Harbor Hopping in the Fog
23 August 2011 | Capitola
By Gina
As we crossed back under the Golden Gate Bridge waving so long to the city, we had hoped that meant leaving behind the bone chilling fog as well! The day was looking quite promising as the seas were extremely calm & with little boat traffic. Our quick trip down to Half Moon Bay was over in a blink. We got settled in at the marina and ventured off on foot. We enjoyed the rest of the afternoon on the beach, running, dancing, climbing on the jetty, playing in the warm sand. And then the fog rolled in. Oh joy.
The next morning it was thick as pea soup. Leaving at 730am, we made our way out of the marina, maneuvering around anchored boats and fishermen. Kodak moments from the cockpit were not meant to be as we headed towards Santa Cruz. We are, however, grateful for the radar, chart plotter, and another day of calm seas. Finally, the sun wins and the fog dissipates a bit as we have Santa Cruz in our sights. As we watch it getting closer, we decide to take some advise we received the day before from a fellow sailor familiar with the area. Just past Santa Cruz a few miles is the town of Capitola. Much smaller, great ambience, more character. It was a fabulous choice. The motor was turned off at 2:45 and I think we were on the beach by 3:30! It was hard for Sydney to enjoy the 55 degree water for very long, and who could blame her, but James didn't seem to care. We enjoyed the sand & the sun while watching James body surf. That lasted over an hour before we were socked in again. Oh well. We walked around the quaint little town with boutiques and restaurants lining the streets. We had a quick dinner at a Mexican restaurant, then a very brisk dinghy ride back to the boat.
I am no longer in denial. The fog won't be leaving us anytime soon. Heading into Monterey Bay will be much of the same, with hopes for occasional sun breaks!?