All the way to Morro Bay

California Coastline.

The trip from Monterey to Morro Bay was uneventful, we left Monterey midday and had about an hour of lovely sailing weather before the wind got so light that we were only moving about two knots and the sails were slopping all over.  So we motored once again……people say that you will be surprised at how much motoring you do when cruising and we are indeed surprised!  It is much more pleasant, and easier, to be sailing and have the wind vane steering the boat. When we are motoring we have to hand steer so it makes the trip more tiring and it is much noisier......

On the approach to Morro Bay, Morro Rock stands at the entrance

It was a 22 hour trip to Morro Bay so we had some more night sailing (motoring).  There was phosphorescence in the water which lit up the trail of the dolphins (at least we think they were dolphins, it was too dark to see them) that were playing with Kialoa.  Although it was a little unnerving at first to see something streaking in towards the boat the light show was breathtakingly beautiful. 

Going for a Skegway tour with Scotts friend Bill, they are
a fun ride!  Thanks Bill!

The entrance to Morro Bay has a reputation for dangerous conditions but when we arrived it was calm and easy.  And life here is also pretty calm and easy.  Scott has an old friend living here so we have been spending time visiting with him and his family.  He also has given us a car to use, so getting around is easy and we have used it to get some shopping done.

We have also had the pleasure of a visit from John and Andrea and their son Kingston, formerly of Saltspring, now living near here.  We purchased Kialoa from them five years ago, with this trip in mind.  We are so grateful to be where we are.

Scott on the breakwater, note the shorts and tshirt  :)  we are loving the weather!

Morro Rock from the other side.

One of our neighbours haveing a crab dinner.  The sea otters are
making a delightful comeback and we have seen lots.

We are looking forward to a visit from some other friends, Bob and Pat, on Monday and then we will start to think about moving further South.

I am loving the pelicans!

Monterey

There is an excellent jellyfish display at the Monterey aquarium.

The only constant is change, and change is not always an easy bedfellow,  but one I am becoming much more familiar with.  We made the big change, leaving our home, our friends, our known places to adventure into a big unknown, and sometimes it is scary, only because it is not familiar.  Change is with us all the time now, a constant.

All this is just to say that we have not left Monterey.  And although it was an unexpected change of plans, we have found more here than we ever would have had our plans not changed.  So we slowly learn to embrace change.

the local head shop.....

Lots of little boats

 Monterey is a very pleasant town with lots of history and charm and it is set against the backdrop of a lovely bay with sandy beaches and warm sunshine.  What’s not to like.

A statue to commemorate the founder of the the first mission
in Monterey.  The usual abuse of the locals ensued.......

The last remaining whalebone sidewalk......the bones were cut into
lovely diamond shapes...and turned into sidewalks......

It is the place where California government really began, under the Spanish it was where the cargo ships had to come to the customs house and unload all the cargo so it could be evaluated for duty fees.  When  Mexico gained independence from Spain most of the southwest of the US was part of Mexico and Monterey retained its position as the capital.  However when California joined the United States in 1846, the legislatures of the time moved the capitol to San Jose, it was later moved to  Sacramento where it remains.   

Yes we have been to the customs house, the first brick house, the whaling station, the museum at the Presidio, the aquarium, cannery row, fishermans wharf and the Tuesday street market.

And there are sealions, they sing us to sleep all night long…

Just one of the many

We continue

I thought this was an odd speed limit
for a construction zone, It turned out
that is the max speed of the cable cars.

San Fransisco is a great city!  There is lots to see and do, with cool buildings, interesting streets and a vibrant waterfront we have really enjoyed playing tourist here.  We have ridden on the cable cars, driven down Lombard street, taken a Duck Boat tour, been to Pier 39 and Fishermans wharf, checked out the boats at the Marine Heritage museum, did wine tasting in Napa Valley, had lunch in Sausilito, drove over the Golden Gate three times, once on purpose, been to the beach at the Presidio, drove by Haight & Ashbury, went up to the Coit  tower, Scott & Scott toured the Jeremiah O’brien (the last seaworthy Liberty Ship),  checked out the shops in Chinatown, had a great time with Scotts cousins, (Cousin Bruce took me out for a drive in his 56 ford fairlane, I was wishing I had a leather jacket, chewing gum and pigtails!), had a nice visit with our friends Kim and Jan from Sidney  and managed to get a few boat chores done. 

The famous Lombard street from the Coit tower

Boys at the beach

Scott, his cousin Bruce and wife Rhonda

The Duck boat broke down when we were on the water.  Everyone
had to don life jackets, you can see they were not too impressed.

Napa Valley's version of old faithful

Scott Cindy and Bucket on the broken down Duck boat, At least
 us boaties were having fun.  I am not sure why Bucket looks so
serious, he got to drive the duckboat before it broke down.

Cute fishing boats at fishermans wharf

Scott replacing the anchor light, 

After three weeks it was time to go and we are now on our way further south.  We left the Brisbane Marina early in the morning on Oct 3^rd in company with Velvet Sky, passed under the Golden Gate at 9:30 and motored in light winds and calm seas to Halfmoon Bay.  There is a lovely well protected anchoring area inside the breakwater there and we spent a peaceful night.  The next morning was another early start again motoring in light winds and calm seas to Santa Cruz.  That was the scariest harbor entry we have come across yet!  It is narrow, almost on the beach with big swells and crowded like crazy!  As we were coming in there were two stand up paddle boards and three kayakers just inside the entrance and a fellow in a dinghy coming around the corner and three sailboats coming up behind us!  We made it with no mishaps and just a couple more gray hairs.

Early morning departure

Goodbye San Fransisco

Velvet Sky on the way out.

We arrived on the weekend of the 100^th anniversary of the wharf so it was very busy and crowded and we were treated to fireworks on Saturday night.  Santa Cruz is an interesting town, with its amusement park right on the beach it was a little too crowded and touristy for me but Cindy and I did have a great ride on the roller coaster and Scott went on the log ride with me, but he says it’s the last ride he will ever go on!

Santa Cruz Harbour, the entrance is at the far end.

Santa Cruz boardwalk, the fun roller coaster can be seen on the
left.

Boardwalk and beach.

The other Scott and Bucket on the log ride.

We left Santa Cruz 10am on Oct 6^th and headed to Monterey, a short 20 miles away.  Finally with enough wind to sail we had a lovely peaceful crossing of Monterey Bay, with the wind vane steering most of the trip  (we had to hand steer towards the end as the wind got lighter and the wind vane was having trouble holding the course).   We  saw a big pod of dolphins on the way, they were crossing our path not going with us so it was a short lived sighting.

Today we will explore Monterey and tomorrow head further south.

A humpback sighting on the way!  Always exciting!