newport beach

We picked a nice weather window to leave San Francisco bound for southern California, eager to leave the howling fog and hypothermia of the Bay area for warmer climes. As we pulled out of San Francisco, the fog came in through the Golden Gate Bridge like a freight train reducing visibility to a few boat lengths. We couldn't see the Golden Gate Bridge until we were directly underneath it.

Once out of the Bay area, we began a 3 day run under mostly absent winds. We motored all but about 8 hours of the passage. Point Conception is the last gnarly cape to be dealt with on our journey south and we crossed it on the second night out. It was eventful only in trying to stay awake and not run into an oil rig.

After meeting a disproportionate amount of douchebags while fueling up in Santa Barbara, we chose to skip SB and press on to Newport Beach and the well protected anchorage there. Less than three minutes after pulling into the breakwater at Newport Beach, we had our first bikini'd fake boobs sighting.

Ahh... LA.

We've really enjoyed Newport Beach and not just for the mammaries. We are anchored in a great spot at the center of a maelstrom of activity. On Sunday, we had scads of wee children in dighies sailing circles around our anchored boat as part of a race while the 35 to 45 foot sailboats intersect their course as part of their sailboat race.

Newport Beach has proven fascinating, grossly wealthy, wierd, but supremely entertaining spot to spend a few days.

Next up? Catalina Island and a rendevous with the soon-to-be-blog-superstar Casey.


All we could make out of the Golden Gate Bridge as we left San Francisco Bay.


Sailing into the Santa Barbara channel at sunrise. We virtually never sail east so sailing into a sunrise was new and cool.


These things are everywhere down here.


Inner reach of Newport Bay.


Our boat being mobbed by dinghy sailors.

33°36'31.86"N 117°54'27.54"W