After lazing about for the day and watching the big surf hit shores at San Simeon, at 6 pm on Saturday afternoon, we set out up the coast to pass Point Sur in the night.  On our trip down the coast last fall, we had a rolling sled ride down past Point Sur with high winds over 20 kts, short and steep waves, and overall conditions that I’d not want to be motoring against going up the coast.  I was nervous on this trip since the weather forecast by NOAA and other forecasting services last fall for our passing of Point Sur was for no wind but yet we had much!  This time, the forecast was also for very little wind (2-6 kts with a few bouts of 10-15 kts) so I kept my fingers crossed.  This time, all was well and good.  We motor sailed into less than 5 knots the entire way passing Point Sur around 2:30 in the morning.  We decided to bypass Monterrey and continue on to Pillar Point Harbor at Half Moon Bay.  We dropped the hook in the harbor just past noon.

We sat back and watched the holiday antics of many boaters nearby.  Pillar Point is an enjoyable place to be.  New things include the newly restored Monterrey Clipper fishing boat that seemed to be ferrying tourists around the harbor.  We know the fellow who worked on the restoration so we’re hopeful to go and track him down sometime before we depart the harbor and talk to him about the successful project.  Several cruising boats were in for the holiday weekend including a very large aluminum hulled boat with three children aboard and a life-sized skeleton hanging on a noose above the transom.  Nice boat, poor taste in decor.  The small boat center seemed to have kayaking classes ongoing and we were visited by a family in a wooden outrigger canoe.  All-in-all a nice afternoon of bay-watching.

This morning, we’re still lazing about.  It’s chilly so I’m sitting in our chart house bed with the down comforter all puffy around me.  Heavenly.  However, we are likely to have visitors since people (yes, strangers) often stop in and ask questions about Mahdee when we visit a new harbor, so I’d best put away the bed and make things “decent” here in the chart house. I’m really enjoying cooking on our gimbaled Taylors kerosene stove.  We purchased the stove a few months ago from a friend (he had found an even nicer kero stove for his boat) and now we have the ability to cook huge meals on the wood/coal Shipmate or use the Taylors while underway or for smaller fare–like breakfast this morning!

Fair winds,