Farewell to San Diego

I first came to San Diego from Washington, DC, in late 1974. I was part of a group supporting the installation of new software at the Naval Communication Station at Broadway and Harbor Drive. I came under protest. I had just bought my boat and started living aboard in Annapolis, MD. I was here in San Diego for about four days when I decided I did not want to go back. It all worked out. I got the job as site rep on the installation I was supporting. My company paid to truck the boat here and I lived aboard in San Diego Harbor from about March 1975 until Christmas Day 1975 when I set sail for Hawaii and on to Guam.

I have visited several times since and always felt there was something almost magic about the place. When I sailed into San Diego Harbor two months ago, it was homecoming of sorts. I instantly felt at home. An additional attraction this time was that daughter Alana now lives here. This would give us some time to visit - and as it turns out, we've been able to get together almost weekly for dinner and time to talk. So wonderful after years of living so far apart!

I arrived here with a list of three items to fix up before I left. I expected to be here two weeks and then go on to Mexico. As the previous blog relates, the list quickly grew to 16 items and beyond. I put off my departure for an additional two weeks because of problems with the Mexican government “embargoing” (impounding) boats for minor or imagined paperwork problems. Just before the two weeks was up, my transmission broke again. It was the same problem as I had about a year and a half ago – the damper plate splines were sheared off. In addition the splines on the input shaft to the transmission were ruined. I signed up for another month in my slip and started to work.

One of the unexpected benefits of the additional delay was that I was able to take a trip home to spend time with Judy. I had been worried that five days might be too long - that I would start feeling claustrophobic being in Placerville. It turned out not to be a problem. Our five days together flew by filled with talk, walks, good food, a visit to the restaurant where we had our first meeting - and much more. We also managed to also squeeze in two short visits with daughter Lane. The problems that kept me in San Diego have turned out to be a blessing.

The transmission problem was resolved without too much trouble or expense. Another Pearson 365 owner had a transmission identical to mine that he was willing to sell at an extremely reasonable price. I found a different vendor for the damper plate who had an improved, more robust version. The transmission was in Phoenix where the boat owner lived. Once again, Terry Hoffart came to the rescue. He and his wife, Heather, were planning to come from Phoenix to San Diego for President’s day. He picked up the transmission, paid the owner and brought it over. With his help, I had it installed and ready to run in a little under two hours. We had two enjoyable evenings on the boat and a day sail to try out the transmission. That’s Heather in the picture to the right.

While I was lining up the transmission replacement, I was also studying for the amateur extra class license exam. I took the exam Saturday of President’s Day Weekend. I think I aced it. All the examiner would say was “Well, you did rather well!” My new call letters are AG6YW. I have spent only a little more time tinkering with the installation because of all the other activities. The most recent change was to make the antenna wire as long as possible. I have been able to talk to a couple of stations with it. I think (I hope) that part of the problem is that I am surrounded by sailboats with metal masts and wire rigging that distort the antenna radiation pattern and result in a much reduced signal when I transmit. I will be trying it again when I get out to sea.

I was able to use the extra time to make several improvements. I modified the running pole installation to make it easier to use. I installed an inverter to provide 120 volt AC house current from the boat’s 12 volt DC battery system when I am not hooked up to shore power. I wanted this because I have a number of small items that run off house voltage that I have only been able to use when I am in a slip. The computer printer and the camera battery charger are a couple of them. I have to be careful about using it because it pulls a lot of current from the battery. To do this “all” I had to do was hook up two wires to the battery. But this is a boat and nothing turns out to be that simple. The first problem was to find a way to have a short cable run from the battery to the inverter. That meant pulling out all those bulkheads out the port cockpit locker that I installed a month ago. I had installed them with knowing that I might have to do that, so it was only moderately painful – after I pulled everything out of the locker. Chaos reigned again on deck. But, the job is done. The inverter works.

I have greatly enjoyed the people I have been associated with here in San Diego. Dan and Dee Kent on Rocket Girl hired me to go sailing with them and coach them on sailing their boat. They are experienced power boaters but this is their first sailboat. They didn’t need much coaching. We got to be friends as well and spent several evenings talking, laughing and drinking beer.

My immediate next door neighbors are Jason and Lauren on Perpetua. They bought the bare aluminum hull and spent the next four years getting her outfitted and ready to sail to the South Pacific. They had a rental car and have been quite generous in taking me along on shopping expeditions. We have visited back and forth and exchanged a lot of information and idea for our pending journey. Lauren is a radio amateur as well and we have set up a schedule to keep in touch once we leave here. And, as always seems to happen with boat people, we spent enjoyable evenings talking, eating and drinking.

Carl and Jan Paul on Sequoia scanned documents for me that I needed to have in digital format to send off to French Polynesia. They also gave me their duplicate copy of a cruising guide to the South Pacific and information on where to find charts and courtesy flags in San Diego.

 

What is a courtesy flag, you ask? When a boat is visiting another country, it is a courtesy to fly their flag from the starboard spreader. Often the "courtesy" is a requirement. Showing up without the proper flag flying can result in a fine and/or a requirement to buy a rather expensive flag. I have bought flags for Mexico, French Polynesia (the French Flag), Tonga, Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand is the protector(?) for several island groups in the Pacific. I hope to visit the Cook Island - one of the protectorates, hence the need for the NZ flag.

Greg Lakes on Whisper also gave me a lift several times to track down parts for the boat as well as being another source of ideas and conversation over beer.

I also made contact with Jane Wassel while I was here. Her husband, Stan, was my partner in support the computer installation when I was on Guam 1976/77. They split up after I left and she moved to San Diego. She and Stan reconnected here in San Diego shortly before he died of cancer. It has been fun to catch up on the doings and whereabouts of people I knew on Guam. I got to take her for a day sail so she could see what the boat was all about. She has driven down to the marina several times to go for brisk walks – she sets a mean pace! To top it all off, she drove me on a five hour expedition to do my final shopping for groceries and supplies. It would have taken me a lot longer and a lot of trips to do it by bicycle!

By the way, if any of you are concerned that I might run out of supplies on the 30 day leg to the Marquesas, check the picture to the right! I expect I will be able to get at least to Australia before I have to do any major shopping. I didn’t buy fruits and vegetables on this trip since many of those items would be confiscated when I enter Mexico. I will buy those items in Mexico. Finding places to store all of this has been a challenge!

Now it is time for all of us sailors to move on. Rocket Girl left a week ago and is now anchored just outside Bahia Magdelena on her way to Cabo San Lucas. I hope to catch up with them somewhere in the Sea of Cortez. Perpetua is leaving Sunday to the Marquesas Islands. Sequoia is leaving Saturday or Sunday to go to Mexico.

I have changed my mind again and I will be leaving for Mexico Sunday. The general opinion seems  to be that the Mexican government has been sufficiently embarrassed by the embargo fiasco and will not repeat it soon. The first leg will be an overnight hop to Ensenada where I can do all the paperwork for entry into Mexico with the boat. From there, I will probably go to Bahia Magdelena, stop for several days, then go on to La Paz and on to cruising in the Sea of Cortez. Sometime in early to mid April I will re-provision in La Paz and head for the Marquesas Island.

So – once again I leave San Diego with pleasant memories. The marina facilities are quite good and the management is friendly. The boating community has been wonderful. The weather has been pleasant (mostly). Sunsets are often spectacular enough to make me stop and watch. San Diego is a place that I want to come back to in the future.

For now, the die is cast - time to move on! I called AT&T today and my phone service will terminate Sunday at midnight. From here on, all email will be via wifi. I am set up on Skype in the hope of being able to talk to Judy and other family members.

On to Mexico!