Sure the hammering started daily at 7:30am and there was fiberglass dust everywhere, but we could use the docks and some of their tools for our own projects, had a stable place to do work up the mast and to clean and patch the holes in our dinghy… and most importantly they did a great job fixing our boat!
YES! IT WORKS! It works better than ever! Time to CELEBRATE and, more importantly, time to head to Mexico! We made the call to head out two days later.
We did a lot of work on the boat while we were here…. too much really. Fortunately however we have made a commitment to practice being where we are, and San Diego has some pretty sweet distractions.
In fact San Diego is a most excellent place to be stuck. We spent an unexpected two lovely months in this city and while the circumstances that put us here were less than ideal we really enjoyed ourselves.
If there is one thing we’ve learned so far on this journey its how not to be in a hurry. I find that I can feel rushed all I want, but it doesn’t get us anywhere any faster… just makes the process less fun.
We made our way into the pretty and busy San Diego Bay and had to figure out where to set up camp. There are a few anchorages in the bay that you can stay at for a maximum of 72 hours at time. But there is one that you can stay at for an extended period of time- A9, the cruisers’ anchorage.
Ventura is a charming beach town, with a mellow vibe and access to some of southern California’s most beautiful wilderness.
Our next major landmark was Point Conception, a notoriously challenging spot to sail around. Point Conception is a headland where the coastline cuts drastically eastward and is the natural division between Central and Southern California. This area is known for quickly changing conditions- strong winds, steep waves and fast currents that can come up without warning.
Well, we did it. We left. It was a long time coming. We’ve been planning this transition for seven years. That’s right, seven years!