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The food, drinks, and the service were all excellent. The cooperation and camaraderie experienced this weekend was as good as it gets; everyone loved every minute of the event.
The ride home on Sunday was also as good as anything can be. On seas that were very flat, moderate wind finally filled in late in the day. We had a 20-mile hull-flying spinnaker run all the way back to the mainland. Once we rounded the lighthouse at Angles Gate, we beat our way up through hurricane gulch past a few wind surfers who buzzed back and forth like wasps and made the beach before sunset. Being on a flying hull, downwind, for stretches of miles at a time is an exciting joy that only a few people know and experience.
by Gary Friesen
First Person Account: Local Catamaran Sailors Venture to Catalina Island
All who sailed or attempted to sail to Catalina Island this past weekend had a wonderful time.
From Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro, we had 4 Inter 20's, a Prindle19, a Nacra 5.8, a C-class cat, a Warrior 29, a Tornado, and a Reynolds 33. The C-class cat opted out when it looked highly improbable that anyone would actually reach the island before dark-thrity. Chris on the Tornado also turned back, as he had planed to because he only had one sailing day available.
Solo sailors included Chris on his Tornado, Lee on his Inter 20, Alan on his Inter 20, and John on his Reynolds 33. Also Kelly single-handed from Newport Beach on a 30' Piver trimaran.
Those who had motors used them quite a bit and those who didn't were either towed at times or did lots of paddling. The one exception was Alan, who took a ride on the C-class cat Friday, then sailed himself over to the island on his Inter 20 on Saturday when he had wind for the whole trip. He may also have been the only one in the entire fleet to have landed when there was still some daylight.
The Marina Del Rey fleet that was to consist of a Viva 27, a Reynolds 21, and a Hobie 21, a Hunter 42, and a Choate 40 had no wind on Friday. The Hunter did not go. Geoff, on the Viva 27 motored all the way to Twin Harbors. Chris and Richard from the Choate made the crossing on an 18' Whaler with a 150 horsepower grinder. I presume that the Reynolds 21 didn't set sail. I spoke with Collin who sailed the Hobie 21 on Saturday and made it to approximately the shipping lanes and having not been to Twin Harbors before, opted to turn back to the coast where they made an emergency night landing for safety. They sailed back to Marina Del Rey on Sunday and it was a very long haul for them. They accepted a tow from a passer-by when they got close to the harbor. It took them 4 hours to get close to the harbor from Point Vicente.
There was a lot of sea life. Hundreds of dolphin were seen and about one hundred Risso Dolphin. While paddling in the dark, near the island there were dolphins spouting all around the fleet. A beautiful orange moonrise occurred over a glassy ocean with 50-80 mile visibility. It left an orange pathway of light on the water that was a priceless sight. Warm and dry Santa Ana Condition air filled the night and kept us comfortable as we paddled our last few miles to the beach at Twin Harbors.From Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro, we had 4 Inter 20's, a Prindle19, a Nacra 5.8, a C-class cat, a Warrior 29, a Tornado, and a Reynolds 33. The C-class cat opted out when it looked highly improbable that anyone would actually reach the island before dark-thrity. Chris on the Tornado also turned back, as he had planed to because he only had one sailing day available.
Solo sailors included Chris on his Tornado, Lee on his Inter 20, Alan on his Inter 20, and John on his Reynolds 33. Also Kelly single-handed from Newport Beach on a 30' Piver trimaran.
Those who had motors used them quite a bit and those who didn't were either towed at times or did lots of paddling. The one exception was Alan, who took a ride on the C-class cat Friday, then sailed himself over to the island on his Inter 20 on Saturday when he had wind for the whole trip. He may also have been the only one in the entire fleet to have landed when there was still some daylight.
The Marina Del Rey fleet that was to consist of a Viva 27, a Reynolds 21, and a Hobie 21, a Hunter 42, and a Choate 40 had no wind on Friday. The Hunter did not go. Geoff, on the Viva 27 motored all the way to Twin Harbors. Chris and Richard from the Choate made the crossing on an 18' Whaler with a 150 horsepower grinder. I presume that the Reynolds 21 didn't set sail. I spoke with Collin who sailed the Hobie 21 on Saturday and made it to approximately the shipping lanes and having not been to Twin Harbors before, opted to turn back to the coast where they made an emergency night landing for safety. They sailed back to Marina Del Rey on Sunday and it was a very long haul for them. They accepted a tow from a passer-by when they got close to the harbor. It took them 4 hours to get close to the harbor from Point Vicente.
The food, drinks, and the service were all excellent. The cooperation and camaraderie experienced this weekend was as good as it gets; everyone loved every minute of the event.
The ride home on Sunday was also as good as anything can be. On seas that were very flat, moderate wind finally filled in late in the day. We had a 20-mile hull-flying spinnaker run all the way back to the mainland. Once we rounded the lighthouse at Angles Gate, we beat our way up through hurricane gulch past a few wind surfers who buzzed back and forth like wasps and made the beach before sunset. Being on a flying hull, downwind, for stretches of miles at a time is an exciting joy that only a few people know and experience.
by Gary Friesen
More articles in category First Person Account & My Sailing Stories
- Harvest Moon Regatta 2010 - 157 miles of Texas Coastline (in the dark) (by damonAdmin on Nov 04, 2010)
- Family Regatta a Success for New Mexico Hobie Fleet (by damonAdmin on May 30, 2007)
- U.S.A. Tornado Nationals and Olympic Pre-Trial Reports (by damonAdmin on Oct 14, 2006)
- 2006 Hardway Distance Race Report (by Anonymous on May 23, 2006)
- Remembering My First Ocean Sail (by damonAdmin on Jan 06, 2006)
- Local Catamaran Sailors Venture to Catalina Island (by damonAdmin on Nov 21, 2005)
- What it's like to sail the Round Texel (by damonAdmin on Jun 13, 2005)
- The Last Hobie 18 from Hobie Cat. (by damonAdmin on Apr 06, 2005)
- Hobie 18 Catamaran Shipwrecked on Lake Michigan (by damonAdmin on Sep 14, 2003)
- Tornado Catamaran Sailor "Enters" the Tri-Point Anacapa Race. (by damonAdmin on Aug 28, 2003)
Comments
Add a new commentThis trip looks like a lot of fun. I am looking to rent a 20' Catamaran to sail to Catalina this summer. Do you know who will let me rent one in the Long Beach area?
Thanks,
Steven
619-300-6945