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2008 : 22:05:50

Don't you watch Deadliest Catch......Thursday 23:59 or Saturday After 0001 .

Thankfully the Hillstrand brothers have blocker for the bad luck, once you hit open water, full reverse to port and complete 1 full circle.

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 07/22/2008 : 22:13:51

Note: We are expecting lots of photos and videos.

Jim, jump onto yachtworld and take a look at that Ericson 35 for sale in SD.
$20K and it doesn't look like a beater.

Edited by - on

DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 07/23/2008 : 10:05:32

Hi Jim,
Sounds like an adventure! Have fun. I can't find Point Conception or your Island on Google Earth. Can you help me out? coordinates? Island name? Cali or Mexico? Thanks

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 07/23/2008 : 11:27:44

"...single handed transpac" simulation...

Good idea to walk before you run. Then remember the Transpac would be about 11 more of those in a row, without stopping.

Fair winds and safe journey!

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 07/23/2008 : 12:08:45

Last night I put all the non-racing boating gear and all the dried and canned food on board. I have 20 gallons of gas, 2 engines (one 3.5 hp 2 stroke for the dinghy but it can push the boat in a pinch). I have almost all the food stowed under the quarter berth. I'll pull out what I need for a couple days at a time. I have 12 gallons of water stored where the water tank used to be. I have 3 anchors, anchoring stabilizer (those orange cones). I have 3 jibs and a spinnaker.

The amazing thing is that all this stuff is stored in lockers and nothing is clutering up the cabin (not yet).

Tonight I'll put on board all the kids camping gear. This stuff is light and is going to be in the V berth. This includes wet suits and snorkeling gear for all.

Tomorrow I'll make a final stop at the store and purchase fresh food, fruit, things like that. I have nets to hang the fresh fruit in. My new electric cooler passed the test and will be used as a refridgerator - at least for the first week.

My dinghy has a leak, it is sitting in our pool looking rather flat. I have a final task to fix that, pack it, and then Karen is driving me to the boat Thursday night. I saved a space for it at the back of the quarter berth.

Almost ready, it is rather hard to concentrate on work-related activities.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 07/23/2008 : 12:22:10

From Google Earth, San Miguel Island, my planned destination is at 34 01 58 N 120 22 17 W

Point Conception is 34 27 N 120 26 W. It is just north of Santa Barbara, CA. It is notorious as the "Cape Horn" of Southern California.

Edited by - on

DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 07/24/2008 : 07:59:35

Thanks for the info Jim,
I like tracing peoples journeys with Google Earth. Point Conception is pretty wild looking!

As is San Miguel Island

Edited by - DaveR on 07/24/2008 08:13:12

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 07/24/2008 : 08:45:10

Jim,

Did you rent an [url="http://www.boatus.com/Foundation/epirb/default.asp"]epirb from BoatUS[/url]?
Do you have a sat phone or something, or will you be out of touch?

NOAA forecast through early next week for offshore San Diego to Catalina Is. looks like nice W winds with some morning fog.

I'm sure you'll have fun!

Edited by - JohnP on 07/24/2008 08:59:25

redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 07/24/2008 : 08:54:54

As a former SoCal sailor myself, I will agree with the Cape Horn of SoCal statement. As a kid, I had both my Pearson 30 and my fast Frers 30 tossed around pretty badly in bad weather on that run. It seemed exciting and fun at the time, but my crew was all prone and losing it, and water was flying everywhere. Hope you are able to pull down GRIB files via a digital shortwave radio and a 'puter or something to give you real accurate info for the slog home!

John P. - There are some sailors, (I'm not one of them) who will not travel with an EPIRB. They got themselves into it, they will get themselves out of it. I won't pull the pin on my EPIRB unless I am stepping up into the raft, or I have crew with a medical situation that does require a passing freighter to evacuate, etc...

Have a great sail and I'll refrain from all the stupid "fair winds and following seas" stuff 'cuz that just jinxes people like me....

Sten

DPO Zephyr - '82 C25, FK, SR
SV Lysistrata - C&C 39 - Swansea, MA

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 07/24/2008 : 09:04:05

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by redviking
 ...stupid "fair winds and following seas" stuff...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Sorry--I'll take it back.

Edited by - on

redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 07/24/2008 : 09:06:42

oops! Sorry Dave! I must have had an oldtimers moment.... But seriously, EVERYTIME someone said that to us the night before we left, we got pounded for at least half a day even though NOAA had assured us otherwise... Hence my superstition...

Edit: Wait! You said "Fair winds and safe journey!" I think that falls outside of the guidelines!

sten

Edited by - redviking on 07/24/2008 09:10:16

ilnadi
Captain

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452 Posts

Response Posted - 07/24/2008 : 09:39:38

how about "enjoy whatever neptune throws at you"?

Edited by - on

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 07/24/2008 : 10:40:01

Jim,

You might want to play some Miles on your sound system when cruising at night to wake up any sleeping whales nearby. They outweigh your boat several-fold.

The swing-keel owners have a built-in noisemaker, but your fin keel slices silently through the water.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 07/24/2008 : 12:34:36

I love Miles Davis, especially Bitches Brew and In a Silent Way. I have a gig of music on my iPod - jazz and rock, a little of everything. I have my computer and Blackberry. I know they won't connect out there. I am in range of NOAA weather radio the whole time.

Good news, Karen and Heidi are going to take the Catalina Express on Wednesday to join us in Avalon for a day.

I don't have an EPIRB or SSB so I will be quite out of touch. If anything really bad happens I'll have to get out of it on my own, or I expect there will be plenty of boats around in VHF range. If the ocean takes me and I go out fighting all the way, I will be OK with my fate.

Many, many people here at the office shake their heads and can't understand why I would take a vacation, alone, that is sure to be wet, uncomfortable, and risky. They can't understand why I am not going to Las Vegas or something like that. Of course the same type of people could not understand why I took my family on a year long voyage. Some people need adventure in their lives. (Adventure defined - when it is happening you wish you were somewhere, anywhere, else!)

Let me paraphrase my mentor. From time to time I hear the call of the seagulls. I need to disapear over the horizon, with only water, waves, wind, and birds for company. I need to drop all the stress from my life, get away from it all, I'll begin to see and hear more clearly.

I wish I had company. No one will go. In a way, it might be best. When you have company, you have to entertain, and be on their schedule. I told a friend "If I am alone then everyone on board is always having fun!". But the company of a good sailor would be welcome at the midnight watch or when the anchor is dragging at San Miguel Island.

All my life, I've sought freedom. I've never known exactly what it is. Certainly it is not a life of no responsibility, or no money. I have a friend who is free because she doesn't want anything. It is not that for me. I want things, I want to cross an ocean under sail. Today, I am more free than anyone I know. However, I am still tied to things. On this voyage I am going to drop some of those things, at least for a while. However, no sailor is ever really free. I am held by my responsibility to my vessel, and myself. I am a slave to the weather.

See you all soon!

Edited by - on

Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3321 Posts

Response Posted - 07/24/2008 : 13:45:38

Vaya con dios, Jim. Good weather and great sailing.

Edited by - on

Stardog
Captain

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USA
319 Posts

Response Posted - 07/24/2008 : 15:07:30

Safe voyage Jim, I hope you break the fun barrier!

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