2017-17: Marina del Rey, Newport, then Avalon

Thursday, October 26, 2017

Oh my it's been a HOT ten days at the California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey.  Besides the record breaking heat, there's been some record breaking socializing by Alex with old Club friends.  He's been wine and cheesing lots during Wild Blue's stay, with folks stopping by to yak about old times, dinners out most nights, wine tastings in the dining room and Dodger madness.

Wild Blue crew Elias cheers Dodgers
while Texas native crew Sid boos

Everyone has been quite friendly in what has to be a the friendliest boating Club.  Members Denny and Dick offered their backs to help offload Wild Blue's 150 pound anchor and 650 pounds of chain.  Then Denny gave Alex his truck to drive it to the galvanizer in San Diego.  Dick loaned Alex his newly certified life-raft, and then gave him a "stern" lesson in paddle tennis. Denny gave Alex his car to drive to and from San Luis Obispo.  It was tons of fun seeing old friends and learning that pretty much all look as they did a decade and half ago!

Chain Gang

Yesterday we slipped our lines and exited MdR under bright warm skies.  The seas and wind were calm as yet another "globally warm" day started up in Southern California.  By 11am we we're rounding Palos Verdes point then Point Vincente soon after.  At 1PM as we approached Newport Harbor, we knew not where to moor the Wild Blue, however we had zoomed in on one of the lowest marine fuel prices in SoCal. Island Marine Fuel on Balboa Island has a great fuel price as we loaded 875 gallons at $2.60 and paid by credit card.  This compares with quotes from $3.10 to $3.96 from ports northward.  Amazing how the price lowers where the competition is plenty.  In addition, we needed to load up as the California 20 cent per gallon tax increase starts Wednesday.

Dolphins Come Out Again

Palos Verdes Point

Homes on PV Cliffs

Point Vincente Light

By 3pm we were filled to the caps and looking for moorage.  The yacht clubs (BYC, BCYC, NHYC) were already full but we managed the last slip at Newport operated MarinaPark.  This near new marina is well-appointed and close to amenities.  Crew Elias invited his old neighbors to cocktails aboard so Bill and Marsha drove their Duffy boat over.  We enjoyed tales of  their friendship as well as Ophthalmology, flying Hawker jets, and cruising boats in Europe.  Great fun.

Friday, October 27, 2017

Today we enjoyed the morning calm of Newport Harbor as Wild Blue glided down the fairway and out to sea headed for Avalon on Catalina.  Within a few miles of clearing the Newport jettys, a thick fog developed.  Soon the fog horn was sounding as the radar lit up many local targets.  The fog continued thick, thin and thick until we reached Avalon at noon.  We paid close attention to the traffic and passed just ahead of the large blob on the radar which turned out to be a missile frigate!  Luckily no shots where fired and we made sure to minimize our use of the North Korean language.

Crew Elias Takes His Watch at the Helm

The Catalina Flyer definitely flew by us at close to 30 knots.

The radar blob turned into a Navy missile cruiser

The Avalon Harbor Patrol assigned us on mooring 211 and we've been enjoying the afternoon sun. Alex is here with Crew Sid and Elias until Monday when we drop our mooring for Mission Bay.

Cheers....

Friday is party night in Avalon!