Monterrey Aquarium: Jellyfish

The Monterrey Aquarium has some great exhibits. Hard to choose the best. But the jellyfish were very photogenic.

Moon Jellies (like the millions in Roscoe Inlet...)

Sea Nettles (very stingy)

Egg-yolk jellyfish

We are glad we went to the Monterrey Aquarium. However, the $35/person entrance fee is pretty steep (Vancouver Aquarium is $25/person, with significant discounts available). One wonders how lower-income folks could afford $35/person.

Arrival in Monterrey

Santa Cruz to Monterrey is about 22 nautical miles -- we had a great sail for about half of these, sailing almost into Monterrey.

Pelagia sailed fast (>7 kn at times) and the steering worked well (no issues with weather helm, etc).

Along the way, we saw many (!) whales: humpback and one other kind. On arrival in Monterrey we were greeted by the cacophonous sea lions, as well as sea otters.

Humpback sounding

Smaller whales

Monterrey welcome committee

In stark contrast to Santa Cruz, Monterrey Harbour was well-organized. No concerns coming in. Better priced than Santa Cruz; clean facilities, and free wifi. (SC Harbour could learn much from Monterrey.)

Decided to take a berth at the dock (moorings were also available). 


Also at Santa Barbara: SV Marova; SV Confidence; SV Falcon VII; SV Loon

Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbour: Chaos rules

We had a long but smooth trip to Santa Cruz -- no wind so a long hot motor. Flat seas, so comfortable.

Santa Cruz boardwalk/fairground

Arrival at the narrow entrance to the Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbour was something we've never experienced before -- absolute mayhem. One has to have been there to understand, but we'll try to describe. (We were much too busy trying to avoid collisions to be able to take photos when we entered!)

SC harbour entrance (at a quiet time -- Sunday am)

SC harbour entrance (at a quiet time -- Sunday am)

Saturday afternoon. Crowded. Harbour entrance is very narrow -- perhaps -2 boat lengths wide with shallows on either side. Now, add 10-15 stand-up paddle boarders and kayakers lingering around the entrance and up the narrow channel, then add sail boats sailing (SAILING!) into and out of the channel, plus add powerboats coming in & out at speed. Finally, add sailboats tacking back and forth within the narrow channel.

Looking out SC harbour (Sunday morning; relatively quiet)

SC harbour (Sunday morning; relatively quiet)

It was mayhem. Nobody observing rules-of-the-road (many likely had no idea of these). Accidents waiting to happen. The SC Harbor Authority should control things better; eventually someone will be seriously hurt.

We didn't like it. We wouldn't recommend it.

We stayed only1 night (at $1.25/ft, not cheap -- and the facilities were dirty) and got out the next day and headed for Monterrey.

Adios San Francisco!

We finally made it out of San Francisco.

On our way out...

We're out of the Bay!

Motored out under the Golden Gate Bridge under sunny skies. Pulled out the sails and had a great 30-mile sail. Winds were 15-20kn NW with ~8-10 ft seas. 

 

Currently on the dock at Pillar Point Harbour (Half Moon Bay). Winds are down but seas still bit big, so we will wait 'till tomorrow to try for Santa Cruz (or Monterrey).

In the meantime,  Half Moon Bay has a beautiful beach with a long bike path. 

Half Moon Bay (view North towards Pillar Point)

Half Moon Bay (view South)

Update: we highly recommend a stop at Pillar Point Harbour: excellent harbour/marina and nice walking/biking.

Waiting on the weather... waiting on the Federal (USA) gov...

Pretty crazy,eh?!

This is what we get when we go to our usual NOAA weather site...

(With extra searching, one can find the forecasts. Not sure though if they are as frequent.)

Waiting on weather...

We are currently in Sausalito, waiting on weather for heading South. The storms up North off of Vancouver Island and the Gulf of Alaska have resulted in "hazardous seas" off  the Central/Northern California coast.

Having been in the midst of  "hazardous seas" on the way down to SF -- which were quite unpleasant -- we will opt out this time and wait for (hopefully) calmer conditions.

Mt. Tamalpais hike

Rented a car and headed first into the ravines behind Mill Valley. Some pretty interesting homes in odd places.

Drove up to Mountain Home Inn in order to hike up Mt. Tamalpais -- the highest peak in the area (approx. 750 m).

View towards San Francisco from Mt. Tamalpais

Zoom-in on Richardson Bay/Sausalito -- can you pick out Pelagia?  ;-)

Looking north (Pt. Reyes/Drakes Bay is background)

A nice hike -- good way to get our land legs back.