Changing Course

Boaters are often flexible regarding their choice of destinations and play things by ear depending on their wish list and or changing life styles.  For us, “changing course” has a double meaning.  After taking another trip by car to Seattle, we decided that it’s time to let go of a house we no longer need.  Yes, we are putting our home on the market around the first of March and have begun the process of completing projects in preparation for this change.  We also decided to motor the boat north to Seattle rather than make frequent car trips back home to work on the house.  Motoring up the West Coast this time of year, however, can be very challenging.  We left San Francisco on September 13^th heading for Bodega Bay just north of the notorious Point Reyes.  We encountered winds ranging from 15 knots to 35 knots which we have negotiated in the past, but the waves were close together and steep, more so than anticipated.  

ZigZag Path (right dark blue line)

It was the first time we’ve had to travel in a zigzag course to safely negotiate the steep waves and we were still being knocked around.  Water was splashing up over the pilothouse windows so frequently that water seeped through the pilothouse doors.  It felt as if Got d' Fever was falling down the front side of the 8-9 foot steep sea cliffs.  One wave threw me across the room and I fell on my “A Double S” – good thing I have some padding!  Java had the advantage with this one due to her low center of gravity and four legs.  What was to be a 5-hour trip turned into a 6-hour trip due to our zigzag course; we made it into Bodega Bay with the wind still howling and found a side-tie for the night.  We were glad to be past one of the worst Points on the West Coast.  Weather for the next couple of days should be much better enabling us to make further progress northward.