Dana Point (anchored)

I decided to cast off from the mooring balls at Newport Beach around 2pm after going ashore to get some food shopping done and load some data on the iPad at Starbucks on Balboa Island.

I picked up the iPad when I flew home last week and I got to admit that Im really liking it. I got it mainly because my old Dell ships computer had a memory problem and I needed a new laptop to replace it. Navionics has all the latest Pacific charts on the iPad in hi-res and the 3G Ipad model has a GPS chip in it, so that sealed the deal. I soon found out that it's also a ton of fun and can do so much more (that is as soon as I wrestled it from the kids and then my wife). Anyway I managed to get it away from home and have it with me on the boat and I'm now typing this blog on the iPad and saving having to go ashore to use the Internet. You still can't upload pictures to the blog using an iPhone/iPad, but other than that the iPad is really easy to type on, actually easier than my notebook pc. I ended up buying the ATT data plan for $25 a month and that makes it more usable than justr WiFi only, at least while Im still in the US.

What I did do with my old laptop is remove the bad memory chip, it now has 1GB instead of 2GB and I loaded windows 7 on it. I wanted to keep the laptop as I have a cool long range WiFi USB card and antenna that I use to pick up networks at long range. I have the Engenius EUB9603H (from amazon $40 shipped) and combine that with a Hawking directional antenna. The omni directional antenna that comes with the Engenius is good, but the Hawking antenna does even better, but requires the boat to be still (not swinging on the anchor) as it's directional.

I chose Windows 7 because it includes a cool feature that allows me to share the network I have found with other devices on the boat, like iPhones/ipads that have WiFi. It's called the 'miniport virtual adaptor' software and it's easily setup using the tools that come with the Engenius device. I first scan the harbor for a remote open network and connect to it. I then start the virtual access point on windows 7 to create a new wireless network on the boat, I name the SSID 'Sea42' and then everyone on the boat can connect to it and the internet using the WiFi from their own devices. It's often slow, but it's enough to catch up on email etc.

I could only find 'pay to use' WiFi connections at Dana Point so I'm using the 3G on the Ipad and Starbucks WiFi to write this.


Ipad at the Nav Station




















It took me about 4 hrs to get here, but I sailed the whole way and the wind was light and astern. I anchored in the north section near the tall ships and the museum which is very nice to look out on.

Anchored at Dana Point

I've been here nearly a week now as I ran into a little trouble, well actually, someone else ran into me when I was riding the bike to the coffee-shop one morning. The poor little folding bike now has two permanently folded wheels. I was scooting along the sidewalk and someone drove out of a parking lot and onto the road without looking and I got stuck under the front of his car. I ended up having to go to the hospital to make sure nothing was broken in my right ankle that got squashed. It all fine (nothing broken) but I'm wearing a splint and hobbling around for a few days until I can walk properly again. It was quite a scene as I did no more damage than if I had fallen off a ladder or something but since it was a road accident I had two firetrucks turn up with sirens, a group of locals helping me off the road, two different cop cars and a ride in an ambulance. Even though I only had a cut leg, they wanted to put a neck brace on me and I had to officially decline its use. I finally got back to the boat later that afternoon after a taxi ride from the hospital and the longest hop of my life to the pier and down the boat ramp. Moving around the boat is ok though as I can use all the handholds.

I was hoping to be in San Diego by now but I dont mind staying here a few more days as its been such a great anchorage and its been sunny and in the 80/90 range every day. Its so calm, its like anchoring in a swimming pool. Ive managed to get  few chores done around the boat and dove in the water to scrub the hull and check the zincs. One of the big projects Im doing is to put in a salt water wash down system so I can clean the decks and hose of the anchor and chain when its covered in mud (nearly always). Ive got the pump and pipe work installed already and should have it finished today.


I'm anchored next to the replica of Henry Dana's ship





















Dana Pt is one of off my favorite ports so far, the anchorage is really protected and I'm right next to 2 wooden masted tall ships. There is a nautical museum, a beach and park behind me and a bunch of shops/restaurants in the marina complex. You can stay up to 5 days for free, but the harbor patrol are letting me stay a little longer because of my accident. The main town and shops are up quite a steep long hill, but its a good workout on the bike.

Lots of history here with the tall ships and museum depicting life when California was just starting out. The town is named after Henry Dana who was crew on a 1800's tall ship that collected cow hides from the coastal Rancho's like this and took them back to the East Coast via Cape Horn. I read his book '2 Years before the mast' which has fascinating descriptions of life in early California and as crew on wooden ship before the era of the Gold Rush. Read the Wikipedia entry here.

looking down across the harbor from the cliff top.

I'm meeting more people sailing south for the winter as I get nearer to San Diego. When I turned up here the yacht next to me was skippered by a Welshman called Mike. He had recently retired and flown to California to buy a boat and start his trip to Mexico and beyond.We got to spend some time swapping sailing stories over a few drinks. Im sure we will meet up down south at some point.

This morning I tuned in the shortwave SSB radio to one of the many cruisers 'nets' around the world that covers the Pacific area from California to Mexico. I had been meaning to test my shortwave radio transmit power ever since I installed the Icom 802 radio last year, and I finally got my chance. The net starts at 7am each morning and I happened to be up early so I tuned in and listened to the initial weather report which is followed by a roll call where each boat can check in and give its location and report on local conditions. Its all run by volunteers and its a nice safety net that allows each boat to keep an eye on one other and make sure no one gets lost in the ocean. I didn't expect anyone to hear me but my radio worked and the operator in Mexico got my call sign and boat name and checked me in. I then heard another San Francisco sailor (on a Catalina 470) I knew check in and I got to talk to him on another frequency. I didnt really think my radio would work that well, but its nice to know I didn't mess up the installation that much. I even managed to pick up an Australian news program. I feel pretty confident that I can now contact civilization where ever I end up.

Another interesting thing here is the number of SUP (Stand Up Paddleboard?) users here. This looks like the next big craze to replace surfing/windsurfing/kayaks/canoes etc. I have seen dozens of people of all ages doing it here. People doing it with dogs, kids on board and even one guy with a bottle of champagne and glass on his board while he paddled across the harbor. This morning a group of people were doing aerobic classes on their paddle boards in the middle of the harbor.

A stand up paddleboarder (SUP) with his dog onboard.

I'll be moving on to San Diego in the next few days. I'm hoping for some co-operating wind but I'm not very optimistic. It 's been blowing at most 10knots at in the afternoon for a few hours, but thats its.

Newport Beach (mooring ball)

I've been a bit lazy getting these blog posts up mainly since I haven't been very far since my last entry. I needed to get home for a few days, and put the boat on a mooring ball at Newport harbor, it's just a few hundred feet from the boardwalk and near the shops. I had met a local boater called Mike the previous week at the anchorage here when he was having a 6 boat raftup and party with friends from the Balboa Yacht Club. He was very helpful in getting me to shore (and a ride to the airport!) so I didn't have to leave the dinghy unattended for 5 days while I flew home. Thanks again to Mike, his family and friends for giving me a great time that weekend and taking the time to show me around the area.

it was a nice change to get home for a few days and catch up on lost time with the family and friends. It was weird at first wearing something else than shorts and t-shirts! A few things needed fixing round the house and I needed to pick up a few spares for the boat I had ordered online so it was a very productive trip.

I got back to the boat yesterday to find everything ok except it was covered in pelican poop. Not small dots like regular birds but like a pack of dogs with wings had flown by and dumped 100 balls of melting vanilla ice-cream over the boat. Aagh, it's so nice to be back. Cleaning that up kept me busy for at least a few hours.

I've been working on a single handers MOB (Man Over Board) solution for a few years now and think I have my best solution so far. I just picked up the last bits on the trip home. If your sailing on your own and go over the side more than a couple of miles from shore it normally means the end, you have about a hour or so depending on the temp of the water and then hyperthermia sets in. Just enough time to watch the boat sail off into the sunset and remind yourself what an idiot you were to let something like that happen. It's bad enough if you crew onboard as they have to know someone has gone over the side to help you, but on your own it's nearly impossible to survive without help.

I've put together a decent size package of items that fits in a REI bum bag that fits around your waist. In it I have my personal EPIRB (calls emergency services via satellite), a waterproof VHF radio with GPS and DSC. A knife, strobe light, whistle, horn and a powerful laser pointer with a 20 mile range. With that gear I at least have a fighting chance to get rescued which is a huge improvement over no chance. I have no intention of ever using it, but I now feel a little safer on those night passages. I just have to be very diligent and remember to put it on! But I should be also wearing my harness which prevents me going over the side in the first place, so that means I have to screw up to use my MOB bag. Oh well....

I'm planning on tidying up and then heading to Dana Point tomorrow. After that I have just a few more stops until it's time to cross the border and head for the tropics!

Newport Beach anchorage - revisited

After 8 days anchored at Catalina I sailed back to Newport beach to the spot I was at a few weeks back. The weather was out of the south and made my cove at Catalina very uncomfortable as it was now fully exposed. Ive also been thinking of flying home for a few days to help Ali with some chores at home so being back on the mainland made sense. You are only meant to use the anchorage 5 days a month and I was here just 8 days ago, but it is a new month now! So far the harbor patrol guys haven't said anything so I guess I'm fine for now.

Its a ghost town here compared to just a week ago. After labor day this place just shuts down! I really like it a lot now its quieter. Ive been unplugged from the grid for nearly a month now, I'm feeling quite confident in the boat systems working well once I'm in Mexico. In fact I could use much more water/electric than I have been rationing myself as I appear to have plenty in reserve. Also the food stores last a long time with just one person on the boat.

I was chatting about 'dropping out of the system' with a sailor who returned from the sea of Cortez last year and he mentioned that when your out in the wilds of Mexico a interesting goal is to try for a whole month not to spend any money or use the internet. It seems simple at first, but when you think about it for a while you realize that it will be challenging and require some major adjustments in behavior. Normally that challenge would be hard to do for one day while in the US!

Time is running out fast now before I can cross the border into Mexican waters. I have a few more places I want to visit on the way down and I need to time in San Diego to get all my paperwork and visas in order. I need to stay above latitude 24 until November, but that still gives me over 500 miles of Baja coastline to explore before I get that far south.

Whites Cove (Catalina) - revisited

After my 5 days was up at the free anchorage at Newport Beach I decided to head back to Catalina as I had really enjoyed it there. I have been suprised how well the boat systems are working without being connected to any power or water supplies. I have been totally self sufficient for a while now. In fact its been a problem that Im not running the water maker enough and that means extra cleaning of the reverse osmosis system that desalinates the seawater ( read about Osmosis on Wikipedia, its very interesting and explains alot about how salt is such a huge factor in our lives and everything on the planet) As you can tell I have had way too much free time!

I stayed at Catalina for another 8 days. I cant really put my finger on anything specific that I did, but now that kind of thing is worrying me less and less. Actually I did spend some time creating a device to stop the rocking motion of the boat due to swells when at anchor. As I had the time I spent a while looking at some commercial ideas and the science behind what makes the boat rock from side to side, sometimes quite violently if the swell frequency is right. Its mostly to do with the harmonics of the hull and its relationship with the swell hitting it, even if the swell are little ripples they can make it very uncomfortable if they are at the exact frequency that adds to the motion of each movement. There are some commercial product you can buy that are just big dampers that you put over the side of the rail in an attempt to slow down the rocking but they can get quite large and take up a lot of storage space. I read one post from a science major that described the theory and it gave me some ideas to try out. It gave me some work to do for a few days and it could make life at exposed anchorages more comfortable.

I ended up finding the best solution being a heavy duty milk crate (The traditional one full of holes) suspended about a foot below the water from the end of the boom. The boom swung out to side to face the oncoming swells. I normally use 2 anchors (fore and aft) to force the boat to face out to sea into the oncoming swells, but you always get other swells refracting of the cliffs or from other boat traffic passing by. Big tankers, sometimes miles away can be the worst.

Under the milk crate I attached about 20lbs of heavy chain to keep it weighted down. On top, after much experimentation I ended up using a plastic cutting mat (from the galley) that is the same size as the bottom of the milk crate. It is loosely zip tied on one end and then has a bungee cord across the top of it. What this does is to allow the crate to rapidly sink into the water, but as the crate rises the plastic mat closes all the holes in the milk crate like a large valve and has to move a large volume of water to rise. I experimented with different types of valves and larger crate sizes, but found all that was important was to slightly modify the boat harmonics to be asymmetrical to have the best effect. It didn't stop the rocking/flopping of the boat entirely but it reduced it significantly and was very simple. I'm sure all this sounds ridiculous so I will post a picture when I next use it.

 If you have ever seen that famous video of a large bridge falling apart from swaying around in the wind, its the same principle. Watch the youtube video.

My thanks go out to Vons in Avalon (Safeway in SoCal) for letting me use various crates to use in my tests. Avalon was about 20 mins away in the dinghy and I could get intermittent Internet access on my IPhone to look stuff up.