#2013-76 Eureka, Around Cape Mendocino to the Little River Anchorage

At 5:30 we joined about 10 commercial trollers leaving Eureka Harbor.  It was dark but clear skies and some of the trollers illuminated their high power sodium lights to help all of us see along the 45 minute exit route. Outside the ocean was glassy with a low NW swell.

Since Newport, Oregon, the southbound boat Red Tail, a 42 foot Kady Krogan, has been shadowing us from about 8 miles behind.  We've noticed them on AIS and yesterday we met at the docks.  Trisha and Steve Vernon are out of Solvang, California and brought their boat up from Ventura for the summer. They seem like fine folks and we look forward to seeing them again on our journey south.

We had a grand dinner last evening with two Arcata locals.  Jesse Almas and his gal Aubry visited us on the boat.  Jesse is from San Luis Obispo and his folks are regular Wild Blue crew. They chauffeured us to a local favorite, formerly known as the F Street Cafe.  We sipped wine at a nearby wine bar, then carried our bottle and glasses down a few doors to the restaurant. The seafood special was skate and we supplemented with oysters, margarita and house special pizzas.  Jesse and Aubry are quite tuned into life in the area, are great conversationalists and gracious hosts..

Today we round Cape Mendocino at about 9 am.  The ocean still looks good at 7 am.

Our guiding light down Humboldt Bay this morning

8 am Update: We can clearly see the rocks preceding Cape Mendo.

False Cape Rock is about 4 miles before the real Cape Mendocino

4 pm Update:  We did make it around the Cape and then lost cell signal, hence the late update.  Apparently no receivers for AIS here and we probably haven't been showing on MarineTraffic.com.  Seas have built to about 3 - 5 feet with some wind chop all from the NW.  Wind has been as high as 18 knots now down to 8 - 10.  Should be into Little River at about 6 pm.

Ocean swell mixed with some wind.

Cruising downwind off Cape Mendocino.

Gray, fin or humpback? That is the question.

About six large whales (a pod?) came quite close to the hull.We scrambled
to get photos. The were LARGE!

Willie is planning a dinner for us in Bodega.  Wonder what it could be?

6 pm:  We made into Little River anchorage. It's a little bouncy and we could use flopper-stoppers as the swell is not completely eliminated by the contour.  This cove has a beach, a hotel and several homes rimming the surrounding cliffs.  Tomorrow we head for Bodega Bay.  Weather forecast is not the best with 15 - 25 knots below Point Arena.  We will go at first light.

Seems we have friends in every port.  Chatted on the phone and waved to Mike Rogers and Kath Donovan while they stood on the bluff of their town of Mendocino.  These two are old friends from Alex's first computer job in Southern California. They are having dinner tonight in one of the homes overlooking this cove.

Cheers....... see you tomorrow.

Point Francisco Light House

Mendocino from the ocean.

Little River Beach

The Little River Inn has speedy free wi-fi that covers the anchorage.

Sunset over Little River anchorage.