Sailor's Log 12-22-09 and 1-12-10

Our last sailing date for 2009 was supposed be 12-22-09, but as it happened I had to back out due to other commitments. In the end the weather deteriorated pretty badly and Howard used the opportunity to physically check out the conditions at the Harbor. It’s good to get a real life feel for the weather described in the reports actually looks like.

From the cliffs above the Dana Point Harbor, Howard could see considerable surf flying over the breakwater, so he drove down to the Ocean Institute and got a close up view of the Jetty. The jetty had been closed to foot traffic and the seas were high enough to occasionally crest the rocks.

The next step was to take a look at the sea at the entrance to the harbor. White caps and spray aren’t exactly a friendly sign. As Howard watched a sailboat left the harbor and as he rounded the Dana Point Yacht Club he was flying his mainsail. Later, he could be seen with his mainsail down running with only about 40% of jib out. His boat was pounding in the sea and put plainly he had his hands full.

So far the evidence didn’t look good. Water cresting the jetty, white caps and wind blown spray, and fellow sailors taking down their mainsails and running with reefed jibs. The best and final warning was the flag pole at the entrance to the harbor where two red flags were flying in the wind. The sailors among you will recognize this as the United States Coast Guard gale warning.

Generally, a gale warning predicting winds within the range of 39 to 54 mph (34 to 47 knots). And so it seems there is a lot to learn about sailing even when you aren’t sailing, the least of which is when not to sail.

As it turned out our first sail of 2010 was on 1-12-10 when we took out the Morning Star, a 31 foot Hunter sailboat. The weather was clear and bright and the seas were pleasant. We even had the treat of passing the Spirit of Dana Point as she headed into the harbor. There is a lot to be said for blue sky sailing.

Great Fun