With the forecast of a bomb cyclone coming through the week, creating all the weather conditions except those representative of the California Dreaming I’ve been doing for the last several months, we were still able to accomplish our main objective of getting on a boat.
Monday 1/2/23
In the morning the park ranger stopped by, and told us that we would not be able to stay in the park for the duration of our reservation, and that the park will be closed by Wednesday, in preparation for the expected flooding. A state of emergency has been issued, and because the park is in a recent burn zone, it is susceptible to flash flooding. We would have to find another place to park the trailer.
Who knows what would have happened to our home if we were to have left it parked there and gone to Catalina. Would they have towed it out somewhere? Would it get washed out into the ocean?
We’ll have to figure out where to move to, later.
Today it promised to be a cold and windless day. A calm between storm cells. At least it wasn’t raining. Although we can’t sail, I am determined to get on a boat, even if we have to be a motorboat for the day.
A typical sailing day begins in the afternoon, when the thermal winds created by the afternoon warming of the land. The warmer air on land raises as it warms and sucks in the cooler air from the ocean, creating what is called an ocean breeze. In days past, when we used to live here, about an hour from the marina, I would always wait until the winds filled in and come to the marina after lunch. Each time I would stop at the nearby Chipotle for a hearty vegan burrito to sustain me over the following hours of sailing.
Unfortunately, Lisa despises Chipotle for their excessive use of Cumin, and refuses to entertain a lunch stop at any Chipotle anywhere, no matter how desperate we are for something to eat.
How sweet is she, then, for suggesting that we should go to Chipotle for lunch before going out on the boat, letting me have the full sailing experience of the days gone by, now alive only in my memories.
As promised, there is no wind today, and we motor around the bay until the sun goes down, and I couldn’t be any more grateful.
When we got home that night, we got news that we could mooch-dock the trailer at a friend’s compound any time that we need to. He had plenty of private parking and we would have access to water and electricity.
I have always said, you meet the nicest people on a sail boat, and with his outstanding generosity, he is yet another example supporting this bias. I have made more good friends through sailing, than any other passion.
Tuesday 1/3/23
We started the day, breaking down camp and moving the trailer.
The big challenge of the day is driving an 8 foot wide trailer, backward down a 9 foot wide driveway, for at least 100 feet, or what I call eternity. It was slow going, what seemed like an hour, but we made it without hitting any trees, animals, buildings, fences, or other cars, and fit ourselves snugly in our spot for the next two days.
Once we were parked, it was time to go back to the marina, the rain at bay, and the wind whispering sweet nothings, making promises of a day of sailing.
So we went sailing. It was cold and drab, and it was glorious. There is an overwhelming spirituality that overcomes most sailors when the engines are turned off, and you begin to hear the sound of water rushing by underneath the hulls, with the boat propelled by an invisible, silent force.
Wednesday 1/4/23
The flooding rain had started overnight. With our sailing itch scratched, the day was reserved for final preparations to depart for the next leg of our journey.
I got the trailer ready, topping up the tires on the trailer, filling up our water bottles, and re-packing our stuff to survive tomorrow’s drive.
Lisa on the other hand went on multiple Costco runs, to find all of the last things that we wouldn’t be able to find in Mexico. What this looks like in practice, is a fridge full of exotic condiments, with no actual food.
With the trailer ready to roll, and a full fridge void of food, we went to sleep knowing that our Los Angeles chapter is complete.
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