Docked at Chula Vista Marina
13 July 2014
• South Bay, San Diego
by Hot, but perfect
This picture shows the first place I docked, but it turned out I was in the wrong spot and had to move. Aside from that, it was a relatively smooth launch and set-up, with time enough to make it to the family BBQ on Coronado that first night. I based out of Chula Vista Marina this trip. It is not the fanciest marina and is located at the far end of south bay, but I stayed there so I could launch the boat, dock the boat, and store the trailer and truck and the same place. This adventure required a symbolic passing through the Coronado Bay Bridge at the start and end, otherwise I would have launched and docked much closer to the North end of the bay at Shelter Island. The boat set-up was not without its challenges. One of my spreader boots came off after I raised the mast, requiring the mast to be lowered and raised again to effectuate the repair. Fortunately, as has happened so many times before, gracious strangers helped me to make my sailing dreams a reality. One kind older man helped me to lower and raise my mast while in the slip in order to avoid possibly damaging the adjoining boats, and another guy, who I now know as "Rocco the Rigger", solved the mast lighting wiring problems I've struggled with for months, and well as showing me how to properly rig my topping lift and main sail reefing, in addition to several other issues beyond my knowledge and experience. Rocco even eagerly volunteered to go up the mast in his bunson's chair to check my rigging at the masthead and address an issue with my windex (a commonly used device that sits at the top of the mast and indicates wind direction). Rocco became a special friend who gave me confidence and support with his positive attitude and vast knowledge of sailboats. I've got his number and email in my contacts list so that I can call him from Mexico or elsewhere if I get in a bind and can't figure out what to do. Ideally, you want a guy like that along for any serious sailing adventure because they can handle whatever comes up with a positive attitude that comes with skill and experience. Rocco spoke of his long held dream to sail to the Marshall Islands on his sailboat. He keeps getting sidetracked by people hiring him to do odd rigging jobs on their sailboats at the marina and with his shorter cruising adventures. I sincerely hope he makes it there one day.
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