South Sound Sailing Society Ship-to-Shore : October 94 to January 95

Letters : Summer Snow on the US Coast

The first letter from Summer Snow. Printed October 1994.
from Chuck and Donna Kinsey, Summer Snow, Cascade 36, on their way South.

This letter is very disjointed, we know. But we write as we go and it’s just the way things will be until the captain comes up with a different approach. We would enjoy a note from you with any information you care to share. Mail to : 1001 Harrison, Raymond WA 98577.

We are finally under way! All of the boat building is over and it’s time to go. Our family, friends, and neighbors helped us cast off July 30. Reasa, our granddaughter, Chris Brown and sons, Andrew and Alex, went to Gig Harbor with us on the first leg of our trip. On we went to Seattle, Port Townsend, Port Angeles, Neah Bay and Westport where we waited for favorable winds.

With a wind shift to the west we were gone. The new GPS refused to find satellites so we shut it down and pushed in the way points to Newport Oregon on the Loran. We are on our way under sail, with the self steering monitor wind vane on duty at the wheel — great job. Chuck and I are on the foredeck enjoying the sun and the breeze. We spotted a gray whale, two puffins, and porpoise. As we passed the Columbia River hunger struck. On came the microwave to warm dinner, which blew the numbers off of the Loran.
We followed the 40 fathom line and used the radar all night arriving under sail at Yaquina Bay, Newport OR the next morning. The weather conditions were to favorable for us to stop. We had a couple on board in Neah Bay that had been out for over a year. This was their second extended cruise in the Pacific. Their advice was don’t hurry, stop in the good ports, relax and enjoy. We both feel this makes sense. We never went to Desolation Sound nonstop. We enjoyed the crabbing in Anacortes, bath tub races in Naniamo, fresh seafood on the docks, and shopping. Donna says that there is nothing more to discuss.

Things we never learned in Puget Sound : While rounding Cape Blanco in southern Oregon we encountered winds over 30 kt and some wild waves. Port Orford offered refuge from the elements. A local cannery worker saw us dropping the main sail and offered a buoy to us over the radio. He directed us to a vacant crab float among a group of small commercial boats.
The wind is not diminished as it bends over the bluff at 25 kt with gusts to 30. There is no wave action as it is only fifty yards to the north beach. Capt. Mom is on the wheel, First Mate is on the foredeck with the boat pole to hook the loop protruding from the small float. I got it! The craft drops back on a hard gust. Determined to hold my ground I dig in my heels, but it was no contest and I can’t free the hook before we fall off to starboard. We retrieve the pole on the next pass with Chuck hanging over the toe rail.
We discuss strategy and proceed with plan 2. I hook the float again. Donna keeps me in place and I extract from the water a 1 1/4 inch mooring line with a loop large enough for a cleat on a battle ship. Now what the hell do you do with something this gigantic on a 36 ft sail boat I don’t know, but I decided to hold on with both hands while I figure things out. A hard gust and the boat falls back. I wrap my legs around the pulpit and the front half of me is protruding out over the water. Our boat is now connected to the bay bottom. I am acting as a large mooring compensator, and about to snap. Donna comes ahead, God felt sorry for me, and I fasten our dock line around the huge loop and secure it to our cleat. LESSON : don’t go for a buoy in 30 kt winds. Even if it’s free, use the anchor. I am now almost seven feet tall and considering a second career in the NBA.

(chatter) All of the harbors are full of anchovies. The pelicans and seals quietly make a meal as the vociferous gulls and sea lions squawk and bark for their share. This nightly entertainment is a special event enjoyed with dinner. Speaking of diner, the fresh tuna on the bar-b-q is fantastic.

(chatter) While eating at Mo’s in New Port, Tonya Harding and friends came in and sat at the next table. The reporting of this historic event was not covered by the media so we feel compelled to record this occasion.

(chatter) More and more sailboats bound for all parts of the world are choosing quiet harbors for a nights rest from the conditions. We all have a common direction for now. We have enjoyed the evenings of stories and tales. They come in all sizes of sail boats 28 ft and up. Many have all the equipment, some have none. One fellow and his dog was headed back to Everett. He told us he sailed all day and lashed the tiller when he slept. The SW wind blew him back to where he started each morning. His radar reflector was an onion sack full of crushed cans hung from a spreader. No raft but he did have a VHF. He vowed to give it another go next year.

We make new friends and as we leave plan to rendezvous in San Francisco, for the Latitude 38 Some Like it Hot party.

Why would a singlehander have a MOB pole?

Note to mariners : the moorage rates down the coast are very inexpensive. Top so far $18 at Neah Bay WA. The place where the plug for the electricity is on the very top of the pole. You either wait for high tide, hire the local giant, or borrow a much used ladder to plug in to the outlet. We are now, 8/31, at Bodega Bay CA, just outside of the Golden Gate Bridge. This is probably the most beautiful clean marina that we have been in. Rate, 36 ft, is $7 per night with electricity and water. Free showers at the head of the dock. Laundry and restores in the same building, no long walks.

Quote of the trip : Captain Mom says, “One head is better than two!”

Chuck and Donna Kinsey, Summer Snow

From Cape Blanco Oregon to Cape Mendacino CA is known for terrible seas and winds. We visited a museum in Crescent City and were awed by the history of the St. George Reef Light House. A reported wave 145 ft high knocked out the top windows protecting the Fresnell Lens, which came from France wrapped in mattresses. This interestingly enough is not believed to be the record wave.

With steady winds of 20 kt and gusts to over 30 during the day, we holed up at Port Orford for the next day as the winds continued. A local fisherman advised us that the winds usually fall off about 2200 or 2300. They did the first night, so out we go at 2300 under a canopy of stars and a 3/4 moon. We set sail in about 15 kt toward Brookings about 45 miles south. The winds and seas continued to build. The quartering seas on the stern were pushing us to 10 kt and we began to surf. Summer Snow became less stable. We dropped all sails, put the engine in idle, and continued to surf along at 8-9 kt, with 7-8 ft seas starting to break. The moon had set thank goodness, neither of us wanted to check the conditions visually. Donna was on the helm. I could see the green and white water rise up behind her in the running light glow. One monster broke over the stern into the cockpit over her back drenching us both. She continued on the helm on a tight line to prevent a broach as I was navigating south. These conditions continued all night. We would ride up on a crest and could see the lights of Brookings 10 miles away, as we dropped into a trough the town disappeared. Just as dawn broke the winds and seas dropped and we made a relatively quiet run across the bar and in behind the jetty to a safe dock in the harbor. Donna looked at me when we stepped down to the dock and said, “Nobody would ever believe what we have just gone through.”

Note from Chuck, not under duress — Donna’s cuisine has been spectacular. A variety that would rival any Seattle restaurant. She packed a dozen cook books and looks forward to the exchange of recipes with other boaters and locals. Truth is in all of these years I didn’t know that she could cook. When asked why I had never seen this wonderful side of her, she said, “I never had time to cook before.”

Approaching a new harbor from the Pacific Ocean’s swells never fails to get the adrenaline flowing. All you have to do to get in safely is line up those red and green things, line up the range markers, and charge in like we have been doing this exercise all of our lives.
The Fort Bragg Harbor approach, down the narrow rock bound fairway, was especially memorable. With foul weather gear on and harnessed to our craft, we surged through the kelp like two seasoned salts. We passed under the bridge on highway 10l into the quiet waters of the Noyo River and a quaint commercial fishing community. Always thinking about food, we spotted a great looking restaurant packed full of the Saturday evening dinner crowd enjoying their meal. The large windows afford a view of the cozy harbor. I am sure that they were impressed with our entry. Donna was at the helm and I reading the harbor chart. The bow went down, the stern up, and I went forward. That heavy thing under the boat that always hangs down was in the sand. I looked at the captain, she says, “I don’t think we should hove to under 101.” She calmly slipped it into reverse and backed the keel off of the shoal. Now we put that red #8 thing on the starboard and limped under the windows with two fellow boaters waving wildly from their vantage point in the restaurant. We considered a number of aliases as we approached the marina. Say Harry, “What were those peoples names on the sail boat from Chug Water Wyoming?”

Chuck and Donna Kinsey, Summer Snow

We will probably hear from the Kinseys again. But I’d like to hear from some of the rest of you too. Didn’t anyone go North this Summer? Write and tell us about it.

The northern CA harbors are filled with commercial fishermen and sail boaters working on their crafts, waiting for the sea conditions to become tolerable. Many of the commercial boats ventured out only three days during the month of August and September isn’t starting out much better.

We departed 9/4 from Bodega Bay at about 0600, bound for Drakes Bay some 25 miles to the south hoping to arrive at anchor before things really kicked up. Rounding Point Reyes we encountered seas to 10 ft. 7 sec. This ain’t fun but it is bearable. We continue to dream of warm waters, 15 sec. seas and gentle winds. Drakes Bay is wide open to the east and south, our second open ocean anchorage. We are accustomed to the Pacific NW where the small protected coves are the norm. There are 25 sailboats on the hook with a few commercial boats scattered in their midst. There are no power boats to speak of in the harbors. We love it and don’t miss the stink pots at all (affectionately speaking).

Sea sickness — Donna read that ginger will quiet a queasy tummy. The first rough passage that produced some discomfort saw us head for the grocery store for ginger snaps. They work like a charm for us and a case of cookies in the locker is our personal testimony. We have experienced a noticeable weight gain and are now experimenting with taping the little wonders behind the ear, under the arm, or sliding them under a watch band. The osmosis results are inconclusive as of now but our experimentation continues.

We saw white pelicans in the salt marsh leaving Bodega Bay. These beautiful birds don’t dive like their brown brothers. They largely wade in the sallow water and scoop up small fish. They also, we understand, prefer fresh to salt water. The white egrets were also on the prowl for an early breakfast.

We entered San Francisco Bay on a rather foggy morn. Could see only part of the Golden Gate Bridge as we sailed under. Took a port turn and we are now anchored near Sausalito with seven other boats that are also going south.

Where to store all of this wonderful California wine! Drilling a hole in the keel is one thought. Sail up the Napa River with a long hose for a quick fill. We can foresee the day at the fuel dock when you will top off your diesel tank and your tasty wine keel. What a great time we will have enjoying those warm evening cockpit sessions with friends around the binnacle each with a long plastic tube leading to the keel sittin’, suckin’, and socializin’. New fad. Demented minds!

Harbor Master from Hell — We heard about this fine lady long before we arrived! The word we got was beware! On her behalf, she deals with a marina full of aggressive fishermen on a daily basis. A fellow that we met had been to this port a few weeks earlier. He wanted two days at the dock so that they could go to explore the redwoods etc. She would not accept payment for more than one day at a time. If the fee wasn’t in the office by noon the next day she would have the Coast Guard pull his boat off of the dock and set it adrift. He went over to the Coast Guard office to check this out. They just shook their heads. We paid by envelope drop and didn’t stick around for an introduction.

We are in Morro Bay, CA, 9/21. That is 842 miles south of Neah Bay, 300 miles north of San Diego, and 916 north of Cabo San Lucas. Our ocean sailing skills are improving. Summer Snow has come a long way from the side yard and is truly impressive cutting through the swells. The confidence in her ability to handle adverse conditions with two ocean novices pointing the direction is a real comfort.
Speaking of comfort, Donna is below snoozing like a baby on the couch. At the beginning of our adventure she seldom went below to rest. I suspect the close proximity to the life raft was more important than cush.

The weather as improved but remains cold out on the ocean. The seas are not as steep and the winds remain in our comfort zone. We find, however, it’s to often on our nose requiring sailing only a back winded main or making long tacks under full sail.

We must mention the sea otter. What an entertaining animal. They float around on their backs with a meal of crab, abalone or clam on their tummy; oblivious to our presence as they crack open dinner with a rock brought up from below. A seagull occasionally dives in for a share, but is refused when the otter jumps up out of the water with fangs bared. We read that they grow to about 100 lb. and have 1 million hairs pre square inch. This keeps them warm in this cold water as they have no body fat.

Chuck and Donna Kinsey, Summer Snow

Second only to a boat, a sack of 25 cent coins is the most important cruising item in the Northwest. Laundromats and pay showers in all of the marinas consume handfuls for a brief body wash. In Oregon and California the showers are free with the inexpensive slip fee. Nice long hot showers — what a deal. Local phone calls in California are only 20 cents. Bad news, went in for an ice cream cone and asked for water, no fountain, and paid $1.00 for water in a bottle. Swore I would never do that. Santa Barbara had 25 cent restrooms. Had to do that.

The date 10/8/94, we are motoring into Marina Del Rey. The winds are 0 knots, temp. 80 degrees @ 1400. We sailed this am. with a light Santa Anna wind then nothing. This ocean bears no resemblance to the one up north. There may be a 6 in. swell and reminds us of Budd Inlet on a quiet day in July.

Fact : Marina Del Rey is the largest man made facility in the world. There are 6,000 boats in the water and another 3,000 on the hard. They are expanding the capacity to 9.000 slips.

We have noticed a new sound emerging from under the boat. It reminds us of a static electric arc. This weird sound continues all day and night. You can’t hear it in the cockpit or on the dock. We were surprised to learn that this sound comes from Pistol shrimp. They are zapping their lunch before dining, that plankton. We were told about a fellow who inquired about the sound and was told that fiberglass termites were making the noise. He went absolutely wild on the radio trying to make immediate arrangements for a haul out. Some one finally tranquilized him with the facts before this expensive arrangement was finalized.

We passed through a herd of common porpoise the other day that numbered at least one hundred animals. Some surfed the bow wake while others just cruised or entertained themselves playfully leaping entirely out of the water. Some of our cruising friends have noted herds of up to several hundred animals.

Best Line comes from Latitude 38 sailing magazine. Don’t do anything disgusting like pulling on long pants or a sweater. Go South.

This will be the last comment on Santa Barbara. We both were impressed with its beauty and the hospitality. The docks were immaculate, Early each morning men pick up the garbage from small cans down on the fingers and scrub seagull poop from the docks and walks. The ocean breaks on the seawall just fifty yards from Summer Snow. What a wonderful relaxing sound to retire with each night.

We recently installed three 17.5 volt solar panels over the dodger which should keep our refrigeration, water maker, etc., alive without running the engine or purchasing a very long extension cord. By doing the work in Santa Barbara it gave us more time to enjoy the area.

We see anchors color coordinated with the boat. Some have toll painting on them, others have the boat’s name on the flukes, or the yacht club to which they belong. The ground tackle only gets wet when the boat is washed, or heaven forbid, they find a swell to dive into. Our CQR looks rather tacky resting on the roller scratched and muddy.

Arrived at Pt. Loma, 10/17/94, The entrance to San Diego Bay. The thick kelp on the point must have been using steroids. The plants grow to the surface from over 50 ft. down and the bulbs are the size of softballs.

We see the Los Coronados Islands to the south, Mexico. Hot peppers here we come! We have traveled 1,000 miles and have 700 to go to Cabo.

Outside six of the 12 meter boats were practicing in 23 knot winds. Stars and Stripes was being towed rapidly down the channel to sea. Late to practice, Dennis Conner and crew were relaxing in the cockpit. Several days later I was talking with a crew member. He said that they aren’t really sailing much these days, just out there making beer commercials. We are going out tomorrow, 11/5/94, with friends on a trawler into the bay to watch the second bay race.

10/27/94 Summer Snow has successfully come through her most difficult challenge and I am pleased to announce that. we are still afloat. Grandson, Samuel, 1 yr. 4 mo. has tested every switch, knob, handle, bulkhead, electrical circuit, propane sensor, VHF and Ham Radio, and cabin doors. All winches, sheets, and halyards have passed the kid test. This fellow starts work at 0615 everyday with a loud karate yell and hits the floor. After a quick snack he’s always in top form.

That’s it for this time. Next month on down to tamale – enchilada land We are looking forward to the fishing and had better catch a bunch. We bought mandatory boat license, dinghy license and personal license for both of us today, $160.00 for the year. With our Visas and other papers in order, soon off we go!

Chuck and Donna Kinsey, Summer Snow

As it gets to be time to plan the coming summer’s cruise I start thinking about where I went last year. If you do likewise, I would ask you to put some of those memories on paper and send them to us. I know that there are some good stories out there, share.