Any early retirees turned cruisers with big careers have regrets?

[Sdpaddler50]

Originally Posted by mako

Nice memories being brought back of the Channel Islands. Thanks.

That was years ago when I used to cruise there. Catalina was okay but I really liked heading deeper out to a Clemente. Diving at the seal pup nursery. It was sorta creepy the way the pups would dive bomb us underwater. Cute little monsters! I never saw a great white but guys I dove with had.

Thanks Mako.

Agree, San Clemente Island is special. I used to go out there quite a bit when I was a deckhand on sport fishing boats in the late 70's/early 80's, and then a couple trips about 10 years ago as a paying customer on the cattle boats.

I have never seen a GW in the water (diving, swimming, or paddling) but I am pretty sure they have seen me. I did see a very large one off La Jolla about 3 months ago. Biggest dorsal fin I have ever seen and the boat coming up on him did not phase him much. They know where they stand on the food chain.

I have always wanted to take our own boat there, but matching up an open weather window with the Navy's closures they post on their website, which can change without much notice, has not worked out the past couple years. I hope to get out there this Summer with the same guy in the sailboat shown in my Vid. We both travel solo in our boats on trips like this, but keep an eye on each other. Our significant others skip the journey, and meet us at the more inhabited destinations.