There are many options for choosing a good Channel Islands Anchorage depending on winds, current, and other marine traffic.
Wind and waves are our decision points, as there is no other marine traffic out here around Santa Cruz Island except for a few squid boats sleeping during the day and fishing at night.
Despite the constant washing machine churn of the ship overnight, both Tom and I had excellent sleep scores on our Garmin Fenix watches – I clocked 10 hours and 6 minutes with a score of 82/100, and he clocked 11 hours and 26 minutes of sleep… Amazing.
We heard the Captain and First Mate conferring in the early hours and determined that with the wind shift we were going to pull the anchor and head to another anchorage to get into calmer water.
Up comes the hook, and we motor over to Chinese Harbor around the corner – an anchorage that Captain Dan has done a great job of detailing on his website.
Little Scorpion Sunrise
The sun begins to light up Scorpion Rock as we pull anchor to head out.
Not a long haul, just better shelter from the wind and waves that are coming.
Things in Chinese Harbor started picking up even as they prepared breakfast, with sheets and sheets of rain coming down.
Late Breakfast
Dan and Dennis prepare their Sancerre Scramble after we tuck into Chinese Harbor.
Gimbal Stove At Work
This is why offshore boats have gimbal stoves
Island Waterfall
A massive waterfall streams down the cliff side as we get pummeled with heavy rain in Chinese Harbor.
It’s nice to sit high and mostly dry in the cockpit and watch the torrents soak the islands and create huge muddy waterfalls cascading down.
Chinese Harbor
A pan around the cockpit in the rain at Chinese Harbor
Once the decision was made to leave Chinese Harbor and head to an alternate Channel Islands anchorage – Smugglers Cove or Yellowbanks.
Out come the kayaks and up comes the anchor.
Stowing the Kayaks
It’s an adventure stowing the kayaks!
Yank The Hook
Dennis pulls the anchor as the sun lights up the sky behind him.
Moving to Smugglers Cove was indeed the right call, as the seas there were calm and the boat gently rocked instead of bouncing around like a drunken sailor.
Even better – we were treated to a rainbow sliver and amazing display of color as the clouds broke at sunset, hopefully leading into great weather tomorrow!
Mini Me
The nut doesn’t fall far from the tree
Fire At Anchor
The squid boat Obsession bobs at anchor below a fiery sky
Frame The Frame
Shelby makes photos from our anchorage in Smugglers Cove
Levels And Layers
Multiple levels and layers of clouds over the Santa Barbara Channel.
Going Black
The setting sun throws the lee side of Santa Cruz Island into darkness.
Rainbow Sliver
Watching a gorgeous rainbow expand over Anacapa Island from Smugglers Cove.
