We're in San Diego
10 June 2006 | San Diego
Debbie
Seals, Seals and more Seals. We're just not used to seeing them lazing about on mooring buoys, docks, duck boards of boats. Actually, some of the sea lions are so big they hop up on duckboards of boats and sink them. This is a fairly regular occurrence in Newport.
Wednesday 6 June we motored from Dana Point (those baby boomer, surfer types will remember Dana Point from surfing days) to San Diego. This was the longest trip so far, about 60 miles. The sea was dead calm, like a mirror, the wind doesn't seem to come up till late morning. So as we started this entry I'm (Debbie) sitting down below, computer on the main saloon table typing away.
Since our last update, we've been on the go. The first leg of our trip was to Catalina Island, 21 miles off the California Coast, where we spent four days. Many gorgeous boats, lots of people watching. It's been the playground for many movie stars of the past, Charlie Chaplain, Laurel and Hardy, and many more. Lots of movies have been made there, too many to mention. It really was the playground of the 1920's. The Wrigley family of chewing gum fame owned the Island. William Wrigley built a huge casino in 1929 on the point of the harbour in Avalon, (see picture above - Volare is in the 4th row form the beach) the main town (a painting of which is on the bulkhead of our yacht). We understand it was never used as a casino but the huge dance hall, reputed to be the largest in the world, held 3,000 people. On the ground floor was a huge movie hall, which is still in use to this day. There was a silent movie festival on whilst we were there.
Many songs have been written about the island...
"26 Miles across the sea Santa Catalina is awaiting for me, Santa Catalina the island of romance ..etc etc".
We are going to have to get used to hearing people when they dinghy past our yacht breaking into strains of 'Volare'. Some better than others - depending on how many Margaritas they have consumed.
Have a look at Google Earth you'll find it. It's really quaint, reminds me a bit of Queenstown in New Zealand, as it's really hilly, the town is on the forshore and goes up very steep from there.
We're into cruising mode now as we're running late for Mexico, should have been there on 1st June to take up our pen (slip, as they call it here). That's the cruising way - you go to a place, like it and stay longer. Although we were delaying things waiting for our Australian Registration papers, we've received them now and are officially an Australian Registered Ship (you can find us in Canberra).
We should be in San Diego late this afternoon (Wednesday June 7). San Diego is a huge US Navy base. John (our broker) told us the last time they came into San Diego, a submarine surfaced right beside them and scared the daylights out of them - apparently they can't look up before surfacing and last year came up under a fishing trawler and sunk it with the loss of about 5 people. We'll put the stereo on very loud and hope they hear it. We have booked a night at South Western Yacht Club that we get for free, then will look at moving somewhere else where it doesn't cost anything. I anticipate we'll be in SD for a few days - amongst other things we need to arrange entry to Mexico and clearance from the US. We need cruising permits, fishing license etc .. and all the forms are in Spanish so should be fun!!!!!
Next update should be in Spanish, we should be fluent by then????!!!!!!
We arrived safely, no submarines, just lots of seals, and Navy helicopters. Gone shopping, West Marine is opened till 9pm tonight.