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Thread: What I Saw

  1. #231
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    I'm still trying to get a handle on this whole provisioning thing. Did the Diesel Power Plus go in your coffee?

    Okay, so I'll tell you MY story about using a chart to get into a harbor after you're already in the harbor.


    No... no I won't. It's too embarrassing.
    Last edited by BobJ; 10-20-2020 at 05:02 PM.

  2. #232
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    Sep 2007
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    Wow. I've never had a breakfast like that on a boat.

    Well, on any of MY boats.
    1968 Selmer Series 9 B-flat and A clarinets
    1962 Buesher "Aristocrat" tenor saxophone
    Piper One Design 24, Hull #35; "Alpha"

  3. #233
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    Jan 2010
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    Name:  screenshot Morro to Avila.jpeg
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    9.26.20 Saturday morning and it was time to leave Morro Bay for Port San Luis. We left the desireable tie up at the Morro Bay Yacht Club @ 0835 and headed out. As we exited the Harbor Patrol broadcast that the swell was increasing, which meant that the entrance might be closed soon. Yes, that swell was big, and the entrance narrow. I suppose we were lucky to get out, because it was time to move on.

    Skip recommended skipping Port San Luis because he didn't think I could physically drag up both my anchor and leftover automobiles, but I decided to give it a try. Heck, it would make for a good story. I forget what the forecast was but it seemed windy coming around Point Buchon, and the swell seemed steep at first, then slightly less so. That's what you get in the way of "conditions" from me.

    The wind was "sporty" until we turned around the corner and were well into Port San Luis' channel, where it calmed down. Then heat from the arid land hit us like a blast from an open oven. It was a stark and remarkable change.

    The Harbor Patrol in Port San Luis didn't answer on VHF channel 12, but then I hailed them on channel 16 and they asked if I was in distress.

    "No, I just want directions."

    They asked if I wanted a mooring ball for $18/ night or if I preferred to anchor.

    "I don't know how to catch a mooring ball so I guess I'll anchor," was my response, so they told me to continue on past their pier in order to anchor "between the wooden and the metal piers." Where were these piers? I had no idea.

    "Okay," I said, then we went off to find the piers.

    Consulted the newly discovered Region 12 chart plotter and there, around the corner, was Avila Beach, with its brightly colored umbrellas and loud, laughing children. Because, remember, it was the weekend. Anchor down at 1335.

    Barbara and Glen on the Morgan 45 s/v HINA had come in right behind me and we chatted over cell phone. There were many many people laughing and running around on the beach next to Avila Pier. It seemed very festive and pleasant: dare I say? Pre-covidish.

    Once I was securely anchored and ready to relax, the fella downwind of me politely indicated that DM and I were too close to his bow. I could tell that he was not happy with the new neighbor because he stood, shirtless, on the bow of his boat with his hands on his hips. When I waved he didn't wave back. He was too far away to converse, so I hailed him on channel 16:

    "This is the sailing vessel Dura Mater. Do you read me?" I held the radio up and pointed to it.

    He walked back to his own radio and we switched over to channel 9.

    He informed me by radio that he himself had put down more than 200' of chain. I decided that was an indirect, new neighbor version of sharing the size of his Weber barbeque, so I said, "I have 30' of chain and 145' of rode."

    Since we were in 26' of calm water, I thought that sounded prudent.

    Although he didn't say so outright, his body language suggested that he didn't trust my anchoring acumen. I asked him if he wanted me to move, and he said, "Yes, please."

    Huh. I do understand anchorage protocol, and he was there first, so I dragged everything up and circled around for awhile. Glen and Barbara were already anchored and making dinner in their fancy yacht. I felt like kvetching so I called them up.

    Barbara said she couldn't talk because she was heating up the lasagna in the oven but she put Glen on speaker. I could almost smell that lasagna. Glen advised me, lounging in his cockpit, while DM and I motored around slowly for twenty minutes with the anchor hanging ready off the bow. I was feeling pretty sorry for myself and besides, I didn't want to have to do it all over again. I approached THE SPOT and inched forward. My cell phone was on speakerphone, resting behind me on the hatch door.

    It's fun to involve other people in our adventures. Glen called over the cell's speakerphone:

    "Five. Four. Three. Two. One. DROP!"

    So I did and then we were anchored again, except we didn't have lasagna in the oven. We only had canned chili. They invited me over for dinner but I was too tired to socialize. He was very nice about having to wait for his dinner, and graciously informed me that I had picked such a great anchoring spot that he was jealous. Yeah, Glen is that kinda guy.

    DM and I were comfortable there, and it is a calm anchorage with good holding. I would recommend it, notwithstanding autos in the water. I bathed with baby wipes, ate my chili and crawled into the VBerth. DM and I liked Port San Luis, but we had to face the next leg of our journey: from Port San Luis around Point Arguello and then Point Conception.

    The next morning I woke up before daybreak and pulled up the anchor. Port San Luis is pretty in the morning. I love early morning on the water. Here it is with two minutes in between:

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    Name:  Leaving Port San Luis early morning 2 - Copy.JPG
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    I looked forward to wearing shorts and tshirts but I was prepared for the bash in between.

    Name:  Jackie in goggles.JPG
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    Last edited by Philpott; 10-27-2020 at 09:22 PM.

  4. #234
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    Jul 2016
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    Bodfish, CA
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    Port San Luis seems like a fine opportunity for a rising green flash to the east (between the two posted pictures).

    Wonderful sea tales. Keep sailing and posting.....

    Ants

  5. #235
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    So there I was, pulling up the anchor after two very pleasant nights in San Simeon

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    when What the hell is this??!!**##: water cockroaches clung to the entire length of all 145' of my rode. Ick! Ick! I was wearing my heavy anchor pulling up gloves, but still! Eeeaaoooo! They didn't even fall off the rope, they just hung on for dear life. There were dozens and dozens of them. Big ones, little ones. They were settled in for the long haul.

    Name:  San Simeon sea cockroach.jpg
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    It was a surprise and I decided to photograph one in order to ask my favorite bug guy, Rob MacFarlane, to identify them for us.

  6. #236
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    Jul 2016
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    Water cockroaches? No.
    Fish bait. Yes.

    Get a fishing license.
    Put those on a hook.
    Dinner may be stripers or other fresh fish.
    Yum.

    Ants

  7. #237
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    Sep 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by Philpott View Post
    It was a surprise and I decided to photograph one in order to ask my favorite bug guy, Rob MacFarlane, to identify them for us.
    That's a marine isopod. These are common, fun to observe run about, and harmless. Not sure exactly which genus it would be in.

    - rob

  8. #238
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    rob macfarlane
    10:04 PM (16 minutes ago)
    to me

    "I try and put them back into the water when they come up on with anchor or get into the dinghy - they are cute!"

    Thanks, Rob! Yes, cute until they start to crawl up the inside of your pants. Cute? Maybe to a bugologist.

  9. #239
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    Actually, I didn't find that answer satisfying, so I kept looking. Turns out, MY bugs are synidotea laevidorsalis Yep

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    and this is why they were able to cling to my anchor rode and crawl up my pant leg, which was very disconcerting:

    A marine isopod, Synidotea laevidorsalis must be submerged in water to breath, because its specialized breathing structures extract oxygen from water. Synidotea laevidorsalis can be found on boat-slip pylons among seaweed and hydroids; and it grows to about 2 cm in length. Like Ligia exotica, this isopod is a scavenger. The camouflage pattern on its body helps it to blend in with its environment, making it harder for hungry fish to pick it off of the seaweed. Also, it has tiny claws on each leg that help it cling to algae in the water, and it can swim between plants by flapping its paddle-shaped distal (positioned away from the central part of the body) appendages.

    https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explo...s/isopods.html

    eeeuuuuoooowwww

  10. #240
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    The absolutely is an isopod, but it looks like idotea resicata...the "eelgrass isopod" also sometimes called the "Kelp isopod" to me. Whatever the case, it's an idoteid.

    These little peeps are interesting in that the females brood the eggs, stuck to the back of their tegmentum (exoskeleton) until they hatch.

    Name:  eelgrassisopod.jpg
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    ...a factoid which I'm sure makes Jackie feel better.
    Last edited by AlanH; 11-04-2020 at 10:30 PM.
    1968 Selmer Series 9 B-flat and A clarinets
    1962 Buesher "Aristocrat" tenor saxophone
    Piper One Design 24, Hull #35; "Alpha"

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