Vivo O Sonho

For over a decade we talked about “cutting the docklines, heading out the Gate, hanging a left and not looking back.” It’s why we bought our particular boat: to sail oceans. It took a ton of sweat, tears, money and really hard work to get us there, but on October 10, 2022, we did it. (For a detail of our prep, see the blog post Cruising Preparation on a Fast Track.)

We did look back. We knew it was going to be a long time before we saw the Golden Gate Bridge from Sonho, and it was definitely bittersweet. We were leaving our home in Alameda, California for a foreign country and although it was a lifetime dream, it was also terrifying. Did we have all the safety equipment to sail thousands of miles on the ocean? Were we really able enough sailors to handle doublehanding on overnight passages? Would all of the newly installed systems work? Would we like living in Mexico?

So, as I blogged back in November, we cut the dock lines and headed out the Gate and hung a left. Following are recollections of the first leg of our journey to Mexico. (Click here for the first blog post on our journey: Living the Dream on Stagg Time.)

Day 1: October 10, 2022
Departed 0806 from Marina Village Yacht Harbor, Slip P16, Alameda, California
Arrived 1538 at Pillar Point anchorage, near Half Moon Bay, California

We left our home of 13 years under the usual fall, coastal conditions … grey skies and cool, light air. As we motored out the Alameda-Oakland Estuary (which I fondly refer to as the Alameda Riviera), we fired up the new electronics and auto pilot, cranked up the RPM’s on our recently tuned engine and put them all to use for the first time. (Thankfully, they all worked perfectly and Aaron wiled away the ocean hours programming and learning.)

We had left ourselves no time to test our new systems. The weeks leading up to our departure were the most stressful we have ever experienced in our relationship. There were so many goodbyes, last minute details and a few surprises that almost kept us from leaving (again). We had put all we had into the preparation (which sorely tested our marriage) and finally figured that whatever needed to be bought or fixed could happen on the way to San Diego. It was time to go.

Prior to moving onto Sonho in 2009, we had both grown up sailing the Estuary with our families. We knew these waters well, having spent many hours on dinghy rides, paddling, swimming, sailing our beloved little boat, Slice, and crewing on yacht club beer can races. It was the homeport of our families’ boats since the early 1970s and always a joy to set the sails wing and wing for the downwind leg back home after visiting other marinas and ports for the weekend. This time we were leaving the Riviera with no return plan. We hugged each other and our little Chiweenie, Tiki, and turned our gaze to the iconic bridges and our future ahead.

The wind was almost non-existant … “gusting” to seven knots at the most … and we were anxious to get to our first destination. We cruised past Marina Village Yacht Harbor and the Barnhill floating home community, waving at the KTVU News team on the Oakland waterfront, and passing Jack London Square with it’s huge American flag and then the Port of Oakland and container ships from foreign countries.

For the umpteenth time we passed the runways of the old Alameda Navy Base and the stately US Coast Guard Admiral’s house onYerba Buena Island and cruised under the City side of the Bay Bridge. San Francisco, with it’s skyscrapers and pretty waterfront, Treasure Island and Alcatraz all were left in our wake. As we slipped underneath the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, I hugged my Nana’s ashes and held my Daddy’s Staff Commodore burgee. This moment was special to us and quick phone calls were made to Aaron’s dad, Jim, and our friends Scott & Joanne, whose friendship and journey from Alameda to Mexico had kept us inspired for the final year of prep.

The Pacific Ocean and I have a tumultuous relationship. The sea state is so different than bay sailing that I frequently get seasick for the first few hours until my equilibrium has stabilized. Aaron, on the other hand, has never had mal de mer in his entire life! Luckily, the swells were minimal and we hung the left at Mile Rock with all of us feeling good.

As we made the turn south I searched for the outline of the Farallon Islands. They were obscured by the thick fog, but I blew a kiss in their direction, thinking of my Father and his last sail out the Golden Gate on April 10, 1982. I thought that if he had lived he might have been a cruiser, and knew without a doubt that he would be overjoyed that I was embarking on this journey.

We had fought a bit of an incoming tide on our way out, having chosen to leave in daylight rather than catch the slack at 0500. With a few thousand pounds of “essentials” on board our cruising speed was closer to 6 knots than the 8 knots we could do with the engine wide open and a lighter displacement. (We packed A LOT of stuff that in hindsight we could have not bothered with taking. But you don’t know what you don’t know!)

The wind never did fill in so we put the motor through the paces on the approximately 45 mile journey along the coast. We stayed about 10 miles off the shore, just outside the shipping channel and kept a vigilant eye out for the commercial fishing fleet’s crab pots. Getting one of those tangled in the prop would be an unhappy circumstance and mean that I would have to jump in to the very cold Pacific Ocean to cut it free.

For the most part it was an uneventful day, with no sea life sightings and just a few other boats passing us on their way north. After seven hours we turned left into the long channel, pulled into the Pillar Point Marina fuel dock to top off our diesel, then found a spot in the mooring field. Our electric windlass worked liked a charm and we breathed a huge sigh of relief.

The electronic anchor watch was set, jammies went on, dinner was made and a glass of wine was enjoyed as the sun set.

We had made this trip many times before, especially enjoying the festivities hosted by the Half Moon Bay Yacht Club over Labor Day Weekend. After our wedding in 2014, it was our first trip as newlyweds and we bought ourselves a wedding gift of a sea-glass framed mirror from a tiny sea-themed shop, Nasturtium, that I have affixed seashells from our journeys over the years.

The marina is home to a bustling commercial fishing fleet with a pier that leads to a row of businesses that include a bait shop, our favorite cafe, Ketch Joanne’s (which we have just found out is sadly closed), and my friend Cassandra’s shop, Maverick’s Surf Shop. A short walk north will take you to a hotel overlooking the harbor, more restaurants featuring locally caught fresh fish and craft beer, and a local “dive bar” with pool tables and darts. South from the marina is an RV park and a few fancy (and expensive) restaurants. Dog-friendly beaches line the entire expanse. Pillar Point is a sort of step-sister to the more well-known, touristy spots such as Half Moon Bay and has far more charm in our opinion. We highly recommend it as a lovely land-yacht day trip, or a long weekend via boat.

There were about a dozen other boats anchored, mostly permanent residents. A small sailboat with a couple of women on board were practicing their racing techniques and cruised by for a quick chat. It was the first of many times that I got to say, “We’re on our way to Mexico!” with a huge smile.

This night we didn’t put the dinghy in, opting instead for a quiet night on the hook, enjoying the sounds and scents and the stunning star-field. We were officially “Cruisers” and we were tired!

Because we were a month beyond our original schedule, instead of spending a few days enjoying this port as we planned, we decided on just one overnight.

Day 2: October 11, 2022
Departed 0624 from the Pillar Point anchorage, near Half Moon Bay, California
Arrived 1638 at the Monterey Municipal Marina, Monterey, California

We had the best sleep we had had in the past three months and awoke refreshed. The anchor held beautifully and we were never awakened by an alarm telling us we were dragging. We got up bright and early and after our coffee and tea we pulled up the anchor, caked with thick black mud. We were grateful for the cockpit enclosure and our little propane-fueled Mr. Heater kept us toasty. Where our first day at sea would have been dull had we not been so tired and in need of rest, the second day was a lovely welcome to life on the Pacific Ocean.

The winds continued to be too light to raise sail and the seas were low at about three feet of rolling swells at our starboard aft quarter. After making our way down the long Pillar Point channel and leaving the famous Maverick’s surf zone to starboard, we hung another left and continued down the coast.

Our Scanmar auto pilot kept us perfectly on course, letting us relax and take in the ocean without standing at the helm. AIS (Automatic Identification System) is a brilliant invention that basically allows us to “see” other boats and aids to navigation, even if they are not within visibility, giving us less of a “pucker factor” as we motored in the still, gray morning light. We purposely chose to spend the extra money on the version that allows us to both receive information and transmit. This way other vessels can contact us (and vice versa) if there is any question as to course heading and possible collision.

Two hours into our journey we saw a huge flock of birds on the water to our port. We figured they were feeding on a school of bait fish. Then a huge tail emerged, slapping the water. As our wide eyes scanned the area of the ripples, several spouts of water shot upwards, followed by a gorgeous slow-motion whale breach. Watching these huge creatures throw themselves into the air and land with a huge splash is a sight to behold. Within a minute, they took their breaths, dove and were gone.

Less than an hour later, we noticed an area of water that seemed to be “boiling” with activity. As we motored past, we were entertained by a big group of sea lions munching on another school of fish, playfully diving and swimming. They remind us of young children rough-housing. One can’t help but laugh out loud at their antics! We also saw many seabirds along the way.

After 10 hours scooting along the coast we turned into the Monterey Municipal Marina. The short trip from the ocean into the harbor is filled with sea lions and pelicans waiting for the fishing boats to come to port and hoping for a handout from their daily catch. The marina is an eclectic mix of sailboats, small power boats and many commercial vessels. The wharfs and surrounding piers are filled with visitors and activity.

We spotted our Marina Village friends’ boat, Sea Wings, who were also on their way to San Diego and had left a week before we did with family onboard as cre. A lovely surprise was seeing our dear friend’s Rod and Peggy Kidd’s former boat, Sashay, looking well-kept and in a nearby berth. Rod died after an unfortunate accident several years ago, just before they were going to head south to cruise Mexico. We bought Sashay’s spinnaker before Peggy sold her, so a piece of the Kidd’s will be with us every time we fly it.

Driving Sonho into a marina berth is always an experience. She is heavy and has a mind of her own when it comes to prop-walking. She must be part crustacean as she will crab every time, rather than go straight forward or reverse. Aaron is a confident and skilled helmsman and I stood ready to step off onto the dock with bow, midship and stern lines prepared. We do not have thrusters (mechanical systems that help maneuver a boat sideways), so taking the current and our speed into account is crucial when deciding when to make the turn into the slip. It wasn’t textbook, but we didn’t hit the boat next to us or the dock, so we’ll take that as a success every time!

A short walk to the Harbormaster had us checked in for two nights with a quick peek at the neighborhood and plans to play tourist the next day. Before the sun set we were back onboard for dinner, some television (thanks to Starlink) and into our bunk early again.

Leg 2 was complete and we were slowly getting into the groove of the Cruising life.

Next: Monterey to Oxnard

Below: Videos of First Leg from Alameda to Pillar Point and from Pillar Point to Monterey