Commander #155 'Mephisto Cat'

[Rico]

I've not had time to post regarding my decision to head North to San Francisco... I've been in a mad rush trying to get myself & the boat ready.

I'll be starting the trip (Marina Del Rey to San Francisco) at daybreak tomorrow. I'll be singlehandling on the first leg from Marina Del Rey to Oxnard... this is about a 55 mile sail.

I expect to reach Oxnard late in the day tomorrow in warm, but light winds (the ones that seem to be fueling the current fires in several places in California). I'll meet-up with the trip's 'first mate' Carol there. She will be joining me...hopefully all the way to San Francisco which is about 470 miles North of Marina del rey. This will make the trip to the San Francisco Bay a total some 700 miles in total accounting for the distance from Ensenada where the boat was launched into the water.

We will make the trip from Oxnard up to Santa Barbara - 33 miles The following day where we'll meet-up with my second crewmember, Kristin, who will come aboard for the rounding of Point Conception (55 miles east of SB) hopefully in the wee hours of Sunday morning. We are lucky to have a favourable forecast and a long enough weather window for rounding the point and sneak into Morro Bay which is some 85 miles further north.

Kristin will stay with us until Morro Bay which we should reach aided by a light (and unseasonable) southerly wind - as opposed to the Nor-Westerlies that are typical for this time of the year. Unfortunately, these light southerlies tend to happen just before the weather kicks-up into a storm...

As of now, the forecast calls for these 'favourable' winds for the trip North - important at the time of rounding point conception especially. (read: not on the nose, as it is predominantly as the California coast runs up in a northwesterly direction all the way to a point just South of San Francisco Bay).

Rental EPIRB is on board along with a bunch of other gear (safety gear, spares, foulies, tools, etc.)

I've decided to leave the hard dinghy behind... as I do not want to deal with a swamped dinghy in tow... I do have a tiny inflatable - just in case someone asks... 'cause I do not think it will really do much for us in the middle of the ocean. At least it will be something we can climb on to...

I am looking forward to this voyage North along the California coast... I will post some pictures on this thread as I am able.

Wish us a bit of luck!