8-24-09 0600: WE LEFT SAUSALITO YACHT HARBOR WITH OVERCAST/FOGGY SKIES AND NO WIND. BY THE TIME WE GOT TO THE SHIPPING CHANNEL WE HAD 15-20 KNOTS OF WIND ON OUR BOW WITH 3-4 FT. WIND WAVES. IT ALSO IS REALLY COLD!(THIS IS NORMAL FOR BAY SAILING). BUT THE FOG HAS LIFTED ENOUGH FOR US TO SEE THE CITY LIGHTS AND THE LIGHTS ON THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE--WHAT AN AWESOME SIGHT--CHECK THE PHOTOS.
WE AGAIN TIMED OUR TRIP TO LEAVE ON A FAVORABLE TIDE--THE END OF AN EBB TIDE. THIS GAVE US A SLIGHT PUSH OUT THE GATE--WHICH IS GOOD. BUT, AS WE LEFT THE BAY AND THE TIDAL FLOW HIT THE OCEAN SWELL WE HAD ROUGH SEAS--4-5' WAVES THAT WERE SQUARE AND STEEP. WE WERE BUCKING AND TAKING WHITE WATER OVER THE BOW UNTIL WE TURNED SOUTH AT BUOY #7 OUTSIDE THE GATE.
AN HOUR AFTER PASSING UNDER THE GATE WE HAD A CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF THE SCARY TYPE!! WE HAVE A SET ROUTINE WHERE ONE OF US WILL GET UP EVERY TEN MINUTES (WE HAVE A STOP WATCH TIMER), CHECK THE RADAR/AIS AND LOOK 360 DEGRESS AROUND TO CHECK FOR SHIPPING. i HAD JUST LOOKED AROUND WHILE SHERRY WAS BELOW AND EVERYTHING WAS CLEAR SO I SAT DOWN. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES A SAILBOAT PASSED US GOING NORTH ABOUT 100 YARDS TO OUR PORT. I CALLED SHERRY UP TO SEE AS THERE WAS NO ONE IN THEIR COCKPIT--REALLY SCARY TO THINK THAT 1. RADAR DID NOT PICK UP THE SMALL BOAT, 2. VISIBILITY WAS SO POOR THAT THE BOAT WENT USEEN AND 3. NO ONE WAS AT THE HELM OF THE BOAT.
OUR FRIEND DOUG HAD TOLD US NOT TO MISS SANTA CRUZ HARBOR AS IT IS A COOL, QUIRKY, LITTLE TOWN. SO AT 4:30 PM WE TIED UP TO "F" DOCK IN SANTA CRUZ HARBOR. THE NEXT DAY WE HIKED TO TOWN, UP AND DOWN PACIFIC STREET, OUT ON THE PIER, DOWN THE BOARDWALK, THROUGH THE AMUSEMENT PARK, ACROSS THE TRAIN TRESSEL BRIDGE, AND B ACK TO OUR BOAT--ABOUT SIX MILES. OUR OPINION? SANTA CRUZ IS A COOL QUIRKY, LITTLE TOWN.