Daysail to Anacapa Island from Ventura Harbor - What a BLAST

[Mark Karagianis]

Hi guys! Anyone want to accompany us to Anacapa Island this Saturday? We're going out of Ventura Harbor @ 10:30 am, motoring to the island, then we'll sail around it and later sail back on a broad reach to Ventura Harbor, @ 5 pm. By the way we're overnighting in the Ventura Isle Marina in Slip F-30 before heading back to LA Sunday. Party on!

Sorry Cap'n Steve, the Admiral says it must be a Saturday sail, but drop by & visit after your relatives leave.

Mark & Diane

[ssichler]

I have been curious about that area but probably aren't up for a road trip yet. Looks like weather up there is much heavier than our inner waters. I often see small craft advisories - http://www.socalsail.com/wx/forecast/ Probably be good to leave as early as possible.

[jetta01]

Hey Mark, Molly and I are still planning our weekend. One thought was motoring no to Oxnard Friday night and the doing Anacaga Saturday. It is great sailing out there, That is where we learned. If dogs were allowed on the islands, we never would have gone to MDR. I will let you know if we will make it.

Rick

[Mark Karagianis]

Jetta hope that you guys can make it - we're supposed to get 2-3' swells and steady NW 15 kt winds to blow us back from Anacapa Island.

See you at the Ventura Harbor ramp, we plan to arrive @ 9:30 am. If we miss look for us at the Ventura Isle Marina in the evening.

Mark

[Mark Karagianis]

A typical So. Cal. summer Mac sail: We trailered 60 miles to Ventura Harbor, arrived at 9:30 am saturday. We were in the water at 10:45 and set out to Anacapa Island (28 miles) under power. We had 2 couples aboard plus mucho gear & coolers and so it took slightly longer than I thought to reach the west end of the Island, about 1.75 hrs. We stopped several times to observe seals, fish and the offshore oil rigs.

We loaded ballast & anchored and had lunch off the island in a sheltered cove. Right on schedule the wind grew from 10-14 kts to est 15-18 kts, but quite variable nearest the island. Then we sailed east along the island at wing & wing, stopping to explore the coves, look at caves and seal lions. It was great, and very warm. Then off the lighthouse at the east end of the island, we turned and sailed back at a broad reach. I've never sailed the Mac with 20kt winds with 6 adults aboard, and it was more stable than I thought, especially with 2 below and everyone & gear on the windward side.

Then the wind strengthened and we started getting 2' breaking wind waves, sometimes on top of the 3-4' swells, fortunately my crew never guessed that I was concerned. The wind was now greater than forecast, and one passenger who had become sea-sick, now got really miserable. But we were doing 6.5-7 knots! (full 150 Genoa) Out of the blue, a 70' full-race catamaran passed us at probably 15 kts, with one hull airborne (3 guys on it) and more fine spray than I have ever seen from any boat. And they passed us real close to windward to show off!

We started taking spray over the port quarter bow and finally, with wet passengers, I decided that it would be better to drop sails and power the remaining few miles. The seas became confused the closer we got to the Harbor entrance, and everyone else, even large power boats were heading in. Without a dodger, we took lots of water in the cockpit, which I now had to my self. We surfed in some big swells 15 knots right into the harbor, what a relief.

Docking in Ventura Harbor is really hard as the strong wind was now perpendicular to the ramp piers, and the rough cement posts on each side of the close-together piers there make a "slide-along" approach impossible. Taking a cue from a recent post, we backed in against the wind, and although it took lots of strength to pull against the wind, we then pulled in the bow, managing to avoid those stupid pillars. I didn't feel bad, when I saw how hard it was for the cats (there were so many) to dock.

We yanked the boat, and the wind got stronger; I had to park the boat trailer into the wind to drop the mast. Everyone said how much fun they had, even our sea-sick passenger, from the shelter of the Dock-master's building! They all wanted to go again! We were going to spend the night on the boat but I didn't want to try to dock somewhere else with less manpower in those winds. So we got Chinese and later went home. What a day!

[Night Sailor]

Thanks for your sail report. I appreciate your prudence and good seamanship in deciding which mode of power to use, for the comfort of your crew.

Good planning, and necessary plan Bs make for safe voyages and returns.