Too much wind; Too big waves

Since I am now home (Jim's still in Morro Bay ), I put on my Wikipedia shirt, hit the research button, and collected some data on waves:

Wind  waves (or ocean surface waves) are waves occurring on the surface of oceans, lakes, rivers, etc. They result from the wind blowing over a vast stretch of fluid surface. Wind waves can range in size from small ripples to huge waves over 30 m high.

When directly generated and affected by local winds, a wind wave system is called a wind sea. After the wind ceases to blow, the remaining wind waves are called swells.  Swells are not affected by local winds, because they have been generated elsewhere or some time ago. Multiple swells and local waves, surf or chop can combine to give larger total waves:

A fully developed sea has the maximum wave size theoretically possible for a wind of a specific strength, duration, and fetch. Further exposure to wind just causes the wave tops to break, creating "whitecaps". 

Wind waves have randomness: waves differ in height, duration, and shape with limited predictability. 

For weather reporting, wave height over a period of time is expressed as significant wave height. This figure represents the average height of the highest one-third of the waves in a given time period (usually 20 minutes to twelve hours). Significant wave height is the size a "trained observer" would estimate from visual observation. The largest individual waves are about twice the reported wave height for a particular day.

The phases of an ocean surface wave include:

1. The Wave Crest, where the surface layer of water is going in the same direction as the wave.

2. The Falling Wave

3. The Trough, where the surface layer of water is moving opposite to the wave.

4. The Rising Wave

As  a result of all these forces, we and JASON were all scrambled up!

We believe JASON can contend with rougher seas than we have hitherto experienced. But its equipment and furnishings (chairs, TVs, dishes) and operators cannot. We are staying on the land side of this big rock until all these huge waves dissipate.

Trip On Hold

It's a beautiful morning in Morro Bay. Or so it seems.

But not nice outside in the ocean. Would you like to see the conditions? Here is our wind meter. It was pegged all day on our trip around Pt. Conception.

If you want action, click the link below which will open another window to a 15-sec video:

---  Rough Weather Video ---

The film shows 6-8 foot seas. But the weather will get much worse for a week to ten days. We are expecting 9-13 foot seas with winds to 35-40 kts. 

Here is a photo (not taken by us) of the Morro Bay Coast Guard 47-foot cutter coming out of the bay. It's the same size as JASON. 

But it's a million and a half dollars of taxpayers money, and built for such seas.

After multiple calls, weather reports, conversations and soul-searching we have decided to stop for now.  While Morro Bay has its attractions ...

I'm heading South to San Diego and Jim will fly back to Seattle. JASON will wait here.



We've had a visit and talk with Reid, the skipper of Janus, our next-door neighbor. He gave us some suggestions about new packing on the prop shafts, to stop water dripping too much while JASON sits in the company of other beautiful yachts. 

We'll offload what we need to take home, save what we can in the refrig, and start again later.

Please come back and check this site later. But before you leave, this is the forecast that encouraged us to stay safely in the harbor:

 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT...
 
 .MON...NW WINDS 20 TO 30 KT WITH GUSTS TO 35 KT. SEAS 8 TO 10 FT PERIOD 8 SECONDS.

 .TUE...NW WINDS 20 TO 30 KT WITH GUSTS TO 40 KT. SEAS 10 TO 11 FT IN THE AFTERNOON.

 .WED...NW WINDS 20 TO 30 KT WITH GUSTS TO 40 KT. SEAS 11 TO 13 FT PERIOD 10 SECONDS.

 .THU...N WINDS 15 TO 25 KT WITH GUSTS TO 30 KT... SEAS 10 TO 11 FT.

 .FRI...NW WINDS 15 TO 25 KT WITH GUSTS TO 30 KT. COMBINED SEAS 8 TO 9 FT. PATCHY FOG.

 .SAT...NW WINDS 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 3 FT. NW SWELL 6 TO 7 FT.

Waiting for Weather

The sound of fishermen heading out to sea woke me at 0545. 

After a dozen boats went by I got up. Jim and I checked all the weather sources and agreed - it's bad out there and getting worse. So we'll stay in Morro Bay for another day or two. We'll work on projects. 

Jim's installing a high water alarm in the bilge. All the sensors are in, the panel is in, and now he needs power. That means taking apart the side panel, removing the wheel, etc. 

I decided I'd tackle the wiper motor that stopped working the other day in high seas. I had a bit of a struggle getting it out, but it looked good inside, so I lubricated it and put it back on. 

Meanwhile Jim had torn apart the whole panel. I hope he can put it back!

While we have all these panels off, we might put in new stereo speakers ... But for now 0900 it's Sunday brunchtime. 

Scrambled eggs with venison, fried potatoes, avocado and tea. On the back deck in the sunshine. 

Looks nice, doesn't it? Well it's quite nippy and breezy and at 0935, the wind is picking up already. We're staying put. 

(Time passes while we walk to the store and back)

We put the front stereo speakers into the rear cabin, and installed new speakers in the salon. Everything looks the same but the sound is massively improved. 

Time for sandwiches and beer. We take only one bite; one swig and here comes the Harbor Patrol. 

Whoops, lunch has to wait. We aren't staying put - we move to a slip since we are staying another night. 

After a foggy spell, the sun came out about 1630.  We dropped the dinghy in the water and went for a cruise southward into Estero Bay. 

We saw huge groups of birds feeding, 

and cormorants nesting by the hundreds if not thousands. 

Tonight we are having BBQ steak on salad. I'm ready!

Here it comes...

We're drinking ForeFront Pinot from San Luis Obisbo. 

And having so much fun that Jim lit the fireplace in the boat! What, your boat doesn't have a wood-burning fireplace? Jason does. 

San Luis Port to Morro Bay

We meant to sleep in this morning. 

At 0615 boats woke me briefly. I looked out the porthole. And fell asleep again. 

0715 we get up, fire up the stove and make tea. We decided to leave, but had to wait a bit for harbor master to collect our mooring fee. 

It's amazing how much more comfortably you sleep knowing the anchor's not going to come loose. 

No problem leaving at 0815. 

Lots of life on the water heading north. The seas are swelly but not choppy. No crab pots either. Fishermen galore. 

We spot about a dozen sea otters!

We are making 10 kts at 2200 rpm

0940 we spot rafts of sea lions

0950 California sea otters on their backs floating & 100s of cormorants

0955 more sea otters. 

We spot the rock! We are already done for the day (except to get in the slip). Only 18 nm. 

1010 Morro Bay side tie to the dock and step ashore for the first time in 53 hours. 

Lunch in the restaurant. Conversation with friendly people. Boating can be fun. And serious. So far we have balanced the two. 

Morro Bay is definitely ocean-oriented, and has a very "small town" feel. 

I liked this bronze memorial to a recently-deceased, Ford-loving fisherman...

The town is full of visitors as it's Memorial Day weekend. We had a hard time finding a restaurant with a table open but ended up with a fine Thai meal - Dungeness Crab Pad Thai with sake for me. Jim had a spicy seafood salad. 

On our walk back to the boat we heard loud crunching. It was a sea otter eating crab or mussels; biting right through the shells with incredibly strong jaws and teeth. See him right off our bow?

I had a strange feeling I was being observed while preparing for bed. I opened the porthole and peered out - this heron peered right back at me!

Yellowbanks to San Luis Port

We cruised into Smugglers cove last night at 2200. We dropped anchor, had a quick drink and went to bed. 

Jim woke us up at 0330 for generator, shower, coffee, tea and anchor hoisting. 

We set off about 0510 as daylight broke over the eastern edge of the sky. 

This is Anacapa, a small group of Channel Islands and rocks. 

We've done 154 nm on 104 gallons of diesel fuel.  

Santa Cruz Island 

0700 approaching Painted Cave. 

0715 large school of dolphins and massive bird flocks feeding on our right

Jim checking the contents of the "Ditch Bag" which you grab when abandoning ship. Next, we attempt our survival suit test fitting, and end up laughing helplessly at our clumsiness. 

We don't expect to need these suits ... But are taking no chances. 

Hey! 

0922 I am napping and Jim spots a whale!

We've got whales! Upwards of 10 big black fin whales, blowing and showing us their flukes. 

Good lungs on this guy. One blow, up 35-40 feet, looks like it could inflate the Goodyear blimp!

Weather was ok but Pt Conception was very bumpy. Very. Very. 

After an hour plus of chop, tipping chairs, banging bottles, gritted teeth and clenched buttocks, we made it around the corner. Conditions improved. 

Now we have marine overcast, grey seas and crab pots as we head for San Luis.

(Time passes)

Arrived! 1800 we have quite a struggle with the mooring ball and get some help from the guy next to us. 

Calm, sunny, moored. Feet up, G&T, Guacamole (avocado damaged in rough sea transit) and chips. 

Jim drains water and changes filters in our engine room. I check everything topside. 

We have now traveled 254 nm on 175 gallons consumed by our twin engines. 

Dinner tonight is mashed Yukon gold potatoes and venison "Sloppy Joe" burgers.