Bound for California
We left Cabo San Lucas about 7 pm and headed for San Diego. Saturday night and Sunday were gorgeous. The sun was brilliant, the winds were fair and warm, and the seas had only a low swell. Monday began well enough, with winds around 10 knots from the northwest. This is the normal pattern for the north Pacific. About every three or four days a front moves in and stirs things up. I had talked by phone with our weather consultant, who told us things could get rough starting Monday afternoon and continuing through Tuesday, depending on the speed of the incoming front and how fast the low over the Sea of Cortez moved. He suggested we call him Monday for further clarification. He though we should consider an overnight or two at Turtle Bay.
Monday at about 4 pm we were just south of Turtle Bay and the wind was beginning to climb. At that time it was about 15 knots, but within an hour it was near 30 knots and climbing. We decided to push on because our captain needed to get back to San Diego, and because we were about three hours to a change of course that would put us on the leeward side of Cedros Island and shelter us from the winds. As the minutes ticked by the wind rose as did the seas. Soon the wind was howling and it reached 45 knots. The waves were about ten feet and growing. The boat was headed right into it and moving up and down. Just as I was thinking of turning for shelter, the winds calmed and gradually fell to about 25 knots. The seas fell and things looked like they might get better. As the sun was setting, things picked up again. I watched the wind vane: 25..30..35..40..45..48 and that frightening howl started again. This time the waves were really big, and Odyssey climbed one and then slammed into the trough of the next wave. Rebecca came up to the pilothouse looking a little grey and offered me a seasickness pill. As the night began to fall, I thought the pill was a good idea. At midnight my watch was over and Devin relieved me. I went below and climbed into bed. Rebecca (her watch was 4 am to 8 am) turned and asked me if I really thought I could sleep while levitating as the boat rode the seas. I fell asleep right away and woke up at 7 am to calm seas. What a relief!
The rest of the trip was very pleasant, with dead calm and beautiful seas all the way home. We arrived in San Diego at 6:30 pm Wednesday evening and made the Customs dock at 7 pm. Just as we were coming in, our starboard engine alarm went off and we had to shut it down as it was overheating, but we have two engines, so no sweat. When we got to the dock we started to investigate. Eventually we had to change the thermostats, and then we were on our way again. Dana Point is about 6 cruising hours north of San Diego, so by the time we fixed the engine and made it out of the harbor, it was about 1 pm. We tied up at Dana Point at 6 am. A great cruise!
We had a wonderful time on this, our first passage and cruise. Now we are looking forward to coming home and seeing all the people we love so dearly and our beloved Ann Arbor Town. Our next cruise starts in June.