When we moved the boat to Fiddlers Cove Marina we had an instant fly problem. They came from nowhere. We’d been talking about gettting or making hatch covers before we moved and found them to be very expensive from West Marine so Natalie decided to make them herself.
We bought fiberglass screen material from Home Depot and had some leftover Sunbrella from when the sail covers were made. The pattern was pretty basic, just two triangles for the sides of the hatches and then a rectangle to cover the front and back. The bottom was made from Sunbrella and filled with rocks. We could have used lead shot, but decided against that because of toxicity.
Last week we took off on a 4 day cruise with our friends Jill and Barret from S/V Lady Eileen, a Baba 30. They were down in California from Puget Sound visiting family and we invited them to go on a cruise with us to Mission Bay. We loaded up the boat and set sail on Wednesday around noon. Out in San Diego Bay we hauled up the sails and slowly sailed out the bay past buoy 3.
Hanging out in the cockpit
There are kelp beds to the west of Point Loma so we stayed well offshore to avoid them, but still managed to get a big piece stuck on the rudder skeg and it slowed us down by about a knot.
Mission Bay cruise planning overview
We anchored in the northern part of Mariners Basin called Bonita Cove. The bottom was mud and had good holding. We put out 65 feet of anchor rode in 20 feet of water.
The approach to Mariners Basin
Wednesday we launched the dinghy and went ashore to the beach. Barret was the only one adventurous enough to swim in the ocean.
Natalie, Sully, Jill and Barret (still dripping from a cold swim in the ocean)
Natalie and I enjoying the sun
We went out for lunch at a nearby restaurant and went back to the boat. Barret wanted to swim back to the boat and I decided to swim too because the water in the bay was much warmer than the ocean. Barret and I were 3/4 of the way back to the boat before Natalie and Jill got the outboard running. We put Sully down for his afternoon nap and enjoyed jumping off the boat and swimming around exploring the shore nearby.
We found live sand dollars
The whole gang
Jill and Barret
Astraea at anchor
After swimming the girls took showers and we got ready for a bonfire and BBQ on the beach with my buddy Erick. He brought the wood and we brought hot dogs and sausages to grill. Sully played in the water and hung out on the beach blanket while we made dinner.
Sully’s ready to go ashore and explore
Sully and the dinghy, our ride from the boat to shore
Sully exploring the shallow water
Bonfire!
Jill and Sully hanging out on the blanket
Before long the fire was dying down and we decided to head back to the boat for the night. The next day we hauled the anchor up and sailed back to San Diego Bay.
Sully spotted a passing boat
Jill and Barret were excellent crew
Before we knew it we were back in San Diego Bay, anchored at the La Playa anchorage near Shelter Island. Eric and Jaime from S/V Coconutz came to join us for dinner and we hung out until late in the evening.
The next morning we stowed the dinghy on deck and motored back to Fiddlers Cove so Barret and Jill could start the 1,300 mile drive back to Washington. Jill and Barret, it was great having you aboard and we look forward to cruising with you again!
Below is our trip on http://thekeel.com/. The site is done by fellow cruiser Eric Kaufman, formerly of S/V Rebel Heart, and is designed to share where you’re going and explore where you’ll go.
