Shelter Island San Diego

We pulled into San Diego Harbor around 7:30pm, Friday the 9^th.  The channel we had to get through to get to our assigned slip (which Peggy arranged for us) was not an easy task! The channel was very narrow, it was dusk and there was a fog advisory! Visibility was an issue. We also had to dodge lots of crab pots along the way as well.  John steered us through while the rest of us stood out on the bow keeping our eyes out for crab pots.  The decks were wet and slippery from the fog.  So, harnesses and tethers were back on the crew.

Peggy and Ryan (Peggy & Jeff’s son) greeted us at our slip. Peggy was waving a flashlight to help us find our way. John pulled us into the slip gracefully considering we could not see much of our surroundings. We were enveloped in a blanket of fog.  Miraculously we made it into a slip at the Harbor Police Guest Dock in Shelter Island, which is located right next to the Kona Kai Resort & Marina. It’s a very nice area!  The fee to stay here is only $1.00 per documented foot. Even though Jeff’s boat is about 52’ overall, the boat is documented as a 43’ boat. So $43.00 a night isn’t too bad. There are facilities…bathroom/showers available which is included in the cost.  To reserve a spot you just need to go on-line at reservations.portofsandiego.org/boating.  You can stay up to 15 days within a 40 day period. 

After tying up it was a little too cold to sit out in the cockpit, so we all huddled down below and visited and celebrated our arrival to San Diego!

The next morning, Rick and I snuck out to take a little walk and to find a cup of coffee somewhere. One and half miles later, we found a Starbuck’s in town. Not our favorite choice, but something.  On our way to find coffee, we walked along a promenade.  The bay on one side and a nice green manicured, landscaped lawn area on the other. The weather was still a little cool and foggy. On the walk back to the boat, the sun appeared and it got hot and humid fast. 

 

Public Dock looking onto Kona Kai Resort & Marina

Rick and Jeff got right to work on getting a few things done on the boat. They hosed off the boat and the Jib sail.  Then they went down below to work on the electrical and to change the seawater wash down pump. There are a few other items Jeff would like to take care of before we leave for Mexico. If all goes well we should be leaving tomorrow, the 11^th.  

Peggy got right to work herself straightening and organizing the boat.  The rest of us got organized as well. Getting dirty laundry together in hopes of finding a Laundromat and tidying up our sleeping quarters. John was packing up his things because he was catching a plane back to the bay area.  It was sad to see him leave. It felt like we were losing a part of the family. You all get to know and feel pretty comfortable with everyone when you are crewing on a boat.  What was cool about John is that he was so smart and he knew everything on about any subject. He was like a living Google.  He also knew lots about sailing and navigation. And, he was a great cook! He made some delicious meals and he was always offering to feed us. 

John, getting ready to go home.

After our saying goodbye to John, Peggy, Kit and I drove to the Laundromat in Ryan’s car, which was very close by.  While waiting for our clothes to get washed, we walked over to the West Marine a few blocks away.  While shopping I noticed it was time for our clothes to be done washing. So I offered to run over and put the clothes through to the dryers while the girls were finishing up.  I made it to the Laundromat just as the clothes were completing their spin cycle. I put them into what I thought was the dryer.  As I put the last quarter into the slot, I noticed water slowly filling up in the window of the machine. I gasped! Oh my gosh, I had put the clothes (both loads) back into another washing machine. Round and round the clothes went. I could not turn the machine off or open the door to stop it (or water would have been all over the floor of the Laundromat. So I had to sit and wait forty-five minutes until the wash was done. I was so upset with myself wondering how I could make such a stupid mistake! I was not looking forward to alerting Peggy of the mishap.  So I texted her to take her time and explained my stupid mistake. She was cool about it.  So She and Kit came back just as I was putting the 2 loads of laundry into again what I thought were dryers.  I suggest they go ahead and get any other errands done while I wait for the clothes to dry. So they left.  I sat there again waiting for the clothes to dry. A Hispanic woman, who apparently had been watching me, asked me why I was washing the clothes for a third time.  I looked at her like, WHAT??? You mean I did it again. I thought to myself…this is the end. I must be having a stroke. My brain had disappeared.  I was really embarrassed now and actually worried.  Peggy texted close to the end of the wash cycle and said they were five minutes away. I told her to take her time! (PLEASE take your time!!!). The wash was going to be done any second. As soon as it was, I asked the Hispanic woman, Where are the dryers??? She pointed to them and I quickly tossed the clothes in. Slammed the door, dispensed the quarters and stood there crossing my fingers waiting for the clothes to miraculously dry faster than any clothes had ever been dried in history! 

They do look different, right? 

Well, Peggy and Kit walked back into the Laundromat asking if the clothes were done yet. I told her no and that the dryers must not work very well, because the clothes were still a little damp (lie, lie, lie). Peggy really looked puzzled but shrugged her shoulders as if to say oh well. I told her and Kit if they had anything else to go do, they should go do it and I will wait for the clothes to dry. So they left. To make a longer than necessary story short, the clothes dried and were folded and we went back to the boat with clean clothes and some bags of groceries.

Back at our dock, the guys were still fixing stuff and a nice breeze had come up. It was a gorgeous day on the water! There were three sea lions on the dock across from us, which were sunning themselves and barking at times.  Other boaters were out and about, either just getting in from a day out in the bay or just hanging out on their boats relaxing.

We have met some really friendly people here on our dock! One couple is from Sausalito, Morgan and Montgomery, and they had actually remembered seeing Jeff’s boat at one time or another.  They said they also saw us in Santa Barbara recently.  There are a few other very nice people we have met, but the names I have forgotten. Maybe the cloud has it stored. In other words, I will never know!

In the evening we made dinner on the boat….Tamale’s (courtesy of Peggy’s mother) and a nice green salad. After dinner we watched another one of those mystery movies that Jeff likes. This one was pretty good. I slept through part of it though and I think Jeff slept through all of it.  I never did find out who ‘done it’.

This morning Rick and I snuck out again for coffee, but the walk was much shorter than yesterday’s. We had coffee on the patio at the Kona Kai Resort. Wow…what a nice place!

Entrance gate to Kona Kai Marina

Lobby area of Kona Kai

Well, now Jeff, Peggy and Rick have left in Ryan’s car to do errands and it sounds like they will be gone most of the day. Kit has been busy packing her things getting ready to leave around 1:30 today. She will be flying to Denver to visit her two-week old granddaughter, Alma.  We will miss Kit too!  She’s been great to have as crew! She knows a lot about sailing and is always there to participate and do whatever needs to be done.  We will also miss her fine cooking!

So it’s just me left here to add to the blog.  Stay tuned.