02 Sep - Having already overstayed our planned time in Ventura, it was now time to hopefully find some nice cruising grounds around the Channel Islands.  This was the first area that promised to be anything like Vancouver island for cruising with multiple anchorages on many small islands.  We set off around 10:30 in building winds and were soon sailing close hauled in 15 - 20 knots of wind.  The sea was pretty choppy giving a less than smooth ride but the sun was out and everything was going pretty fine, until the inner stay started flapping loose.  Crawling up the deck to try and find out what was wrong it soon became obvious that the pin holding the stay to the deck had come undone (I'd actually seen the locking nut when we had been repairing the windlass on the deck and had wondered where it was from but didn't investigate at the time!)  Luckily we were not sailing with the stay sail so all we had to do was lash the stay to something firm before we could continue on in the fresh winds. 

We had been told that the bay that we were heading for (little Scorpion Bay) was quite sheltered but we were finding this hard to believe based on the weather we were experiincing.  After sime indecision (shall we go to a different bay that we don't have any information on or stay with our original plan?) we  kept going for Little scorpion bay.  We could also see three other sailboats in the bay so figured there must be some protection there!

On arriving we found the other boats bouncing around quite a lot.  Although there were some rocks that broke the swell the wind was still blowing 15 - 20 knots.  We found somewhere to anchor though by about 15:00 and then settled in to make sure we weren't going to drag.  After about 30 minutes, with the wind not abating, we felt fairly secure,  We then noticed one of the other sailboats dragging straight towards us!  We tried to raise them on radio, using the horn and even by rowing over but then it became obvious the owners weren't home!  As the boat got nearer thankfully the anchor must have snagged again but they were still uncomfortably close.  It was then that the owners returned from a walk and a flurry of activity took place.  They got their engine on and tried to pull away, then snagged another yacht's stern anchor and after sorting that out started looking for a new place to drop.  It took them over two hours to get their anchor back down and settled with a couple of their attempts getting them all too close to some of the other boats.  As the evening wore on there was no let up in the wind with gusts to 25 knots.  Having seen one boat drag, we were also concerned for the rest of us and so decided the safest thing to do was to sleep in the cockpit.  As the night wore on the wind came around to start pushing into the anchorage which made matters even more uncomfortable with the swell now making the boat bob around form side to side

03 Sep - As the clock crawled into the new day both Heidi and I were still camped in the cockpit trying to snatch sleep when we could.  Eventually Heidi headed down to the bed but with the boat rolling like a drunken sailor that didn't really help much.  Around 02:00 the wind finally died down but the swell increased and, as we were beam onto it (we had put out a stern anchor) it was very uncomfortable.  Through the night we also watched two other boats having to move (one dragged again and the other one ended up too close to the rocks when the wind shifted) and so all in all a fun night was had by all!

We were both up with the dawn due to the bad sea state but this did have it's advantages as we were greetedby a glorious sunrise.  After breakfast we were (recovering!) in the cockpit when the skipper of a big motor cruiser that had come in the previous evening came over and asked if he would like us to join them on a bit of an explore in their rather plush dinghy. 

BeTrue at anchor in Little Scorpian Bay

Jeff, the skipper, proved an expert boat handler and we had a wonderful time touring the coastline with him and one if his friends, Karen.  Once back at his boat the invited us in for morning coffee and a tour of his beautiful boat; Teak and Holly.

Our little boat from the bridge of Teak and Holly

  Karen, Dave and Dan were with him on the boat and as we sat chatting they got their instruments out and treated us to some wonderful scottish and irish folk music -all were very accomplished musicians and we felt very honored to have this private concert! On getting back to the boat, we decided that, after the previous night, we should take things easy and so had a fairly leisurely afternoon and evening

Our own personal caleigh

04 Sep - After a REALLY good nights sleep we decided we should have a go at sorting out our stay that had broken on the way over.  BY mid morning, after a couple of false starts, we managed to get it all back together and appropriately tensioned.  We then fired up the engine and checked the windlass again before dropping the dinghy and going for an explore ourselves around the rugged coastline of this island.  We didn't venture too far from the boat though as there was a lot of kelp and we couldn't get to shore so were soon back on the boat for some more downtime

05 Sep - After another good night's sleep we decided it was time to push on from Little Scorpian Cove and so pulled up the anchors by hand (a good workk out!) and then headed round the corner of the island to Smugglers cove in glorious sunshine.  We were the first to go into the big open bay in the morning and so had the pick of the anchorages and we pulled in close to the south side of the bay.  With the sun beating down we settled in for a fabulous day.  The views were very meditrerranean with an old olive grove prominent on the shore and the sea was crystal clear.  

Heidi happy with olive grove in the background

I jumped in the water and snorlkelling around for the first time could see down over 25 feet to inspect our anchor placement and chain.  On first inspections unfortunately I saw the anchor moving and so after a quick reposition and a second check, I cold confirm the anchor was well bedded in.  

The rest of the day was spent just soaking up the views and the sun.  

05 Sep - Today was to be our last day on the Channel Islands before heading back into Oxnard.  TO cap off our cruise of these delightful islands we puttered along the coast of Anacapa Island, a very remote spot so close to shore which doesn't really have any good landing spots so is totally uninhabited, apart from a lighthouse at the Eastern tip.  There is also an amazing natural arch in the rock here.

Anacapa lighthouse and rocks

Once clear of the island we headed back across Santa Barbara straight.  On the trip we cut across the path of a large pod of dolphins and were delighted when a few of them took time out to play in our bow wave.  Wiht the crystal clear water, it looked like they were floating in air around the bow as the ducked and dived around the boat.

We were soon pulling into Oxnard and then pulled into a slip that the Anacapa Yacht club had for us.  Although there was noone from the yacht club around (there was a big race on this weekend) the liveaboard community at the dock made us feel most welcome. Once the boat was safely put to bed we went for a walk and found the channel Islands yacht club where we met the vice commodore and others who made us feel very welcome.  They told us about a dinner and comedy evening they were having that night so we bought some tickets for it and went along.  The food was amazing and the comedy very 'sharp' with us somehow becoming the target as we unfortunately ended up write in front of the comedians.  A fantastic relaxing evening though and we thoroughly enjoyed meeting everyone at the club.