We arrived from San Simeon just as the sun went down, the big sea swells subsiding just as we entered the harbor. Impressions: Remote and bleak on the one hand (the left, gritty Port San Luis with fishing boats and the deserted Unocal Pier), cozy and resorty on the other hand (the right, posh Avila Beach), with steep hills plunging behind. Bonfires on the beach, a big hotel just above the waves crashing on the cliffs from the swells rolling under us.

It was dark when we arrived and dark when we left, so Port San Luis remains a bit of a mystery. In the morning, an 0530 departure in thick fog and darkness, like some sort of haunted-house ride, driving our livelihood through a wet, felt-lined cave. Sleeping birds startled by our presence would flap away into the gloom. The radar gave us some confidence, but we moved very slowly toward our next destination, Point Conception.