Cruise Log #2, The Channel Islands
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Updated October, 2004
The Channel Islands
Shortly after hauling anchor in Cabrillo Beach and clearing away the paraphernalia on deck; bridle, snubber, and wash-down hose, a small pod of dolphins joined us, right at Angels’ Gate. A good omen for starting our Channel Islands tour, jumping and squeaking dolphins on a beautiful, bright blue day!
Both water tanks were nearly empty from our four days of boat cleaning and frivolous water use in Cabrillo Beach, and the batteries were low, so we motored our first two hours out of the gate, made water, charged batteries, and waited for the wind to fill in. Fill in it did. We sailed in 15 to 20 knots from the west the rest of the way to Two Harbors.
It was a short, 20-mile crossing, and a straight shot to Two Harbors, thanks to the healthy westerly. On arrival, it was a long, most challenging, anchoring experience. We made four attempts. First we were too close to the rocks and kelp, then we didn’t like the spot, then we drug, and finally we had a good set in an okay position – laid 5:1 scope in 40 feet of water and 20 knots of wind. Then, because the boat ahead of us had a stern anchor out, Stan rowed our Danforth out and dropped it out behind.
Stan rowed and rowed, towing the anchor line, struggling against a hard chop and the brisk wind. He was finally able to drop the anchor off our stern quarter, keeping a firm grip on the anchor rode. Using the rode, he hand-over-handed his way back upwind to SolMate, taking lots of spray in the face and earning his skipper's ration of grog.
MJ rowing the dinghy from SolMate's anchorage to the camp ground beach
Firmly anchored stem and stern, we felt secure enough to leave SolMate in Gale's care and ventured ashore. Sailing friends, Eran and Teresa, were camped just above our anchorage, so one morning we employed our best spy techniques, watching them through binoculars as they hiked the trail to the cafeteria, and rowing over to join them, uninvited, for breakfast.
Sixty miles to the NW of Santa Catalina Island lie the northern Channel Islands with tiny Anacapa on the east and San Miguel on the west. Little Scorpion Anchorage is on the NE corner of Santa Cruz, the largest of the four northern islands. That's where we headed next, on a calm but cloudy morning, which could have been Monday, the 27th, but no one aboard was paying attention to the date.
We raised anchor at 2:00 AM - we were paying attention to the time - planning to reach Santa Cruz during daylight. Sneaking in real close to a Nordic Tug that had anchored right on top of us, and hoping his anchor line wasn't interfering with ours, we were able to retrieve our anchor without waking them, and ghosted away from the anchorage in the early morning darkness without a fuss. Destination: Little Scorpion Anchorage.
The Brian Fagan cruising guide we used for the Channel Islands is pretty old. It's warning for Little Scorpion was to anchor away from the big kelp beds near the rocks and shore. We anchored away from the rocks and out from shore, but never found the big kelp beds. Neither did anyone else. Later in the week, at least seven other boats anchored on the inside of us, with lots of clear water to spare.
SolMate anchored in Little Scorpion with MJ jumping into her kayak
Little Scorpion Anchorage is just SE of Scorpion, a larger anchorage with a ferry landing, Forest Service facilities, campgrounds and the old Scorpion Ranch. SolMate anchored facing the rocks that separate the two anchorages. The kayak-friendly landing next door was a perfect jumping off point for forced marches. We hiked all over the east end of the island, and highly recommend the hikes and the campgrounds, which had running water and toilets, tucked away under spreading Eucalyptus.
Santa Cruz Island is owned and operated by two separate entities.
One of the old Scorpion Ranch buildings in a hillside cave
Overlook on the Potato Harbor trail with Chinese
Harbor
opening up to the east all the way to Prisoner's
Kathy from Pine Cone; Linda, John
and Sharon from Nakia,
and Dennis from Pine Cone
The weather was predictable, fog and low marine layer every morning clearing to bright blue afternoons. Many boats from up north stopped to enjoy the weather and scenery of Santa Cruz. We entertained a few on SolMate. Pine Cone, a Pacific Seacraft Dana 24, is a trailerable from Park City, Utah. Kathy and Dennis have taken her all up and down the Pacific coast, from Baja to Canada. Nakia, a Hans Christian 33 from San Francisco, was on their way to meet up with the Baja HaHa, although crew, Sharon, was heading back to SF.
