Sail from Strait of Juan de Fuca to San Diego

[classicbrew]

Anyone sailed the route from Seattle to San Diego or anywhere in between? If so would love to chat with you

[highseas]

Made the trip twice,what's on your mind?

[classicbrew]

Cool ports... Good stories.... I would love to do the trip in the next few years... My thoughts are starting from Port Townsend area.. then Neah Bay.. Down to Ocean Shores then Crescent City and Santa Cruz.. Santa Barbara.. Maybe Marina Del Rey and then finally Del Mar.. Have you stopped at any of those?

[markpierce]

May 24-25 along Calif./Oregon/Washington coasts the winds were strong with 12-15 foot waves. On return May 31-June 1, ocean was flat with lots of fog.

[PaulSommers]

I made the trip down the coast in spring of 2009, stopping at SF, Santa Barbara, and then various ports in Mexico. I returned via Hawaii during the summer. Great trip - just be prepared for anything off the coast of Washington/Oregon/No. California. That was the most challenging part of the trip.

[bruce smith]

3 times, twice out , once back .
I like to get out and away.200 miles out going south, 600 miles out coming north.
I didn't stop in Oregon or Northern Cal.
One word of warning, Do not wait to stock up on beer at Neah Bay. Dry Res.

[highseas]

Stopped almost every night sailing a Colvin junkrigged Gazelle from Vancouver to Puerto Vallarta in July,thru Nov. 1977.Pre GPS,and had no radar.Made the return trip via Hawaii June/July 78'.My folks didn't like the crossing so they flew home.At 16 I could basically singlehand the boat,though I had help getting boat back to B.C. from Hawaii.Wondering now what happened to 1976 Greenwich Yachts aluminum hull,sold to guy in Colorado,around 1980.I was heartbroken.Retraced my steps to Mex. 3 years ago on "Verdia,"spent two winters sailing west coast of Mexico.Skipped this last winter,had 2nd. back surgery.Heading back to boat(in San Carlos)early October for another season.Planning on return trip via Hawaii either next spring or the following year.Looks like less tsunami debris predicted north of Haw. in summer of 2014.Have to agree about northern Calif. coast,gets real ugly out there sometimes.

[senormechanico]

Funny you should ask.
I just returned home last night from that very trip on a Dragonfly 35.

Dragonfly Trimarans by Quorning Boats of Denmark | DRAGONFLY 35 Presentation


10-30 miles offshore for the whole trip with a crew who had never sailed at night or ocean.
Two days of beating into a Southerly from Neah Bay to the Oregon/California border before we got NW winds.
Newt was in VHF contact with us for a bit at the start.

Made it from Port Ludlow to Newport beach in 7 days averaging 5.7 knots for the trip.
Hit 17.6 knots one time with lots of 12 to 15 knot surfs.
Even flew the assy chute for 30 hours at a stretch in Northern CA.

Mendocino was 45-50 knots.
Due to barberhaul line accidental release (bad factory mounting of jam block), we had an accidental gybe of jib and almost capsized!

Having done the trip twice before, I'm glad we cut that cape close in (2-3 miles off).

Pt. Conception at 2AM was a walk in the park compared to Mendocino.

[Astrid]

Went from Vancouver through Straits of Juan de Fuca and on down to San Diego back almost four years ago. Went down the coast just far enough out to avoid traffic and stopped over at Eureka for a night and then on to San Diego where I spent a week. I would recommend giving cape Mendocino and Pt Conception a wide berth. On the return voyage went almost to Hawaii before heading north on favorable winds.

[highseas]

Re. cool spots along the way.Highly recomend visiting the historical Coastguard museum in Port Orford.Anchorage next to old C.G. station ruins is well protected from N.W. wind,and easy to enter.It's a good rest stop about half way to S.F. The San Francisco delta is a good place to spend some time as well.

[Dennis.G]

Originally Posted by Astrid

... On the return voyage went almost to Hawaii before heading north on favorable winds.

We are thinking of a similar route in spring of 2014 after some time in Mexico. Would go to Hawaii (still might) but we have 4 cats on board and Hawaii is a big hassle if you have cats or dogs.

How long did it take you on that route? Where from and to, and how far West did you end up going? Just curious on your experience.

[Dennis.G]

Originally Posted by classicbrew

.. Down to Ocean Shores then Crescent City and Santa Cruz.. Santa Barbara.. Maybe Marina Del Rey and then finally Del Mar.. Have you stopped at any of those?

Del Mar?? To play the ponies? Closest stop near there is Oceanside.
From Santa Barbara recommend Santa Cruz island (no facilities) as a good stop, and then maybe Catalina (Avalon for crowds or Two Harbors for fewer people) before San Diego.

[classicbrew]

Awesome stories everyone. Thank you for sharing. Wish I could crew up and go now!

[sanssouci]

Watch out for Japan floating debris.

[Astrid]

Like the dock that washed up in Oregon:

Huge floating dock from Japanese tsunami washes up on US coast - The National