2017-11 Monterrey to San Simeon or Morro Bay

Sunday, September 17, 2017:  Continuing Southbound on the Central California Coastline

7AM: We departed Monterrey Harbor a bit earlier today to make the best use of favorable marine weather.   About 4:45 we found the harbor exit and rounded the Peninsula in the darkness, brightly lighted with the boats forward facing floodlights.  The boat was bouncing as we bucked the swells but our movement moderated as we turned toward Point Sur. Current position is 12 miles NW of Sur.  One of our goals today is to view the big Mud River slide up close.  Should close about noon today.

Today's NOAA weather forecast:

Point Pinos To Point Piedras Blancas To 10 nm-237 AM PDT Sun Sep 17 2017

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY EVENING...

.TODAY...NW winds 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft. NW swell 3 to 5 ft at 8 seconds. Patchy fog in the morning.
.TONIGHT...NW winds 20 to 30 kt. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft. NW swell 6 to 7 ft at 8 seconds. Patchy fog after midnight.

Point Piedras Blancas to Point Sal westward out to 10 NM-249 AM PDT Sun Sep 17 2017

.TODAY...NW winds 5 to 10 kt...becoming W 10 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less. NW swell 4 to 5 ft at 8 seconds.
.TONIGHT...NW winds 10 to 15 kt in the evening...becoming N 5 to 10 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. NW swell 5 to 6 ft at 8 seconds. Patchy fog after midnight.

So much better weather ahead at Piedra Blancas and southward.  We expect to skip San Simeon due to the expected big winds and continue to Morro Bay around 6PM or so.

12:30PM:  We paused at Big Sur's Mud Creek Slide to view the progress.  From our amateur observations, it looks like two break walls are under construction at the base (waterline).  Also a construction road from the south end has been graded to a flat equipment assembly area.  A row of containers seems to serve to protect workers below from minor slides of rocks. These of course are just non-professional observations.  Check out the photos.

The overall slide area.

While the rest of use watch Sunday football (and ride boats)
construction continues on building a new road over the BIG slide.

A row of containers serves as a break-wall from loose rock above workers,
at least that's what we think.

Equipment staging area near base of slide.

Treebones is one of the businesses
needing road access for patrons.
Maybe the construction workers
can stay over?

2:25PM:  Passing Point Pedra Blancas and still on schedule to arrive in Morro Bay at 6:30 tonight.

Point Piedra Blancas Light Station

Whale Jumps for Wild Blue

Entering Morro Bay Harbor at 5 times speed (or 40 knots!)

Wild Blue and other transient boats tied to the dock
at the Morro Bay Yacht Club. Here's the view from the MBYC Webcam.