Above: Mark in "prayers", as always, thanking Netuno for a safe passage.

Last night, Debbie and I decided to hurry home to San Diego. The plan was to make only one stop - in 50nm distant Oceanside. We love it at OYC. They make us feel right at home. But more importantly, they've got a great & creative chef. We were really looking forward to a dinner that would be both better and way, way less expensive than what we found in the LBYC dining room last night. But, I digress: after a night in Oceanside, we'd wrap up our cruise with an easy 42nm downhill run to San Diego.

Netuno had other plans for us. Although my weather routing app called for wind ENE at 11-15 kts. in the morning and sitting down to 7-10 in the afternoon, we found much more! It was blowing 15-20 as we we clawed away from the dock at 0900. By the time we got outside, it was a steady 20 kts., and building. We set a single reef in the main, with a 70% jib. Soon, we found out exactly what this passage was to be - a constant 20-30 kts., gusting to 40. We put in a 2nd reef, and further reduced the jib to 50%; maybe 30%.

While the passage was completely safe , (close reaching at 6.5 to 8 kts.) and pretty comfortable other than a bit - more than a bit, of spray - quite frankly, a lot more than a bit of spray (our Younger Girl is now saltier than Lot's wife!), after a couple of hours we'd had enough.

Newport Beach was calling. Although, we'd already spent 4 nights there, we really wanted another! So, we anchored up. Actually, we'd hoped to tie to a mooring near Moontide. But, the wind gods don't always work in our favor. No, Netuno ripped the boathook out of Debbie's hand, and shortly before, ripped the cap off of my head. So, the bottom line is this: Younger Girl's boathook and my red Lipton Cup cap are now in Davey's Locker. We're now enjoying a bit of tranquility on the hook, with the warmth of the Santa Ana winds.

The National Weather Service calls for more of the same tomorrow, ending sometime in the afternoon. So, we've decided not to continue south (actually east) towards Dana point or Oceanside. Instead, we'll probably remain here on the hook two nights. Then, at o -dark-thirty, sail 70 miles, all the way to San Diego on Friday.